I started this trip to South Africa with a bang – my first time driving on the left side of the road and visiting the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre.
Last visit, I was able to enjoy being a passenger while someone else drove. This time I was in the driver’s seat. Thankfully it wasn’t too difficult for me to adjust. It was the strange little things that tripped me up – I rode the left line and kept hitting the windshield wipers instead of the turn signal.
Hertz Rental Car
2020 Price: $315 for 8 days
I booked an Airbnb in Pretoria for our first few days. We stayed at the ‘Kingfisher Retreat’ and absolutely loved it! The hosts, Sume and Roelof, were amazing and really went above and beyond for us. It is in a safe area and there was a petrol station, restaurant, and grocery store minutes from the house. I definitely recommend their place if you are looking to stay in Pretoria.
Airbnb – Kingfisher Retreat
2020 Price: $143 for a 3-night stay
Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre
On our first full day in South Africa, we woke up early to drive 45 minutes to the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre for a tour. The Cheetah Centre was established by Ann in 1971 on her 65-hectare family farm near the foothills of the Magaliesberg mountain range in the North West province.
Cheetah Run & 2-Hour Guided Tour
2020 Price: R450 per person for adults (approx. $30.50 per person)
There are two main activities at the Centre: Guided tours of the grounds and cheetah runs. Guided tours, offered daily, include a drive through cheetah and wild dog camps in an open safari vehicle. The cheetah runs are only available 4 days a week at 8 AM. We opted for the cheetah run and guided tour combination ticket.
Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre also provides safe haven for animals that have been illegally kept and confiscated. “Cheetah Friendly” farmer boards have been introduced to demonstrate that cheetahs and farmers can live together. Through their Wild Cheetah Management Programme, they captured over 60 “problem animal” cheetahs and successfully relocated them into protected areas.
Cheetah Run
Visitors check in at the curio shop and then wait for their guide to start the cheetah run tour. We were led through several gates, down “Ambassador Lane” before ending at a viewing area fenced with a waist-high wooden fence. Ambassador cheetahs are part of the outreach program to raise awareness about cheetahs and nature conservation. They rotate which cheetahs participate in the run to give each an opportunity for exercise.
A lure made up of red and white ribbons is attached to a mechanical track along the ground. The lure starts its path and the cheetah is let loose to run and capture it. We watched two runs that morning and it was amazing to see just how fast they really are!
Ambassador Lane
After the runs we were invited to take our time back up Ambassador Lane to visit with the cheetahs in their fenced yards.
Some cheetahs were very interested in us and came right up to the fence while others just relaxed in the shade. This was my first chance to see how beautiful they are up close.
At the beginning of Ambassador Lane there were a pair of blue cranes which are the national bird of South Africa.
Guided Tour
After finishing Ambassador Lane, the group made our way over to the open jeep for the guided tour. The tour includes a driver/guide and another guide who puts out food in troughs at each stop to lure the animas within arm’s-length of the vehicle. We drove through multiple large enclosures which separate the cheetahs and wild dogs.
Cheetahs
Our first enclosure housed two cheetahs. The vehicle stopped and food was put into the troughs. We were given time to watch them and take photos up close.
Caracal
Then we passed an enclosure on the right with a caracal. His name is Barney.
Vultures
After the caracal, we viewed vultures. We saw lappet-faced vultures, rare Egyptian vultures, and Cape Griffin vultures.
African Wild Dogs
We moved into the African wild dog areas. This was my first opportunity to see African wild dogs and I was so excited. They are beautiful creatures. Further on in the trip we went to two different game reserves and never saw them in the wild so this was a real treat!
Next there was a bigger enclosure with a pack of wild dogs roaming freely around the vehicle. They were all named after snack foods – one was even name Milky Way based on its coloration.
It was fun to watch them interact and see pack politics. It was easy to spot the alpha dog.
Cheetahs
Our last enclosure was more cheetahs. Three male cheetahs, who were brothers I believe, reside there. They did not immediately come to the vehicle so the guide who puts out food had to call them. We learned that since he brings them food, they consider him part of the pack – they respond to him and don’t attack him like they would other humans.
We watched them slowly approach from the field. They were right next to us, ate, and then returned out of sight.
This was an easy drive from Pretoria and I loved getting to see cheetahs up close! It’s a great spot for a day trip if you are staying in Pretoria or Johannesburg.
If you want to participate in a tour or see cheetah runs, you will need to book in advance online – space fills up fast.
There is a gift shop on site with souvenirs and snacks. You also have the opportunity to ‘adopt’ an animal there if you would like.
History of the Centre
It was originally called the De Wildt Cheetah Research Centre and that name can still be seen on their signs including the entrance sign. The name was changed in 2010 as a tribute to Ann’s dedication to the endangered species they care for.
The Centre’s aim is the conservation and survival of cheetahs (and African wild dogs) through a breeding program which ensures genetic diversity and releasing the animals back into their natural habitat when space becomes available.
In 1988 Ann van Dyk received a gold medal award from the South African Nature Foundation for her contribution.
Since its inception, over 800 cheetah cubs and more than 500 wild dog pups have been born at the Centre. This is an incredible achievement considering at one point the total cheetah population in South Africa was estimated at 700. About 250 cheetahs have been re-settled in game reserves throughout South Africa and other countries – showing that a cheetah bred in captivity doesn’t lose its hunting instinct.
In 1978, the first captive King Cheetah was born at the Centre. This proved that the King Cheetah is the result of a recessive gene and not a different species.
Again Ms. Steph a wonderful glimpse into a trip that sounds and looks memorable. Your photos are fantastic, the prose delightful, when this corona virus is over travel will start again. Keep us informed and thank you, Liz Kaul