MORE ON SOUTH AFRICA

I am an African
For her blue skies take my breath away
And my hope for the future is bright
I am an African
For her people greet me as family
And teach me the meaning of community
I am an African
For her wildness quenches my spirit
And brings me closer to the source of life
- Wayne Visser

“A world in one country”

South Africa is celebrated first and foremost for its incredible natural beauty. It has some of the most varied and extreme environments in the world from the tropical coasts of Kwa-Zulu Natal and the sweeping emptiness of the Kalahari Desert. The people are a multi spectrum and fascinating mix of cultures, religions and ethnicities, which are the beating pulse of South Africa, and who give meaning to its nickname, “Rainbow Nation”

The country’s incredibly diverse eco-systems, supports a rich variety of fascinating wildlife from big game to an array of birdlife (700 recorded species). In 2006 South Africa won an international award to acknowledge the government’s approach to sustainable development, a testament to South Africa’s progressive conservation policies. With 12 National Parks, 3 trans-frontier National parks, 84 nature reserves, 6 world heritage sites, and numerous excellent private game reserves, South Africa is a nature lovers’ paradise.

In the east lay the magnificent Drakensberg, offering the best hiking in the country, while the Tsitsikamma National Park is a lush forested area fringed by the warm Indian Ocean. Stunning beaches abound, from the wild empty stretches of the Wild Coast to the developed sea-side resorts of the Garden Route. Eco tourism activities are plentiful and range from specialist botany and birding tours to white river rafting and bungee jumping.

South Africa has an appealingly slow pace of life, so kick back and take a few days to relax into it. S.A. will leave you feeling renewed and rejuvenated like no other destination on earth!

Did you know?

Cape Town International Airport is just 15 min away from the city center by car; Public transport is restricted to private shuttles and taxis.
South Africa is one of only 12 countries where tap water is safe to drink. Its tap water is rated the third best worldwide
Currently, South Africa is the only country in the world which has voluntarily dismantled its nuclear arsenal.
It is home to more kinds of mammals than North and South America combined; or Europe and Asia together.
The Cape Floral Kingdom is the world's smallest (0.04% of earth's surface) but also the richest (8600 species) in flora and is now considered as a world heritage site.
Table Mountain in Cape Town is one of the seven wonders of the geological world. Standing at just over 1000 metres, it dominates the city's skyline. Table Mountain can be seen as far as 200 kilometres out to sea
The Kruger National Park is the largest game reserve in the world.
Mpumalanga province is home to the Blyderiver Canyon, the third largest canyon in the world.
The Tugela Falls in KwaZulu Natal, at 948m (3110ft), is the second highest waterfall in the world.
Seal Island in False Bay is the only place in the world where Great Whites consistently breach (leap completely out of the water) to catch their prey, mainly seals. It also boasts the highest frequency of Great White shark attacks in the world. In 1991, South Africa became the first country in the world to protect the Great White shark.
Close to Oudtshoorn are the Cango Caves, a 3 km long sequence of caverns of glittering stalagmites and stalactites, which makes it the longest underground cave sequence in the world.
Fossilized footprints were found at Langebaan Lagoon, Western Cape, in a sand-dune-turned-rock. The 117,000 year-old fossils are the oldest known footprints of an anatomically modern human.
The 2,02 billion year-old crater in Vredefort is the oldest known crater on Earth. The general estimate of its original diamater is roughly 300 km, which makes it the largest crater on the planet, as well.
The St. Lucia estuarine system, in Kwazulu Natal, is the largest estuarine system in Africa.
South Africa has over 2000 shipwrecks: There are more than 2 000 shipwrecks, dating back at least 500 years, off the SA coast and more than one, including the Waratah, simply vanished without a trace.
That Walt Disney serves South African wine exclusively at its 73-acre Animal Kingdom Lodge in the United States?
Durban is the largest port in Africa and the ninth largest in the world.
South African Breweries ranks as the second largest brewing company in the world. It supplies up to 50% of China's beer.
The Cape Argus Cycle Tour is the largest timed cycle race in the world.
The Lost City Resort is the largest thermal resort in the world as well as the largest building project undertaken in the southern hemisphere.

South Africa is the world's biggest producer of gold, platinum, chromium, vanadium, manganese and alumino-silicates. It also produces nearly 40% of the world's chrome and vermiculite.