South Africa
READ MORESouth Africa is a multicultural country on the most Southern tip of the African continent. It’s home to one of the world’s Seven Nature Wonders, Table Mountain and the world-renowned 2 million hectares, Kruger National Park. South Africa is known for its amazing landscapes, fauna, and flora as well as its diverse culture and talented national sport’s teams. It has become a popular tourist destination due to its welcoming inhabitants as well as its unique and untouched beauty.
Other
Information
CURRENCY
South African Rand. (1 USD = R14.35 – April 2019)
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
South Africa has a whopping 11 Official languages. Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, Siswati, Xitsonga, Setswana, Tshivenda, isiXhosa and isiZulu. The most commonly spoken language is English. All restaurants and other public facilities will have information available in English.
CAPITAL CITY
Naming South Africa’s capital city isn’t as easy as one might think. It has three capital cities, Cape Town(legislative capital), Pretoria(administrative capital) and Blcemfontein(judicial capital)
GOVERNMENT
South Africa has a democratic voting system, and since 1994 the African Nation Congress has dominated the public vote. Current president (2019) – Cyril Ramaphosa
RELIGION
A very diverse nation with Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and African Traditional beliefs as religious backgrounds with Christianity being the dominant religion of almost 90% of the country.
SIZE
1.22 million km2 in area and with a population of 58.33 million inhabitants
Highlights
01 Kruger National Park
02 Table Mountain
03 Wild Coast
04 Cape Winelands
Top 5 Destinations
01 Voortrekker Monument
02 Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
03 Van Riebeeck Castle
04 Kimberley’s The Big Hole
05 Oudtshoorn’s Ostrich & Crocodile farms
Unique Experience
• Drive through the drylands of the Karoo, while viewing beautiful open landscapes and stopping at interesting pit stops next to the road
• Explore the Sudwala Caves
• Have an adventure in Johannesburg’s Gold Reef City, while riding on thrilling roller coasters and discovering the rich history of South Africa’s gold mining industry
• Get to know the Art of Braai and sample local cuisines
Local Cuisines
Biltong
A kind of curated dried meat, almost like the American Beef Jerky. Wild game meat can be used to make it or the most common beef. You can eat it very dry or a little bit wet with spices.
Braai/Shisha Nyama
A BBQ with thick cuts of meats, sausages and sometimes breads grilled over an open wood fire.
Bunny Chow
It’s a hollowed-out loaf of bread stuffed with a spicy curry mince and sauce
Milk Tart and Malva Pudding
Famous deserts, Milk tart is a delicious milky tart served cold whereas Malva Pudding is a sticky baked sponge cake served warm with homemade custard.
Seafood and Oysters
You’ll find freshly made seafood in every coastal town and city. From creamy Mussel pots and garlic prawns to salty row oysters.
Type of Travel
Pre-plan with Agencies
Use a travel agency where you want to back a holiday visiting special museums and historical landmarks. Tour guides will give you extra information about the cities’ rich heritage and will know exactly where to drive you. As museums and landmarks aren’t nearby and there aren’t any taxis that can take you from place to place.
Hotel Information
You don’t need a travel agency if you want to stay in one city for a longer period, as most hostels and hotels have a lot of information available for tourists. Some even provide shuttle buses to and from the main attractions. It’s easy to follow signs and spot ticket counters once you get to the main attractions.
Rent a Car
Hire a car if you want to experience the coastal towns and views. This won’t limit your viewing time and will give you the freedom to explore smaller coastal towns along the road
Travel within the Budget
Budget traveling can be easily done as hostels, buses and street food are extremely affordable. You can find a lot of information or line and South African hostel owners can point you in the right direction.
Least Favorite
• Police officers in the city, particularly in Arusha, are notorious (they try to find fault in petty things for a bribe).
