Camp Bay (South Africa)

An immense and impressive country with a coastline that borders two great oceans and a vast interior of rich farmland, game-rich plains, rugged mountains, cosmopolitan cities, traditional villages, a unique architectural heritage and Africa’s most diverse and stylish tourism industry.

An immense and impressive country with a coastline that borders two great oceans and a vast interior of rich farmland, game-rich plains, rugged mountains, cosmopolitan cities, traditional villages, a unique architectural heritage and Africa’s most diverse and stylish tourism industry.

South Africa has three major geographical regions, coastal belt, mountains and plateau. The coastline consists of sandy beaches and rocky coves whilst the high plateau has sharp escarpments rising above the veldt (plains). The mountainous region runs along the coastline from the Cape of Good Hope to the Limpopo valley in the north east of the country.

South Africa’s tourism by-line ‘a world in one country’ is certainly apt as here you can choose from wildlife safaris, hiking trails, gourmet extravaganzas, city-bright-lights, riding safaris, fishing and scuba diving expeditions or just lazing on a beach.

You may choose to travel by air, on a group tour, by coach or you can self-drive. When you reach your destination some of Africa’s finest lodges, hotels, country inns and private homes will offer you a standard of hospitality second to none and the surrounding countryside will be everything you could hope for.

Pretoria & Johannesburg, two neighbouring cities that form the powerhouse of South Africa: Johannesburg is the commercial metropolis where high-rise buildings cluster and suburbs sprawl outwards. Green and prosperous enclaves dotted with turquoise swimming pools contrast with dusty townships. Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa, a city of parks and gardens, quiet residential streets and imposing public buildings.

Cape Town & surrounds, are impossible to sum up in a short paragraph. There are miles of stunning coastline & Table Mountain; there are the historic & the cosmopolitan faces of the city with parks, historic buildings, stylish shopping malls, the vibrant waterfront district and beaches. Just off the coast is Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. There is Cape Dutch architecture, the charm & beauty of the wine country and extending 50 km south from Cape Town, the Cape Peninsula – a scenic feast of tree-covered mountain slopes and a dramatic coastline.

Durban, – manages to combine the “fun” atmosphere of the nation’s premier beach resort with the restlessness of Africa’s busiest port. More Indians live in Durban than any other city outside India and they have brought the exotica of their homeland. Durban is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal and the province offers excellent game reserves, pristine beaches, the majestic Drakensberg Mountains and the temperate Midlands.

The Kruger National Park, is South Africa’s premier game sanctuary and has more species of wildlife than any other game park in Africa – 147 species of mammals, 114 species of reptiles, 49 species of fish, 34 amphibians and 507 species of bird. With a bit of luck you will see elephant, buffalo, zebra, kudu, giraffe, impala, white and black rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah and more!

The Garden Route, runs parallel to the coastline and features lakes, mountains, tall forests, rivers and pristine beaches. It offers spectacular scenery, a mild climate and is perfect for nature lovers and the adventurous. There are tantalizing beaches, nature reserves, picturesque towns, adventure activities, there are forest walks and beaches for lazing. Via spectacular mountain passes you reach the Little Karoo where there are the ostrich shows and the awe-inspiring Cango limestone caves.

Both SWAZILAND and LESOTHO are independent countries often included in a South African safari.

Swaziland, – the Southern Hemisphere’s smallest country, looks like a tiny drop in the expanse of Southern Africa and has just over a million inhabitants. In the case of Swaziland it is true to say – good things come in small packages – the country is very beautiful, abundant with exotic wildlife and boasts a rich traditional culture.

Lesotho, is called the “Kingdom in the Sky” as it has the highest, lowest altitude of any country in the world and most of Lesotho lies above 1820m (6000 feet). It is a rugged country with spectacular mountain scenery and one of the best ways to see the country is on pony treks.

SOUTH AFRICA FACTS

Country     Republic of South Africa
Capital     Pretoria however Cape Town is the legislative centre and Bloemfontein the judicial centre
Government type     Republic
Independence     From the UK on 31 May 1910, Freedom Day (from 1994) is celebrated on 27 April
Population     43,647,658 (July 2002 estimate)
Nationality     South African (s)
Adjective     South African (s)
Ethnic groups     Black 75.2%, White 13.6%, Coloured 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Religions     Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloured & about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
Languages     Eleven official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Currency     Rand (ZAR)
Area     1,219,912 sq kms, just slightly less than twice the state of Texas
Borders     Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland & Zimbabwe and has both Indian Ocean & Atlantic Ocean coastline totaling 2,798 kms
Economic overview

South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centres throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into high unemployment, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups.

