South Africa Safaris

Here is where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet; warm weather lasts most of the year, and where Africa’s best Game Reserves can be found. Traces of our ancestors are still evident in fossilized footprints 80,000 years old, and in the world’s oldest rock paintings. South Africa has it all: a unique blend of the old and the new Africa that combines ultra-modern cities and up-to-the-minute facilities with an ancient heritage. It is easy to see how South Africa is known as ‘a world in one country‘.

• There are 11 official languages and a variety of terrain that is unrivaled in just about any other place on earth.
• A rich culture, unique plants and animals, and some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Visitors can enjoy a diversity of sites ranging from the famous Cape Town, Winelands, the Garden Route, and the Safari haven of Mpumalanga.
• South Africa has some of the world’s best wines and exquisite cuisine and the hospitality of multi-cultural people.

Lying between Table Mountain and the ocean, Cape Town is considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Dramatic mountain scenery, lovely beaches, an architecturally delightful city center, designer shopping, and that world-famous, flat-topped mountain will both stun and enchant you. It’s an easy place for tourists, with most attractions clustered close together or linked by a good transport system, with spectacular scenery when you venture further afield.

There’s a European feel to the upmarket areas, mixed with African vibrancy in its street life and craft markets. Cape Town is a fascinating mosaic of Asian, European, and African traditions. These streams of history flow together in the city but, particularly because of the legacy of the apartheid system, visitors to Cape Town are often amazed by the dramatic contrasts that remain between sectors of the city. The stunning natural beauty of the city, and vastly different sub-climates around the peninsula, create an enormous diversity of vegetation. The city has a population of 4.7 million people descended from every corner of the world and is connected by freeways. Twenty minutes from the bustling city center, you could be on a beach, on a wine farm in the leafy Constantia valley, or even in a shanty township. It is truly fascinating to discover the different areas of the city and experience the diversity of culture in Cape Town.

Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa and is the country’s legislative capital. SA’s main tourist center offers plenty to see and do, and has a rich history. Robben Island, where former President Nelson Mandela and many other political prisoners were incarcerated during apartheid, is a must-see.

Beyond the city are the world-famous Winelands and a peninsula that eventually tapers to a windswept point,  The Cape is world famous for its superb wines, which have given rise to a tourism sector all of its own. Wine estate tours are a must and include tastings, wine sales and excellent restaurants in the wine-growing regions of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek, with some charming towns to visit on the way. All in all, you’re sure to love it.

• Take a ride to the top of Table Mountain in a modern cable car, which offers a perfect opportunity to get incredible views of the city and the oceans. Table Mountain is one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
• Visit the Cape Floral Region. The mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park, which in turn forms part of the Cape Floral Region, one of South Africa’s eight World Heritage sites
• Ride the waves. The beaches around Cape Town are beautiful, many with mountainous backdrops. Clifton and Camps Bay are the most trendy and popular among bathers, while Llandudno and Muizenberg are frequented by surfers.
• The city itself is best enjoyed on foot to make the most of historical buildings and cultural icons such as the Renaissance-style City Hall, Houses of Parliament, St George’s Cathedral, Bo-Kaap Museum, Gold of Africa Museum, South African Jewish Museum, the Slave Lodge in Adderley Street and the many art galleries.
• See penguins at Boulders Beach. The population is estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 and they have been there since 1982.
• Visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for nearly 20 years. Tours are led by former inmates, which provides fascinating insights into life in the prison.
• Eat your heart out. Cape Town is home to some of the best food in the world; whether you want freshly caught fish, African cuisine, Boerwors or petit-fours you will find it in Cape Town.
• Shop till you drop. Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is a must-visit shopping and entertainment destination. There are free events, outdoor concerts and plenty of unique shops.

Want to know more about Cape Town? Visit our dedicated Cape Town page.

Johannesburg, the glittering city of gold, has become everybody’s darling in the past few years. Jo’burg is South Africa’s brashest, boldest city with a zing and vibrancy well worth exploring. It’s a hip and happening place with excellent theaters, live music venues, and great markets too. The city was founded in 1886 after a gold reef was discovered. Some attractive yellow mine dumps are still visible. Revitalization schemes have created great pockets of culture with cafes, museums, markets and inner-city living. It’s also one of the greenest cities in the world, and the suburbs turn glorious purple in November when avenues of jacaranda trees bloom.

• Visit Mandela House. Discover the home Nelson Mandela lived in before and after (just for 11 days) imprisonment. A noteworthy feature, are bullet holes and fire damage left by petrol bombs used during police raids are still visible. 
• To learn more about this period of South Africa’s history visit the Apartheid Museum for a sobering look at South Africa’s turbulent past.
• Fore! Johannesburg is a fantastic golf destination. Choosing which courses to play will be a harder decision to make than your club selection on the 1st tee. Two courses you must play are the Serengeti Golf and Wildlife Estate course designed by the one and only Jack Nicklaus and the challenging Dainfern Estate course designed by golfing legend, Gary Player.
• From wine tasting in Cape Town to beer tasting in Jo’burg. Tour SAB World of Beer and learn about the history of beer and the role it has played in South Africa. Alternatively, you can visit the countries largest brewery, the Alrode Brewery, and do a beer tasting.
• Bungee jump! This one isn’t for everyone – if you don’t fancy the 100m bungee jump you can admire the colorful murals of the Orlando Towers in Soweto and watch the daredevils dive.
• Get back to nature. Johannesburg has some spectacular hiking trails, including the 2-day Hennop hiking trail and the 9km Sugarbush hiking trail which runs along the escarpment of West Rand.

Learn more about Johannesburg’s heritage sites, here.

Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in South Africa. It is roughly the same size and shape as Wales, covering 8,989 square km (7,332 sq mi) and extending 350 km from north to south, and 60 km from east to west. To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

Here is where you will see the “Big 5”: the African Elephant, Rhinoceros, Cape Buffalo, Leopard, and Lion. The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, an area designated by the United Nations Education and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the “Biosphere”).

• Kruger is home to 147 mammals. Common animals include monkeys, giraffes, zebras, warthogs and wildebeest. Less common are porcupines, jackals, cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs and mongooses. 
•  The big 5 are so over-rated, it’s all about the little 5; antlions, Eastern Rock elephant shrews, leopard tortoises, red-billed buffalo weavers and rhino beetles – all of which you can see at Kruger.
• From the ground to the sky – behold the Kruger birds! There are a mind-blowing 517 species of bird found in Kruger park. Common sightings include Cape glossy starlings, red-billed hornbills, lilac-breasted rollers and weavers. There are also larger birds in the park like ostriches, kori-bustards, black-bellied korhaans, and southern-ground hornbills.
• More into plants than wildlife? Kruger National Park is home to an amazing abundance of flora. There are around 1,982 species of plants. You can see Africa’s most iconic trees in Kruger National Park; Baobabs, sausage trees, Mopani trees, fever trees and the umbrella thorn tree.  
• Kruger has several cultural sights to see from bushman paintings to an iron age site and a 500-year-old walled archaeological settlement to the Letaba Elephant Hall Museum where you can see 50kg elephant tusks and skulls.
• As for activities you can embark on game drives – usually lasting 3-4 hours and walking safaris – from a few hours to a few days. For golfers, there is the 9-hole Kruger golf course – there isn’t a fence so don’t spend too long looking for stray balls!

For more information about Greater Kruger Park & Kruger National Park read this blog post.