The cosmopolitan city of Pretoria, also known as ‘Tshwane’, is situated in the province of Gauteng and functions as one of three capitals of South Africa. Pretoria has been dubbed ‘The Jacaranda City’, which is owed to the annual bloom of magnificent purple blossom trees that adorn the wide avenues of the city. Discover several historic monuments, fine government buildings, and fascinating museums, and explore several interesting cultural sites. The Transvaal Museum is a natural history museum showcasing an ancient dinosaur fossil found at the nearby Cradle of Humankind; the Pretoria Botanical Gardens offers visitors a glimpse of different biomes, and the Voortrekker Monument is a famous National Heritage Site. Don’t miss the nearby Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary as well as the beautiful Wonderboom and Groenkloof Nature Reserves.
Synonymous with the birth of the international diamond trade, Kimberley is a picturesque little town with an extensive history. It was the first town to install electric street lights in the southern hemisphere, and today it is the largest city and capital of South Africa’s Northern Cape Province. Kimberly is renowned for the Big Hole, the largest man-made excavation in the world. Kimberley also featured prominently during the Anglo-Boer War when it was besieged by the Boers. History enthusiasts can visit the impressive historical attractions scattered throughout the town and explore some of the most famous battle sites of the Anglo-Boer war, which fringe the town.
Cape Town is Southern Africa’s most beautiful, most romantic and most visited city. Its physical setting is extraordinary, something its pre-colonial Khoikhoi inhabitants acknowledged when they referred to Table Mountain, the city’s most famous landmark, as Hoerikwaggo – the mountains in the sea. Even more extraordinary is that so close to the national park that extends over much of the peninsula, there’s a pumping metropolis with a nightlife that matches the city’s wildlife. You can hang out with baboons and zebras at Cape Point in the morning, dine at an Atlantic seaboard bistro for lunch, tipple at a Constantia wine estate in the afternoon and party the night away in a Long Street club. All in a Cape Town day.
More than a scenic backdrop, Table Mountain is the solid core of Cape Town, dividing the city into distinct zones with public gardens, wilderness, forests, hiking routes, vineyards and desirable residential areas trailing down its lower slopes. Standing on the tabletop, you can look north for a giddy view of the city centre, its docks lined with matchbox ships. To the west, beyond the mountainous Twelve Apostles, the drop is sheer and your eye sweeps across Africa’s priciest real estate, clinging to the slopes along the chilly but spectacularly beautiful Atlantic seaboard. To the south, the mountainsides are forested and several historic vineyards and the marvellous Botanical Gardens creep up the lower slopes. Beyond the oak-lined suburbs of Newlands and Constantia lies the warmer False Bay seaboard, which curves around towards Cape Point. Finally, relegated to the grim industrial east, are the coloured townships and black ghettos, spluttering in winter under the smoky pall of coal fires – your stark introduction to Cape Town when driving in from the airport on the eastern outskirts of the city.
To appreciate Cape Town you need to spend time outdoors, as Capetonians do: they hike, picnic or sunbathe, often choose mountain bikes in preference to cars, and turn adventure activities into an obsession. Sailboarders from around the world head for Table Bay for some of the world’s best windsurfing, and the brave (or unhinged) jump off Lion’s Head and paraglide down close to the Clifton beachfront. But the city offers sedate pleasures as well, along its hundreds of paths and 150km of beaches.
The indigenous fynbos of the Cape meets the cold seas at the southernmost tip of Africa along the incredibly scenic Cape South Coast. This region produces top-notch wine encompassing the wild Elgin Valley, beautiful Bot River, Elim, Hermanus and Napier wine regions. The coast is also a world-renowned whale watching mecca offering visitors excellent whale watching opportunities. Running from the quaint coastal hamlet of Rooi Els in the west to Quoin Point in the East, this spectacularly scenic stretch of South African coastline is flanked by majestic mountains and the crashing Atlantic Ocean. Be sure to visit the quaint fishing village of Arniston, the Victorian village of Stanford and Gansbaai has a little something for those looking for a thrilling adventure.
Nestled at the base of the Langeberg Mountain range, Albertinia is a serene town renowned as the home of the Aloe, specifically the indigenous Aloe ferox, or Cape Aloe. The region's favourable conditions allow the Aloe plants to flourish, and their leaves are collected and processed to extract the bitter-tasting sap used in the health and skincare industries. Apart from its association with Aloe, the town offers opportunities to explore the area's natural beauty. Visitors can hike through the scenic Reins Nature Reserve in nearby Gouritsmond or experience an adrenaline rush by bungee jumping from the Gourits River Bridge.
The seaside town of Plettenberg Bay is a popular holiday destination situated just 2.5 hours’ drive west of Gqebertha, on the spectacular coastal Garden Route, The Portuguese explorers called it the 'Beautiful Bay', and it’s easy to see why – Plettenberg Bay is a picturesque, charming town with endless pristine beaches, tranquil lagoons, clean rivers, indigenous forests, and a dramatic rocky peninsula. Playground to the wealthy, beach mansions overlook the Indian Ocean, often dotted with luxury yachts, while leisure time is given over to polo and golf, among other things. However, all kinds of visitors will feel at peace here as simply swimming in the warm water on a safe beach is a great way to experience the beauty of Plettenberg Bay. Adrenaline seekers can visit Bloukrans Bridge, a 30-minute drive away, to do the highest bungee jump on earth.
South Africa's largest city doesn't really get the credit it deserves. Sure, it doesn’t have the mountain backdrop of Cape Town, but the sprawling suburbs and neighborhoods are some of the most dazzling and evocative on the whole continent. The center buzzes with energy and flashing lights, while outer suburbs reveal the city's remarkable emergence when gold was discovered in 1886. The old city is a multi-cultural mixture of traditional medicine shops, Chinese restaurants, taxi ranks and ultra modern skyscrapers. Officially, Soweto is the world's second largest slum, yet it's surprisingly developed and very safe if visited on a tour. Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu both lived on the same street here and excellent museums recount their fight against apartheid. Having said that, a trip to Soweto is worth it just for the wonderfully colorful and welcoming locals. The shopping is Southern Africa’s best and the many restaurants cater for all tastes.
