Introduction

South Africa is due to its varied landscape and the extensive range of activities and a World in One Country. At the top in favor of the visitors are the Western Cape, KwaZulu / Natal and the Eastern Cape.

Gauteng

May exist in this region it refreshing lakes, where you take boat rides, fishing, birding, as well as numerous parks, nature reserves and parks.

Johannesburg is a modern business city center of world gold production and economic center of South Africa.

Visits

The 202 m high Carlton offers an excellent panoramic views of Johannesburg. Northcliff Ridge is the highest natural point in the city. Gold Reef City is a reconstructed gold mining town with hotels, bars, shops and theaters. In the Johannesburg Art Gallery is a collection of English, Dutch, French and South African art is on display. The Planetarium, the Arts and Crafts Market at Zoo Lake is also worth visiting. A variety of different bird species can be observed in the Florence Bloom Bird Park and Melrose Park Vogel. From Harvey-Wild flowers in Linksfield Park you can enjoy a beautiful view of Johannesburg and Magaliesberg. There is also a zoo and a botanical garden with exotic trees and over 4000 varieties of roses.

Trips

Extremely popular with visitors is a stroll through the shopping streets of the posh Sandton suburb of Johannesburg, with its varied range of shops and restaurants.

Museums: the Adler Museum of Medicine includes an African Herbarium and the practice of a medicine man. The Africana Museum houses a large ethnographic collection. The Bensusan Museum offers a collection of antique photographic equipment, and in Bernberg Museum are garments from the 18th and 19 Century issued. At the Jewish Museum offers an insight into the history of Judaism in South Africa.

Pretoria (Tshwane) is the administrative capital of South Africa, with numerous parks and gardens, which grow aloes, acacia and fig trees.

Visits

There are numerous museums, including the Military Museum Fort Klapperkop, the Geological Museum (fossils and gem collection), the Pretoria (Tshwane) Art Museum and the Transvaal Museum of Natural History. Particularly interesting is the State Theatre, which is dedicated to all the performing arts. The Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary is home to countless water birds. Other protected areas are the Derdepoort Regional Park, Fountains Valley Nature Reserve Wonderboom Nature Reserve, the National Botanical Gardens and Meyers Park Nature Reserve.

Trips

The Magalies Mountain Range impresses with its diverse flora and fauna. There are numerous private game and nature reserves. In this region, the Hartebeespoort Dam is popular with water sports and camping equipment and facilities for fishing and mountain climbing. An aquarium, 3 km from the dam, is home to exotic fish, crocodiles and seals. There is also a zoo, a snake park and a nature reserve. Near Krugersdorp are the Sterkfontein Caves, where a female skull was found, which will be a million years old.

Mpumalanga

The treeless grasslands of the plateau extends over hundreds of miles up the chain of the Drakensberg. Here the landscape is in a subtropical forest area (Lowveld) above.

Trips

One of the main tourist destinations of South Africa, the world renowned Kruger National Park (website: www.kruger.co.za) whose extent corresponds approximately to the size of Belgium, is habitat for elephants, lions, leopards, hippos, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest and many other animal species. Excellent accommodation and even a mountain bike route for visitors are available.

On the western border of the Kruger National Park there are several private game parks, which protect the flora and fauna of the Lowveld (Klaserie, Timbavati, Sabi Sand Reserve and Umbata Nature Reserve). The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) (website: www.greatlimpopopark.com) with a future level of 100,000 sq km – equivalent to the size of Portugal – the Kruger park connects with the adjacent National Park of the neighboring countries, the Gaza-game park in Mozambique as well as with the Gonarezhou National Park in the fight for. In addition to the coming Manjinji Pan Sanctuary, the Malipati Safari Area and the Sengwe Communal Land in Zimbabwe as well as two areas between Kruger National Park and the Gonarezhou National Park and the Makuleke region in South Africa. Once all areas are integrated, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park to be the largest game park in the world. The GLTP can people and animals between the three countries, South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to move freely.


The Blyde River Canyon is 21 National Park in South Africa. With a length of 26 kilometers and a depth of up to 800 meters, the Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world. The new National Park covers a total area of ​​50,000 hectares.

