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South Africa
overview and best spots
- South Africa is hugely diverse with good wildlife, beautiful scenery and a
well-established infrastructure.
- This is the “rainbow nation” and offers everything from the world-class
wine tasting of the Cape Winelands and Garden Route, to the fantastic birds
and animals of Lake St Lucia or Madikwe Reserve or Kruger National Park.
- South Africa is a great option for any traveller, and offers an easy
gateway to the rest of the continent. If you want wildlife then go
north.
- Our top votes: Cape Town or culture, history, whales, flowers, fine
wines and food; Madikwe for wildlife and "malaria-free safaris"; St Lucia for birdlife
- Lemon's: crime can be a problem - stick to reliable local advice
- Some notes on
World Cup 2010 in South Africa
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Best spots
- The Cape
- Cape Town in our view is Africa’s best city by far. Has a metropolitan
flavour with luxury hotels on the waterfront, and stunning views of
Table Mountain. The perfect gateway or end point for any southern
African trip.
- Incredible biodiversity in the Cape makes it one of the most fertile
places in the world. There's a huge number of vineyards and fruit
farms to explore and wines to sample. Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschoek
are particularly old towns, with luxury hotels and lodges where
exquisite cuisine and fine wines are the norm
- The Fynbos Biome, one of the six global floral kingdoms has over
9000 species endemic to South Africa. This is one of the most
florally diverse areas in the world. Best time for flowers on the
west coast is August and September.
- The Garden Route is a particularly scenic stretch of the coast from
Mossel Bay to the Storms River. One “must-see” spot is Knysna, a small
resort town on a lagoon with famous art galleries, woodcarvings and
exquisite freshly caught oysters.
- In the bay of Hermanus some of the best whale-watching in the world
can be experienced; this is one of the first bays between Antarctica and
the African coast, and here Southern Right whales come to mate, give
birth and raise their calves. Visit between June and December.
- Other activities available include shark cage-diving, sea-kayaking,
canoeing and horse-riding. The coast is immensely wild and
beautiful - great for hiking.
- For wildlife....
- Madikwe Reserve in the North West Province. South
Africa's largest reserve, a very diverse area on the edge of the
Kalahari Desert and border with Botswana. Protects a strong "big
five" population and includes some particularly good lodges.
Offers loads of activity options.
- Lake St Lucia is a World Heritage Site in the KwaZulu Natal
Province. It's part of the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, South Africa's
oldest and third largest park with greater diversity of animals than the
Kruger National Park and the Okavango Delta! It's a birdwatcher's
paradise with over 530 species of birds, including 20,000 greater
flamingos and thousands of ducks.
- Kruger National Park in the northerly Limpopo Province.
An easy spot for "big five" safaris. Roads are good and access are
simple so crowds can be an issue in the more public areas. Stick
to the Olifants valley in the north or consider the private concessions.
- Kwazulu Natal
- A more historical side of South Africa can be experienced in the
Battlefields of KwaZulu Natal. This area has the largest concentration
of battlefields in South Africa, with a well documented history from
around 1836 onwards. Famous battles that have taken place here include
the Battle of Blood River (16 December 1838), the war of Isandlawana in
1879 and the Anglo-Boer war.
- The Drakensburg mountains are a good place for a retreat.
- The Kwazulu Natal coastline has some outstanding secret spots for
surfers!
Best time of year
- ...for wildlife June to September
- ...for birding September to March
- ...for whales visit from June to December
- ...for flowers in the Cape, August and September
- ...best climate for Cape Town is November to March
- ...unless visiting family and friends with kids, steer away
from the regional holidays during December and January.
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