Page 10 - Flipbook

Johannesburg
Cape Town
Beautiful Cape Town Durban coastline
Durban
The main attractions of the city, besides Victoria Street Market, include the Botanical Gardens the oldest surviving botanic gardens in Africa, established on the slopes of the Berea ridge in 1848 and City Hall, which houses the Natural Science Museum, a great museum for kids and adults alike.
For shopping and entertainment, you need head no further than Wilson’s Wharf on the marina, with a stunning view of the city’s skyline. Dining here offers plenty of options – from fast food to silver service. Nearby, the Bartel Arts Trust Centre, housed in converted warehouses, showcases art from local artists and is a popular live music venue.
Located just outside of Durban is the Valley of a Thousand Hills. Hiking all of them might be a bit much, but you can hop a ride on the aptly named 1000 Hills Choo Choo: a train that rides the valley route up to the ridge. The area, rich in Zulu culture, has lured painters and poets for centuries, and there are many places to stop for a bite to eat and admire the scenery.
Top of the bucket list has to be a South African safari. Nowhere else on earth
will you have a chance to see lions, rhinos, cheetahs, leopards and hippos in their natural environment except for here, in one of the many wild game preserves scattered across South Africa. Johannesburg, the capital city is often used as a gateway for travellers looking to head straight out on safari to South Africa’s flagship game reserve the nearby Kruger National Park. A visit to this unspoiled wilderness is a truly magical experience and one of the only reserves you can explore DIY. The idea of a self- guided safari goes against the traditional image of this type of outing, in which visitors ride in an open jeep with a guide and driver but a self-guided safari is surprisingly easy. Visitors can drive the
network of paved and dirt roads whenever the gates are open. You’re required to stay in your vehicle at all times, although there are a few scenic overviews where you’re permitted to walk around at your own risk.
In contrast to Durban, Johannesburg has had its fair share of civil unrest in the past. Visitors might be surprised by how pleasant the city is. Organised trips (emphasis on the organised) to the sprawling township of Soweto are a highlight, but take sensible precautions against crime.
At the southern tip of South Africa sits the beautiful harbour city of Cape Town, resting on the slopes of the iconic Table Mountain. With balmy summers and cool winters, Cape Town attracts many return visitors keen to take advantage of its great restaurants, shops and beaches. The nearby wine lands and stunning scenery of the Garden Route might also be an added incentive.
The attraction that gets the most visitors is the V&A Waterfront, a hive of boutique shops, achingly hip bars and busy restaurants. There’s also a great market selling local arts and crafts. Boats leaving from the harbour here take tourists on sightseeing and whale-watching cruises.
Hike or take the cable car up to the flat top of Table Mountain. You’ll be able to see far out out to sea, provided the
10 May 2012
Gordons Bay near Cape Town South Africa
Tribal beads