This vast country is undoubtedly one of the most culturally and geographically diverse places on earth. Fondly known by locals as the 'Rainbow Nation', South Africa has 11 official languages and its multicultural inhabitants are influenced by a fascinating mix of African, Asian, and European cultures.
Spend your days: discovering the gourmet restaurants, impressive art and nightlife scenes and fine beaches of Cape Town; enjoying a typical local braai (barbecue) in the Soweto township; browsing the bustling Indian markets in Durban; or sampling some of the world’s finest wines at the myriad wine estates dotted around the picturesque Cape Winelands.
Due to its rich and turbulent history there are plenty of historical attractions to explore including the Zululand battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal, the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg and Robben Island, just off the coast of Cape Town.
Above all else, South Africa’s attraction lies in its remarkably untamed wilderness with its astonishing range of wildlife roaming freely across massive game reserves such as the world famous Kruger National Park.
With all of this variety on offer, it is little wonder that South Africa has fast become Africa’s most popular tourist destination.
Johannesburg is one of Africa’s biggest and most vibrant cities. It is the economic capital of Africa and the gateway to Southern Africa. Although not as famous as other South African destinations, there is plenty to do in Johannesburg and nearby Pretoria.
The old city is a multi-cultural mixture of traditional medicine shops, Chinese restaurants, taxi ranks and ultra modern skyscrapers. There are excellent museums, art galleries and organised tours of historical and political interest. There and numerous shops available for shopping and the many restaurants cater for all tastes. The nearby township of Soweto is Johannesburg’s most popular tourist attraction. (ITT)
Set high on the escarpment, the Mpumalanga Highlands feature endless savannah plains meeting steep mountain passes hugging rugged rocky cliffs. The Highlands of Mpumalanga are a playground for nature and adventure lovers. A number of charming, high-altitude, grassland villages are scattered on a sea of cattle ranches which are interspersed with numerous trout fishing locations and mountain hideaways. Aside from the trout and quaint towns the highland scenery and flora and fauna are also major attractions. Visitors can enjoy a number of wonderful activities including: discovering crystal-clear streams and cascading waterfalls, visiting the Highland’s tourism mecca of Dullstroom, as well as horse riding, whiskey and beer tasting, hiking, fly fishing and much more.
Connecting the Lowveld and the northern Drakensberg, sandwiched between the Kruger National Park and the Highlands Meander, the historical Panorama Route is a scenic road in the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province.
The route features beautiful views of natural wonders, rock formations, waterfalls, scenic hiking trails, and a myriad of fauna and flora. The quaint small town of Graskop serves as the gateway to this wonderful route. The Panorama Route’s highlight is the Blyde River Canyon, one of the world's largest green canyons featuring subtropical vegetation.
Some other popular natural attractions along the route include the Lisbon, Berlin, and Mac Mac Falls, Bourke's Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels, and the view from God’s Window. On clear days one can even see the Kruger National Park. The picturesque gold rush town of Pilgrim's Rest, a historic living museum, is not far off from Graskop, where the glass elevator is located, taking guests down into the Canyon. (ITT)
Located in the Limpopo province of South Africa, the Klein Letaba River joins the Groot Letaba River on the western boundary of the Kruger National Park, where it forms the Letaba River and flows through the width of the world-renowned park. The banks of the Klein Letaba River are brimming with a remarkable variety of African wildlife, including elephant, buffalo, zebra, impala and giraffe. One of the area’s highlights includes what is possibly the largest and most stable breeding herd of elephant in the Kruger National Park, which finds its stomping ground at the confluence of the Klein Letaba and the little Byashishi rivers.
The Makuleke Contractual Park is a rich and unique ecological region which constitutes the northernmost part of South Africa’s extraordinary Kruger National Park. Makuleke is also known as the Pafuri Triangle due to the wedge-shape of this area of land which is formed by the confluence of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu rivers at the tri-point Crook's Corner. This triangular expanse of remote wilderness covers a vast, unspoilt stretch of 26 500 hectares of land which serves as a natural choke point for an extraordinary variety of wildlife including large herds of elephant, over 350 species of bird and, of course, the ever popular and highly sought after Big Five. (ITT)
Situated in the southern reaches of Africa, Botswana is renowned for its pristine wilderness areas characterised by deep lagoons, wetlands, lush palms, rugged hills and desert plains scattered with scrubland.
