South Africa: The Complete Guide to the Cities, Beaches, Winelands and Mountains with Big Game Adventures

From the stunning mountain ranges of the Western Cape to the quintessential African encounter of big game parks in the Eastern Transvaal, this guidebook covers it all.

Destination: Southern Africa

My family first came to South Africa from England three decades ago. Earlier, Nigeria had been home for seven years. And as clichéd as it might sound, once Africa gets into your blood, it's hard to deny her pull. Now it was South Africa's sunshine and opportunities that beckoned.

Today, in spite of South Africa's ongoing problem with crime and violence, we still wouldn't choose to live anywhere else. There's no room or time for Old World boredom or complacency when you can live in a country where people debate in 11 different official languages. It's difficult to imagine a country more vibrant and alive than this.

Welcome to one of the most beautiful and diverse countries on earth, where sea, mountains, rolling plains, mighty rivers, deep gorges and the bush, with its big game, more than 800 birds, and amazing biodiversity will hook you from day one. Your first visit certainly won't be your last.

Big Game Adventures

Southern Africa may not have the vast herds of East Africa, but it has far more species of animals. In fact, nowhere else on the continent do wild animals enjoy better protection than in southern Africa, and nowhere do you have a better chance of seeing Africa's big game -- elephant, black and white rhino, lion, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, and hippopotamus. The antelopes and smaller animals -- giraffe, zebra, kudu, sable, springbok, waterbuck, impala, warthog, and predators like hyena, wild dog, bat-eared fox, and jackal -- are no less fascinating than the larger animals. The experience of tracking game in a Land Rover or of walking in the wild with an armed ranger will fill you with awe for the elemental magic of the African bush.

Bird-Watching

South Africa ranks as one of the finest bird-watching destinations on the planet. Kruger National Park alone has recorded more than 500 different bird species, many of breathtaking beauty. Birds in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia are spectacular as well. Look for sacred ibis, a variety of eagles and falcons and vultures, red-and-yellow billed hornbills, numerous egrets and storks, and the favorite lilac-breasted roller, to name a few. The best time for bird-watching is October - April, when migrants are in residence.

Canoeing and White-Water Rafting

The world's most incredible white-water rafting is on the Zambezi River, through the gorges below Victoria Falls and Mosi-oa-Tunya. It's an adventure you won't soon forget, and no prior experience is necessary. A great canoe trek, from three to seven days long, is on the Zambezi below Lake Kariba, where the water meanders between Zimbabwe and Zambia, afloat with hippos and crocs under the distant Zambezi Escarpment.

Dining

South Africa won't unseat France anytime soon from its culinary throne. But there are three bright spots that you should keep in mind. The first is the abundance of fresh seafood, from plump Knysna oysters to enormous Mozambiquean prawns to the Cape's magnificent clawless lobsters, known as crayfish. The second is the country's love affair with Indian cuisine, first brought to South Africa by Indian laborers in the 19th century. Samosas and curries appear on almost every menu, and Durban's bunny chow is a fast-food curry-filled loaf of bread. Third, Cape Malay represents South Africa's own cuisine, a centuries-old blend of recipes brought by early Dutch settlers and slaves transported from the Dutch East Indies. Most evident in the Cape, the cuisine is characterized by mild, slightly sweet curries and the use of aromatic spices.

Hiking

Hiking is a major activity in South Africa, and you'll find trails almost everywhere you go. Perhaps the most exciting hikes are the wilderness trails conducted by rangers in Kruger National Park and Hluhluwe-Umfolozi, where hikers sleep out in the bush and spend the day tracking animals, learning about the ecology, and becoming familiar with the ways of the wild. The country's most famous route is the Otter Trail, a five-day hike that runs through pristine wilderness along the coast of the Garden Route. More traditional hikes, ranging in length from a couple of hours to a week, wend through the scenic splendors of the Drakensberg, the Cedarberg in the Cape, or Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga.