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Introduction to South Africa

Western Cape

With Cape Town as a multicultural melting pot, endless amounts of beaches, stunning landscapes, countless vineyards and the famous garden route you’ll need more than just one visit to fully capture everything this part of South Africa has to offer. Not to forget the gastronomical delights which can be found everywhere along the way.

The Western Cape is also very popular among Europeans to escape the cold winters, and who can blame them for enjoying the good life while the rest of Europe is trying to stay warm. Make sure to vist Stellenbosch with its rich history in the middle of the wine country, or Knysna which is known as the Venice of the south.

If you rather prefer the tranquility of some quiet fishing towns, you will be spoilt for choice. Paternoster for example is one of those iconic places where time seemingly stood still. Struisbaai is another example and surely deserves a visit on your way to Cape Agulhas which is the southern tip of the African continent.

KwaZulu-Natal

Another important province which is located in the southeast of the country bordering the Kingdoms of Lesotho, Eswatini and also Mozambique. The main cities are Pietermaritzburg and Durban, the latter being one of South Africa’s major ports and also a major holiday destination for locals during the Easter and Christmas holidays.

As the name already gives away, the Zulu tribe has a lot of history here, and the current Zulu King still plays an important role for the people but also within the province. As a visitor you will be able to discover the typical Zulu villages, witness some of their ceremonies and traditional dances.

The lush vegetation in many parts of the province make it the ideal habitat for a vast array of animals, and as a result the are abundant in the national parks and game reserves which can be found here. It even creates unique situations like the hippos that walk through the streets of St-Lucia in the evening.

The Drakensberg Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and when you first lay your eyes on the majestical mountains you’ll understand why. These mountains border Lesotho, and are the perfect escape from the bustling cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

History is never too far away as many of the battlegrounds from the past wars can be found here. Places with infamous tales and names like “Battle of Blood River” and “Spionkop” are just a few which are certainly worth a visit.

History of South Africa

Most of the hotels belong to either international (Marriott, Radisson, IHG, …) or local chains (Sun, Legacy, Newmark, …), but there are plenty of private collections of hotels and lodges too which are mostly targeting the higher end of the market yet are worth every penny. The international brands mostly focus on the bigger cities like Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban where the local chains try to offer more coverage across the whole nation.

Lastly there is an endless amount of lodges which offer anything from the very basic all the way to private villas with butler service on call anytime you like. Especially the abundance of national parks and game reserves lends perfectly for different types of lodges to try and get a piece of the pie. The experience and service might differ massively between them, but so does the price. The cost can range from anything all the way up to several thousands of pounds per night.

Kruger National Park is the most famous and also biggest out there, but there are many others like Madikwe game reserve, Hluhluwe national park, Addo Elephant park, Tswalu game reserve,…to choose from. Most visitors try to spot the “Big 5” being the elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo, however it’s certainly worth looking for other animals too as they are all equally special in their own right.

If you prefer the mountains then Drakensberg is where you should go. The massive cliffs, impressive amphitheater and the bounty of flowers and other flora you find here are simply unparalleled. And it has been known as a slice of heaven for a long time cause the bushmen who lived here thousands of years ago left countless cave paintings which can be admired today.

Wine and amazing food….yes, South Africa has all. Many are surprised when they first experience the food and wine scene but the sheer quality of the produce can’t be denied, nor ignored. And the wine regions bordering Cape Town are the perfect example of what’s on offer. Famous places like Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are home to some of the best known wine estates, often with their own restaurants and accommodation. But other regions like Robertson, Hemel and Aarde valley, Tulbagh and so on are certainly worth an equal amount of attention.

The garden route between Cape Town in the Western Cape and Tsitsikamma in the Eastern Cape is a favourite among tourists thanks to the beautiful scenery which is always near or next to the ocean. Along the route there are many quaint coastal villages which are a joy on their own to discover. Golf fanatics will be overjoyed when the lay their eyes on the immaculate courses along the way. Fancourt is just one of them and internationally acclaimed for being among the best in the world.

Cape Town is very different to Johannesburg, and this is mainly due to its location. First of all, there’s Table Mountain that towers over the city like a guardian angel and which you can visit with either the cable car or climb up if you feel like having a serious workout. Secondly there’s the ocean which is ever present and was the cause of the origin of Cape Town as it was initially built as a supply harbour for the merchants sailing to the Far East. Today, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront still remains a busy hub with restaurants, shops, street animation, hotels and much more to entertain the thousands of visitors year-round while the many beaches around the city are the perfect place to cool down during warm summer months.

The culinary enthusiasts can pursue their wildest dreams when visiting the winelands in the Western Cape. There are countless wine estates which produce some of the best wines in the world. But this region is equally loved for its beautiful scenery, nature, food and so much more. It is good fun to mix some old style vineyards like Vergelegen, Lanzerac and Boschendael with more modern wine estates like Waterkloof and Delaire Graff.

Wildlife is one of South Africa’s biggest attractions and there is a vast choice of national parks, game reserves, nature reserves and so on which boast an abundance of life. Well know parks like Kruger and Addo Elephant can get crowded during the holidays, but they are well suited to receive large numbers of visitors. Certainly consider visiting some parks which are less travelled like Madikwe, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and Kgalagadi Transfortier as they equally impressive.

South Africa is world renowned for its stunning golf courses and many will fly across the country to experience all the amazing fairways and greens. Fancourt and Leopard Creek are just a few examples of golf courses which names ring bells all around the world. Surfers have also found the way to the amazing waves which can be found all along the 2800 kilometers of coastline. Some of the best spots like Muizenberg and Llandudno can easily be accessed and are near big cities like Capetown and Durban.

