South Africa is situated at the southern edge of the African continent, bounded by the oceans on three sides with an interior of assorted habitants, from lush tropical forests to arid deserts, mountain to open bushveld savannah. South Africa is renowned for its varied topography, great natural beauty, and cultural diversity, all of which have made the country a favored destination for travelers since the legal ending of apartheid (Afrikaans: “apartness,” or racial separation) in 1994.
South Africa is marked by several distinct ecosystems. Inland safari destination Kruger National Park is populated by big game. The Western Cape offers beaches, lush winelands around Stellenbosch and Paarl, craggy cliffs at the Cape of Good Hope, forest and lagoons along the Garden Route, and the city of Cape Town, beneath flat-topped Table Mountain.
From the rolling hills of the Eastern Cape to the roaming wildlife of the Kruger National Park, South Africa is an untapped wonderland of unforgettable experiences. Expand your horizons and explore this beautiful land.
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is a South African National Park and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,623 km² in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km from north to south and 65 km from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa’s first national park in 1926.
To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, respectively. To the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique. The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve. The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.
Activities: Walking Safaris, Self-drive Safaris, Wildlife Safaris, Guided Game Drives, Camping
The Panorama Route
The Panorama Route is a scenic road in South Africa connecting several cultural and natural points of interest. The route, steeped in the history of South Africa, is in Mpumalanga province, Centered on the Blyde River Canyon, the world’s third largest canyon. It features numerous waterfalls, one of the largest afforested areas in South Africa, and several natural landmarks. The route starts at the foot of the Long Tom Pass just outside Lydenburg, following the natural descent from the Great Escarpment to the Lowveld, and ending at the border of the Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces near the Echo Caves.
Activities: River Rafting, Canyoning, Hiking, Abseiling, Caving
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu Natal is a world in one province: to the North of Durban you will find the best of African game reserves and pristine beaches, to the West lie the majestic Drakensberg Mountains and temperate Midlands while to the South there await superb golf courses, fishing spots and miles of subtropical coastline. Known as the Kingdom of the Zulu, KwaZulu Natal is a melting pot of African, European and Indian cultures.
This province boasts two World Heritage Sites, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park and the majestic UKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. KwaZulu-Natal stretches from the rocky spear-like peaks of the Drakensberg Mountains, through Zulu battlefields and rolling plains, to the rhino-filled reserves of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and the vast iSimangaliso Wetland Park – where savannah and sand dunes give way to enormous hippo-filled estuaries, white strands of Indian Ocean beaches and some of the most biodiverse coastal waters in the world.
Wildlife may be KwaZulu-Natal’s big draw – from giant tuskers to humpback whales – but it is the ever-present Zulu culture which colours and underpins every experience you’ll have here. In the form of your local hiking, safari or cultural guides, the stories told on Isandlwana’s battlefields or in Durban’s vibrant townships. KwaZulu Natal offers superb beaches, sunny weather, game reserves, rolling green hills, numerous sugar cane plantations and relics of the great battles in South African history. There are 8 distinct regions and numerous ‘must-see’ attractions in KwaZulu Natal.
Activities: Water spot, Ushaka Marine World, horse riding, golf, kloofing, shopping, swimming, water spot, skydiving, boat cruise, shark cage diving, whale watching, dolphin show, city tour, township tour, nightlife.
Pilanesberg National Park
The Pilanesberg National Park is perfectly located in close proximity of several major cities including Johannesburg, Gauteng. This Big Five game reserve is close enough to make the most of a last minute safari escape from Gauteng, with a quick 2 – 3 hours’ drive, you can be surrounded by African wildlife and nature. You will have the opportunity to see fantastic wildlife and soak in the incredible scenery in this Big 5 Game Reserve.
Activities: Birding, Fishing, Big 5 game viewing, star gazing, walking safaris, Sun City and hot air balloon safaris
Welgevonder Game Reserve
Welgevonden Game Reserve, is in the Waterberg District, of the Limpopo, province of South Africa. Welgevonden Game Reserve, is a 38,200ha game reserve in the Waterberg District, of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. You will have the opportunity to see fantastic wildlife and soak in the incredible scenery in this Big 5 Game Reserve.
Activities: Birding, Fishing, Big 5 game viewing, star gazing, walking safaris.
