Active vacation in South Africa - things to do, entertainment and nightlife

South Africa can offer tourists a variety of adventures to meet the most sophisticated taste. Many South African agencies and companies offer tourists a unique opportunity to ride a boat on the river among giant menacing hippos or go kayaking on the water full of fast and dangerous crocodiles. Thrill seekers will definitely appreciate diving with great white sharks. Daredevils are immersed in the waters of the open ocean in an unbreakable cage where these ferocious sea killers swim, attracted by a bloody piece of meat or fish. This kind of entertainment for people with strong nerves can be found on Dyer and Seal Islands, in Mossel Bay and Gansbaai. And in Oudtshoorn, you can go diving with crocodiles, which can be more terrible than sharks.

National cuisine of South Africa - specialties, recipes and restaurants

The motley Republic of South Africa full of contrasts has absorbed the traditions of Africa, Asia, and the West. The South African cuisine is …
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In Tsitsikamma National Park, you can ride quad bikes in the woods, go kayaking through a creepy bat cave or take a half-day cruise on inflatable mattresses. Zip-line over the forest or bungee jumping from a height of more than two hundred meters is recommended for those who prefer air to water. Those wishing to conquer more exciting heights would probably enjoy the microlight flying with a pilot over the coast near Durban. You can book a 15-, 30-, 45- or 60-minute flight. Watching whale sharks and turtles from a great height is a dizzying adventure that will surely be remembered for a lifetime.

Fans of caves should head to the ancient Cango Caves in the region of Karoo. The standard temperature in the caves is approximately +18 °C. There are two types of tours: an easy one-hour walk through the caves including a visit the "Rainbow Room", "Bride's Room" and "Fairy Kingdom" and 1.5-hour expedition deeper underground, through the "Tunnel of Love", "Devil's Chimney", "Coffin", "Devil's Kitchen" and other caves and tunnels with blood-curdling names where you have to climb, crawl, and get through narrow passages. This adventure is not suitable for claustrophobic people. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

National traditions and mentality of people in South Africa

South Africa is a country amazing in many ways. It has 11 official languages, including English, so most locals are fluent in it. The culture of the …
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From Cape Town, you can go on a full-day safari through the Aquila Private Game Reserve. Buffaloes, elephants, leopards, rhinos, lions, hippos, giraffes, black eagles - the list of its inhabitants is really impressive. Climbing enthusiasts are invited to flat-topped Table Mountain near Cape Town, which is a popular abseiling site. The mountain offers scenic views of Robben Island and the Atlantic Ocean. Jeffreys Bay is a great place to try sandboarding, which is known to many locals and foreign travelers. Skydive Mossel Bay Center based in Mosselbay offers skydiving and jumping courses for beginners and the great opportunity to experience a freefall over the Indian Ocean for professionals.

South African beaches are typically windy, which makes them ideal for kitesurfing - a great experience for tourists of any age. The 45-kilometer-long Otter Trail is waiting for true hikers. The whole journey takes about 5 days, but spectacular views of the forest and the coast are worth it. On the way, you can meet wild monkeys. Huts for rest are installed along the way, as sleeping in tents is not allowed - this is quite dangerous. The resort town of Knysna is waiting for snorkelers - the lagoon's warm water is teeming with tiny seahorses, swimming among which will be a pleasant adventure. Bafiansklöf invites motorcyclists because one of the world's best motorbike routes runs from here - about 160 kilometers of steppes and rivers, several days' journey.

South Africa cultural sights. What to see?

Multicultural and diverse South Africa is a country with a rich history, about which many of its museums and historical monuments tell. District Six …
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Roads around Cape Town, where there are a mountain and pine plantations, are good for mountain biking. You can ride a mountain bike in Port Elizabeth and near Johannesburg. In Cape Town, there are several helicopter tour agencies through which you can book a flight over the city and the ocean. Here you can also ride a cable car to enjoy breathtaking views of the surroundings.

