A mass of
gold gently stirs. It raises its head and contemplates the vast
wilderness.... A slow growl emerges from the depth of its being. The king
throws back his magnificent mane and lets out a mighty roar. He is free. He
is home. In the Limpopo Province, you will find the Kruger National Park,
here visitors will experience the fertile valleys, sub-tropical lowveld,
terraced hills and indigenous bush. The Northern parts offer historical and
archaeological sites. At the National Park you will experience close
encounters with buffalo, rhino, cheetah, wild dogs, zebra, lion, leopard
and......Read
more
Backpacking SA: way to
go!
First off, go out and buy a couple of kikois. Whether you're a
boy or a girl, macho or not, this sarong-like piece of clothing will
be your life-saver when the sun's blasting down, when the travel
gear is rolling around in the washer, when you've got some downtime
and you don't need to dress up.
The kikoi, which comes from Kenya, has been adopted by African
overlanders and backpackers as the preferred chill-outfit from Cape
Town to Cairo.
Next, go out and buy the travel books on South Africa. If you're
a surfer, you don't want to find out about the perfect point-break
B&B at the end of your trip. If you're a birder, you'd like to
know where to find the elusive blue swallow long before you hit
these shores. And if you like to drink a lager at sunset with the
best bathing in the southern hemisphere at your feet, it's nice to
know about Lookout Beach in advance, right?
You'll want publications like the Insight Guide to South Africa
or The Rough Guide to South Africa (see box down right) to get you
started. But once you're delving through the Africa shelf at your
favourite bookstore, you might want to flip through the massive
array of coffee table publications on the country. And having seen
what the light can do, you may want to double your camera film
order.
Once you're in South Africa, all the major centres have well-run
provincial tourist offices. Nose around in there, and you'll find
the particular set of pamphlets you need to tailor-make your trip.
Transport
If you've got a fantasy
about riding around SA on the end of your thumb, lose it. This is
not hitch-hiker country. South Africa is the kind of place where, if
you know what to do and where to go, you'll never experience a finer
trip. But it's not advisable to enter into the unknown anywhere in
the world these days, and South Africa is no exception.
So when you're in the cities, like Johannesburg, Cape Town or
Durban, use the public transport system, get a cab or hire a car.
Best of all, if you're staying for a spell, you could do worse than
buy a car - and sell it at journey's end. Each city has a vibrant
tourism centre which will advise you on day tours, bus routes to and
from your hostel, and discounts where available.
The bus services between cities are excellent, and so are the
roads. And the backpackers' delight, the Baz Bus, is the
last word in hostel-to-hostel drop-offs. If it's in your budget,
then the classic road trip through South Africa (hire or buy a car,
share the cost with travelling friends) will offer up more delights
than anything Route 66 ever dreamt of.
Your foreign licence (as long as it's printed in English) is
valid for six months. If yours is in another language, then get an
International Driving Permit before you depart for SA.
Where to
stay
The good news is there are more than 150
backpackers' accommodations in South Africa, and you can book ahead
by contacting
Backpacker Tourism South Africa. The other good news
is that backpackers' bed rates are astoundingly cheap in this
country.
Even more good news is that once you're staying at a
backpacker's, you can plug in to the local travelling network and
find out all kinds of great things, like where to eat for next to
nothing or party until dawn or find a long-lost friend. You're in a
well-run overlanding subculture here, so enjoy it.
Your choice of where to stay depends on what you want out of the
trip. South Africa is, to pound a cliche, a great smorgasbord of
tourism opportunities for you to feast on.
The bad news? Well, the good news is there is no bad news here!
The people
Within hours of your
arrival, you're going to discover that South Africa is a great,
heaving melting pot of cultures, colours, languages and traditions.
And in the New South Africa, we're very proud of our diversity.
Your pocketbook guides will tell you about them, and how to
behave around them. But, like most places, if you're friendly and
polite with the people you meet, chances are you'll be met with at
least twice the warmth.