Madikwe National Park
Madikwe Game Reserve is a conservation area in South Africa’s North West Province, bordering Botswana. The reserve’s grassland, forest and rocky Tshwene hills are home to a variety of wildlife such as elephants, lions, leopards and rhinos, plus endangered wild dogs. Hundreds of bird species include ostrich, vultures and the large kori bustard. Animals often gather at the Madikwe Dam to drink at sunset. 4.5 hour drive from Johannesburg. You will have the opportunity to see fantastic wildlife and soak in the incredible scenery in this Big 5 Game Reserve.
Activities: Birding, Fishing, Big 5 game viewing, star gazing, walking safaris.
Sun City
Sun City in South Africa is internationally recognized for its superb resort offering of hotels, attractions and world-class events. From the lavish opulence of The Palace of the Lost City to the casual elegance of the Cascades, the glamour of the annual Nedbank Golf Challenge to the tropical thrills of the Valley of Waves, Sun City delivers plenty to see and do in a beautiful malaria-free landscape. Next to Sun City is the Pilanesberg National Park, Pilanesberg National Park: The Pilanesberg National Park is perfectly located in close proximity of several major cities including Johannesburg, Gauteng.
This Big Five game reserve is close enough to make the most of a last minute safari escape from Gauteng, with a quick 2 – 3 hours’ drive, you can be surrounded by African wildlife and nature. You will have the opportunity to see fantastic wildlife and soak in the incredible scenery in this Big 5 Game Reserve.
Activities: Water sport, valley of the waves, Big 5 game viewing, maze, crocodile farm, quad biking, golf, shopping, movie theaters, Segway, boat cruise, cultural village, nightlife.
Cape Town & Winelands
Cape Town is a port city on South Africa’s southwest coast, on a peninsula beneath the imposing Table Mountain. Slowly rotating cable cars climb to the mountain’s flat top, from which there are sweeping views of the city, the busy harbor and boats heading for Robben Island, the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela, which is now a living museum. A fun, group of wine tour from Cape Town, packed with wine tastings, cheese tasting, a cellar tour and more. Make new friends, have a laugh and experience the famous Cape Winelands first hand on our daily wine tour from Cape Town all while learning about and enjoying some of the best wines in the world
Activities: Wine & cheese testing, dinning, nightlife, shopping, water sports, swimming, hiking, Robben Island tour, boat cruise, Cape Peninsular Tours, helicopter flips, skydiving, paragliding, shark cage diving, whale watching, horse riding, golf, sand boarding, Iziko-Bo-Kaap Museum, Boulders Beach, V&A Waterfront, Penguins, Cape of Good Hope, Chapmans Peak, Two Ocean Aquarium, District Six Museum, Walking tours, Township tours.
Garden Route
The Garden Route is a popular and scenic stretch of the south-eastern coast of South Africa. It stretches from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to the Storms River which is crossed along the N2 coastal highway over the Paul Sauer Bridge in the extreme western reach of the neighboring Eastern Cape.
The name comes from the verdant and ecologically diverse vegetation encountered here and the numerous lagoons and lakes dotted along the coast. It includes towns such as Mossel Bay, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay and Nature’s Valley; with George, the Garden Route’s largest city and main administrative Centre.
Activities: Boat cruises, Canopy tours, horse riding, skydiving, hiking, sand boarding hiking, ostrich farm tours, bungee jumping and cango caves.
Eastern Cape
Home to four of South Africa’s national parks as well as numerous private and provincial nature reserves, the Eastern Cape boasts the World Heritage Site, Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve. This nature reserve is known worldwide as South Africa’s largest wilderness area and as one of the country’s eight Cape Floristic Regions protected areas.
The Adventure Province is fast becoming one of the preferred safari destinations in Africa due to the fact that the area holds a malaria-free status. Visitors are able to visit and enjoy the game viewing and safari experiences of the Eastern Cape without the need to take precautionary malaria medication and mosquito prevention measures.
Activities: Wildlife safaris, swimming, cultural experiences, birding, star gazing, adventure, boat cruise, hiking, horse riding, canopy tours.
Johannesburg & Pretoria
Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city and capital of Gauteng province, began as a 19th-century gold-mining settlement. Its sprawling Soweto Township was once home to Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Mandela’s former residence is now the Mandela House museum. Other Soweto museums that recount the struggle to end segregation include the somber Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill. Pretoria is famous for landmarks such as the Union Buildings and the Voortekker Monument.
Activities: Shopping, nightlife experience, adventure, horse riding, lion & Rhino Park, cultural village, quadbikes, hiking, Soweto Tour, Constitution hill tour, graffiti tours, walking tours.