South Africans do like their desserts and you can find bakeries, ice cream shops and everything in between all around the country. Sweet-tooth will like local specialities like melktart, Malva pudding and koeksisters but the classics can also be found here of course.

As mentioned before, many aren’t aware of the quality of food and wine that is produced here, but once you visit you’ll notice that literally at every bar, restaurant and bistro serves delicious fresh food at very reasonable prices. South Africa even has restaurants that sit among the top 100 best restaurants in the world, which is unique for an African country. Most of the culinary temples can be found in the Western Cape but the food scène in Gauteng has watched up recently. Some names to remember are Test Kitchen, Fyn restaurant, Marble and DW 11-13.

Of course you also have to drink something equally nice and there’s certainly no shortage when it comes to that. There are several breweries which produces some very good beers, but without a doubt South Africa is most known for its wines. And while many know about them, not many have tasted the wide variety that’s on offer. Almost all wineries can be found in the Western Cape split across different valleys. Most of them are possible to visit, and often have restaurants, accommodation, deli’s and picnic area’s attached. If you are in the neighbourhood you certainly need to check out names like Meerlust, Creation wines, Vergelegen, Lanzerac and Simonsig.

Air travel is the quickest way to get around and the major international airports can be found in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban with several local airlines offering countless flights between these cities on a daily basis. The Johannesburg-Cape Town route is even one of the busiest in the world. Smaller airports like Port Elisabeth, Nelspruit, George and Bloemfontein also have daily connections to most of the bigger hubs and due to their smaller size and lack of international travel, they are very convenient and limit the loss of time spent waiting at airports.

There are also a lot of private planes flying visitors to smaller airstrips close to game lodges as this often cuts a full day of travel into just a few hours.

Train travel is not that commonly used by visitors, however, there is an extensive rail network and South Africa has two very luxurious trains which are an absolute must if you like to travel in style. They are called Rovos Rail and the Blue Train. Both serve the Johannesburg – Cape Town route, but Rovos also offers many other itineraries giving you the option to explore much more of the land and even the neighbouring countries.

There is one other train which is worth mentioning, and that’s the Gautrain. It was created to relief some of the traffic between Pretoria and Johannesburg and is also one of the safest ways to travel between these cities. Conveniently it also rides all the way to the international airport of Johannesbug making it the ideal way to get into town.

Taxis are commonly found and cheap compared to some of the western countries. But be careful as there are several taxi drivers that try to lure you while they aren’t officially allowed to operate as a taxi. Hence why I suggest using Uber or Taxify as both of them are safe and have decent customer service in case of a problem.

Spring and summer are very similar in terms of sunshine and temperatures, however the rains will now be situated more in the northern parts of South Africa while the southern parts receive a lot less. Nonetheless a great time to visit if you like to spot newborn animals in the wild which is truly an amazing sight to see. Spring is also the time when the jacaranda trees are in full bloom, turning the cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg into a purple oasis.

During the Christmas and New-Years period you’ll find a lot of shops and restaurants being closed, and a lot of the locals will head towards the beaches in the Western Cape and Kwazulu-Natal so expect these area’s to be busy this time of the year.

Autumn usually tends to start around March and goes into winter end of May. This time of the year the temperatures start to fall back a bit, yet they are still perfectly fine for any outdoor activity. The good thing about it is the fact that the prices of a lot of accommodations drop significantly in bigger cities while it is still before the peak season of most game lodges. The typical autumn colours can be found in the Cape but equally so in other parts of the country. And for those who can’t stand very hot days this time of the year is just ideal.

Locals aren’t the only ones paying top money for some of the most luxurious experiences, and nowhere is it more obvious than when it comes to safaris. International travellers happily spend a few thousand pounds per night in a luxury safari lodge without any hesitation. Of course, these prices include everything from fine dining to game drives and a continuous flow of some of the best South African wines. Places like Singita, Londolozi and Royal Malewane are often fully booked way in advance, especially during the peak season. The most remote and arguably luxurious lodge is Tswalu Kalahari. With their own fleet of private aircraft they’ll fly you into their game reserve which is the biggest private reserve in South Africa. And once there you will experience nothing short of pure safari perfection.

Another region where luxury is literally around every corner is the winelands in the Cape. Some of the estates didn’t hold back when renovating the old vineyards and all the buildings that came with it, turning them into some of the best boutique hotels in the world. Some great examples are Lanzerac, La Residence and Leeu Estate. Others started from scratch and used the surrounding area as an inspiration to create something magical. A great example is Delaire Graff Estate which is among the very best in the business.

Which leaves us to discuss the luxury experiences you can expect when visiting Cape Town. Do yourself a favour and take a helicopter ride from the airport to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in the middle of the city. The views you’ll get on the short flight are priceless and it never hurt anyone to make a grand entrance…right? Stay at the Belmond Mount Nelson, truly an icon of luxury set in its own massive gardens and perfectly located in the city centre. The history you’ll find here is rarely seen elsewhere. Rather prefer something more contemporary? The Silo is the address for you. Located in the old grain silos at the waterfront, it is a masterpiece of modern eclecticism combined with the best views of the city. The rooftop bar and pool are also one of the hotspots in the city. And if you prefer exclusivity you have to stay at Ellerman House. This magnificent boutique hotel has been rated among the best in the world for a long time and the personal service, luxurious amenities and even customised transport are just a few of the things you can expect when staying here.

The white population is a minority but has been leading most of the country since more than a century. However, this is changing and regulations have been put in place to see more black men and women take leading roles in various industries.

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