Archive for the 'South Africa' Category
The country of South Africa is a tourist’s dream. There is a great variety of things to see in such a vast country, and the weather and roads are outstanding. There is no problem in renting a car and driving by yourself anywhere in the country. The weather is always good at any time of the year. With mountains, deserts and ocean beach scenery available, and with some of the world’s finest wildlife parks, South Africa is a great country to visit, and is highly recommended. The area around the Cape Peninsula in the extreme southwest is truly beautiful. Cape Town is great, with fine shopping and dining, and has much to offer. It offers a cable car ride … to the top of the famous Table Mountain for spectacular views both north over the bay and south all the way to Cape Point.
Capetown also has the historic Signal Hill, where you can still see the noon cannon being fired. This cannon has been fired every day for centuries at exactly noon so that passing ships could set their clocks for the long trip around the horn. At Greenmarket Square in central Cape Town you can shop for about anything a tourist would want, and the amazing thing is that this entire large shopping complex is completely dismantled every single night, and recontructed every morning. You have to see it done to believe it. The Cape Peninsula has a penguin colony at Boulder Beach, and has the famous and rugged Cape Point. It is a must-see for tourists to visit Cape Point to see the “End of Africa” and the beautiful and rugged scenery there. You will likely have an encounter with a baboon there, particularly if you have a sandwich or a candy bar on you!
East of the Cape Peninsula is the Garden Route to George, which passes by the scenic Sunrise Beach. At Hermanos you can enjoy watching the Southern Right whales, and can take a boat to view great white sharks. North of George are enjoyable ostrich farms (you can ride an ostrich if you desire) and the famous Cango caves. Passing over the scenic mountain passes there provides a great view of the South African interior landscape. To the west of that lies the extensive Cederberg Wilderness area. If you are adventurous you could head northwest toward Namibia and the desert country near the Orange river. Kimberley offers a visit to the world’s largest and deepest diamond mine … the “Big Hole”.
The interior plains of South Africa between Kimberley and Johannesberg offer many scenic views such as Gariep Dam and Lake. East of Johannesberg and Pretoria is the beautiful area of Blyde River Canyon. It has many beautiful canyons, rock formations and waterfalls, plus many unusual plants and flowers. It is the gateway to the world famous Kruger National Park. This huge wildlife park offers some of the best wildlife experiences and interactions that you will ever experience. It is another must-see. Plan on at least 3 or 4 days there, preferably in your own rental car where you can drive out each day and be alone with the animals. But don’t get out of your car! The south coast of South Africa south of Durban, on the Indian ocean, provides excellent ocean scenery and great seasonal whale watching. There are many Zulu tourist areas there, as well as scenic attractions such as Oribi Gorge. While you are in South Africa it is also fairly easy to visit another country within a country, such as either beautiful Swaziland or Lesotho.