Featured Videos
Photo Gallery
Click on a thumbnail to view a larger image (scroll for additional photos)
Why South Africa
The perfect travel destination does exist. A place where:
Season is a state of mind and there’s never a bad time to visit…
The wildlife is as awe-inspiring as the scenery is beautiful…
History and culture hark back to the very dawn of man…
The people are friendly and are waiting to greet you with open arms…
The place? South Africa.
Welcome to one of the most beautiful and diverse countries on earth, where sparkling sea, soaring mountains, wide plains, roaring rivers, and green gorges are home to exotic wildlife, more than 800 species of birds, and an amazing diversity that will hook you from the first moment you step off the plane.
South Africa is well endowed with a wide variety of experiences to enjoy. It’s not only the natural beauty of Kruger National Park with its wide-open spaces and exotic wildlife, but also the beautiful beaches, the incredible food, and a light so majestic that it feels as though the sun shines differently in South Africa. A first-world infrastructure and cities that wouldn’t feel out of place if they were magically dropped in Europe are complemented by the friendliness of local people who are truly glad to have you as visitors. South Africans pride themselves on being hosts who will make you feel comfortable no matter how long your stay. As you travel around the land you may find yourself being welcomed in as many as 11 official languages spoken by the 45 million people who live here.
Myriad entertainment options and fantastic value-for-money truly make South Africa the quintessential “something for everyone country.” Like to golf? There are world-class courses in lush enough settings that you may have to shoo a giraffe out off the green. Want to see whales and dolphins? You can watch them breaching from the shoreline, not to mention by boat. Enjoy mouth-watering cuisine? South African food is an amalgam of the best of French, German, English, Indian, and African spices and techniques. And don’t forget the wonderful wines that are grown in enthrallingly beautiful settings. Want an authentic experience? You can visit townships, tour villages, and partake in local festivals.
If you’re looking to get away from it all, relaxation abounds in South Africa. Stellar city hotels offer gourmet dining, cosmopolitan cocktail lounges, and sybaritic spas along with staff that will see to everything from dinner reservation to turndown service. If you’re headed to the bush, a stately pleasure dome awaits at most the safari lodges. Fireplaces, plunge pools, romantic dining under the stars, in-room massage --- or simply relaxing in a deep soaking tub while monkeys cavort in the trees outside your room --- it’s all part of the South African style that lets you leave your cares a million miles away.
All this in a country whose rich history encompasses the Cradle of Mankind, struggles, reconciliations, humanity, and democracy. It’s all here in glorious South Africa.
So come and visit the friendly people of South Africa, take in the history and culture, be awed by the incredible wildlife, relax, enjoy, and create memories that will last a lifetime…or at least until you come back to visit again.
Scenic Beauty
A Beauty That Dreams Are Made of
South Africa is a land of breathtaking natural beauty. Many visitors prepare themselves for the verdant bush and animals of Kruger National Park, but there are still surprises around every corner. Cosmopolitan Cape Town is framed on one side by majestic Table Mountain, and on the other by two oceans. The southern coast, or Garden Route, as it’s commonly referred to, is green and lush but also contains golden sand beaches and sparkling blue waters. There are deserts filled with wildflowers, roaring waterfalls, lush canyons, and soaring mountain ranges. The scope of natural beauty is matched only by your imagination; if you’ve dreamed it, you’ll most likely find it here.
VIEW FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP
One of the wonderful perks of staying in Cape Town is spending your day in the shadow of majestic Table Mountain. An even better advantage is taking the exciting 360-degree rotating cable car trip up to the top for the awesome views that take in the Atlantic and Indian oceans, as well as the entire City Bowl and, on a clear day, the surrounding countryside. Once on top of the mountain, you may be surprised by its raw and rugged beauty. Two kilometers (a mile-plus) of paths take you around the mountaintop and include 1,500 types of plants, rocky outcrops, and the mountain’s indigenous resident, the rock dassie, which looks like a rabbit, but is anatomically the closest living relative to the elephant.
If you’re feeling energetic, there are hikes up, and down, the mountain in addition to the cable car route.
A short drive south of Cape Town’s city center is the most south-western point of both South Africa and the African continent, scenic Cape Point, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans are said to meet. Throughout the Cape Point peninsula area you’ll find gorgeous views of mountains and ocean, as well as unique wildlife viewing opportunities including large colonies of seals and the much-loved land-based penguin colony at Boulders Beach. This sanctuary for the African penguin (also known as Jackass penguins for the braying, donkey-like noise they make) has a boardwalk over the beach that allows visitors a close encounter with these remarkable creatures.
