Ron McGregor's web site - Welcome to South Africa - tourregio.htm
TOURING REGIONS (to exit, click on any navigation flag O)
South Africa is usually the prime destination of visitors to this part of the world. However, our neighbours have their own attractions and characteristics, and people take advantage of the fact that, having come to South Africa, they are close enough to take in some of our neighbours as well.
This page describes the basic route which has proven to be most popular with first-time visitors to Southern Africa, followed by notes on other areas which should be considered by those who have more time available, or those who have been here and done the main route on a previous visit.
The Basic Touring Route through South Africa, including Swaziland.
Most popular by far is the touring route that runs from Johannesburg/Pretoria via Kruger National Park, Swaziland and Zululand to Durban, then flies to Port Elizabeth, before continuing overland to Cape Town. Below is a very brief description:
Starting at Johannesburg or Pretoria, the route goes eastwards into the province of Mpumulanga, which has some wonderful mountain scenery - the guide books eulogise about "the Panorama Route", along which you will see places like Pilgrim's Rest, God's Window, the Bourke's Luck Potholes, and numerous charming waterfalls. O
Also in Mpumulanga is the Kruger National Park, plus a number of smaller exclusive reserves.
From Mpumulanga, the route heads into Swaziland via Jeppe's Reef. Swaziland is a country of lovely scenery and delightful people. It is very small, and if you start out early, you can easily pass through in a single day. It's worth at least one overnight, however.
Continuing southwards, the route re-enters South Africa at Golela, which brings the visitor to Zululand. The two main objects of focus here are the Hluhluwe Game Reserve (very different to Kruger, so it's not just more of the same) and the cultural villages, which keep alive the traditions and skills of the Zulu people. O
From Zululand it is a half-day's drive to Durban, the principal port and Indian Ocean resort city. Due to recent overcrowding and problems with crime, beachfront towns just north and south of Durban have drawn a lot of visitors away from Durban proper.
The next stretch of the route is usually done by air, as the region known as Transkei and Ciskei are very undeveloped. The roads are not as good, the drivers are worse, and people and animals on the road make driving rather more exciting than most people prefer.
One can overfly Transkei as far as the port city of East London, or overfly both Transkei and Ciskei, and start again at Port Elizabeth.
Port Elizabeth is also a beach city, and is the starting point for the Garden Route, which is the area of forests, lakes and scenery along the coast between Storm's River and Mossel Bay. O
Although it's not officially part of the Garden Route, visitors will cut inland from George to visit Oudshoorn in the Little Karroo. This is the ostrich capital of the world, and also boasts the famous Cango Caves.
From Oudtshoorn, it is an easy day's drive to Cape Town, where the route ends.
It takes at least two weeks to cover this route properly. O
Northbound or Southbound - which is best?
Either! If you start in Cape Town and head eastwards towards Durban, and then north to the Kruger and Johannesburg, you are travelling "with history", which is useful when you are following the story of South Africa.
This also means that you are ideally placed to continue onwards to Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls, which is a fine grand finale to any visit.
However, if you start out from Johannesburg/Pretoria heading southwards, you have the advantage of finishing off with a few days in the gracious and beautiful city of Cape Town, which is also a fine way to end your stay here.
Along the Garden Route, there is a weather advantage if you are headed towards Cape Town. Our weather moves from Cape Town eastwards. So if you hit any bad weather, it's going the other way, and you have a good chance of passing through it quite quickly.
However, if you are travelling from Cape Town eastwards, you are moving with the weather. This is fine if you have encountered good weather - you are likely to stay with it. But if you are moving up the coast at the same time as a cold front, it may accompany you all the way to Port Elizabeth or beyond.
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Other touring areas:
Those with more time may consider adding the following to their programme:
Victoria Falls - this will usually be done as a side trip, flying from, and returning to, Johannesburg.
More of Zimbabwe - the side trip can include, apart from Victoria Falls, visits to Zimbabwean game reserves, and even a side trip from Victoria Falls into the game viewing areas of northern Botswana.
