South Africa
Holidays to South Africa & Holiday rentals in South Africa
Cape Town has had a tumulus history over the past 350-years and strolling through the lovely Company’s Gardens you are literally walking through that history, the awful reality of slave lodge, St George’s Cathedral the focus of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s struggle against the madness of apartheid and the Houses of Parliament, where Nelson Mandela became the nations first democratically elected president. It’s all soul-stirring stuff. Also you can sail to Robin Island, a UN World Heritage site, to see where the country’s future leaders were incarcerated.
Few other cities can boast of a mountain over 1000m-tall slap bang in the middle and when you first arrive it is the main focus of everyone’s attention. Table Mountain offers a dramatic backdrop but also breathtaking views from the top.
Clifton and Camps Bay are Cape Town’s trendiest beaches, bars and restaurants line the boulevard and offer a relaxing atmosphere and cocktail or two while you watch the sun go down.
Waterfront is a nice place to go for lunch or dinner and there are many dining options to choose from. Green Point & Waterkant, while the main street is safe be careful not to wander to far off the main road, saying that there are some trendy bars and favorised restaurants to be found here. Sea Point is another location to try the local cuisine.
Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is good for hiking, wildlife and deserted beaches at the very tip of the peninsular, and a must experience is to paddle with the penguins at Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town.
Holidays in South Africa - Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a diverse and largely un-developed province. It’s long coastline extends from Tsitsikamma National Park, Cape St Francis and Jeffery’s bay (which is famous for its surf), through Port Elizabeth, past East London and onto the spectacular coast of the Transkei (perfect for hiking through the Wild Coast Trails).
Inland there are rolling green hills and northwards there is the Karoo, a vast semi desert.
Surfing is the reason the come to Jeffery’s Bay and the waves are the best in Southern Africa and also around the best in the world. Port Alfred is a pleasant seaside town that is now being devolved into an up-market holiday-resort.
If you get the chance head to the Addo Elephant National Park, there you can marvel at a herd of elephants taking a refreshing mud bath.
Holidays in South Africa – Gauteng, Johannesburg
Gauteng is South Africa’s smallest province but it is the powerhouse that drives the country. Johannesburg has long been the wealthiest city in Africa and on first appearances it seems to be another western-style city dominated by modern skyscrapers, air-conditioned shops and shopping malls. Within the city there are two worlds that stand side-by-side, on one side there is the outrageous opulent wealth of Sandton while right next door is the poverty stricken Alexandra.
There are many museums and art galleries to enjoy annd just 8km south you will find Gold Reef City that is an amusement park with scary rides and you can also go 200m down a shaft to see a goldmine. Further north you can visit the extraordinary creation of Mr. Sol Kerzner, Sun City. This large entertainment complex is hugely successful and you can help but enjoy a visit there.
Holidays in South Africa - Kwazulu-Natal, Durban
Despite being a relatively small province, it holds most of the things that visitors to South Africa expect to see and more. In the southwest of the province there is the spectacular Drakensberg range, a long-long coast of subtropical beaches, the remote lowveld savanna to the north and finally the battlefields of the Anglo-Zulu wars.
In Durban you can eat well and dance up a storm at the many restaurants and clubs. It is a large subtropical city on a beautiful surf beach and well known as a mecca for holidaymakers. Durban’s prime attraction is the beach, 6km long with shark nets protecting the warm-waters. There is a promenade that fronts the beach and is a good place to people watch. Nearby Seaworld offer dolphin shows everyday and 3 days of the week you can watch the sharks being fed (enquire first for the days and times).
There are plenty of activities to enjoy on this region such as canoeing, cycling (particularly the flatter areas by the beaches), diving, golf, and hiking, horse-riding, sailing and surfing
For many visitors Zululand is the first and often the only taste they get of the real Africa. It is a region dominated by one tribal group, the Zulu, with their customs, traditions and culture.
Holidays in South Africa – Mpumalanga
There is plenty to do in this province and there is some of Southern Africa’s best hiking, horse riding and mountain biking trails.
The world famous Kruger National Park attracts more than 900,000 visitors each year, and deserves it’s reputation for one of the best wildlife parks in the world, it’s also the biggest and the oldest. The great variety of animals including all of the big five – lions, leopards, elephants, Cape buffaloes and black rhinos, as well as cheetahs, giraffes, hippos the list goes on. Despite its popularity, the crowds are by no means intrusive if you avoid weekend and public holidays because it will undoubtedly be the highlight of your trip.
Many of the attractions in the Western Cape are well known. Set in beautiful scenery you will find the Winelands where you can explore centuries-old towns and vineyards. Stellenbosch Wine Region is known as the more beautiful of South Africa’s wine producing areas it also has a lively town and nearby Franschhoek has the most spectacular settings and best dining options. Paarl has a commercial centre with plenty to see and the Wine Region is less touristy and more spread out.
The Overberg, which literally means ‘over the mountains’ is the region saouth and west of the Franschhoek Range, south of the Wemmershoek and Riviersonderend Ranges, creating a natural barrier with the Breede River Valley. Heading towards Hermanaus around the Cape Hangklip there is a thrilling coastal drive and Hermanaus itself is a popular seaside resort. From here you can view the mighty southern right whales in Walker Bay between June and November
The Garden Route encompasses a highly attractive stretch of coastline from Still Bay in the west to just beyond Plettenberg Bay in the east. Its main attraction is its beaches and forests that offer some excellent walks and a wide range of activities.