South Africa is fast becoming one of the top international hot
spots for tourism and travel. Let us have a look at this unique part of
the world and determine why people are booking their tickets as we
speak.
Diversity - South Africa is a multi faceted destination with
something to entice and intrigue everyone who visits. Positioned
between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, this countries coastline is
over 2500 kilometers (1565 miles) long and therefore water sports are a
major attraction. Many tourists come purely to cage dive with The Great
White Shark. These dive areas area all within 150 kilometer (90 miles)
radius of Cape Town and have become world renowned for this activity. If
the Great White Shark is not big enough for you, then try Scuba Diving
with The Whale Shark along the North KwaZulu- Natal Coast. This stretch
of coastline is also famous for the leather back turtles that lay their
eggs in this protected zone. Wildlife enthusiasts love South Africa
because of the abundance of animal species which include the Big 5
(Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhinoceros and Buffalo.) The Kruger National
Park is home to South Africa's greatest diversity of wild life which is
not surprising with an area bigger than that of Israel.
Some of the
world's most luxurious Safari lodges (Ulusaba, Sabi-Sabi, Jock Safari
Lodge) are situated in and around the circumference of this wild life
sanctuary. For tourists wishing to combine a beach holiday with a safari
experience, then the Garden Route is a magical place to spend some time
on it's numerous unspoiled beaches or play a coupe of rounds of golf on
some of South Africa's most spectacular courses before heading off into
the Wilderness to Views the Big 5 in luxury. The added bonus of viewing
animals in this area is that there is no Malaria here and therefore no
medication is required.
History - South Africa is steeped in
history and culture form both it's own indigenous tribes (Zulu, Sotho,
Xhosa etc) to those of the European Settlers (French, Dutch, German,
British) who started arriving in this great Southern Land in the mid
1600's. This amazing mixture of culture is evident in the extremely
varied cuisine to be found throughout the country. Slavery brought many
thousands of Malaysian's to the Cape Colony during the 17th and 18th
centuries, bringing with them their own particular brand of culinary
delights. These Malaysian slaves eventually mixed with the indigenous
African people and the European Settlers creating a wonderfully vibrant
and colorful RAINBOW NATION!
Geographical Position- South Africa
is positioned right at the base of the African continent, with Cape Town
approximately 34 Degrees South. The most important factor for overseas
visitors is that South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere which mean
that anyone in the USA, Europe or Britain wanting to get away from a
long, cold winter, need only to jump on a plane and travel South to the
warmth of Summer. South Africa's time zone is positioned within 3 hours
of anywhere in Europe or Britain and therefore jet lag is never going to
be a problem.
Cost - The all important question is always going
to be how much is a holiday here going to cost me. When you consider
that 1 South African Rand is equivalent to approximately US$7.50 or
10Euro, or 11 Pounds, then it's time to consider booking your holiday.
To visit South Africa is to experience a friendly, hospitable
people, to view and visit breathtaking scenery, quaint coastal villages,
cosmopolitan cities, great safari and wildlife parks including the
famous 'Big Five', and great wine lands. With a fabulous climate,
sunshine almost year round, you can avoid all that typical Irish
changeable weather. You will feel humble whilst visiting the local
townships, and taking part in the cultural and historical tours which
show the birth and growth of the current South African nation. Visit
here from the start of November to the end of February - South Africa's
summer season, where the temperatures are at their best.
We began our travels in the South African capital 'Pretoria'.
With
great weather and a friendly local population, we travelled around the
main city stopping at Church Square (the main square of the city),
Kruger House (Home of Paul Kruger, the first president of the South
African Republic) and Pretoria Zoo. Although we were heading on safari,
we prepared for the eventuality that we might not see all the animals
that we wished to see, and so a trip to Pretoria Zoo was required.
Leaving
Pretoria we travelled northeast towards Kruger Park, stopping off at
the Cheetah Research and Breeding Centre in Hoedspruit, a must for all
animal lovers where one of the leading private research and breeding
facilities for endangered species in South Africa is housed. Wild dogs,
varied species of vultures, wild cats and an orphaned elephant can all
be seen here.
Our next stop was the famous Kruger National Park.