So prepare to spend time with a Zulu warrior around the fire at
night, wake up at dawn and go on a game drive with a ranger who
speaks Afrikaans, be served some exotic local dish by a beautiful
Malay girl, share a bus with a bunch of transplanted Scots and learn
to say things like "Howzit?" (How is it/ are you?), "Hey, my bra,
that's lekka" (Hey, my brother, that's wonderful), and "Sharp!"
(cool).
Townships
We're barely eight years out of
apartheid, and the teeming townships of South Africa are, like the
favellas of Brazil, poverty-ridden places where sensitivities are
high.
But there's nothing to beat a township shebeen pumping after
midnight, full of laughter and jazz, or a township marketplace on a
Saturday morning. There's a sense of vibrancy in SA's townships that
cannot be met in the traditionally quieter urban suburbs. This is
where you meet the soul of South Africa.
You can't say you've been here unless you've really been here, in
one of the townships. But take a guide, go with an accredited tour,
don't just blunder off into a strange settlement. And with the right
introductions, and a few simple safeguards, you'll have a right old
time of it.
Accommodate is a website dedicated to the
independent traveller seeking to experience the diverse cultures
and histories of South Africa's townships first-hand.
Outdoor adventures Culture's
fine, you say. But where's the rush? Welcome to Adrenalin Central.
South Africa is where you can toss yourself over the highest
bungee jump in the world, where you can hit the white waters of our
river systems in rubber ducks (inflatable boats), where you climb
the peaks of our mighty Drakensberg mountains, where you can
microlight through the hills of Mpumalanga, and where you can dive -
thankfully in a cage - in the middle of Great White Shark territory.
There's a different level of outdoor activities which includes
horseback trail-riding, cattle mustering, hiking for days through
mind-blowing landscapes, quietly fishing for the noble trout in our
Highlands, or tracking the rare black rhino for hours in the safe
hands of a trained guide.
South Africa was built for the outdoors spirit, and we celebrate
this in a hundred different ways.
Photography
Dust is the enemy - always remember
that if you're carrying cameras in South Africa. One of the reasons
our sunsets are so spectacular is because of mid-air dust, which
also tends to foul up camera equipment if care is not taken.
In the winter, you'll find your soft light from about 3pm to 5pm,
and in the summer it all starts and ends a little later. But, if you
can make it, the African dawns are equally superb for photography.
Try to time your photo-excursions for the "bookends of the day",
leaving the harsh light of the lunch-hour for the poolside siesta.
If you're packing more than a little pocket camera, then consider
dropping in a 300mm zoom lens for the long shots, especially when
you're out in the wilderness and you can't get closer to those
lions. For normal street-work and portraits, a smaller 28-80mm zoom
lens is best.
Food and drink
Prepare yourself for
World Grub, a global gastronomic trip that could begin with chicken
sosaties (kebabs) and end with mopani worms fried over an
open fire. We have Chinese, we have Italian, we have American, we
have good old British stodge - but we also have Cape Malay,
KwaZulu-Natal Indian, boerekos (farm fare), and the finest
lamb chops from the vast Karoo scrublands.
The South African service industry is on a fast track, and you'll
have no problems eating out or self-catering.
When it comes to the beer and the wine, you'll find both
plentiful, excellent and very cheap. South African beer, because of
the hot weather, is a special favourite. And a tour of the winelands
will have you sending cases of Cabernet home.
Safety
The same rules apply as for anywhere
else in the world. Be careful. Don't wander off alone down dark
alleys at night. Try not to display all your electronic possessions.
Pack cash, credit cards and traveller's cheques in separate places.
Let your lodge or hotel know where you are. Leave your expensive
jewellery at home. Keep a look out for muggers, and store your
wallet where it can't be pickpocketed. Take care around automatic
cash machines.
These and many other safety rules are what you should be
following back home and while travelling anywhere abroad. Crime is
not endemic to South Africa.
