Think African predator and the likely mental image is one of a huge male lion. It’s odd then to learn that, while the iconic big cat is certainly at the top of his food chain, he is far from the most successful hunter on the continent, let alone the planet. In fact, none of Africa’s felines, and none of the world’s carnivores period, can compare to the African wild dog, Lycaon pictus.

The phrase “Destination Durbanville” doesn’t exactly set one’s travel taste buds tingling — and a visit to Cape Town North hardly registers on the “must-do” list. But once the outrageous cost of accommodation in the Mother City has set your wallet shivering, the prospects for both look brighter.