Getting up before sunrise is not always something I seek out on a trip overseas but my early morning encounter with the meerkats of the Klein Karoo was well worth the blurry eyes! After a strong al-fresco coffee, my group and I sat on portable chairs in a semi-circle as the first rays of sunlight hit the meerkat’s burrows. These burrows are over a century old and are located just outside the town of Oudtshoorn which is situated on the historic Route 62 in South Africa’s southern Cape. The meerkat troop is habituated to humans but viewing in a non-invasive way in the wild is a magical and educational experience. As the sun heats up so does the action and soon the troop will greet the sun and younger meerkats will begin to play! The tour last for around 2 – 3 hours in total and a further advantage of the early start is that you have the rest of the day left to enjoy the many of the other highlights of this historic and scenic region.
