Travel ideas for South Africa - unique sights, worth Guinness records

In South Africa, in the province of Mpumalanga there is one of the outstanding natural attractions of the planet - Blyde River Canyon. Its maximum depth is 1,372 meters and the length of the gorge is 26 kilometers. Men have begun exploring the canyon more than 100,000 years ago; in ancient times the valley was home to the Swazi tribes. During the study, scientists have discovered cave paintings in the canyon, as well as the remains of ancient people who died in tribal wars.
Currently, the main inhabitants of the canyon are animals, including primates occupying local woods and rare kudu antelope attracted by scenic green meadows. It’s also worth noting that there are wild animals in the canyon, including leopards, so it’s not recommended to admire its spectacular scenery without a guide. Half a century ago gold mining had begun in the canyon; almost a hundred years after only inspired prospectors have remained there. Gold deposits gradually dried up, leaving only a constant harmonious beauty of the gorge. Some sections of the canyon are ideal for climbing; the rapid Blyde River running along the bottom of the gorge only adds excitement. ... Complete sights collection

Kimberley city, located in southern Africa, is known to many travellers due to the diamond mine located within its territory. This mine was called Kimberley Hole or The Big Hole. The quarry is recognized as the largest hole excavated by hand. Miners dug the hole with picks and shovels without using any mechanisms. The development of the diamond mine began in 1866 and lasted until 1914. Miners arrived in their thousands, around 50000 of them were involved in the development process.
The workers managed to mine more than 2700 kilograms of diamonds using hand tools only. It was in the Big Hole that the world famous diamonds ‘Tiffany’, ‘De Beers’ and ‘Porter Rhodes’ had been found. The Kimberley Hole is 1,6 km in diameter. It was excavated to a depth of 240 metres. At the bottom of the quarry is now a lake, 40 meters in depth which gives the quarry even a more breathtaking view. Although mining operations were completed in 1914, diamond output in Kimberley continued up to 2005. Nearby the quarry some large mines 1000 metres in depth have been opened. The De Beers company that has owned the quarry decided to convert it into a tourist attraction. Nowadays, the most interesting Kimberley Mine Museum with a viewing platform and lots of walking areas is open to public. ... Complete sights collection

Desolate Africa is surprisingly rich in reserves. The Limpopo Transfrontier park is located on this arid continent. It was established in 2002 and linked the Limpopo Park in Mozambique, Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe and Kruger National Park in South Africa. The reserve borders have been abolished, it is enough to have an entry visa from one of the host countries to visit the reserve.
The surface area of the transfrontier park measures over 40000 square kilometres, more than 10000 people live here. Many of the local residents had to leave their settlements because of the migration of wild animals. At the same time, the life of some tiny villages hasn’t changed at all. The Limpopo park is rich in flora and fauna due to its mild tropical climate.
More than 140 species of mammals, over 500 species of birds and more than 2000 species of plants – it is hard to imagine all the interesting things to observe in a relatively small area of hot Africa. In addition to majestic leopards, elephants and giraffes, travellers are attracted by indigenous aboriginal tribes who continue to live according to their centuries-old traditions, without regard to the changes around them. Travellers can buy such handmade souvenirs as animal carvings, amulets as a memory, beautiful paintings in small settlements. ... Complete sights collection

The Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe railroad runs along the coast of the Western Cape in South Africa and is the most dangerous and spectacular in the country. The railroad was built in 1928 and links the towns of George and Knysna. The length of the line is 67 kilometres, however, a one-way journey lasts 3 hours. The first railway along the coast was actually constructed in 1908, but because of the serious accident that occured in a couple of days after its opening, the movement was suspended for the next 20 years.
Nowadays, the Kaaimans Bridge is considered the most dangerous stretch of track. It literally hangs over the Indian ocean. The precarious railroad have fast gained popularity among tourists, as early as 1993, 115000 travellers used it, of whom 70% were the foreigners. Those travellers who gather enough courage to make the trip, will gain a whole range of unforgettable impressions.
They will go by train across the steep rocky coast, cross several high railway bridges and enjoy picturesque beaches from the height. In 2006, one part of the rail line was affected deeply by flooding. Fortunately, it has been restored at the earliest possible time and in 2008 the legendary Kaaimans bridge already served as place of filming a marketing video. ... Complete sights collection

Bloukrans Arch Bridge, which is situated over the river of the same name, is located in the Republic of South Africa. The bridge height is 216 meters. Recently, one of the highest arch bridges in the world was equipped for bungee jumping. The duration of the freefall is about 5 seconds, the speed reaches 120 kilometers per hour in the lower point of the flight. The price for this memorable entertainment is quite modest and makes only 5 USD.
It is noteworthy that Bloukrans Arch Bridge is considered one of the safest places for Bunjee-Junping in the world. Since opening, more than 25,000 people of different ages have tested this attraction. On the bridge there were no accidents. Construction of the bridge was completed in 1984. Bloukrans has a lot of interesting technological features.
The tourists, who want to adjust before the jump, can visit an interesting excursion. You can walk along the bridge in the company of the guide and learn a lot of interesting facts about their history. The price of the exciting excursion is also very low and does not make more than 1 dollar. Guests who are going to take the plunge will be offered a lot of additional services. You can get the memorable diploma 'For Bravery' and the video recording of the jump. ... Complete sights collection

