South Africa

Overview

With 11 official languages, you can expect South Africa to be a colourful state filled with diversity.

Located right at the southernmost tip of Africa, the country is divided into nine provinces and has almost 3,000 kilometres of coastline. It’s bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, and surrounds the tiny nation of Lesotho, making it the perfect starting off point for further excursions into Africa.

Most people begin their travels in Cape Town, South Africa’s most popular and cosmopolitan city, with one of the most stunning urban landscapes in the world. This city really does have it all – incredible dining options, great wine, activities galore for adrenalin junkies, and plenty of cultural excursions inluding Robben Island – located just off the coast and a sobering day trip that any Cape Town visitor should take.

A short one-hour drive from Cape Town, The Winelands are one of South Africa’s gems, and if you’re a wine-lover it’s definitely worth spending a few days exploring the vineyards and wineries that are scattered throughout this beautiful region. The most popular wine regions are – Constantia, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Robertson and Wellington.

Heading east, we highly recommend a self-drive trip down the Garden Route – one of South Africa’s most popular journeys, stretching along the coast from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. Driving is made easy with well kept roads that are clearly sign posted. As you drive along the route we highly recommended doing a bit of whale watching, which is superb from July to November.

Continue heading east and you hit the Eastern Cape, or what is also known as the Wild Coast. A region of great natural beauty with rugged cliffs, rough seas and dense green bush, it’s interesting to experience this after the much calmer Garden Route.

The KwaZulu Natal Province is home to the famous fields where conflicts and battles were won and lost between Zulus, Boers and the British. Many locations of historic and cultural interest still remain. This region is also full of dramatic natural beauty and spectacular isolation.

Kruger Park is an amazing choice for your first safari, is home to Africa’s Big Five, and is the second largest reserve in Africa – stretching 360km from north to south.

And lastly, a short 90-minute flight from Johannesburg brings you to the 75,000 acre Madikwe Game Reserve. It’s not only big, but it is home to the world’s largest wildlife trans-location project, and over the years has become one of the best run reserves in the country.