There are several good tour routes through the region, the most famous is the summit route that leads over the 2150 m high Long Tom Pass, Sabie over against the magnificent backdrop of Mount Mauchsberg and Anderson. Continue through Graskop, a forest village, situated at the foothills of the Drakensberg, about Pilgrim’s Rest, a city of the Gold Rush and the reserve at Mount Sheba with numerous gorges and waterfalls, Pinnacle Rock, a free-standing granite column, and the 1,000 m high God’s Window, with magnificent views over the Lowveld. Here you can admire the Lisbon and Berlin Falls. The Bourke’s Luck Potholes are deep holes in the rock that have been washed out over the years by pebbles in the flood water. The Summit route continues through the Blyde River Canyon and the Blyderivierspoort Nature Reserve, a huge gorge, on the FH Odendaal Camp with good vantage points and shelters; is Sybrand van Niekerk (Swadini Camp) that towers above the Mariepskop and outside the nature reserve of a reptile park offers, the Museum of Man in archaeological excavations, and the Echo Caves in Molopong Valley to see where tools from the Stone and Iron Ages, and on the Abel Erasmus Pass and the JG Strijdom Tunnel, the 335 m above the Ohrigstad River lie. On the last stage, the road 700 meters down to the Olifants River.

Nelspruit is a good starting point for a tour of the famous caves Sudwala, which penetrate deep into the mountain-Mankelekele. Some of the lateral ventricles are very large, such as the PR Owen Hall, an underground amphitheater. Guided sightseeing tours are offered. The nearby park provides life-size dinosaur replicas of the prehistoric giants that inhabited South Africa 250 million years ago. Close by lies the Exeter Game Lodge.

KwaZulu / Natal

This province is bordered to the north of Mpumalanga, Swaziland and Mozambique to the east by the Indian Ocean, on the west by the Free State and Lesotho and the south by the Eastern Cape.

Durban: The beach promenade (Golden Mile), the port, many temples (Temple of Understanding), mosques (Jumah Mosque) and bazaars give the city a colorful appearance.

Visits

Durban Harbour, South Africa’s largest port. Here numerous leisure cruises are offered. Attractions include the Maritime Museum on an old steamer, Sea World Aquarium and Dolphinarium, the Killie-Campbell Africana Museum with the Killie-Campbell Africana Library, the Mashu Collection of Anthropology and the William Campbell Furniture Collection, the Local History Museum and the Old House Museum. The City Hall houses the Natural History Museum in colonial style. Close by is the Durban Art Gallery, art and crafts from South Africa exhibits. African Art Centre in exquisite local art objects for sale. Durban also has numerous colorful markets such as Victoria Street Market, an oriental market with exotic jewelry, fruits and spices or the flea market, held on the last Sunday of each month in the Garden Amphitheatre. The city also has beautiful gardens: the Botanical Garden, the Japanese Gardens and the Gardens Amphitheatre.

THE MIDLANDS AND Drakensberg: Between the coast of KwaZulu / Natal and the Drakensberg mountain range, the Midlands, a scenic area with wooded hills, farmland and lush green valleys with little towns, villages and inns. Here are home to many wildlife and bird species.

The Drakensgebirge is the largest mountain chain in the country and a popular holiday destination that is well suited for hiking, mountain climbing and horseback riding.

Trips

Seeing values ​​and national parks are protected such as the Royal Natal National Park, the Spioenkop Public Resort Nature Reserve, the Kamberg Nature Reserve, Giant’s Castle Game Reserve and Vergelegen Nature Reserve. Hikes to the Cathkin Peak (3149 m), Cathedral Peak (3004 m) and the Champagne Castle (3377 m) are on offer. Of multiple passports, with gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains and valleys: Oliviershoek Pass, Sani Pass and Van Reenen’s Pass

Pietermaritzburg is located in the heart of Zululand. Particularly appealing is this city in September for flowering azaleas. Among the most interesting museums in the city include the Macrorie House Museum, the Natal Museum and the Voortrekker Museum. Pietermaritzburg is the ideal Ausgangsounkt for trips to the Howick Falls, Karkloof Falls and the Albert Falls Public Resort and Nature Reserve.

