South Africa Today, Centurion, Gauteng (2022-01-14)

Why Visit South Africa?
1. Breathtaking Beaches - Cape Town has the best urban beaches in the world, from Camps Bay to Boulders Beach, with its comical colony of endangered African penguins which waddle about. All the way along South Africa's Garden Route and KwaZulu-Natal's Indian Ocean coastline, you'll find long stretches of pristine soft sand lapped by waves that become warmer and warmer the further north you go.
2. The Best Big 5 Sightings in Africa - South Africa is one of the very few places on Earth where you're able to tick off all of the Big 5 (elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard) in one day - one of the best reasons to visit South Africa. The country is one of the world's finest Big 5 safari destinations thanks to its conservation areas and national parks such as: Kruger National Park and its private game reserves like Sabi Sands, Thornybush, Londolozi, MalaMala, Lion Sands and Dulini, Madikwe Game Reserve, Phinda Game Reserve, Pilanesberg National Park, Addo Elephant National Park.
3. Superb Food & Wine - Enjoy wine tastings and snack platters in the Cape Winelands. If you're looking for culinary delights at unbeatable value for money, look no further than South Africa. When visiting South Africa's Mother City, Cape Town, we highly recommend spending time in the Cape Winelands, the country's 'gourmet capital'. Explore the beautiful estates, sample award-winning wines in cool cellars and on vine-covered patios, and relish some of the world's finest cuisine in its incredible restaurants. On the country's eastern seaboard, indulge in a gourmet getaway in the lush hills of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, fortifying yourself for a hike in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains.
4. Activities in Abundance - For a taste of the great outdoors, hike to the top of Table Mountain; horse ride in the Drakensberg; watch whales in Hermanus; discover South Africa's urban culture on a guided walking tour of Johannesburg; paraglide over Cape Town's beaches; take a walking safari in the Kruger; cycle through the Cape Winelands; explore the forest canopy in the Garden Route; enjoy a round on one of the many world-class golf courses...
5. Friendly People & Local Cultures - Visitors often comment on the fact that South Africans smile a lot... yes, we are a friendly bunch! We love to meet new people and passionately recommend our favourite places and things to do. In Cape Town, you can learn to cook traditional Malay curries while in Johannesburg, you can visit Nelson Mandela's house and walk in the footsteps of our history in Soweto.
6. Near-perfect Weather - Did you know that Durban, Ballito and the beaches of the KwaZulu-Natal Coast average over 300 days of sunshine a year? Even the December to March 'rainy season' over the Kruger is actually quite sunny: rainfall generally consists of short-lived thundershowers in the late afternoons, leaving the air washed clean of dust and making for bright, crisp photographs.
7. It's a Family Favourite - Beautiful South Africa has plenty of child-friendly accommodation and loads of great options for a family holiday. Cape Town and the Garden Route are popular for a beach break. For a family safari in Africa, we recommend the Pilanesberg, Madikwe or one of the Eastern Cape reserves - all malaria-free with game viewing. For loud, unrestrained whoops of joy, try thrill-a-minute Sun City, a holiday resort that even has a sandy 'beach' and 'ocean' built in the middle of the bush, less than a 2-hour drive from Johannesburg. If you are bringing young children on safari for the first time, ask your Africa Safari Expert to find you a lodge that is geared for kids
8. Rich in History - How far back do you want to go when visiting South Africa? We have the Cradle of Humankind, where the 2.3-million-year-old fossil along with numerous other hominin fossils. Guides bring to life the world of 1875, when bravery, victory and defeat played out in the bloody battles between British soldiers, Boer commandos and Zulu warriors. South Africa's modern history is perhaps best illustrated in a visit to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his incarceration alongside other political prisoners.
9. Excellent Value for Money for Any Type of Traveller - When you visit South Africa, it's easy to find a cosy guesthouse or family-run lodge that offers that extra bit of holiday pampering plus great value for money.
10. Getting Around is Easy - South Africa welcomes a steady flow of international airlines at international airports around the country. Beautiful South Africa is one of only two countries in Africa where we recommend a self-drive holiday - one of the best reasons to visit South Africa if you're an independent traveller. In additon, Wi-Fi is widely accessible, the mobile phone network is excellent, ATMs are readily available and self-drivers will never be far from a full-service petrol (gas) station.