Botswana wildlife - this would be done as a side trip from Johannesburg. One flies to and from Maun, or takes a tour that does the entire trip overland. The fly-in/fly-out tours will usually include game lodges of varying degrees of luxury. The overland tours are more likely to be of the camping variety. O
The Northern Province - those with the independence of a rental car can drive north through the Waterberg Mountains (with some good private game reserves) to Pietersburg; thence via Magoebaskloof and Tzaneen, and so to the Phalaborwa Gate of the Kruger National Park.
Sun City - this is South Africa's answer to Las Vegas. An opulent resort in the middle of a tribal homeland, featuring golf courses, all manner of entertainments, and the inevitable casino. The Palace of the Lost City is the premier hotel, and strives to be an experience, rather than just a hotel. The neighbouring Pilanesberg Game Reserve also provides very good game viewing within easy striking distance of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Kimberley - a very interesting city, with its history of Cecil John Rhodes, diamonds and the Anglo-Boer War. It tends to be in the middle of nowhere, unless you are driving from Johannesburg to Cape Town via the inland route. Worth seeing, if your programme permits.
The Drakensberg Mountains - this stately range reaches its greatest and most spectacular heights along the Kwa-Zulu Natal border. The area can be reached from Johannesburg via the National Road N3, or else by travelling inland from Durban. O
The South Coast - this refers to the coastal region south of Durban, with resorts like Scottburgh, Margate, Ramsgate and the Wild Coast Sun.
The Wild Coast - the real wild coast is found beyond the Wild Coast Sun Casino resort. You have to drive through Transkei on a rather poor stretch of the National Road N2, and then turn off onto poor roads that will bring you to some inspiring stretches of coastline at places like Umgazi Mouth, Mazeppa Bay, Haga Haga. In the interests of safety, ensure that all travelling can be completed comfortably by daylight, ensure that you have a reliable vehicle, with a full tank, and a spare tyre that you are capable of changing competently.
Settler Country - the 1820 British settlers were planted (perhaps "dumped" is a better word) along the Great Fish River frontier, and their towns of Port Alfred, Bathhurst and Grahamstown are well worth visiting.
Hogsback - this is an idyllic village in the Amatola Mountains, reached either from East London via Kingwilliamstown and Alice, or from Port Elizabeth via Grahamstown to Fort Beaufort, and thence to Alice.
The Great Karroo - this is a vast semi-desert region which nevertheless has a unique charm. Perhaps the best places to visit are Cradock and Graaff-Reinet. Graaff-Reinet enjoys, deservedly, the title Gem of the Karroo. The area is reached by travelling inland from Port Elizabeth or George, or else on the route from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth or George. Graaff-Reinet is on National Road N9, Cradock is on the N10. O
The direct route between Cape Town and Johannesburg also traverses the Great Karroo, but the places along the way are more like truck-stops, lacking in charm. The Karroo National Park outside Beaufort West gives one a chance to get away from the traffic and savour the peace.
Namaqualand - like the Karroo, this is also a semi-desert, but it is in the West, north of Cape Town. It is visited in late winter or early spring (approx August/September) when the winter rains cause a brief but unforgettable season of spring flowers which carpet the landscape. Outside of flower season, the climate is extreme, but it is a fascinating area for botanists all year round.
Namibia - this vast desert country was once a German colony, and today it receives many parties of curious German tourists. It's main attractions are most easily reached from the capital at Windhoek. These are Etosha National Park to the north, and the Namib Naukluft desert park to the south. A visit to the latter will usually be combined with a visit to the port of Walvis Bay and the old coastal resort town of Swakopmund. O
Also in the south, but further away, is the Fish River Canyon, which sorts the hikers from other mere mortals. Other mere mortals, which means most of us, can view the Canyon from the observation point, and then drive to the other end to take the hot mineral waters at Ai Ais, while we wait four days for our hiking friends to emerge.
Lesotho - in all honesty, Lesotho is not, at this stage, one of the world's most sought after destinations, but I don't want to leave it out after finding something positive to say about all the others. Lesotho has some impressive mountain scenery - 85 per cent of the country is mountain scenery. This means that it has great hiking and pony-trekking potential, but one should be prepared to rough it somewhat. At the time of writing, Lesotho's tourist authority is not yet on the Web, but if you go to useful web sites, you'll find a link to Malealea Lodge, who have an up-and-running operation in Lesotho.
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