Things To see
Cape Town
South africa’s ‘mother city’, dominated by table mountain and surrounded by the wild atlantic, has unquestionably one of the most beautiful city backdrops in the world. Despite being a considerable urban hub, its surrounding are surprisingly untamed, characterized by a mountainous spin stretching between two seaboards and edged by rugged coast and dramatic beaches. Cape town’s population is the most cosmopolitan in the country, a unique mix of cultures, ethnicities and religions that drive the very pulse of the city. It has a comparatively small black africans population- about a quarter of the total – while the distinctive ‘cape coloured’ community makes up half of the population.
Sightseeing
Table Mountain National Park
Cape town is defined, first and foremost, by table mountain. Rising a sheer3,567ftfrom the coastal plain, it dominates almost every view of the city backdrops. It’s looming presence visible for hundreds of kilometers. Certainly, its continues to astonish visitors today, but it is the mountain’s wildness, bang in the middle of a bustling conurbation, that makes the biggest impression.
Aerial Cableway
The dizzying trip to the top of table mountain in the aerial cableway is one of cape town’s highlights. There are two cars, each carrying up to 65 passengers, and as you ride up the floor rotates, allowing a full 360 degree view. Journey time is just three minutes.
Signal Hill
Signal hill’s summit offers spectacular views of the city, the twelve apostles (the mountainous spine stretching south from table mountain) and the ocean. Watching the sun dip into the atlantic from this viewpoint with a cold sundowner in hand is a highlight of a visit to cape town.
Lion’s Head
Halfway along the road up signal hill you pass lion’s head, a popular hiking spot. The climb to the peak is fairly easy going, and takes about two hours, and the 360 degree views from the top are incredible.
District Six Museum
This small museum, housed in the methodist church, is one of cape town’s most powerful exhibitions and give a fascinating glimpse of the inanity of apartheid. District six was once the vibrant, cosmopolitan heart of cape town, a largely coloured inner city suburb renowned for its jazz scene.
City Hall And Grand Parade
This is the largest space in cape town and was originally used for garrison parades before the castle was completed. In 1994, nelson mandela made his first speech from city hall after his release from prison, to over 100,000 people.
Greenmarket Squre
The old heart of cape town and the second oldest square in the city. It has long been a meeting place, and during the 19th century it became a vegetable market. In 1834 it took on the significant role of being the site where the declaration of the freeing of all slaves was made. Today it remains a popular meeting place, with a busy daily market selling african craft, jewellery and cloths.
Long Street
This is one the trendiest stretches in cape town, and gets particularly lively at night. Lined with street caf’es, fashionable shops, bars, clubs and backpacker hostels, it has a distinctly youthful feel about it, although a clutch of new boutique hotels, posh apartment complexes and upmarket restaurant is injecting the area with a new sophisticated edge. Long street is also home to some fine old city buildings.
Bo-Kaap And The Bo-Kaap Museum
About 600m west along wale street is the bo-kaap, cape town’s historical islamic quarter and one of the city’s most interesting residential areas. The area was developed in the 1760 and today feels a world away from the nearby cdb. Here the streets are cobbled and tightly woven across the slopes of signal hill, and the closely packed houses are painted in bright hues of lime, pink and blue.
Victoria And Alfred Waterfront
The victoria and alfred waterfront, cape town’s original victorian harbour, is the city’s most popular attraction. The whole area was completely restored in the early 1990s and today it is a lively district packed with restaurants, bars and shops. Original buildings stand shoulder to shoulder with mock-victorian shopping malls, museums and cinemas, all crowding along a waterside walkway with table
mountain towering beyond, despite being geared towards tourists it remains a working harbour, which provides much of the area’s real charm. Highlight of v&a water front are:clock tower,union castle building,time ball tower,two oceans aquarium,maritime museum
Cape Peninsuala Tour
Experience some of the most spectacular views in the world. The tour begins with a scenic drive along the atlantic coast passing through the fishing village of hout bay
Tour Highlights
Hout bay
This lovely fishermen’s town, twenty minutes outside of cape town, is one of the most popular destinations on the cape peninsula. It has stunning surroundings and splendid scenery. Take cruise to seal island, a huge colony of cape fur seals.
Cape Of Good Hope
The cape of good hope nature reserve, now part of table mountain national park, was established to protect the unique flora and fauna of this stretch of coast. It is a dramatically wild area of towering cliffs, stupendous ocean views, excellent hiking and beautiful, deserted beaches.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
South africa’s oldest, largest and most exquisite botanical garden. It is one of the finest in the world, and its setting alone is incomparable. The gardens stretch up the eastern slopes of table mountain, merging seamlessly with the fynbos of the steep slopes above. It houses over 250,000specimens, including many rare plants.
Simon’s Town:
This is the most popular town on false bay, with a pleasant atmosphere and numerous victorian building lining main street.
Boulders Beach
About 2km south of simon’s town is a lovely series of little sandy coves surrounded by huge boulders (hence the name). It is a peaceful spot, safe for swimming and gently shelving, making it good for children. The real attraction here, however, is the colony of african penguins that live and nest between the boulders.
