South Africa is one of those countries that you have always thought about without ever having to be brave enough to visit. You know it is a country where you can experience unsurpassed nature, get up close with some of the world’s most amazing wildlife, and with a people renowned for their warm welcome and hospitality but it still always seems just a little bit too far to go. Now is the time for the umming and arring to stop as this country simply has too much to offer for you to keep putting off what will be a holiday experience like no other you have ever had before.
The Big Five
For a lot of people who visit South Africa there is only one goal in mind; to get a glimpse of every one of the fabled five wild beasts that this great country boasts. The lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo are the holy grail of all of those who head out to South Africa on safari. While this may seem like quite an ambitious expectation, if you are going to catch a sight of these amazing creatures in one place then it is only going to happen in South Africa.
Kruger National Park is the go-to-destination for most safari enthusiasts and the popularity of this incredibly beautiful vast savannah land means that there are options for most travellers, with tours catering for day-trippers right on through to serious enthusiasts who would really like to hang around and learn how to get as up close and personal as possible with the animals.
No safari comes with any guarantee but you can be rest assured that any visit to one of the numerous national parks within South Africa will leave you with at least one special, new experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
The Cities
South Africa is not all about the wildlife; it is also a thriving country in its own right which boasts a strong people who are confidently moving onwards and forward from what have been some very difficult recent times. South Africa has perhaps one of the most chequered recent histories in the whole of the world but there is a determination for the country to leave the past where it belongs and to embrace the future. This mentality means that the cities in South Africa are some of the most lively that can be visited today.
Cape Town probably leads the way when it comes to breaking down the choice destinations that South Africa has to offer. This seaside town is a rocking, vibrant place whose beauty easily rivals that of more established big city, seaside towns such as San Francisco and Sydney.
Johannesburg is a city that was founded by a gold rush and you do not have to look too far to find that wild, pioneering spirit even now. The financial and entertainment capital of the country, if you cannot have fun in this city you can’t have it anywhere.
Just Open your Eyes
You can talk all day about safaris and parties but the biggest treat that South Africa is simply the country itself. The raw and beautiful nature of this country means that any trip here is one that will leave you wanting more. Whether it be the coast line and beaches to be found in the Hermanus area or the beautiful gardens and mountain biking trails in Stellenbosch, South Africa should be a country that you give time over to discover.
Opening your eyes will allow you to understand for yourself just how much this country truly has to offer and the thoughts of having once thought it was all too far to come will be washed away forever.
South Africa is a complex, contradictory place but it is one that you need to visit in order to understand and appreciate just how special this land really is. Safari, city, whale spotting, penguin playing, nature loving, there is something for everybody here and all you need to do to discover it for yourself is to be brave enough to trust your instincts. South Africa never disappoints.
Photo Credit: Flickr/Frontierofficial