• Traffic in Dar Es Salaam
• Compared to the vibrant city of Nairobi, there’s nothing much to do in Arusha, the safari take-off point for the Northern Circuit (most popular)
• We didn’t find the local food options to be as diverse and unique tasting (mostly beans and meat)
Planning Your Trip
Time allocation and itinerary suggestion
• South Africa has so many places to explore. Give yourself a minimum of 5 days and 4 nights to spend in and around Cape Town or other major cities like Durban and Johannesburg. If you want to experience the country’s diverse scenic routes you about 2-3 weeks.
• Spending 4-5 days in Cape Town and surrounding areas, then moving down the coast towards Hermanus, do some whale watching and stay for a right. Then continue down the coast past Mosselbay, George, Knysna, and Oudtshoom for 3-4 days.
• Continue down the coast towards Jeffrey’s Bay to catch some waves and sun rays. You can catch a quick flight from Port-Elizabeth to Durban where you’ll spend some time at Ushaka Marine World and eating some delicious curries.
• Head North to Pretoria and Johannesburg to visit Soweto, or watch the same Rugby at the Loftus Rugby Stadium. Stay in the city for 1-2 nights. Before heading to Nelspruit to visit the Kruger National Park
• I suggest a minimum of 3 nights in Kruger. As there are many safari tides and other activities to do around this area. Relax by the campfire and enjoy a delicious Braai at night. You have the choice of driving through the Karoo towards Cape Town or take a quick and easy flight.
BUDGET
• As South African goods, tourist spots, and museums are extremely affordable. Always ask for a cheaper price, as travel agencies put a lot of commission on top of the actual costs.
• An excellent meal at a fancy restaurant can cost you anything between R180-R300 per person(drinks incl.). A hamburger or pie meal between R40-R60. Water- R9 per 500ml bottle and soft drinks R10-R15. Tickets to concerts or performance range between R80-R150
• Hostels vary from R40-R80 per night, Budget hotels from R160-R250, Bed and Breakfasts between R300-R500, and Resorts R600-R900.
Getting Here
Most international flights fly directly to Johannesburg (OR Tambo) or Cape Town International Airports. There are no alternative ways from either continent since you have to fly over oceans. Making a stop in North Africa and trying to drive your way down South through underdeveloped countries and badly maintained roads will be too time-consuming.
FROM UK
• Indirect flights with South African Airways, Qatar Airways, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian airways. Indirect flight times varies between 18-24 hours.
FROM US
• South African Airways, Turkish Airways, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Ethiopian Airlines airways and Emirates all fly from Los Angeles International Airport. Flight duration time varies between 22-28 hours.
FROM EUROPE
• Indirect flights can be booked with Alitalia Airlines, Swiss Air, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and Etihad Airways. Indirect flights with layovers can vary between 14 – 40 hours.
FROM ASIA
• Indirect flights can be booked with Air China, Ethiopian Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Asiana Airlines, KLM, Qatar Airlines and Singapore Airlines. Indirect flight time varies between 21-32 hours including layover time.
Safety & Security
It has been said that South Africa is a very crime-infested country. The crime rate is at on all-time high, but while the crime rate is going up, so is the security. You’ll see security guards everywhere guarding cars, houses, and hotel blocks. It is custom to give the guard a tip when you reach your car and it is still safe.
All safety measures count that would in any other country. Don’t leave your belongings unattended and don’t walk alone late at night. Avoid deserted places and lower-class areas. If you are attentive and cautious everything will be fine!
Getting Around
As previously stated South Africa doesn’t have a very reliable public transport system. Bus Stations and train stations are usually overcrowded and aren’t the safest or most convenient way of traveling, but is a great option for traveling on a budget.
You can download an Uber App onto your smartphone, but Uber rates are usually very high. I strongly suggest renting a car for the time you are in the country, if you want to take some photos.
Budget airlines like Kulula and Mango Airlines make it easy to fly in between other major cities at R470-R800 per one way ticket.
One beer,
One goal. One nation.
One soul!
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