It is an enormous nature reserve stretching three hundred and fifty
kilometres along the Mozambican border and is on average sixty
kilometres wide. In residence are the famous 'Big Five', which are
elephants, water buffalo, lions, rhinos, and leopards. We spent three
days in Kruger Park taking in the spectacular scenery and wildlife and
were very fortunate to get a quick glimpse of some animals (leopards and
lions) and very up close and personal to others (elephants and rhinos).
Travelling in high open jeeps we travelled throughout the park, eager
to see as much as possible.
Two lone male elephants provided our
most exciting experiences of Kruger. Being very territorial they began
to intimidate us by tearing down trees and bushes within a few feet of
our jeep. This act of strength and maleness was tact to try and scare us
off but our great Kruger guide, Ron, talked us through the events and
we caught a real wilderness experience. Young lions preying on impala
with proud parents looking on and the sight of a newly born zebra, still
attached to her mother were both experiences I will never forget
seeing.
Our tour of Kruger also included two sunrise bush walks -
on our first we came upon our only glimpse of a leopard. Caught in our
headlights at 5:30 am, he didn't seem impressed to see us but we felt
quite the opposite. A look at those severe fangs and I was glad that we
had remained in our jeep! After our second bush walk we came upon a
white rhino, which we tried to track but with our scent in the air went
scurrying off.
Any trip to South Africa, Kenya or Botswana should
include a safari or game reserve but be aware that on safari it can
require a longer period of time to see your favourite animals due to
large land area, while in game reserves with a lot less land area and
high animal population you will see the vast majority of the wildlife in
a short period of time.
We travelled back to Pretoria for a
further two nights and used this time to travel to Soweto, a famous
township of Johannesburg. Soweto is the most populous township in the
country, with a population of approximately 890,000. We visited the
local people and their homes. Personally I was lost for words touring
this area as I looked at long streets with only outdoor chemical toilets
and one water tap to provide for these locals. I left with mixed
feelings, having visited an 18-year-old girl who was caring for her
three sisters, after the death of their parents, on little or no benefit
from the government and relying on mere donations from tourists
travelling through the township.
We visited the homes of the two
Nobel Prize winners - Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu who had
resided in this impoverished area. We also travelled to the Hector
Pieterson Museum which showcased the 12 year old Hector, who was one of
the first casualties of the Soweto uprising on the 16 June 1976, when
over 500 people were killed as they protested over the imposition of
Afrikaans as the main language medium for a mainly non Afrikaans
speaking student population.
We flew from Johannesburg to Cape
Town and stayed in the Green point area of the city near the stadium. It
lies within minutes walk of the city centre and the V&A waterfront.
If shopping is your thing then the flea market at Greenmarket Square is
a must for local arts and crafts. High street retailers can be found on
Long Street or for a little more expensive option, the V&A complex
on the waterfront. A wide range of restaurants and bars can be found at
the V&A, Long Street and on Summerset road.
We travelled to
Robben Island, the famous South African prison that held political and
non-political prisoners, the most famous being that of Nelson Mandela.
We took a tour of the island and of the main prison, looking in at the
cell, which held him. The trip by ferry to and from the Island gives a
superb panoramic view of the city by the sea.
We hired a car and
travelled to the most southern tip of the African continent, Cape Point.
For any surfers, this is the absolute best location for both wind and
normal surfing. Be aware that melting ice from the Antarctic supplies
the main water source of South Africa. Don't go expecting fabulous warm
water! We travelled to Simons' Town, a quaint little town that reminded
me of Cabot Cove from 'Murder She Wrote' and up to Boulders Beach to
watch the tourists swim with the Penguins. All major attractions in
South Africa are considered national parks and so be prepared to pay a
small fee to enter.
For wine drinkers and non-wine drinkers alike
no trip to South Africa is complete without a Wine-land tour. With over
a hundred different wine producers in South Africa, a small selection
is ideal for anyone to enjoy some of the nicest wine produced in the
world. We did a tour of five vineyards and felt like wine connoisseurs
at the end. A most enjoyable day was had by all... hic...
I would
recommend South Africa to anyone looking for a different holiday
experience. From the adventurous traveller who looks to experience the
thrill of exploring the game of the wildlife national parks, windsurf
off the tip of Cape Point and shark-cage dive off the coast of Cape
Town, to the cultural traveller who is looking to explore the townships
of the major cities to the many different tribal cultures throughout the
country, and the comfort traveller who is looking for beautiful sandy
beaches, great weather and fantastic shopping, South Africa has it all.
