South Africa: Highlights
More than a decade has passed since the first democratic election and the new South Africa is well and truly established – a forward-looking, integrated, entrepreneurial country, proud of its culture and heritage. It has an infrastructure as good as you will find in many parts the developed world, a fact reflected in the choice of South Africa for the 2010 World Cup.
Tourism has increased dramatically since 1994 and it’s not hard to see why. Few countries have attractions to challenge those of South Africa. Moreover, South Africa has set new standards for quality and hospitality, and the knock-on effect can be seen throughout Africa.
We are immensely proud of our broad South Africa programme, which has been a cornerstone of our success since 1997. We offer the most popular areas, but we also pioneered the less well-known areas –the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape, and Maputaland in KwaZulu Natal - which are now becoming established.
We promote a particular style of small owner-run establishment, which has set new standards for quality. People value the genuine hospitality – a key ingredient for a memorable trip.
We encourage independent travel in South Africa. 90% of our clients drive themselves – aided by our maps and comprehensive driving directions – and find this the best way of enjoying this extraordinary country.
If you are travelling between October and May, then a first visit to South Africa should include Cape Town, the winelands, the garden route and a safari, either at the end of the garden route in the Eastern Cape, or flying up to the Kruger area. This is manageable in a fortnight.
Between June and September, we would recommend a holiday on the east side of South Africa, meandering from the Kruger area, through Swaziland into KwaZulu Natal. This would also require a fortnight, and a little longer if you wanted to fly to Cape Town at the end.
KwaZulu Natal would be a key feature if you had not visited previously; also the Eastern Cape, places such as Graaff-Reinet and the Karoo, Grahamstown and the area known as the Wild Coast.
Now you can be more adventurous. Take a proper look at Joburg, maybe try an overnight stay in Soweto, travel north over the Tropic of Capricorn to Limpopo, where you can visit talented indigenous wood carvers and potters, lush tropical plantations and the remoter areas of northern Kruger. Or drive north of Cape Town to explore the Cederberg Wilderness area and West Coast National Park.
If course, plenty of our clients simply return to Kruger or the Cape over and over again, and who could blame them? It’s the prefect escape from the European winter.