Day Tour
Robben Island
An air-conditioned catamaran completes the half-hour journey to the island. Tours begin with a drive around the key sites on the island, including sobukwe’s house, the lime quarry where mandela was forced to work, the leper cemetery, and the houses of former warders. Tours around the prison are conducted by ex-political prisoners, who paint a vivid picture of prison life here. Departures are on the tour 0900-1500, and allow 2 ½ hours on the island. Robben island is best known as the notorious prison that held many of the anc’s most prominent members, including nelson mandela and walter sisulu.
The Winelands
The wineland is south africa’s oldest and most beautiful wine-producing area, a fertile series valleys quite unlike the rest of the western cape. It is the cape’s biggest attraction after cape town, and its appeal is simple: it offers the chance to sample several hundred different wines in a historical and wonderfully scenic setting.
Garden Route
The garden route is probably south africa’s most celebrated area, a stretch of coast heralded as one of the country’s highlights. The area is undeniably beautiful, with a 200-km stretch of rugged coast backed by lush mountains; most popular stretch is the coast from mossel bay to storm river in tsitsikamma national park. In contrast to the dry and treeless area of the karoo on the interior side of the mountains, rain falls all year round on the garden route, and the ocean-facing mountain slopes are covered with luxuriant forest. It is this dramatic change in landscape, which occurs over a distance of no more than 20km that prompted people to refer to the area as the garden route. The larger towns, such as george and knysna, are highly developed tourist resort, while other areas offer untouched wilderness and wonderful hikes, including one of the most famous in the country, the otter trail. This runs along the coast in tsitsikamma national park, one of the popular national parks in south africa. There is a second national park, wilderness, which is also very popular. If hiking isn’t your scene, the beaches are stunning, offering a mix of peaceful seaside villages, the garden route is coming into its own as an adventure destination and there are numerous activities on offer from bungee jumping to blackwater tubing.
Knysna
Knysna is one of the southern cape coast’s best known holiday destinations, situated between lush forests and the shores of the peaceful lagoon the name knysna is a khoi word but it’s uncertain as to its exact meaning. It could mean ‘place of wood’, or it could mean ‘fern leaves’, but its most probable meaning is straight down’ – an obvious reference to the heads. Knysna heads must be the most striking geological features along the entire southern african coastline. They flank a deep but potentially treacherous channel through which the sea pours in to flood the wide and breathtakingly pretty lagoon at the mouth of the knysna river.
Sightseeings
John Benn Cruise
The john benn is a double-decker floating restaurant offering daily lagoon cruises to the knysna heads. Cruise to the knysna heads, on a boat steeped in history and named after a legendary pilot of a by-gone era . Cruise is comfortable and cosy with classic wooden finish.
Featherbed Nature Reserve
This is a private nature that can be only be reached by thefeatherbed coferry which runs from the john benn jetty, at the knysna quays. This four-hour excursion includes return ferry trip, 4wd vehicle-ride up the western promontory of the knysna heads and optional 2 km guided nature walk through the forest, onto the cliff, into the caves and along the spectacular coastline.
Bloukrans Passes
The bloukrans is on the border between eastern cape & western cape provinces some 30km from plettenberg & some 600km from cape town on garden rout. Bloukrans bridge, at 216m, is the highest bungee jumping site in the world.
Tsitsikamma National Park
The tsitsikamma national park is an 80 kilometre long coastal strip between nature’s valley and the mouth of the storms river. In the park the visitor finds an almost untouched natural landscape. Two long hiking routes with some huts for overnight stays are well established. The popular otter trail of 48 km and the tsitsikamma trail of 72 km, both offer the well-trained hiker an experience of a unique plant and animal world.
Oudtshoorn
The area in which oudtshoorn is situated was originally inhabited by the bushmen, as evidenced by the many rock painting that are found in caves throughout the surrounding swartberg mountains. Oudtshoorn is the ostrich capital of the world, & the oudtshoorn area has 97% of the world’s ostrich population. Ostriches are found in great numbers and the region produces the best feather, leather products and ostrich meat in the world. But the world’s biggest bird is just one of the many attractions in this area of exceptional contrasts and natural beauty.
Ostrich Farm
The ostrich farm is an operating farm where visitor will see large flocks of ostriches at different stages of development in the surrounding fields. One can even take ride on ostrich.
Cango caves
The cango caves is one of the world’s great natural wonders, sculptured by nature through the ages-fascinating limestone formations in a wide variety of colors. An underground wonder world. According to legend the caves were discovered during 1780. Early visitors had to brave the pitch darkness of the vast caverns from the poor light of self made candles. Over the years improvements took place and today modern technology makes it possible that all the wonders of the cave are skillfully illuminated for the benefit of visitors.
Port Elizabeth
Port elizabeth is the perfect complement to the garden route, settler hinterland, sunshine coast and cape. Located on the south eastern coast of africa, this major sea port and tourist destination is set along the beautiful shores of algoa bay, and is fondly referred to as the friendly eco-city. Temperatures are moderate all year round with rain scattered throughout the year. The summers are warm with a very temperate humidity level. Winters are mild and pleasant, and it is significant that water sports, even surfing, boardsailing and diving, are practised year-round. In all, the visitor soon discovers that the climate is one major contributor to the reputation of the area as offering an outstanding quality of life.