The unique wavy spheres were first discovered by the miners in the Republic of South Africa a few decades ago. Since then, they have been regularly found by the workers on the depths. The spheres have different structure. Some of them are uniform and consist of the modern science of unknown alloy. The other spheres are hollow. During the sawing, the porous white matter has been found in them. A single similar element is the small furrows, which are called the 'equator'.
The age of the mountain, in which the miners find the mysterious spheres, forms almost three billion years, which contradicts the theory of their earthly origin. The mines, which are located near Klerksdorp, have been attracting researchers from all over the world for several years. The spheres are found regularly. Their exact number was never known and is literally increasing every day. Apart from the unknown composition and purpose, the corrugated spheres have no peculiar properties. They have not been an amazing and unexpected find for the local miners since a long time. ... Complete sights collection

In Cape Town there is also a strange colorful district - Bo-Kaap. Once it was an unsightly Malay quarter, which gradually became the real open-air museum. The main feature of the picturesque historical district is the low old houses, whose façades were painted in all rainbow colors. Some of the buildings that can be seen today in the district were built in the middle of the 18th century. Miraculously, its original architecture has survived until the present.
One of the landmarks of the Bo-Kaap quarter is the Nurul Mosque, built in 1844. The tourists can also visit the interesting museum and view the interior of the colorful houses from the inside. Despite its popularity, Bo-Kaap is one of Cape Town's quietest districts. From its territory, the excellent panorama opens to the Table Mountain.
The walk through the picturesque Malay quarter will definitely please the sweet tooth, because on its territory the well-known chocolate factory was opened many years ago. The district will also please those travelers who like to bring many photos of the holiday. On the background of the colorful old villas, whose facades today are brightly colored, one can make many beautiful shots. ... Complete sights collection

In the Republic of South Africa you should rather avoid the beach of Fish Hoek, which is one of the most dangerous beaches in the world due to frequent shark attacks. Cape Town's coast has always been the habitat of white sharks. On the Fish Hoek beach, you can encounter these dangerous predators even in the shallows, near the coast. The number of attacks that had fatal outcome is not only the highest in the country but throughout the world.
In order to protect the recreation seekers, the special protection nets were placed on the coast, but unfortunately they can not guarantee full safety. The work of local saviors is anything but enviable - regularly they have to clear the coast of the corpses of the people who were attacked by the predators.
The number of attacks on the Fish Hoek coast increased significantly in 2010. The scientists combine this with climate change. Because of the climate change, the sharks became more aggressive, being typical not only for the coastal republic of South Africa, but also for the coastal waters of other continents. The scientists believe that the situation will only get worse in the coming years. And that means that one of Cape Town's most popular beaches can be fully closed. ... Complete sights collection

In South Africa there are as many beaches that are dangerous because of the sharks. One must definitely mention the beach, which is located on the territory of the town of Gansbaai. This coastal stretch is also known as the Great White Shark Capital, which can be translated as the World Capital of the Great White Haie. And that's true. For many years, the coast has remained as a habitat for the most dangerous marine mammals. Several inexperienced tourists were injured by the sharks. Many recreational seekers notice the caution signs on the coast as well as not at all.
Many tourists find these dangers even exciting. Gansbaai is rich in the underwater attractions that can be discovered in the coastal waters, so this area is very popular with the divers. Although some of them are frightened by the possibility to swim under the water next to the white shark, the other divers keep this special feature as a stimulus for the long journey. It is certainly forbidden to dive without special protection.
The divers can sink in the special cage with metal rods on the sea bottom, which protect humans from the predators. This entertainment is truly breathtaking. It is necessary to prepare the sharks to constantly check the cage strength. The holidaymakers, who want to bring variety into the recreation with this entertainment, are to visit the Golf Gansbaai best in the period from April to October. At this time you are sure to find these predators. On the other hand, it is not recommended for ordinary tourists to swim on the beach at this time of the year, as the small sharks can swim very close to the coast. ... Complete sights collection

Some difficult-to-reach places, whose formation was influenced by humans, can be found deep under the earth. Recently, the Tau Tona Mine, located in the Johannesburg area, became the world-famous landmark. This is the largest mine on earth. The ability to reach the mine is not only due to its great depth. One of the distinctive peculiarities of deep mines is very high temperature.
Tourists may only visit the upper parts of the mine. The descent to the lower levels without special equipment is life-threatening. The shafts of the Goldmine reach the depth of 5 000 meters. From the African dialect, Tau Tona is translated as 'the Great Lion'. A very unusual cooling system was developed for the exploitation of the mine.
On the surface was built an industrial complex that produces ice. The ice is drained through the special pipelines into the depth of the mine, which allows the temperature in the deepest mine parts to reduce to 28 degrees Celsius. Without this measure, the temperature forms more than 40 degrees, which together with the high humidity makes working conditions unbearable. Every day thousands of workers enter the Tau Tona Mine. The journey to the workplace of some workers takes about an hour. Working in the deep pit is very dangerous. According to statistics, an average of 5 people per year are killed in the mine. ... Complete sights collection