Eco-Lite Mini-Trip: Cango Wildlife Ranch, Oudtshoorn

Posted on April 22, 2016 by Tara

Are you a busy executive traveling through and need a break from work? Are you traveling with kids too small to take on expeditions in the bush but want to let them see bird up close? Do you want a closer look at the birds you saw/will see in the wild? Then Eco-Lite Mini-Trips are for you!

OVERVIEW

Cango Wildlife Ranch is much more than just an aviary and offers some exciting natural encounters with South African animals. You can pat a cheetah or tiger cub and hold a snake if you want. Bird lovers will enjoy the lorikeet enclosure where you can feed the birds. They are friendly and curious and always hungry!

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

Cango Wildlife Ranch is a few km out of Oudtshoorn. A Google map is available.

HOW MUCH IS IT?

Standard Ticket

Adult: R140.00

Child: R90.00 (5 – 13 years)
Premium Ticket (includes entrance and 1 encounter of choice)

Adult: R270.00

Child: R180.00 (5 – 13 years)

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU SPEND THERE AND WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE?

We were there for about 2 hours and saw the main attractions and did an Animal Encounter with the cheetahs as you will see in the photos below. You could easil spend more time here if you want to cover all the animals and do more encounters.

VALUE TO CONSERVATION

Very extensive involvement in several conservation programs. Details are on their website.

WHERE TO STAY NEARBY ON POINTS

Oudtshoorn is a fairly small town and has no major international chain hotels. Most people stay in local guesthouses and backpacker places. You can earn airline miles if you go through PointsHound.

PHOTOS

Through the jaws!

Meerkat Manor

Walkway leading to crocodiles, fish tanks and other smaller exhibits.

Big cats have their own large enclosures.

Tiger cubs

Stunning eyes!

Lorikeet Aviary – you can feed them and they will come to you.

Snack bar

Animal Encounter with Cheetahs. This costs extra but is worth it! The money raised goes to their conservation fund.

Eco-lite Mini-trip: Bird Land/Hot Park, Goiania, Brazil

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Tara

OVERVIEW

Hot Park is mostly a family theme park sort of like Busch Gardens in Florida but they do have one fun attraction that appeals to bird lovers – Bird Land. Bird Land is a large walk-in aviary that you pay extra to enter. There are lots of different Brazilian parrots flying freely and they will land on you. You aren’t allowed to take your own camera inside, you have to pay for their photographer to take a photo of you with the birds. I couldn’t resist a shot with a friendly Golden Conure.

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

Goiania is a few hours drive from Brasilia or you can fly in on Gol or Tam. Once in Goiania, you need to rent a car to get to the Hot Park.

Goiania

HOW MUCH IS IT?

Online – – – R$ 110,00
Ticket Office – – – – – – R$ 140,00

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU SPEND THERE AND WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE?

Allow around 1 hour for the aviary so you can get a good look at some very nice parrots up close. You will probably also want to relax in the hot pools and walk around the rest of the park having come this far.

VALUE TO CONSERVATION

No affiliations that I can see. It’s a nice place to take kids as there is lots for them to do and getting close to the parrots can foster an interest in seeing them in the wild.

WHERE TO STAY NEARBY ON POINTS

No points hotels. Hot Park has a resort attached to it. We ended up staying at a hotel of dubious reputation as it was almost midnight and I was so tired from driving and we didn’t have anywhere booked. We just stopped at the first place we saw that had a safe car park. Looking back, the “safety” is probably intended more to conceal the cars from passers-by than to protect the cars from thieves!

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We stopped here for breakfast, it’s near the Hot Park. 0Z-4

PHOTOS

The entrance to the park. While waiting in line, we saw some Peach-fronted Parakeets flying overhead and in the trees near the ticket office.

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There are maps and information boards all over the park – you won’t get lost!

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I’m not sure what this bus is for. 3HP-08

Hot pools 3HP-03 3HP-04 3HP-09

Bird Land Walk-in Aviary 3HP-06 4BL-05 4BL-06 4BL-07 5DSC_7553 5DSC_7559

It was a very pleasant day and I really enjoyed seeing the birds up close as I usually see them darting rapidly overhead!