Cape Town, known to South Africans as the “Mother City”, was the first area to be settled by Europeans in the 17th century and is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

In 1580 Sir Francis Drake wrote

“This cape is a most stately thing, and the fairest cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth.”

The passage of time has done little to blunt his words. With Table Mountain as a spectacular backdrop and miles and miles of coastline and sweeping beaches, this cosmopolitan city of parks, historic buildings, stylish shopping malls is an ideal place to spend a week or more.

In fine weather, a cable car will carry you up to the top of Table Mountain where you can survey one of the finest panoramas in all South Africa. On the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens display 4,000 of the 18,000 plant species that have been classified in South Africa.

Just off the coast is Robben Island, South Africa’s ‘Alcatraz’ and the place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for over two decades. There is The Castle Of Goodhope, the oldest surviving building in the country and an excellent place to absorb the history of Cape Town as well as Groot Constantia. The oldest vineyard and homestead in Cape Town, built in 1692 it is a superb example of Cape Dutch architecture and is now a museum and vineyard.

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A great place for shopping, dining and entertainment is the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Original buildings have been renovated and new ones added in Victorian style and all contribute to the timeless charm and appeal. Visitors can enjoy world-class shops, a variety of fascinating museums, an excellent selection of restaurants, pubs and coffee shops, craft markets, historical walking tours, cinemas (including an Imax!) and theatres, the Telkom Exploratorium, outdoor entertainment, helicopter flips and much more. You may want to visit South Africa’s largest aquarium, the Two Oceans Aquarium, which represents some 300 aquatic species.

Extending south from Cape Town is the Cape Peninsula and a nature reserve that boasts indigenous flora and fauna. Keep an eye out for baboon, bontebok, zebra, Cape grysbok, steenbok, grey rhebok, eland, springbok, grey mongoose and over 150 species of bird. In the reserve, at the end of the Table Mountain chain, is world-famous Cape Point, the dramatic and visually awe-inspiring promontory, where one can dine in style or throw caution to the winds where the two oceans are said to meet.

The countryside surrounding the wine-producing areas of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschoek mixes dramatic mountains and fertile valleys patterned with vineyards, as well as it mixes its European ancestry with a quality that makes it unmistakably African. The towns here are small and there are numerous fine examples of Cape Dutch architecture as well as boutique hotels and superb wineries and restaurants to be enjoyed. A great way to explore is to follow the well-established wine-routes.

The South Coast offers a subtropical garden paradise & some of the finest golf circuits in South Africa, but the region’s true beauty lies in its golden beaches, coastal dune forests and long summer days. Emphasis is on outdoor attractions with big game fishing and scuba diving at Aliwal Shoal, one of the top ten diving sites in the world.

Eventually the subtropical bush gives way to the rolling green hills of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Boasting cooler evenings and less humid days lavender, thyme, sage and other Mediterranean herbs flourish. Perhaps best known of the attractions is the “Midlands Meander”, a charming collection of plant nurseries, art and crafts shops and stalls, restaurants and tea gardens – all tied together by a network of winding roads. Durban residents often escape to this area for a weekend in the country.

Visitors travelling north will be left breathless by the unspoilt beauty of the rugged beaches and lush, undulating hills of Northern KwaZulu-Natal. The coastline is known as the Dolphin Coast, because of the vast number of dolphins seen frolicking and surfing in the azure waters of the warm Indian Ocean.

Wildlife highlights nearby included what is probably one of the most famous wetlands in the world – the St. Lucia Estuary. In addition to the “Big Five”, KwaZulu-Natal is home to the largest concentration of black and white rhino in the world, administered by the KZN Nature Conservation Service. The ecosystems of this area, coupled with the charisma of the mighty Zulu Kingdom are an immense attraction to any visitor.

The town of Knysna boasts a variety of shops & restaurants as well as a small waterfront district situated on the Knysna Lagoon. The Lagoon, which is surrounded by two impressive rocks called the Knysna Heads, is ideal for windsurfing, water-skiing, canoeing, angling and for diving. Around the town the Knysna Forest, South Africa’s largest remaining forest area is a great place to hike.

The Wilderness National Park is an ecologically unique landscape of rivers, lagoons, saltwater lakes and wetlands. The National Park is a paradise for the bird lover and is one of South Africa’s ecologically richest water bird habitats.

A popular day tour is a trip on the Outeniqua Choo Choo, a historical train pulled by a steam engine. The ride goes through breathtaking landscape with stunning views of fern-covered mountains, wide river plains, lagoons and miles of pristine beaches. The 3-hour ride starts in George, goes through Wilderness over the much photographed arch-bridge at the Kaaimans River and ends after crossing the lagoon in Knysna.

