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Specialist African Safaris - More than just a game drive
Co-ordinates S28 31 02.9 E28 25 40.0
The Geological Setting
Old Canvas Expedition's flagship Dinosaurs and Diamonds geological safari is out of the town of Clarens in the Eastern Free State - at 1800 metres the second highest town in the country. The beautiful sandstone cliffs which surround the town and provide the magnificent backdrops for which it is famous, are fossilised sand dunes, harking back to a time 180 million years ago when the area was a desert, the realm of dinosaurs and small mammals.
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Dinosaur bones |
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Tugela Falls |
Gondwana was stilled joined; a vast supercontinent including Africa, India, Australia, Antarctica and South America. Incontestable forces began to play out at the end of Gondwana times, and the supercontinent began to tear itself apart. As these ruptures took place, thousands of metres of red hot, incandescent lavas flooded out onto the Gondwana landscape, burying all in a fiery embrace.
Walking through the town of Clarens gives no inkling of this cataclysmic history, but looking south one can see the blue Maluti Mountains - a remnant of those thousands of metres of lava which burned everything before it. Dinosaur bones protrude out of rocky road cuttings, the ancient desert dunes lie preserved in the cliff faces, faults form large dislocations in the Earth's crust and dykes traverse the landscape for tens of kilometres, once feeder pipes to the overlying molten lavas.
What you will learn
The safari will be run by Gerald Allan Davie, a consulting geologist with over 20 years of experience in Southern Africa and abroad, including the two large dams which make up the Lesotho Highlands Project. With his professional and workshop experience he is well placed to run our earth science expeditions.
In terms of what we will see and learn, we will marvel at the geological history of the region and the story of both wandering continents and wandering dinosaurs. We will drive the Roof of Africa along the highest road on the continent to the Letseng Diamond Mine - the highest in the world and the source of 4 of the 20 largest diamonds ever found. The mine operates under specifications which are applicable to mining operations in Canada due to the cold and extreme conditions. (Please note that valid passports will be required for us to enter Lesotho.) On the final day we will fly past the Tugela Falls, the second highest on Earth at 947 metres and enjoy views of the Drakensberg. This range is a proclaimed World Heritage Site - the uKhahlamba and it will be a privilege to see it from the air. From altitue we will also be able to see the post-Gondwana landscape and the phenomenal gorges that the eastward-flowing rivers have cut into the ancient African bedrock.
Join us then on a journey through 300 million years of Earth history, witness the breakup of Gondwana, the outpourings of lava and see the highest diamond mine on Earth. Perhaps the highlight will be to fly along the Eastern Escarpment past the Tugela Falls and the towering ramparts of the Drakensberg.
These are experiences which cannot be missed, and so we invite you to journey not only to one of the most picturesque towns in South Africa with its art galleries and restaurants, but on a journey down through the aeons, to a time when dinosaurs once ruled the Earth and Clarens was at the heart of a vast continent called Gondwana.
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View of 2000 m of basaltic lavas, more commonly known as the Amphitheatre, from the Golden Gate National Park |
Our next tour date, programme and prices are listed below:
The Programme
Our next Expedition takes place from Thursday 15th October to Sunday 18th October 2009 and is being run in conjunction with Getaway Magazine, so get yourself a copy of the September issue and book your space on the tour, or email as via our contacts page. The expedition comprises the following:
Thursday
18h30 to 20h00
Meet at Cranford Inn for drinks and an hour long presentation of the broad geological history of the region and the mechanics of plate tectonics which built it. Dinner will be served in the hotel.
Friday
07h00 to 09h30
Drive through Golden Gate Highlands National Park to a viewpoint overlooking the broad sweep of the Amphitheatre, arguably the finest views of the Drakensberg anywhere. Coffee/Tea served along with rusks/muffins. Enjoy the beauty of the Amphitheatre in the morning light while we discuss the significance of the landscape and the forces that shaped it. We then drive to a number of sites within the park to look at some geology close up - faults, dolerite intrusions and the contact where the molten lava poured out onto the Planet's face over 160 million years ago.
09h30 to 10h30
An amazing breakfast at Cranford Inn
- the full monty or a lighter menu for those who prefer.
10h30 to 13h00
Presentation on the regions geological history, from the ancient 3.6 billion year old bedrock of the craton through to the last outpouring of lava to form the Drakensberg. We get to look at hand specimens of granites, sandstones, basalts, mudstones, shales and some fascinating minerals. There will be microscopes set up to look at microscopic shells that form the oozes on the ocean floor and stereoscopes to view in 3 dimensions the topography and geomorphology of the Clarens region. We will also have a flume available through which we will pump water and replicate all sorts of sedimentary structures which occur in a natural river system. In short 2.5 hours of educational fun.
