| Places to Stay |
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Southern Africa has been blessed with more than her fair share of beauty, impressive wildlife, astonishing cultures and breath-taking landscapes. But there’s more to the land than meets the eye… Something rises from the continent itself and vibrates deep in your soul like a slow drumbeat that captivates both heart and spirit.
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Botswana Botswana is home to the world’s biggest inland delta. It is here that the Okavango River floods the Kalahari Desert, forming a maze of winding channels that create palm-fringed islands and fertile floodplains. |
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Malawi Bordered by Zambia on the north-west, Tanzania on the north and Mozambique on the east, south and west, Malawi lies in the Great Rift Valley, which runs through the country from north to south. |
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Around Cape Town For many, the Cape Province is a special haven. A place of spectacular beauty. From the deserted beaches of the west to the beautiful rain forests of the east, the Cape Province is an area of vast contrasts. In climate, geography, animal and plant life. |
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The Wine Region The Cape winelands are situated on either side of the Hottentot Holland Mountains which lie to the north and east of Cape Town. A Mediterranean climate, plentiful water and fertile valleys provide ideal conditions for vineyards and orchards to flourish. Graceful Cape Dutch architecture, a history that dates back to the 17th century, and over 100 varieties of wine are some of the area’s attractions. |
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The West Coast The West Coast is wild, rugged, tempestuous and untamed. And any time spent here will lodge itself in the feel good centres of your being. The West Coast lets you rediscover yourself and touch the fingertip of God. Always through something small. Environmental conditions are harsh, so the miracles are minute. Extraordinary succulents no bigger than your baby fingernail. A perfect shell smaller than a pea. The pin prick of a seagull high over head. The speed with which the wind robs you of a shout… |
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The Overberg and Route 62 Lying at the Southern most tip of Africa where the cold Atlantic and warm Indian oceans meet is a fertile stretch of land, surrounded on one side by sea and the other by majestic mountains, called the Overberg. |
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The Garden Route For many South Africans this is a piece of paradise they can discover on their own doorstep. Stretching from Mossel Bay to the Storm’s River Mouth, the Garden Route combines the best of Mother Nature with the best of first world creature comforts. Many travellers hit the N2 and just drive through peering out the window occasionally. We suggest that you stop somewhere interesting, get out and Go Exploring. You’ll find mind-numbing indigenous forests sheltering in valleys, untamed beauty in the coastal fynbos and repose in the meandering rivers that lead down to wild expanses of unspoilt beaches. |
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The Sunshine Coast A beautiful stretch of the coastline that's lapped by the warm Indian Ocean, and so called because it offers more sunshine hours per year than anywhere else in South Africa. |
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The Wild Coast This is a wilderness where man is a part of the landscape, not it's unordained boss. Rolling green hills are met by sky-sized bursts of cloudbreak and patches of brilliant blue, the hillsides littered with sheep, goats, cows and pin pricks of mud huts. |
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The South Coast The South Coast coastline is less dramatic than in other parts of South Africa, but there are plenty of great beaches and lots of good surf spots. |
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Around Durban Durban, with its reliably warm sea and all its dedicated surf rats, Indian market, happening waterside bars and great music scene, is a city that’s always on holiday. |
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The Drakensberg Spending time in the Drakensberg is like plugging into a throbbing Soul Rejuvenator. It’s uplifting, energising, relaxing and exactly what everyone needs more of. Unless of course you’re spiritually dead. And even then, it’ll do you good. |
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Zululand Wrapped up in one province are all the sights and sounds of Africa. Amidst endless fields of sugarcane, you’ll find game parks that teem with wildlife, exquisite beaches lapped by a warm ocean and a thriving African culture. |
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Around Jo'burg The big, bad city of Jo'burg. Where urban legends get mugged and young people have a blast. If you need a city fix, head for the City of Gold and all its chaos. They don't have a mountain or any ocean to get lost in, so they actually do things. Like drink and party a lot. |
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Around Pretoria The administrative capital of South Africa and home to most embassies, Pretoria is considered by many to be Jo’burg’s safer sister. Truth is, they’re like chalk and cheese. Pretoria is home to the Voortrekker Monument and, by implication, Afrikaans culture. There are some major universities and a thriving alternative art and culture scene. |
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North West Province This small province is home to Sun City, Pilanesberg Game Reserve and the Magaliesberg mountains. |
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Mpumalanga This is one of the most beautiful areas in South Africa and well worth the trip - not only because of its rich wildlife and the Kruger National Park, but for the abundant and breath-taking natural wonders. |
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Limpopo Limpopo offers a gateway into the Kruger National Park - not to mention loads of private game farms and beautiful natural locations. Its tropical vegetation and abundance of locally grown fruit and vegetables also make it a cheap area to travel in. The name of the province has been changed to Limpopo, and some town names have changed. You should still see the old and new names together for a while longer though. |
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Eastern Cape Inland and the Karoo The Hottentot word for this place "Karoo" (a thirstland) perfectly describes this arid area of low rainfall, meagre vegetation and haunting rock outcrops. It's a remote, moody and lonely - but absolutely extraordinary – landscape and any time spent here will have you touching parts of your soul you don't often access. |
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Klein Karoo This narrow plain lies between the Swartberg and Outeniqua mountains. |
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The Northern Cape Stretching from the West Coast across to Kimberley on the Free State border, this is the largest of the nine provinces in South Africa by far. |
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The Free State The open plains of the Free State stretch between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south. To the east the land rises to the highlands and the mountains of Lesotho. This wealthy province boasts gold and diamond mines as well as fertile farmlands. |
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Swaziland An independent kingdom set in largely mountainous country, Swaziland is bounded on the east by Mozambique and on all other sides by South Africa. It’s a beautiful country and a trip is well worth the time. |
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Lesotho If you’re feeling frustrated by South Africa’s “unAfrican-ness” and you’re wanting to encounter traditional African lifestyles, Lesotho is a good place to start. |
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Namibia Namibia means different things to different people. But there's no doubt that the common thread through everyone's feelings is based on the awesome natural phenomenon of the country. The vast tracts of unpopulated land that stretch forever. The incredible Soussusvlei dunes. The ghostly coastline. The harshness. And of course, man's insignificance. |
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Zimbabwe and Zambia Due to the present political climate, most backpackers tend to stick to the Vic Falls area, so we have included Zambia with Zimbabwe as they both border on the Falls. |
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Mozambique The coastline of Mozambique is one of the most beautiful in all of Africa and boasts some of the finest deep-sea game fishing that can be found. It is now the haunt of big game fishermen from all over the world and sport fishing is big business. |
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Overland Trips This is a compilation of some of the overland companies that over a variety of trips in and around South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mocambique, Zimbabwe and more. |
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Volunteer opportunities These places offer volunteer work. |
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