South Africa Places of Interest

South Africa is a truly remarkable country and a wonderful holiday destination. It has a rich historical heritage, magnificent natural beauty, abundant wildlife all complimented by a range of accomodation from the simple to the luxurious with a huge spectrum of activities both on land or sea. Here we give just a few of the highlights of the country to help you to decide what you want to see and where you want to stay on your holiday.
Beaches
From KwaZulu-Natal to the Wild Coast, from the Eastern Cape to the West Coast, South Africa boasts more than 3 000km of coastline. Pristine beaches, fishing communities, golf estates, luxury hotels and guest-houses dot the landscape as you explore the marine wonderland that is South Africa .
Bird Tours
With nearly a thousand bird species, no wonder South Africa has become one of the Worlds bird hot spots.

Bungi Jumping
Bloukrans River Bridge – IT IS OFFICIAL – You can now bungi-jump the highest commercial bungi jump in the world, usurping the position previously held by Vic Falls. The bridge is 216 m high but the jump is only about 160 m. You jump from the arch support of the bridge, not from the road and getting there and back is an experience in itself. After the jump you are winched back up to the bridge.

Cango Caves
The Cango Caves lie in the Swartberg Mountain Range in a limestone belt measuring 1,5km in width and almost 16km in length. The present tourist route extends for 1,2km into the cave, with a further 4,1km being kept closed to the public for conservation reasons.

Cango Wildlife Ranch
The Cango Wildlife Ranch is situated just outside Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo, and since its inception in 1977 it has grown to become one of the largest tourist attractions of the region. In 1988 the Ranch developed a facility known as Cheetahland, within its borders, in an effort to promote its goal of making the public aware of endangered species. This unique facility is home to a large variety of big cats, which can be viewed from an elevated “catwalk” providing an uninhibited view of these magnificent creatures.

Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
Located at the southern most tip of the peninsula is the nature reserve, with fantastic panoramic views of the Cape of Good Hope from the viewing area, reached by cable car. The area has a dry and desolate look but this is deceptive as more than half the flowering plants of the peninsula, like the protea grow here. The reserve is also home to zebra, baboon, ostrich and eland. En route from Cape Town, the penguin colony at Boulder’s Bay is worth stopping for as is Simon’s Town a naval town and the country’s third oldest European settlement.

Cape Town
Cape Town is the most fabulously diverse and vibrant city, with great natural beauty, fascinating architecture, great restaurants, bars and nightlife. Whether you hike to the top or take the cable car, the views from Table Mountain are astounding. See the famous ‘dassies (rock rabbits) scampering aound the rocks and also the imposing Lion’s Head and Devil’s Peak which together with Table Mountain form the Cape Peninsula. Take a ferry from the V & A Waterfront to Robben Island to see the tiny cell which held Nelson Mandela for almost three decades.

Cape Winelands
Just an hour’s drive from Cape Town are the beautiful towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Constancia in the heart of the wine producing area. Visit some of the beautiful wine estates and taste some of the best wines in the world.
Cradle of Humankind
Declared a World Heritage Site, the Cradle of Humankind west of Johannesburg includes, among its numerous sites, the Sterkfontein Caves, where anthropologist Dr Robert Broom discovered the skull of Mrs. Ples, a three-million year-old hominid, in 1936. At the time she was thought to be the closest evidence of the “missing link” to be found.
Drakensberg Mountains
Recently proclaimed a World Heritage Site the mighty Drakensberg Mountains offer panoramic views of towering peaks, waterfalls and sparkling rock pools. Prime sites include Cathedral Peak, Monks Cowl, Champagne Castle, Giant’s Castle, Cathkin Peak and the geological phenomenon of the Drakensberg Ampitheatre, all of which are scattered across this majestic range. One of the most breath taking sights is Tugela Falls where the river rushes for over a mile over sheer cliffs and cascades through a dramatic gorge to the valley floor.

Durban
Durban is a holiday makers paradise with a sub tropical climate and carnival atmosphere. The amusement area is known as the Golden Mile which actually stretches for 4 miles and offers endless attractions and entertainment. There is a rapidly expanding harbour-front area to explore as well as the vibrant Victoria Street Market at the centre of Durban’s Indian community.

Garden Route
Whether approached from Cape Town or from Port Elizabeth, in the east, the Garden Route holds visitors spellbound with its abundance of rivers, spectacular mountain passes, lagoons, lakes, beaches and birdlife.The highlights of this amazing area are too numerous to mention but a few include Tsitskamma National Park- a area of ancient forest with hiking trails, and a long coastal plateau which stretches five kilometres out to sea. The park is alive with fynbos, wild orchids, otters, baboons small buck and over 280 bird species.
The Storms River area offers a host of activities from abseling, canopy walking, hiking and black water tubing. With its sucession of bays, white sandy beaches, spectacular cliffs and tidal pools it is not suprising that some of the premier coastal resorts are along the Garden Route.

