Our observations and tips from a trip to South Africa.

• It is a wealthy country blessed with abundant natural resources, however, wealth has been polarised into very rich and very poor. It is one of the most unequal societies in the world.

• There are many different African languages. There are eleven official languages in South Africa. All the Africans speak at least 5 languages, including English and Zulu. While white south African Afrikaans generally speak only English and Afrikaans.

• Crime is a very real problem in South Africa, property crime in particular. In the suburbs many South African whites build security fences and walls around their houses topped with electric wire and are likely to be patrolled by guard dogs, as well.

• There are towns where generally whites live. Then there are townships where generally the blacks live. Finally there are villages where villagers live in the country.

• You can find wild tribesmen (Zulu warrior types) in Africa but they are found now more in central Africa and African theatrical group shows.

• Try not to talk about politics and particularly apartheid and racial relations as these can be particularly sensitive issues.

• The government now implements positive discrimination in favour of the black communities, in an effort to bring more balance to society.

• South African weather is generally great, with the result that It is an outdoor society.

• There is some tension but it is mostly under the surface.

• There are over 20 National parks in South Africa, we have visited less that half of these, over our three separate visits there.

 

Despite all that we have said above, based on its landscapes, scenery,  and wildlife alone, South Africa is a must see. It could be referred to as one of the biggest open air wild life parks in the world.

 

A sense of South Africa

South Africa faces both the Atlantic and Indian oceans, occupying as it does the southern tip of the African continent. In the 17th century, the Dutch and English established settlements on the cape. Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, and Tswana peoples are amongst some of the several indigenous ethnic groups in South Africa.

 

The major branches of government are divided among South Africa's cities: Pretoria is where the executive branch of the national government resides; Cape Town is home to the legislature; Bloemfontein is home to the judicial branch.

 

The geography of the land  in South Africa is rugged and varied. The Drakensberg mountain range, marks the edge of the high central plateau and it takes its name from the Afrikaans word for "Dragon Mountains,”.  Table Mountain overlooks Cape Town and lends a backdrop to the city skyline. The Orange River flows west from Lesotho, crossing South Africa and eventually forming the border between South Africa and Namibia.

 

Cape Town originally served as a waypoint for ships between Europe and the Far East. Robben Island lies offshore, 15k north west from the bustling city of Cape Town. Historically, colonial settlers were drawn to the settlement of Cape Town from Holland, Germany, and France. They and their descendants came to be known as Boers and eventually inhabited much of the area around Cape Town. Eventually many of these Boers moved further inland in search of more land, which often brought them into conflict with indigenous Africans. Some also moved inland to escape British rule after it was established in the region. 

The South African War came at the end of the 19th century and pitted Great Britain against the Boers. Great Britain won the war and full control of South Africa. The Boers negotiated a peace that allied themselves with the British and against the indigenous Africans. The nonwhite population was further marginalised when the Union of South Africa was established in 1910.

In 1948 the South African government expanded its long-standing practice of racial discrimination with the policy of apartheid. Apartheid enforced racial segregation and the rule of the white minority over all nonwhites. Many South Africans, primarily black South Africans, opposed apartheid, including Nelson Mandela. All resistance to apartheid was summerly suppressed with imprisonment on Robben Island.

In the early 1990s, laws supporting apartheid were repealed and a new constitution granted rights to all South Africans. The Robben Island prison was closed and became a national monument. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999.

 

There is a thin veneer of western normality about South Africa, however the troubles of the relatively recent past will, it seems, take generations to heal and normalise. A close parallel could be drawn between the atmosphere one can find when visiting Northern Ireland and that of a general feeling of weariness that ones feels when visiting South Africa.

 

 

 

Cape Town

It is absolutely unique in Africa, in that it is the oldest European establishment in South Africa. Cape Town has a unique mixture of African and European cultures.

Things to do:

• Visit Cape Town’s Victoria and Alfred Waterfront;

• Take the cable car up to the top of table mountain;

• Hike Signal Hill and Lion’s Head;

• Take a Safari tour;

• Do the boat trip tour to Robben Island;

• Visit the Bo-Kaap area of the city;

• Take in the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden;

• Check out the Two Oceans Aquarium.

• Do the Franschhoek Hop-on Hop-off Wine Tram tour;

• Try the tandem Paragliding Adventure;

• Take the 2 Oceans Scenic Helicopter Flight ;

• Do the Cape Town Winelands tour;

• Do the Cape Town Hop-on Hop-off City tour.

 

 

The Wine Regions: Franschhoek and Stellenbosch

The wine region is just a short drive from Cape Town. The wineries around Stellenbosch and Paarl are a must see for scenery and of course wine tasting. The Hilly landscape and white buildings of Franschhoek are delight for visitors to experience.

Things to know:

• So as not to drink and drive, take an organised bus tour to the region, and partake-in as much wine tasting as you like.

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The Garden Route

The Garden Route is a 20km stretch of coastal roadway between Mossel Bay and Storms  River.

Some of the good spots:

• Tsitsikamma National Park;

• Plettenberg Bay game Reserve. Check out Birds of Eden and Monkeyland;

• The Knysna region, especially the Elephant Park;

• Cango Caves;

• Visit an ostrich farm at Oudtshoorn;

• And Storms River itself;

• A few hours west of the garden route, just past Gqeberha, is the Addo Elephant National Park. The park is home to over 600 elephants. You can explore the park via guided open-jeep safari tours or in your own car.

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Hermanus

The coastline around Hermanus is known as the best place to see dolphins and whales in South Africa. You can choose to watch for them on the shore or get up close on a whale watching boat tour.

Things to know:

• Whales are not always to be seen at Hermanus;

• The best time of the year to see whales is between June to September;

• Nearby Gansbaai is a quieter spot and not as touristy where you can also see whales.

 

 

Cape Peninsula

Visit the sailing legend that is the “Cape of Good Hope” (Cape Agulhas), is the most southernly point of Africa with the Indian Ocean to the East and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. It is simply a must see when you are staying so close by in Cape Town. 

Things to do:

• Visit Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope;

• Drive the 12 Apostles coastline from Campus Bay to Hout Bay and take in Chapman’s Peak Drive;

• See the Boulder’s Beach penguin colony at Simon’s Town;

• Tour the Groot Constantia wine region on the Cape Peninsula;

• Do the boat tour from Hout Bay to Hout Bay Seal island (Dulker Island).

 

 

Drakensberg Mountains

A wonderful scenic region, off the general tourist path, is the Drakensberg mountains. This mountain range is 200km long stretching between KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho. It is closer to Durban than to Cape Town, but it is still worth a trip for its incredible scenery, rock pools, cave, numerous waterfalls. It is an area that has seen very little human development as it is the highest mountain range in South Africa.

Things to know:

• July is the South African winter. If you visit during this time, you will experience freezing cold temperatures, in this mountain region;

• It is a mountain hikers paradise;

• Day tours are available to visit Lesotho, just over the border.

 

 

Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is the oldest and also the biggest National Park in South Africa. It covers an area of 20,000 square kilometres. Hundreds of animal species can be seen there. There are lots of ways to explore the park on organised day tours, private safari rides or in your own car. If you have the time you could combine your Kruger visit with a visit to the nearby Blyde River Canyon scenic route.

Things to do:

• Go on as many park drives as your time will allow;

• Soak up the multiplicity of different animal photo opportunities.