Eco-Lite: Lemur Island, Vakona Forest Lodge, Madagascar

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Tara

OVERVIEW

Lemur Island is located on the grounds of the Vakona Forest Lodge. The lemurs here are tame and will jump all over you, especially if you have bananas. It’s basically a glorified zoo but in natural foliage setting. It’s fun to spend an afternoon visit there when it’s too hot to go birding but don’t confuse this with real eco-tourism. Kids are welcome.

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

From Andasibe village, keep going north to the Vakona Forest Lodge. Lemur Island is just near the main gate. After you buy a ticket, you will be rowed across a small river to the island where you can wander around as you wish.

HOW MUCH IS IT?

Tickets are 15,000 ariary per person. You can buy them at the reception of the Vakona Forest Lodge and use a credit card (when the machine can get a signal).

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU SPEND THERE AND WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE?

We spent about an hour there. The lemurs will jump all over your fellow tourists, sometimes with hilarious results. Staff will give you bananas to feed them. The lemurs found here include bamboo lemur, the black & white ruffed lemur, brown lemur and diademed sifaka.

VALUE TO CONSERVATION

While not affiliated with any conservation programs, the island does provide a home for some lemurs that were formerly captive as pets and rescued and can’t live in the wild. You can get excellent photos as the lemurs come right up close.

WHERE TO STAY NEARBY ON POINTS

There are no points hotels anywhere in Madagascar. You can earn airline miles by bookng through Pointshound or Rocketmiles.

PHOTOS

My husband making friends

Look at the hands on this close up – 4 fingers and a thumb just like humans!

Mama and baby

A few birds we saw on Lemur Island

Eco-Lite: Casela Nature Park, Mauritius

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Tara

Mauritius is a destination that appeals to all kinds of travelers with its beautiful beaches and family friendly atmosphere. The Casela Nature Park is a great option for families and others who want a quick look at some local and exotic birds. There are no Echo Parakeets here.

OVERVIEW

Out of sight down Rivière Noire road, lies 14 hectares of lush green which is now home to a big variety of fauna and flora. Some 1,500 birds, a selection of wildcats, zebras, giant tortoises, long-tailed monkeys, among other species, can be watched on site. There are also plenty of activities like canyoning or hiking Via Ferrata, double and triple ziplines and the adventurous cable bridges. It kind of reminded me of Busch Gardens in Florida, same kind of appeal to families in particular.

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

Casela Nature Park is easily reached from the main road between Curepipe and Flic en Flac. There is a small shopping centre on the intersection of the A3 and Flic en Flac road and the park is signposted.

HOW MUCH IS IT?

Basic admission is fine if you just want to see the birds. There are additional charges for other activities.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU SPEND THERE AND WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE?

We arrived pretty late in the afternoon and had just under an hour to scurry around and see the birds. This turned out to be enough time for what we wanted. We only saw the birds, didn’t have time to see or do anything else.

VALUE TO CONSERVATION

No affiliation with any conservation projects.

WHERE TO STAY NEARBY ON POINTS

Flic en Flac is the closest town although no where is really far on Mauritius. The Hilton in Flic en Flac has rooms starting at 40,000 Honors points.

PHOTOS

The highlights for me was seeing the wild birds such as this Madagascar (not Mauritian) Fody flying around the grounds.

Eco-Lite: Birds Of Eden Revisted – Part 2

Posted on December 27, 2014 by Tara

Continuing on from yesterday, we pick up the virtual stroll through the Birds of Eden walk-in aviary at the first pond where you can see Scarlet Ibises and other water birds, then past the grassy area to the main pond and the area surrounding the Jandaya Cafe. Sadly, the Jandaya Cafe is now screened in and the birds no longer are able to join you for lunch. The food was good though!

(Don’t look if you are under 18!)

Birds wondering why they can’t get into the cafe. Maybe because they don’t have credit cards?

Eco-Lite: Birds Of Eden Revisted – Part 1

Posted on December 26, 2014 by Tara

A little over a year ago, I shared some pics of the many gorgeous birds you can see flying freely in the huge Birds of Eden walk-in aviary and details of how you can visit them. If you are using miles, Port Elizabeth makes a great gateway city as you can easily get award flights there and redeem hotel points for free stays as I wrote in my main Port Elizabeth blog post.