Greater St Lucia Wetland Park
On the northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal this massive park has recently been declared a World Heritage Site. Extending over 680 acres of wilderness there are at least five different ecosystems represented including a vast lake, coral reefs, a sub tropical wilderness, reed covered islands swamps and towering dunes. With such diverse ecology the park is home to all forms of wildlife including 6000 white pelicans, 800 hippos, 1200 crocodiles as well as turtles, flamingos, shark, whales and dolphins. The Greater St Lucia Wetlands lie 136 miles north of Durban.

Source: South Africa Places

Health Tips for Travellers

Nothing can spoil a holiday more than feeling off-colour, and nothing can dull the pleasure of your holiday memories more than getting ill far from home. There are a number of health issues that you should be aware of, particularly if you’re from the northern hemisphere.
However, while there are risks anywhere, South Africa has a relatively salubrious climate and our levels of water treatment, hygiene and such make it a pretty safe destination.

If you’re an adult, you won’t need any inoculations unless you’re travelling from a yellow-fever endemic area (the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America), in which case you will need certification to prove your inoculation status when you arrive in South Africa. It is recommended that you have the required inoculations four to six weeks before you travel to South Africa (a yellow fever inoculation certificate only becomes valid 10 days after inoculation – after which it remains valid for 10 years).

Hepatitis B inoculations are recommended for children up to the age of 12 who have not completed the series of injections as infants. Booster doses for tetanus and measles can also be administered.

Medical facilities
Medical facilities in cities and larger towns are world-class, but you will find that in rural areas the clinics and hospitals deal with primary health needs, and therefore do not offer the range of medical care that the large metropolitan hospitals do. Trained medical caregivers are deployed round the country, so help is never far away.

The sun
We have a warm sunny climate and you should wear sunscreen and a hat whenever you are out of doors during the day, particularly between 10am and 4pm, regardless of whether there is cloud cover or not. Even if you have a dark complexion, you can still get sunburned if you are from a cooler climate and have not had much exposure to the sun. Sunglasses are also recommended wear, as the glare of the African sun can be strong.

Can I drink the water?
High-quality tap (faucet) water is available almost everywhere in South Africa, treated so as to be free of harmful micro-organisms, and in any area other than informal or shack settlements, is both palatable and safe to drink straight from the tap. In some areas, the water is mineral-rich, and you may experience a bit of gastric distress for a day or two until you get used to it. Bottled mineral water, both sparkling and still, is readily available in most places.

Drinking water straight from rivers and streams could put you at risk of waterborne diseases – especially downstream of human settlements. The water in mountain streams, however, is usually pure and wonderful. In the Cape, particularly, the water contains humic acid, which stains it the colour of diluted Coca-Cola – this is absolutely harmless, and the water is wonderful. You may also find this colouring in tap water in some areas. It’s fine – it just looks a bit weird in the bath.

Do I need to take malaria tablets?
Many of the main tourist areas are malaria-free, so you need not worry at all. However, the Kruger National Park, the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, and the northern part of KwaZulu-Natal do pose a malaria risk in the summer months. Many local people and some travellers do not take malaria prophylaxis, but most health professionals recommend you do. Consult your doctor or a specialist travel clinic for the latest advice concerning malaria prophylaxis, as it changes regularly.

Whether you take oral prophylaxis or not, always use mosquito repellent, wear long pants, closed shoes and light long-sleeved shirts at night, and sleep under a mosquito net in endemic areas (the anopheles mosquito, which carries malaria, operates almost exclusively after dark). It is advisable to avoid malarial areas if you are pregnant.

Other health issues
Bilharzia can be a problem in some of the east-flowing rivers, but it is easily detected and treated if it is caught early. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have a routine test a month or two after you get home – just to reassure yourself. Ticks generally come out in the early spring and may carry tickbite fever, which is easily treated. You should also be aware of hepatitis, for which you can be inoculated.

Source: African Welcome

Car Hire – Driving in Southern Africa

With a wide range of national parks and open plains, the southern plateaus of Africa attract thousands of tourists eager to catch glimpses of rare and dangerous creatures on safari tours.

But there are also a variety of different routes for those looking to head off the beaten path and explore more of the continents’ picturesque and unpredictable landscape.

Fly-drive and self-drive packages to countries such as Namibia, Botswana and South Africa are widely available. Flights and car rental are usually included in the price, but it’s always best to double check. Such tours can take you through national parks to scenic coastal drives.

Such tours usually fly to cities such as Cape Town and Windhoek, with a set itinerary for the journey – such trips are usually spread around a timescale – usually a fortnight – so you can make best use of your car hire service.

For those wanting to embark on fly-drive holidays, the time you are on the road varies depending on the itinerary you select – although such timescales are usually provided as guides, giving you the freedom to choose what to see and do along the way to your stop for the night.

As well as the vast countryside and variety of wildlife on the open plains and plateaus, safari tours can be included along the route – usually involving stopovers in national parks or game reserves.

