Johannesburg is one of Africa’s largest and most vibrant cities. It is an economic powerhouse in Africa and the gateway to Southern Africa. This bustling city offers a wide range of activities, attractions and plenty to do in and around the city including nearby Pretoria. Downtown 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. The shopping is Southern Africa’s best and the many restaurants cater for all tastes. Soweto, a township steeped in history and a significant part of the Greater Johannesburg metropolitan area, is a popular tourist destination.
Klaserie Private Game Reserve forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park. It is situated to the west of the Kruger National Park and is one of the largest privately owned reserves in the country. It comprises 150 000 acres of seemingly endless woodland of unspoilt African bushveld and the seasonal Klaserie River runs through it. This scenic wilderness is home to the renowned ‘Big Five’ as well as an impressive array of other wildlife including giraffe, wild dog, greater kudu, waterbuck and nyala. Visitors can look forward to enjoying great guided walking safaris and exciting game drives. The reserve is also known for its diverse birdlife with specials including the endangered Southern Ground Hornbill, Bateleur, Retz' Helmetshrike and a variety of owls, rollers, bee-eaters (mostly summer) and kingfishers.
Described as “Seven Worlds of Wonder”, &Beyond Phinda encompasses an impressive 28 555 hectares (70 560 acres) of prime Big Five wilderness in KwaZulu-Natal. Phinda was the catalyst to the formation of the larger Mun-ya-wana Game Reserve and takes its position right at the heart of it as more and more land is added to this ever expanding land restoration project. Phinda comprises seven distinct habitats – from dry sand forest to wetland systems and the anceint Ubombo mountains. Catch a glimpse of the shy suni antelope, track rhino in the bushveld, observe breeding herds of elephant in fever tree forests, hold your breath as a cheetah teaches her cubs to hunt or marvel at the gracious nyala antelope - this is the Phinda experience. No stay at Phinda can be longe enough as there is so much to explore. With over 400 species of birds recorded and high reptile, amphibian and plant diversity there is much on offer for the naturalists too.
Cape Town consistently captivates the hearts of all who visit her! With a bustling harbour, world-class beaches, vineyards and restaurants as its main attractions, the city has something for everyone. Add to this the mountainous landscape brimming with diverse flora and fauna, vibrant townships, a modern art scene and all manner of city tours and you have a world class destination.
The city has a rich cultural history encompassing early man, European sailors and slaves from the East to mention a few. It is nestled in a bowl on the footslopes of the iconic Table Mountain and tapers off into the cold Atlantic waters of Table Bay. There is vibrant nightlife, a cosmopolitan atmosphere, superb outdoor spaces and some extraordinary architecture within Museums, private homes and many hotels.
For naturalists the attractions are numerous from the mega-diverse fynbos plant kingdom to Great White Sharks, the handose Bontebok antelope and hoardes of seabirds.
Star attractions: Peregrine Falcon, Cape Siskin, Klipspringer, Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Black Girdled Lizard, Cape Rockjumper & Victorin's Warbler (these two not on the peninsula), Bontebok and the ever-elusive Cape Leopard