The country’s primary tourist drawcard is undoubtedly the vast red expanse of the Kalahari Desert and its remarkably beautiful Okavango Delta, the largest inland delta in the world. These natural wonders provide a tranquil haven for an abundance of African wildlife to thrive.
Other highlights include the impressive Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, where visitors are privy to massive zebra migrations during the flood season; the Savuti plains, which host large prides of lions; and the Tsodilo Hills, where 4500 rock paintings form a unique record of human settlement over many millennia. (ITT)
Mashatu Game Reserve in the south eastern extreme of Botswana offers a unique portfolio of adventure safari experiences on a reserve known as the Land of Giants, named after the largest herds of elephant on private land in Africa. In addition to the two camps (luxury all-suite and tented) and excellent daily sightings of all the African predators (lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, jackal and African wildcat), Mashatu is unquestionably the adventure safari destination for energetic travelers and multi-generational families.
With five diverse ways to experience Africa’s wildlife, Mashatu offers, to complement the vehicle safaris conducted by guides with an average of 12 years’ experience on Mashatu; activities including the world-class photographic experience including two underground elephant hides, mountain biking safaris, horse safaris and walking safaris. The single fastest growth is in the photographic experience where excellent ‘Tuli’ light has engendered interest in Mashatu from all over the world. All the adventure experiences cater for the safari-goer who yearns for a more active and intimate safari holiday. (ITT)
This vast country is undoubtedly one of the most culturally and geographically diverse places on earth. Fondly known by locals as the 'Rainbow Nation', South Africa has 11 official languages and its multicultural inhabitants are influenced by a fascinating mix of African, Asian, and European cultures.
Spend your days: discovering the gourmet restaurants, impressive art and nightlife scenes and fine beaches of Cape Town; enjoying a typical local braai (barbecue) in the Soweto township; browsing the bustling Indian markets in Durban; or sampling some of the world’s finest wines at the myriad wine estates dotted around the picturesque Cape Winelands.
Due to its rich and turbulent history there are plenty of historical attractions to explore including the Zululand battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal, the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg and Robben Island, just off the coast of Cape Town.
Above all else, South Africa’s attraction lies in its remarkably untamed wilderness with its astonishing range of wildlife roaming freely across massive game reserves such as the world famous Kruger National Park.
With all of this variety on offer, it is little wonder that South Africa has fast become Africa’s most popular tourist destination.
Located in the northern province of Limpopo, the Soutpansberg, meaning ‘Salt Pan Mountain’ is South Africa’s most northern mountain range, which forms part of the UNESCO-designated Vhembe Biosphere Reserve. Known as the gateway to the neighbouring countries of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, the spectacular Soutpansberg Mountain range stretches from east to west covering over 130 kilometres.
These mountains present a rich cultural heritage, diverse fauna and flora, and unspoilt wilderness featuring rugged peaks rising from the baobab-dotted plains. Take a guided tour to a nearby Venda village, explore the sacred valleys and lakes, and discover the ancient historical rock art of this beautiful area. (ITT)
As previously described
Resting at the foot of the northern Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, the town of Tzaneen serves as the economic hub of the region. The surrounding landscape is made up of lowveld and mountainous terrain scattered with indigenous and exotic plants.
This large bustling town is a popular tourist destination with visitors enjoying its convenient proximity to a variety of game reserves and natural attractions namely, the Kruger National Park and the breathtakingly beautiful Blyde River Canyon. Set in a fertile subtropical area, the town is also known as one of the country’s top producers of tea, coffee, mangoes, avocados, and pawpaws. Popular activities include: hiking, mountain biking, climbing, fly fishing, rafting, and kayaking. (ITT)