THE COAST AND THE INLAND: In the north of the province of KwaZulu / Natal, there are the finest wildlife and nature reserves with rich flora and fauna: the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, the Mkuzi Game Reserve, Ndumu Game Reserve , the Sodwana Bay National Park and the Itala Game Reserve. The coast offers beautiful white sand beaches such as Tongaat Beach, Marina Beach and Ifafa Beach. On the south coast, many of the best known tourist destinations.

Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape region offers an extraordinary variety of landscapes, ranging from the wastelands of the Great Karoo over the Knysna forest to the fertile farmland between the levels of Little Karoo and the Long Kloof.

Port Elizabeth has a rich cultural life, in the Opera House are ballet, opera, musical and theatrical productions listed, and the Mannville Open Air Theatre in St. George’s Park is known for its Shakespeare productions. At the city’s beaches you can practice many water sports.

Visits

Local attractions include the Apple Express (one of the last narrow gauge steam trains), which connects Port Elizabeth to Loerie since 1906 at the Long Kloof. The town hall and market square and the monument to Prester John.

On the seaside promenade of Port Elizabeth is home to the Oceanarium, the Snake Park and Tropical House. The King George IV Art Gallery houses works from the 19th and 20 Century. The Settler’s Park Nature Reserve native plants are to be admired. The St. George’s Park offers outdoor and craft exhibitions and theater performances.

Trips

The Addo Elephant National Park is located 72 km north of Port Elizabeth and was created in 1931 to protect the elephants of the region. Even black rhino, buffalo, antelope and over 170 species of birds are found here.

The Zuurberg National Park in the Winterhoek Mountains is home to a variety of animal and plant species; in Alexandria Forest breed the rare Black Eagle.

East London is situated on the east coast, which belongs to the Romantic Coast. There are excellent beaches such as Eastern Beach, Nahoon Beach and Orient Beach. The city offers good leisure facilities and entertainment venues. The city has a museum of natural history collection.

The Karoo is a large plateau, which is known for breathtaking sunsets. A trip to Mount Zebra National Park on the northern slopes of the mountain chain Blank worthwhile. Middle of the Karoo Nature Reserve, at the foot of the mountains lies Sneeu, the town of Graaff-Reinet, with many buildings dating from the 18th and 19 Century as well as parks and museums. From here you can make excursions to the surroundings.

The Garden Route through the Outeniqua Mountains in the interior, the barren plains of the Little Karoo, the Garden Route National Park with Camp and Camp Wilderness and Tsitsikamma Mountains Swart with the underground Cango Caves. Your name, the section on the extraordinary diversity of plants. Jeffrey’s Bay is popular with surfers. St. Francis Bay boasts wide beaches for swimming and shell collecting. The lagoon at the Paradise Beach is a bird sanctuary with flamingos and swans. Knysna is situated in a secluded forest and is a popular tourist destination. The Knysna Lagoon is part of a national park, which stretches from Buffels Bay to Noetzie. In both places there are beautiful sandy beaches. Between Knysna and George is a beautiful lake district. Garden City Georgetown owes its nickname to the impressive trees that adorn the town. When there are several ostrich farms in Oudtshoorn.

Western and Southern Cape

The exceptionally beautiful landscape of this region extends from the western crags behind Lambert’s Bay to the mountains in the south of the peninsula and is known for its fine wines.

Cape Town: South Africa’s parliament is sitting at the foot of Table Mountain overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Local attractions include the Castle of Good Hope, the cultural history museum, the Malay Quarter, the Nico Malan Theatre Complex and the Old Town House on Greenmarket Square (collection of Flemish and Dutch paintings). Excellent sporting and shopping facilities are also available. Victoria & Alfred, the Victorian port of Cape Town, was expanded into an amusement center.

Trips

In the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve at the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula, there are countless plant and animal species. Along the bay there are fishing villages and resorts Llandudno, Hout Bay, Kommetjie and Fish Hoek. Chapman’s Peak to the summit can be reached on a road with wonderful views of Hout Bay.

Stellenbosch is a center of wine production, with many beautiful buildings, including the Village Museum and the Dutch Reformed Church. In Franschhoek, also in the wine growing area, once lived in France, Huguenot immigrants who brought their art with wine to South Africa.