Garden Route Safari South Africa

The road inland takes you via spectacular mountain passes to the Little Karoo where the ostrich farms of Oudtshoorn issue a challenge & offer a show. Learn everything worth knowing about ostriches and, if you are brave enough, ride one of the obstinate birds, or make a bet on who might win the ostrich race.

The nearby Cango Caves are among the biggest stalagmite formations in the world and a great place for subterranean walks.

The Tsitsikamma National Park is an 80 km coastal strip between Nature’s Valley and the mouth of the Storms River. Hiking trails offer an experience of a unique plant and animal world. Some indigenous Yellowwood trees still exist here, over 800 years old.

Plettenberg Bay was named after Governor Joachim von Plettenberg, who incorporated the bay under the administrative sovereignty of the Dutch-East India Trading Company in 1778. Nowadays Plett (as South Africans know it) is one of the more exclusive seaside resorts and boasts the most beautiful beaches of the Garden Route.

Ideas for Garden Route fun

* Abseiling
* Bird watching
* Black-water Tubing
* Bunji Jumping
* Canoeing / Kayaking / Sea kayaking
* Champagne Breakfasts or Champagne & oysters at sunset enjoyed at a scenic spot
* Diving
* Ocean Safaris to view dolphins, whales and sharks (shark cave dives)
* Deep sea and fly-fishing
* Ferry rides
* Micro-light and glider flights and training flights
* Guided tours of the forests, specialist history & botanical tours
* Hiking
* Horse riding
* Mountain Biking
* Outeniqua Choo-Choo,
* Paragliding & Parasailing
* Sailing

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK SOUTH AFRICA SAFARI

The Kruger National Park boasts the world’s greatest concentration of species and is the largest game reserve in the Republic of South Africa. The Park as it is known today covers roughly 20,000 sq kms, it is 355 kms long and on average about 60kms wide.

A brief history reads – in 1844 the border between Portuguese, Mozambique and South Africa was agreed, today that same border comprises much of the Park’s eastern boundary. In 1869, a gold rush in the area resulted in over-hunting and in 1884 President Paul Kruger proposed that boundaries in the region be defined as game reserves to protect the flora and fauna. He encountered inevitable resistance with the proposed restrictions and did not succeed until 1898 when the Crocodile and Sabie River areas were officially deemed reserves. Eventually they grew into today’s Kruger National Park.

Some of the game that you can hope to see includes

The numbers are the estimated Kruger population in 2000
Black rhino     250
Blue wildebeest     14,000
Buffalo     21,000
Burchell’s zebra     30,000
Cheetah     200
Eland     500
Elephant     9,152
Giraffe     5,000
Hippo     2,963
Hyena     2,000
Impala     100,000
Kudu     3,500
Leopard     1,000
Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest     45
Lion     2,500
Roan antelope     60
Sable antelope     300
Tsessebe     200
Waterbuck     1,500
White rhino     2,500
Wild dog     350

South Africa Tour

Durban combines the “fun” atmosphere of the nation’s premier beach resort with the restlessness of Africa’s busiest seaport. It started life in1823 as a tiny British trading post and today is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal, a province that offers game reserves, the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, the temperate Midlands and a subtropical coastline.

Durban is blessed with balmy weather all year round, making it a perfect holiday paradise and many of the facilities demanded by holiday makers can be found here – great restaurants, shops & touring options. The city is justifiably proud of its beautiful parks, which include the Durban Botanical Gardens, a Japanese Garden and the Jamieson Rose Gardens, in which some 200 varieties of rose bloom in springtime.

More Indians live in Durban than any other city outside India and they have brought the exotica of their homeland – mosques and temples, colourful saris, markets packed with Oriental curios, tropical fruits and spices. The heart of Durban’s Indian business district, around Grey Street, is a colourful spot to explore. Shops selling delicacies and jewellery, saris and European fashions occupy the arcades of the Great Mosque. The Indian Market in Warwick Street, a few hundred meters west of Grey Street, offers the tourist a sampling of the romance and mystery of the east.

The mighty Drakensberg Mountains, with its 3000m peaks, forms the north-western border of KwaZulu-Natal. Wildlife seen in this area includes antelope, baboons, small mammals and reptiles. The whole area is a bird sanctuary inhabited by an abundance of diverse bird life, including sugar birds, kingfishers, storks and eagles – and the endangered lammergeyer. Plant life varies widely with altitude – proteas flourish on the slopes while cycads, ferns and yellowwoods are found in the sheltered gorges.

West of Durban is the breathtaking Valley of a Thousand Hills and the pulsating rhythm of PheZulu Village, a living Zulu museum. The quaint villages of Kloof and Hillcrest are also worth a visit. Take a stroll down the tree lined garden avenues and browse charming country hotels and shops. Every now and again you will come across a viewpoint overlooking the valleys in the area.