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 Outbound Tour Packages » South Africa Tour |
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Introduction:
South Africa is an exhilarating, spectacular and complex country.
With its post-apartheid identity still in the process of definition,
there is undoubtedly an abundance of energy and sense of progress
about the place. Travellers too are returning to a remarkable
land that has been off the trail for way too long.
The infrastructure is constantly improving, the climate is
kind and there are few better places to see Africa's wildlife.
But if you want to understand the country, you'll have to
deal with the full spectrum. Poverty, the AIDS pandemic and
violence remain a problem.
The influx of foreign visitors in recent years has brought
about an explosion of tours and activities: everything from
abseiling off Table Mountain to sipping cocktails while watching
lions. As a backdrop to all this, South Africa continues to
go through huge upheavals as it comes to terms with democracy,
and in these terms it is a young country. Democracy has precipitated
change both good and bad - the dissolution of physical and
psychological barriers around skin colour at one end of the
scale, the well-publicised crime problem at the other. It
is both an invigorating and challenging time for South Africa,
and a great time to visit and observe this metamorphosis first
hand.
When to Visit South Africa:
Summer can be uncomfortably hot, especially in the lowveld.
Higher-altitude areas are pleasantly warm over summer, but
the mountains are rain- and mist-prone. The north-eastern
regions can be annoyingly humid, but swimming on the east
coast is a year-round proposition. Spring is the best time
for wildflowers in the Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces.
Winters are mild everywhere except in the highest country,
where there are frosts and occasional snowfalls.
Holiday-makers stream out of the cities from mid-December
to late January: resorts and national parks are heavily booked
and prices on the coast can more than double. School holidays
in April, July and September can clog up beaches and national
parks.
Attraction in South Africa:
» Cape Town
In this beautiful city even transient visitors can't help
but devote a few million brain cells to storing images of
its grandeur: its striking Table Mountain backdrop, its glorious
beaches and enchanting vineyards, its rugged landscapes, its
strange and wonderful plants and animals.
There are great walks and spectacular views from Tabletop
Mountain as well as ocean swimming, boating activities, and
plenty of ways to get out into the wilderness areas around
Cape Town. Whether you're up for a heart pumping abseil, sand-boarding
or sky-diving, you won't have to look very far for an operator
who'll be quick to take your money. Indoors, the city boasts
a wealth of interesting museums.
» Drakensberg
The awesome Drakensberg (Dragon Mountain) is a basalt escarpment
forming the border with eastern Lesotho. Although people have
lived here for thousands of years - there are many San rock
painting sites - some of the peaks and rocks have only been
tackled by Europeans in the last few decades.
Much of the range is taken up by national parks, perhaps the
most spectacular of which is Royal Natal National Park. The
southern boundary of the park is formed by the Amphitheatre,
an 8km (5mi) stretch of cliff that is spectacular from below
and even more so from the top.
» Durban
Durban is a big subtropical city in the northeastern province
of KwaZulu-Natal. It has been a major port since the 1850s
and is home to the largest concentration of Indian-descended
people in the country. Today the city is better known as a
holiday-makers' fun parlour with a happening nightlife.
The weather (and the water) stays warm year-round drawing
the crowds to Durban's surf beaches. Apart from the waves,
'Durbs' has much to offer. The city hall houses a gallery
with a good collection of contemporary South African art and
a natural science museum (check out the cockcroach display).
 » Garden Route
Heavily promoted and heavily scented, the Garden Route runs
along a beautiful bit of coastline in southern Western Cape.
The narrow coastal plain is well forested and is mostly bordered
by extensive lagoons which run behind a barrier of sand dunes
and superb white beaches.
The Garden Route has some of the most significant tracts of
indigenous forest in the country - giant yellowwood trees
and wildflowers - as well as commercial plantations of eucalypt
and pine. The area is a favourite for all water sports and
the weather is kind year-round.
» Johannesburg
A city of astonishing contrasts, a huge metropolis where opulent
wealth and desperate poverty live side by side: Johannesburg
is the intriguing, dynamic heart of this turbulent country.
If you want to see the real South Africa - and try to understand
it - Jo'burg has to be on your itinerary.
A hop-on, hop-off bus will show you both rich and poor suburbs
and make seeing Johannesburg that much easier. Although it's
one of the most dangerous cities in the world, if you consult
with the locals and follow their advice you'll find it a fascinating
place.
» Kruger National Park
As well as being one of the most famous wildlife parks in
the world, Kruger National Park is among the biggest and oldest.
You can see the 'big five' here (lions, leopards, elephants,
buffaloes and rhinos) as well as cheetahs, giraffes, hippos,
all sorts of antelope species and smaller animals.
Although most people will have seen African animals in zoos,
it's hard to exaggerate how extraordinary and completely different
it is to see these animals in their natural environment. That
said, Kruger is not quite a wilderness experience: it's highly
developed, organised, accessible and popular.
» Kgalagadi Transfrontier
Park
This park is the result of a merger between the former Kalahari-Gemsbok
National Park in South Africa and the Mabuasehabe-Gemsbok
National Park in Botswana. About twice the size of Kruger,
Kgalagadi is not as famous as many other African parks but
it is, nonetheless, one of the greatest.
The size of the park is crucial for the unhindered migration
of antelopes which are often forced to travel great distances
to reach water and food. Although the countryside is described
as semidesert, it is richer than it appears and supports large
populations of birds, reptiles and small mammals.
» Port St Johns
At the mouth of the Umzimvubu River in Eastern Cape, Port
St Johns is an idyllic little town with a dominant black population
and a relaxed atmosphere. Artists and craftspeople have been
escaping the cities to set up studios and workshops in the
area, some of which you can visit.
This is about as close as you'll come to the new rural South
Africa. There's tropical vegetation, dramatic cliffs, great
beaches and a good range of backpacker-style accommodation.
Silaka Nature Reserve, a small coastal reserve just to the
south, is a hang-out for otter and white-breasted cormorant.
» The Shipwreck Coast
This stretch of Eastern Cape coast, a graveyard for numerous
ships, is largely unspoilt. There are a couple of resort towns
and the inevitable casino, but it's easy to get away from
it all. The Shipwreck Hiking Trail extends for 64km (38mi),
but there are several entry and exit points for hikers.
This is one of the few walking areas in South Africa where
you can set your own pace, camp more or less where you choose
and light fires (providing they are on sand and well away
from vegetation). Those who make the effort are amply rewarded.
Reaching South Africa:
Although about 30 airlines now fly to South Africa, it still
isn't exactly a hub of international travel and the fares
reflect that. Johannesburg International Airport remains the
main international airport, but there are an increasing number
of flights to Cape Town and a few to Durban. There's an airport
departure tax of 6.00 for domestic flights, 10.00 for flights
to regional (African) countries and 30.00 for other international
flights. The tax is usually included in the ticket price. |
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