13h00 to 14h00
Light lunch served in the Cranford Inn.
14h00 to 16h30
Drive to our dinosaur sites along one of the most picturesque roads anywhere. Marvel at these amazing creatures and learn about the land which they inhabited and how they went extinct.
16h30 to 17h00
A recap of the days events, questions and then we break for the day. Drinks will be served, alternatively we can venture up to the local brewery and sample what is on offer in their pub.
19h00. Dinner at the Phat Chef, Clarens
Saturday
Note: Passports are required if we are to cross the border into Lesotho
07h00 to 16h00
We venture into Lesotho and travel the highest road in Africa across the vast accumulation of basaltic lavas that make up the Drakensberg/Malutis. Lava flows, bubble trains, pahoehoe texture and truly vast landscapes await us on our high altitude adventure. We have a tour scheduled at the highest diamond mine in the World - Letseng la Terai. The mine has been the source of 4 of the 20 largest diamonds ever discovered and is well worth the drive. A picnic breakfast and lunch will be served on the Roof of Africa with some of the finest views in the world. It will be cold so bring plenty of warm gear to keep out the keen mountain wind.
16h00 - 17h00
Post adventure drinks, discussion, access to the flume, microscopes, stereoscopes and hand specimens for those wishing to recap and play with the toys on hand.
19h00 onwards
Dinner once again from the kitchen of Simon and Megan Kerr of the Phat Chef.
Sunday
07h30-08h30
A slightly later start today. Tea, coffee rusks and cookies served in the conference centre. We will then look at a geological map of the region and learn how to read these amazingly useful sheets of paper. What we see on the map will be related back to what we have seen on the ground.
08h00 -10h30
A series of twenty minute flights in a Piper Seneca along the Eastern Escarpment, taking in the towering buttresses of the Drakensberg, the Tugela Falls (2nd highest on Earth at 947m) and the vast post Gondwana landscape which stretches out towards the east and the spreading rift more commonly known as the Indian Ocean.
This will need to work as a shuttle so some of us are going to have to wait on the ground while others fly. However we will endeavour to keep you entertained once again with some educational DVDS and of course the flume and microscopes etc will still be open for ongoing experimentation.
09h30 to 10h00
Once again we have that amazing breakfast. Don't overdo it mind you, as lunch is coming fairly shortly.
10h00 to 11h00
Experiments on a strange soil to reveal its true identity and origin - for some of you this might make you think twice about the ground on which you walk.
11h00 to 12h00
A dash out to the Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel outfall and a discussion on how geology affects us in so many ways, and in this case how the geology affected the construction of the large dams and the tunneling challenges the contractors overcame in their quest to bring water from the Lesotho Highlands through kilometres of mountains to South Africa.
12h00 to 13h00
Final recap, questions and thanks to you, the participants.
13h00
Lunch and departure at your leisure.
What to bring:
- A good pair of walking shoes or boots
- Warm clothing for high altitude excursions
- Camera and binoculars if desired, particularly as we are going into some of the most amazing landscapes on Earth
- A geological pick or masons hammer
- A valid passport with necessary Lesotho visas if applicable.
- And finally but no less importantly a sense of wonder and adventure.
Note: It is understood that US, UK, Canadian, Australian and South African nationals can get visas at the border. Other nationals please check with your consulate before departure or call the Lesotho High Commission in South Africa on +27 12 467648.
Course Fees
The cost of the course is R 6 600 per person. Non participating partners R2750.00. The fees includes accommodation, all meals, teas and coffees, all travel during the workshop, a twenty minute flight, the trip to Letseng mine, comprehensive course notes and a certificate of completion of the workshop. Drinks and extras are for your own account.
For more information email us on info@oldcanvasexpeditions.com or geologist@netactive.co.za
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Cranford Inn |
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Cross Bedding in the Sandstones |
To read about our other geological expeditions please click through on the links below:
| Dinosaurs and Diamonds Geological Expedition |
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A journey through the Drakensberg/uKhahlamba World Heritage Site - dinosaurs, incandescent lavas, and Gondwana disintegration is written in the rocks for those who might read the history of this ancient place. Downcutting of the rivers then created the amazing post-make this one of the most unique places on Earth. Read more.... |
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Co-ordinates S28 31 02.9 E28 25 40.0
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