Sun city
Sun city resort is set in the stark ruggedness of the north west region of south africa, and is surrounded by mountains and the untamed majesty of the african bushveld. It is located about two hours’ drive from johnnesburge, close to the city of rustenburge. The complex borders the pilnesburge national park.
The resort has a unique heartbeat and an african rhythm of its own and is unlike any other resort destination in the world. This is pure fntasy and your every desire is met. There are four world-class hotels(palace hotel, cascade,suncity main and cabanass) including the magnificent palace of the lost city that glitters like a jewel beneath the african sun, brilliant in its rain forest surroundings and luxurious in its detail and design. Adjoining the resort, is the beautiful pilanesberg national park, which will delight game viewers as it is a malaria free zone and home to the “big five” (buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino).
The sun city resort has amazed the international community with its glamorous casinos, gourmet restaurants, extensive sports facilities and star studded spectaculars. The full variety of entertainment on offer ranges from slots to safaris; horse riding to golf; the valley of waves to the lost city, whatever it is you’re looking for, you’ll find it at sun city.
Valley Of The Waves
This is the most advanced water park in south africa. A large lagoon dominates the scene with a wave machine capable of generating 1.8 meter waves every 90 seconds. This water park has five exhilarating flume rides. From the aptly names temple of courage swimmers drop a heart stopping 17 meters down a chute and under a bridge before splashing into a small pool at the foot of the slide. For the less adventurous visitor to sun city resort why not take a ride on the ‘lazy river’
Durban
Durban is a city in kwazulu-natal province, south africa. Since 2000, a number of towns, including durban, have been part of ethekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is being marketed as “south africa’s playground”. It has a population of about 3.1 million people with diverse cultures including a large indian community making durban the second largest city in south africa.
Johnnesburg
Johannesburg is the most populous city in south africa and the third mostt populous cith in africa, behind cairo and lagos. Local resident have nicknamed the city “jo’burg”, “jozi” and “egoli”. Johnnesburg is the provincial capital of gauteng province, the wealthiest province in south africa, and the site of the south africa constitutional court. Johnnesburg is famous for soweto which is an acronym for the large number of township that apartheid government established south-west of the city to accommodate the large number of people who went there to seek employment. It is one of the newest major cities in the world.
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of gauteng province, south africa. It is one of the three capital cities of south africa, serving as the executive (administrative) capital; the other two being cape town and bloemfontein, the legislative and judicial capitals respectively.
Also known as the jacaranda city for all the purple blossom-bedecked trees, pretoria is a lovely, quiet city. It has a long, involved and fascinating history. Here you will find significant old buildings and fascinating museums.
Victoria Falls
Victoria falls has an impressive list of credentials; the widest curtain of falling water on earth, a unesco world heritage site and one of only seven natural wonders on the planet. Imagine the impact of a river measuring nearly 2 km in width, becoming a fraction of that in a matter of seconds.
This dramatically beautiful event is accompanied by a deafening roar and fine spray that arcs up into the sky, which explains the falls’ local name, mosi-oa-tunya: the “smoke that thunders”. Both zimbabwe and zambia have a wide range of victoria falls accommodation; from large family-friendly hotels to intimate lodges. Stay close to the falls with a private footpath right to this natural wonder of the world, or opt for a peaceful riverside setting a short drive away.
Kruger National Park
Kruger park is the king of south africa game park and one of the best game-viewing areas in all of africa. The figures speak for themselves: 507 birds species, 114 reptiles, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 147 mammal and over 23,000 plant species have been recorded here.
it certainly fulfils most visitors’ fantasies of seeing magnificent herds of game roaming across acacia-studded stretches of savannah, and of course is home to the big five. The park is 60km wide and over 350km long.
Pilanesberg National Park
Pilanesberg game reserve is in the bojanala region of the north west province, adjacent to sun city. Set in the crater of a long extinct volcano, the park ranks among the largest of the parks in south africa (it is in fact the fourth largest park) and covers an area of 55 000 hectare
Mabula Game Reserve, Limpopo
Only two short hours drive north of johannesburg lies the african wonder that is mabula private game reserve. This 12000hecter of malaria free reserve is home to an abundance of wildlife and birdlife, including the world famous big five. Home to some 60 mammals, 300 bird species, 100 plant types and numerous reptile and insect species, at mabula game reserve, all natures’ wonders are revered – from the ‘big five’ lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) to the ‘small five’ (ant lion, leopard tortoise, buffalo weaver, elephant shrew and rhino beetle). This is the heartland of the south african safari experience.
Madikwe Game Reserves
The madikwe game reserve, situated against the botswana border, 90 km north of zeerust, just three hours’ drive from both johannesburg and pretoria, is now one of south africa’s prime safari destinations. Madikwe is a big five game reserve covering some 75,000 hectare. The rich diversity of vegetation ensures a wide range of game and the topography offers ideal game viewing opportunities.