At the very tip of the Cape Peninsula is the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, home to myriad wildlife including baboon, zebra, antelope, ostrich and a plethora of other birdlife.
On the eastern outskirts of Cape Town is Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, enchanting both to garden lovers and concrete dwellers alike. Comprising two square miles of rare indigenous plant species, including a large percentage of South Africa’s beloved fynbos, the Gardens are always lovely to visit, but are especially picturesque in the spring (September to November) when seasonal flowers are in bloom.
From whale watching to surfing, hiking to cave exploring, the Garden Route (the route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth) has something for everyone. The Garden Route is a wonderful area to ramble about and explore by car. The closest point of interest is Hermanus, which is famous as a stop on the migration route of the Southern Right whale. During prime season, September and October, you can see these magnificent creatures breaching right from your hotel’s terrace or by taking a stroll on the scenic walkways that follow the shore.
Slightly north on Hermanus is Outdshoorn, the location of the Cango Caves. These enormous underground passages with their otherworldly stalactites and stalagmites date back 15,000 years.
RUGGED COASTAL BEAUTY
Back on the coast, you’ll see the verdant stretches of the Tsitsikamma National Forest, the source of the Storm River. There are many ways to enjoy this pristine stretch of land, including a quick but informative trip to the main visitors center, but to truly immerse yourself in it’s natural wonder, set out on the Otter Trail, a 5-day walk along the rugged coastline.
Along the coast you’ll find scenic beauty and sparkling beaches at every turn – one especially scenic spot to soak in the splendor of the coast is Plettenberg Bay. If surfing is your game, then finish your tour of the Garden Route at Cape St. Francis, near Port Elizabeth, the source of the perfect wave in the classic surfing film Endless Summer.
Aptly named for its prolific streams that flow even in dry seasons, the malaria-free Waterberg Mountains in the northeastern province of Limpopo are one of the country's premier wildlife areas and are a sanctuary for rare and endangered animals, including the Big Five. In addition to just soaking in the unspoiled scenic beauty, there are plenty of relaxing activities here including soaking in warm springs, overnighting at game lodges, and taking part in some of the best horseback riding trails in the country.
Also within the Limpopo River Valley are the great ruins at Mapungubwe, which show evidence of human occupation at this ancient kingdom as early as AD 850. The most significant finds at the archaeological site are a gold rhinoceros and gold bowl dating back to AD 1200. The artifacts at Mapungubwe are proof of a flourishing trade and advanced social systems of this great African kingdom in the 13th century.
WHERE THE SUN RISES
Due south of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, which means “place where the sun rises,” is celebrated for being the home of Kruger National Park (see Wildlife and Safaris). But this astonishing scenic area is also home to many other natural wonders including Blyde River Canyon. This colossal green canyon is famous for its dramatic views and is often referred to as a “window on the world.” It’s a stop on what’s known as the Panoramic Route, a series of stops among the hills and canyons in the area that afford spectacular views of unadulterated nature. Some other well-known spots on the route include the poetically named God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, and the Three Rondavels.
Kaleidoscopic displays of dazzling wildflowers blanket the Northern Cape's Namaqualand desert during the springtime months, mainly in August and September. A vast semi-desert area north of the Olifants River, Namaqualand literally springs to life with wildflowers —more than 4,000 species of them — in a rainbow of colors that cover the area as far as the eye can see. The stunning display doesn’t necessarily adhere to a scheduled start, but if you’re visiting South Africa during the season, you should be able to witness at least a bit of one of nature’s greatest shows.
The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Mountain range, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the eastern coast province of KwaZulu-Natal, is an outdoor wonderland with waterfalls, hiking trails, and mountain streams made for fly-fishing. In addition, the uKhahlamba (barrier of spears), as the Zulu call them, are also one of the largest open-air galleries in the world, with more than 35,000 images painted by the ancient San (bushmen).
KwaZulu-Natal is also renowned for its pristine waters. From the top of the Drakensberg Mountains to the crashing waves of the Indian Ocean, the land drops thousands of meters. The scenery is breathtaking, and the wildlife begs to be explored, especially in the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park (see Wildlife and Safaris).
The lush Magaliesberg mountain range in Gauteng is only a 90-minute drive northwest of Johannesburg, but a world away from urban life. It’s a wonderful place to relax and unwind surrounded by awesome natural beauty. There are crystal streams, hiking trails, horseback riding, luxury spas, and hot-air ballooning. In addition to the abundant natural wonders of the area, there are myriad artist studios and shops that dot the mountain roadways.