Just last month, we got to revisit this awesome bird park and spend the whole day there. Since today is Boxing Day in Australia and tomorrow will also be a busy post-Christmas day, I will hold off on travel posts and simply enthrall you with some photos of beautiful birds!

I have WAY too many photos and not time to caption them so just relax and enjoy them!

In this part, I will show you the forest walkways and the birds that you can see there. Tomorrow, I will show you the Jandaya Cafe area, the ponds and the birds in those areas.

Eco-Lite: Devils@Cradle

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Tara

OVERVIEW

Devils @ Cradle is a unique Tasmanian conservation facility focusing on Tasmania‘s three carnivorous marsupials, whilst concentrating primarily on the Tasmanian devil but including both the Eastern and Spotted – tail Quoll. The sanctuary is located adjacent to the World Heritage listed Cradle Mountain National Park.

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

Fly into Hobart or Launceston and drive to Cradle Mountain. The sanctuary is located adjacent to the World Heritage listed Cradle Mountain National Park.

HOW MUCH IS IT?

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU SPEND THERE AND WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE?

If you get there early, have a wander around. The guide will begin at 5:30 and lead you around the exhibits while feeding the Devils and other animals. You’ll need a couple hours at least.

VALUE TO CONSERVATION

The sanctuary conducts a number of in-situ conservation programs within the Cradle Mountain area and by combining resources with the State Government, U-TAS, Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmanian Wildlife Parks, local operators and the community we aim to make a significant contribution to the conservation of these species. Details on their website.

WHERE TO STAY NEARBY ON POINTS

There are no hotels nearby you can use points for. Chain hotels are available in Hobart or Launceston. You may be able to earn points for your stay at Cradle Mountain if you book via Pointshound or Rocketmiles.

PHOTOS

Eco-Lite: Rainbow Jungle, Kalbarri, Australia

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Tara

OVERVIEW

Gorgeous landscaped walk-in aviary with dozens of brightly coloured Aussie birds of many different species. They also have display cages for certain species. Good for getting a close up look at the birds you are hoping to see in the wild so you can identify them more easily. Also a great place to bring kids to see and appreciate the beauty of Australian birds (and a few exotics) in a family-friendly setting. More details on their website.

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

It’s about 10 km south of Kalbarri on Red Bluff Road. You’ll need a car as I didn’t see any sign of bus service.

HOW MUCH IS IT?

Rainbow Jungle is open seven days a week (except Christmas Day) 9am to 5pm / Sundays 10am to 5pm Last admission 4pm – Telephone: (08) 9937 1248 – Admission Adults $14 – Sen/Concession $12 – Child $5

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU SPEND THERE AND WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE?

By the time we got there – around 4pm, we only had an hour to look around and I could have easily stayed 2 hours or more as I like to sit back, relax and watch the birds go about their business. You can get really good photos and while the birds are not tame, they aren’t terribly skittish either. Some of the highlights were the Cockatoos, Princess Parrots, Gouldian Finches and more – see photos below!

VALUE TO CONSERVATION

They don’t have a conservation program. The main value in a walk-in aviary such as this is to become familiar with the various species, educate your kids and then move on to seeing them in the wild. The signs are nicely done and show the range of the birds.

WHERE TO STAY NEARBY ON POINTS

There aren’t any chain hotels in Kalbarri. You can earn points by using Pointshound to book hotels such as Palm Resort where we stayed. Rocketmiles doesn’t currently serve this location but worth a try as they seem to be adding lots of new properties.

PHOTOS

Eco-Lite: The Belize Zoo

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Tara

*Lots of photos are at the end of this post, some of which are actually in focus!

OVERVIEW

From their website: The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center was started in 1983, as a last ditch effort to provide a home for a collection of wild animals which had been used in making documentary films about tropical forests.

Shortly after the backyard “zoo” began, it was quickly realized that its Belizean visitors were unfamiliar with the different species of wildlife which shared their country. This very aspect fomented the commitment to develop the little zoo into a dynamic wildlife education center.

Today, The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center is settled upon 29 acres of tropical savanna and exhibits over 150 animals, representing over 45 species, all native to Belize. The zoo keeps animals which were orphaned, rescued, born at the zoo, rehabilitated animals, or sent to The Belize Zoo as donations from other zoological institutions.