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South Africa guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Fantastic City Tours and Excursions in South Africa

Reference information

Map of all parks

National and city parks of South Africa
♥ National Park 'Garden Route National Park' . On the map Show on the map

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♥ National Park 'Golden Gate Highlands National Park' . On the map Show on the map

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♥ National Park 'Groenkloof National Park' . On the map Show on the map

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♥ National Park 'Kalahari Gemsbok National Park' . On the map Show on the map

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♥ National Park 'Karoo National Park' . On the map Show on the map

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Unique attractions in South Africa

Cape Town

From the series “The Most Magical and Picturesque Cities in the World”

Another city that is able to impress with the abundance of colours on its streets is Cape Town, more precisely, its historical district Bo-Cap. Today, this residential area of Cape Town is considered a real open-air museum, and all due to amazing colorful houses. The district acquired its present appearance quite recently. Local people began painting their houses in the 90s of the last century. Such changes happened due to the long-awaited end of apartheid. The appearance of the historical district is unique and is a symbolic reminder of an important event in the history of Cape Town.

In the colorful area of Bo-Cap there are several important attractions. Besides colorful villas, tourists will have an opportunity to see the beautiful Nurul Islam mosque, which was built in 1844. In … Read all

Augrabies Falls

From the series “Most Fanciful Waterfalls of the Planet”

In South Africa there is the unique Augrabies Falls, which is located on the territory of the National Park of the same name. The height of this waterfall is about 60 meters. From one of the local dialects its name is translated as 'place of big noises'. One of the main particularities of the Augrabies Falls is its gorge, whose depth is 240 meters, and the length is 18 km. The waterfall looks very impressive. Its noise is heard from far away.

The Augrabies is the third-highest waterfall in Africa. This indicator gives it even the legendary Victoria Falls. Its name the waterfall got in 1778. The name came up with a Finnish researcher Hendrik Jakob Wikar. The waterfall is incredibly powerful and affects with the amount of falling water. In the period of high water, it throws about 7000 … Read all

All unique sightseeing South Africa

Entertainment, recreation and attractions in cities of South Africa

Cape Town

Do not forget to include a visit to the aquarium named "Two Oceans" into your excursion program. This is the best way to appreciate the diversity of the deep seas inhabitants. White Shark Projects Aquarium is smaller, but no less attractive and interesting. The main inhabitants of this aquarium are rare white sharks. Here visitors can see one of the most dangerous marine predators, and even see how the sharks are fed. An excursion to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens will certainly leave … Read more

Johannesburg

Tourists who want to learn the culture and customs of the local people will be interested in visiting the village of Lesedi. Participants in this excursion will be able to see real African homes and watch fascinating rituals and beautiful dance performances. The most famous natural reserve of Johannesburg, Lions Garden, is a great place to make a memorable and interesting walk. The reserve has got its name not by an accident - its territory is inhabited by several families of lions. There are … Read more

Pretoria

Visit of The Pretoria Zoo will be captivate adventure for the whole family. It was found at the end of 19 century, a great number of animals live in spacious open-air cages. Except of African zone, there is the Australian one in this zoo, also there is excellent aquarium and terrarium on its territory. People who like walking along the picturesque places will like Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary. It was named after the great ornithologist; more than one hundred of birds’ types live in this … Read more

Stellenbosch

Romantic travelers will be more pleased to visit another center, Butterfly World, that has become home to hundreds of rare insect species. Visitors will see how butterflies live at different stages of their life and admire their beauty. The marvelous Butterfly World simply cannot leave anyone indifferent. The next nature reserve, Eagle Encounters South Africa, is also an incredibly unusual and attractive place. It’s an ideal landmark for everyone who wants to see eagles and other flesh birds … Read more

Active vacation in South Africa - things to do, entertainment and nightlife

Fantastic City Tours and Excursions in South Africa

Unique attractions in South Africa

Cape Town

Augrabies Falls

Photogallery of South Africa

Entertainment, recreation and attractions in cities of South Africa

Map of South Africa locations for active vacation