In Touch with a Cheetah

Enjoy a personal encounter with these regal mammalian athletes at Spier

Cheetahs have been man's hunting partners and royal companions for centuries. The ancient Egyptians deified cheetahs. The pharaohs kept cheetahs as close personal companions and believed these animals had the power to carry their souls to the afterlife.

According to an educational video at the Cheetah Outreach Project at Spier, it is now our turn to be their companions: These nimble beasts are on the brink of extinction. And their fate is in our hands.

The Cheetah Outreach project was started eight years ago on a piece of land donated by the Spier estate, outside Stellenbosch. The project aims to provide a voice to the free ranging cheetah through education and awareness in urban and rural communities.

Take a stroll through the Cheetah Outreach Project and come face to face with these majestic cats. Meet Zsa Zsa, Savannah, Shan, Charlie, Kai and Shadow - the Cheetah Outreach Project's friendly feline ambassadors. Learn more about their lives, their habits and the dangers that face them.

Stroke an adult cheetah, cuddle up with a cute little cub, or go on a guided tour with one of the project's many enthusiastic volunteers (Cheetah Outreach volunteers come from all over the world - quitting their jobs, selling their houses and saying goodbye to their friends - to fight for the survival of this beautiful animal).

On your tour of the centre, you will also meet a pack of brave Turkish Anatolian Shepard dogs: When rural farmers lose their livestock to predators they often blame and kill cheetahs (without taking other predators into account). These furry 'soldiers' are bred on the premises at Spier and then sent to various rural farms to protect farmers' livestock against predators and cheetahs from farmers.

A personal encounter with a cheetah is a humbling experience: Upon meeting these graceful African cats, it is easy to understand why they have been doted on by kings and noblemen across the globe for centuries.

A visit to the Cheetah Outreach centre is a fun and educational outing for children and adults alike:

• Entry to the Cheetah Outreach centre is only R5 and the money goes toward saving the free-ranging Cheetah from extinction

• Tours are free and take place at 10:30am and 2pm daily

• A personal encounter with an adult cheetah will cost you R60 (Kids pay R30).

• A personal encounter with a cheetah cub will set you back R160

• Adopt a cheetah (when available) for R5000 and receive unlimited entry into its enclosure and various other benefits.

Spier has an array of other fun activities on offer for the whole family. Why not pop in at the Eagle Encounter Raptor Rehabilitation Centre afterwards. Or enjoy a picnic on the estate's lush green lawns: The picnic grounds are equipped with a deli, a large outside play garden and pony rides for the kids.

Read more about the Village at Spier hotel, the Eagle Encounters project, the new Spier art rooms and wine tastings at Spier. Also subscribe to our free monthly newsletter for more unique things to do in Cape Town.