I first became aware of the Belize Zoo by reading “The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw: One Woman’s Fight to Save the World’s Most Beautiful Bird” about zoo owner Sharon Matola. This book is a great read and available now in Kindle form (my affiliate link below)!

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

Belize Zoo is easily reached by bus from Belize City, Belmopan or San Ignacio. The Zoo is located at Mile 29 along the Western highway. The bus drivers are used to dropping off and picking people up there.

It is approximately an hour’s drive from the main cruise-ship terminal at the tourism village and about an hour driving from the international airport following through Belize City and onto the western highway.

HOW MUCH IS IT?

Normal Daily Fees are $15.00 US for adults and $5.00 US for children (non-Belizean). Fees for Belizean adults and children are $5.00 BZ and $1.00 BZ respectively.

The cafe is very reasonably priced for snacks and drinks.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU SPEND THERE AND WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE?

The Belize Zoo is easily worth a couple of hours just to see all the gorgeous birds in very attractive aviaries and read the info-plaques on the exhibits. I love how the zoo educates both Belizeans and tourists about how the birds and animals are part of their cultural heritage and should be protected and treasured!

VALUE TO CONSERVATION

THE BELIZE HARPY EAGLE RESTORATION PROGRAM (BHERP)
WORKING TO EMPOWER THE MESOAMERICA BIOLOGICAL CORRIDOR, MBC

You can support individual species by “adopting” an animal.

The scarlet macaw exhibit is designed to promote awareness of their need to keep their habitat free from destruction.

Conservation Camp is a great way for teenagers to experience the wild and learn more about how to preserve it.

WHERE TO STAY NEARBY ON POINTS

Hotel chains where points can be used are thin on the ground and covered in my general Belize post. Getting to Belize with airline miles is much easier!

PHOTOS

I think we went the wrong way on some of the paths so some of the signs may be after the species in that case. There are so many, I just did a bulk upload so enjoy!

Eco-Lite: Bloedel Conservatory, Vancouver, Canada

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Tara

OVERVIEW

Bloedel Conservatory is a domed lush paradise located in Queen Elizabeth Park atop the City of Vancouver’s highest point. More than 100 free-flying exotic birds, 500 exotic plants and flowers, and koi fish thrive within its temperature-controlled environment.

Constructed through a very generous donation from Prentice Bloedel, Bloedel was dedicated at its opening in 1969 “to a better appreciation and understanding of the world of plants.”

Designated at heritage building, it is jointly operated by Vancouver Park Board and the VanDusen Botanical Garden Association. Together, these partners also operate VanDusen Botanical Garden.

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

We made our visit during a layover after arriving on Air Canada and waiting for a red-eye to Houston enroute to Belize. We used the Canada Line from the airport to King Edward Station and walked from there. You can buy a Day Pass from the 7-11 in the domestic terminal for $9.75. A DayPass is handy for tourists who want unrestricted travel within all three zones for the entire day or who will be taking several bus trips to different tourist locations throughout the day. We also used it to go to the Waterfront after our visit, then to return to the airport.

Location of Bloedel Conservatory

HOW MUCH IS IT?

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU SPEND THERE AND WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE?

It’s not very large so we were only there for about 90 minutes. I enjoyed sitting and watching the birds fly around and it is a great place to relax. There are a lot of parrots including a few Macaws and the difficult-to-see Lineolated Parakeet (Barred Parakeet).

VALUE TO CONSERVATION

I couldn’t find any special programs to support conservation. The main value here would be a chance to observe the birds up close and get familiar with them so you may spot them more easily in the wild. It’s also a great place to take the family to get the kids interested in birds.

WHERE TO STAY NEARBY ON POINTS

Most people who are staying for one or more nights in Vancouver would probably prefer to stay near the Waterfront and use the train or bus to get to the Conservatory. Here are a few suggestions:

SPG

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre – 10,000 Starpoints

Westin Grand – 10,0000 Starpoints

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Airport – 7,000 Starpoints

IHG REWARDS

11 Properties ranging from 15,000-25,000 points.

HILTON HONORS

Hampton Inn & Suites – 40,000 points

Hampton Inn Vancouver Airport – 20,000 points

CLUB CARLSON

Park Inn & Suites – 38,000 points

Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport – 38,000 points