In the Drakenstein Valley, there are picturesque vineyards, orchards and farms to visit. You can follow several wine routes. The Bontebok National Park near Swellendam, there are very many species.

On the rugged west coast, many shellfish can be found.

Northern Cape

These large and often inaccessible wilderness stretching from the west coast along the borders with Namibia and Botswana to the North West Province and the Free State. The southwest of the Cape is transformed in the spring months in a vast sea of ​​flowers, the South is part of the Great Karoo, while the northern reaches into the Kalahari Desert.

Kimberley is an attractive city with wide avenues and good shopping centers. Local attractions include the Big Hole, the largest archaeological site in the world and the mining museum with replicas of the gold fever of the time (19th century). The De Beers Hall Museum, an exhibition of rough and polished diamonds is housed. The famous 616, the 616-carat, the largest rough diamond in the world and the Eureka diamond (the first diamond discovered in South Africa) can be admired here. The William Humphreys Art Gallery offers a fine art collection.

Olifantshoek at Witsand (70 km) is known as the gateway to the white sand here and are there to see beautiful rock paintings. If the sand of the 100 m high sand hills is upset, he gives, especially in hot weather, strange moans from him.

The Vaalbos National Park near Kimberley is home to antelope, kudu, giraffe and other herd animals. Wonderwerk Cave is an archaeological site of great importance, here are some of the oldest evidence of the use of fire.

The Augrabies waterfalls falling 56 meters into a ravine 20 meters wide located 120 km west of Uppington, a quiet desert town on the banks of the Orange River.

The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park is adjacent to the Botswana National Park, is 127 135 sq. km with the largest national park in Africa and one of the largest remaining ecosystems in the world.

Namaqualand is a hard to reach semi-desert, which turns after a good winter rain in a sea of flowers. In this area, including those not yet open to the Richtersveld National Park, whose unique vegetation is mainly due to the different types of succulents fascinated.

Free State

The interrupted by small granite rock grasslands in the west eastwards into sandstones, the foothills of the Maluti mountains, about. The provincial capital of Bloemfontein is characterized by some excellent museums: the National Museum, the Old Fourth Raadsaal (Parliament) of the former Republic of the Free State, the National Afrikaans Literary Museum, the exhibitions of Eugene Marais, Breyten Breytenbach and the prominent anti-apartheid writer Adam Small in his program, or the Oliewenhuis Art Gallery. A memorial commemorates the women and children who died during the Boer War in British concentration camps. The building of the Observatory Theatre on Signal Hill is actually an observatory, hence the name.

The most interesting areas of the countryside outside the capital of Free State to the east. Starting from Bloemfontein, it looks very nice, as gradually rising hill, past Thaba’Nchu, the ancient seat of the Basotho king, and on to Ladybrand on the main route to Lesotho. To the north are Ficksburg, famous for its cherry blossoms for spring festivals, and the new-age settlement in the Rustler’s Valley, where each fall held a music festival. Further to the north-east, one finds the Golden Gate National Park with its massive rock formations left from weathered sandstone, whose various reds, yellows and oranges an unforgettable impression.

North West Province

Sun City is probably the most famous place of Mecca Province players and venue of golf tournaments and concerts with star cast. Not far away is the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, the oldest protected area of ​​this province. A little further south and the Rustenberg Rustenberg Nature Reserve in the Magaliesberg, the habitat for antelope and other wild animals as well as rare birds of prey (Black Eagle) is. Other places worth seeing are the old university town of Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom.

Limpopo Province (formerly Northern Province)

The Limpopo Province is bounded on the north by Botswana and Zimbabwe and Mozambique to the east, their territory extending over large parts of the Kruger National Park (see Mpumalanga). On the south lies with Warmbaths, as the name implies, hot mineral springs. In the provincial capital of Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg) should be the Bakone Malapa museum worth a visit. The Waterberg Mountains in the west is an excellent walking area. In contrast to the arid south of the northern province offers lush vegetation on the slopes of the Soutpansberg grow mangoes and avocados. Venda and the places in the Northeast Gazankulu is rural, and is known for fine craftsmanship. Issued lived and worked here a long time the artist Jackson Hlungwane, whose sculptures in both South African and in European galleries.