Accommodation can vary from tour to tour, there are a number of reserves along the way which include basic hotel facilities, as well as the opportunity to camp under the night sky, listening to the sounds of the night wildlife passing through camp.

Source: Article Base
Car Rental South Africa

A Guide to Shopping in Namibia

Shopping in Namibia is a unique and exhilarating experience that is unlike anywhere else in the world. Most of their products are handmade and done by locals. Despite this, there is an abundance of variety, and you will find yourself spoilt for choice in deciding where to buy and when.

Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, features a number of small shops and a few large malls. Here, you can find pretty much everything, from precious stones to locally-made liqueur chocolates. One popular mall in Windhoek is Maerua Park, which is larger and more sophisticated than the smaller craft shops. The prices here are accordingly higher. The Windhoek Street Market, held every fortnight, is a tourist favourite. This market features mostly local crafts at reasonable prices. However, do take note that you can obtain largely similar crafts for lower prices at the craft market in Okahanja, which is situated about an hour away.

Swakopmund is another Namibian town that also sells a variety of art and craft objects, both locally made and obtained from other parts of Africa, particularly Zimbabwe. These make excellent souveniors and can be obtained at low prices. You will find a tantalizing assortment of exotic objects, such as masks, textiles, bowls and carved figurines. One of the most popular craft markets in Swakopmund is found near its lighthouse. This market features many rare and unique items which are unlikely to be found anywhere else in Nambia.

If you happen to be in Tsumeb, head for the Tsumeb Cultural Centre where you can find native African crafts. Here, you can be assured of the authenticity of the crafts and even find out more about their origins and the tribes from which the crafts came from. There is also a local shop which features Bushmen artifacts. You may be interested to know that the local reverend procures these artifacts from Bushmen in exchange for food.

Carved Malakani nuts are also offered for sale everywhere in Namibia. These are nuts which are carved upon, usually with pictures of wildlife. They are made into a variety of accessories, such as keychains. You will find yourself frequently being approached by people who will enquire your name or a name of your family member, upon which they will carve the names into the Malakani nuts as a way of persuading you to buy them.

Namibia has countless sightseeing attractions and monuments, but the shopping experience it offers to visitors is also a charming aspect of Namibian culture that is sure to be both delightful and memorable.

Source: Article Base
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Namibia Safari – Enjoy The Beauty Of Nature

Namibia in South Africa is one of the most picturesque locations in the world. With its desert landscapes, bush-veld and colorful wildlife, it is the photographer’s heaven and the ultimate safari destination. Although the extreme temperature makes Namibia a strict no-no during summer months, May to October is a good time to enjoy the scenery, birds and wildlife.

A Namibia safari must begin with a visit to the photogenic Sossusvlei at sunrise. The vibrant and shifting colors on the endless red and orange sand dunes, surrounding enormous dried-up lake beds make for a magnificent view. The dunes measure up to a staggering 300 meters- reportedly the highest in the world. Dessert life forms are fascinating for the sheer variety. Hiking the sand dunes and seeing the prehistoric Welwitschia plants definitely form the high points of the visit.

The Namib Naukluft Park is home to some of the most exotic plants and animal species in the world. The world’s fourth largest conservation area boasts of Sossusvlei, Sandwich Harbor and Naukluft Hiking and four wheel drive trails. One can gain true dessert experience, hiking the dunes and tracking the dessert animals.

The Etosha Naukluft Park is a must visit on the Namibia Safari itinerary. It is the finest game reserve of the Southern Africa and is dominated by Etosha Pan, part of the Kalahari Basin. The Pan attracts a multitude of birds during heavy rains. Besides, the park is home to a large variety of mammals and almost 400 varieties of birds. Tourists must watch out for the congregation of wildlife at the Pan.

Swakopmund is a prime holiday destination in Namibia. It’s the largest city in Namibia. The cool coast offers a welcome relief from the intense heat of the day. It has a rich history and the tour would be incomplete without visiting the beautiful historic building like the Old Provincial Court and the lighthouse. Swakopmund also offers dune carting, parachuting, hot air ballooning, shark fishing and others to those with a taste for adventure. For those who’ll miss their weekend party, Swakopmund has ample, exciting nightlife.

The uniform scrubland is suddenly broken by a massive orange rock with sheer sides and a flat top. The Waterberg plateau is 200 meters high, arid on top and a starkly contrasting bush vegetation and strong permanent springs at the foot. Three-toed foot springs remind one that this was the habitat once. Wildlife abounds as in the rest of Namibia. A visit to the mountains of Spitzkoppe and Brandberg is a must. Brandberg is Namibia’s tallest mountain and home to the famous “white lady”., One cannot help marveling at the Bushmen rock art, the petrified forest and various spectacular rock formations.

A Namibia Safari is intensely exciting. There are safaris to suite every pocket, from luxury safaris to hiking safaris. However, one must remember to take along old, inexpensive luggage, comfortable, casual clothing with muted colors and nothing resembling army uniform.

Source: Article Base
Namibia Car Rental