NATURAL PHENOMENA, GARDENS AND PARKS - HIGHLIGHTS
AFRICA-HIGHLIGHTS.COM
WESTERN CAPE
NORTHERN CAPE
FREE STATE
KWAZULU-NATAL
         
NEIGHBOURS AND FURTHER NORTH
MPUMALANGA
GAUTENG
ACCOMMODATION
 
Southern Africa has one of the greatest variety of flora and fauna to be found anywhere in the world. In fact, in South Africa, there are numerous unue biospheres found nowhere else in the world. Some of these include various areas in the Cape region, known for its fynbos vegetation, as well as biospheres such as the Drakensberg, St Lucia Estuary, Kruger National Park and the Waterberg.Tourists love the natural attractions on offer in the region, and besides formally visiting the game parks and reserves, one can also just relax and take in nature at one of a varety of beautiful parks and gardens found all throughout the country.
By no means exhaustive, these highlights can help you plan your special trip to the southern tip of Africa.

 

Western Cape

   
Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa Cape Town is instantly recognisable by its natural icon, Table Mountain, and travellers can either hike up the slopes or take the rotair cable car. Either way the views of the Mother City are awesome!  
Kirstenbosch Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa Kirstenbosch, in the shadows of Table Mountain is the only botanical garden in the world to be proclaimed a World Heritage Site. Enjoy 6 000 species of trees, fynbos, protea and cycad.  
Cape Point, South Africa Visit the tip of the Peninsula, Cape Point, and enjoy the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, with its spectacular walks and great game viewing and fascinating flora.  
Ostrich Farm, Oudtshoorn, Garden Route, South Africa The world's first and finest Ostrich Show Farm, close to Oudtshoorn where one can enjoy a 2 hour tour including the breeding camp, ostrich riding and a visit to the curio shop.  
   
Cango Caves , Oudtshoorn, Garden Route, South Africa The Cango Caves, close to Oudtshoorn, is one of the world's great natural wonders, sculptured by nature through the ages - an underground wonderworld.  
Wild Flowers, Namaqualand, South Africa In spring, countless wild flowers spread over the wide plains of Namaqualand like a colourful carpet - a most spectacular wild flower phenomenon  
     

Northern Cape

   
The Big Hole, Kimberley, South Africa Famous for its diamonds and the Big Hole, the biggest man-made hole in the world, Kimberley’s attractions hark back to its glorious past. Don a hard hat and take a tour down the mine!  
     

Free State

   
Vredefort Dome, Free State The oldest and largest meteorite impact site in the world, formed an estimated 2000 million years ago when a gigantic meteorite hit the earth in Vredefort, Free State  
     

KwaZulu-Natal

    
uShaka Marineworld, Durban, South Africa Along Durban’s Golden Mile is Africa’s largest marine park, uShaka Marine World, which houses an aquarium, a dolphinarium, water slides and shops. Great fun for the kids!  
St Lucia Wetlands, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa St Lucia wetlands have recently been declared a World Heritage Site and are home to five distinct ecosystems. It is a mecca for bird lovers, and there are more than 420 species to be seen!  
uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa One of South Africa's prime ecotourist destinations and a World Heritage Site, savour the great open spaces in a world of gigantic peaks and butresses, and a wealth of recreational opportunities.  
     

Gauteng

    
Tswaing Crater, Gauteng, South Africa Forty kilometers north of Pretoria, lies a ring of hills, 1km in diameter and 100m high, which are the walls of an impact crater left by an asteroid which hit the earth some 200 000 years ago  
Sterkfontein Caves, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa The Sterkfontein Caves are part of "The Cradle of Humankind" - an important area where it has been discovered man first roamed. There is a multimedia visitor's centre at Maropeng.  
     

Mpumalanga

    
Blyde River Canyon & Bourke's Luck Potholes, Mpumalanga, South Africa The Blyde River Canyon lies along the Panorama Route – one of the most spectacularly scenic routes in South Africa. The views of the Lowveld a thousand metres below are incredible!  
God's Window, Mpumalanga, South Africa At God's Window on the Drakensberg escarpment, majestic cliffs plunge over 700 meters to the Lowveld and private game reserves, an area of breathtaking scenic grandeur.  
     

Neighbours and Further North

   
Bazaruto, Mozambique The islands of the Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique offer pristine coral reefs and amazing dive sights with views of turtles and whale sharks as well as expanses of powdery white beaches.  
   
Etosha Pan, Namibia The Etosha Pan is a massive dust and clay-filled pan, but after heavy rains it offers one of the best game viewing experiences in the world, as it attracts thousands of birds and animals.  
   
Sossusvlei, Namibia The sand dunes of Sossusvlei appear never-ending and are the highest in the world, at least 100m higher than those in Arabia. At sunset, the rich colours make for spectacular photographs.  
   
Okavango Delta, Botswana Okavango Delta, in the heart of the Kalahari, is Africa's largest, most beautiful oasis. Game viewing is unsurpassed – the delta is home to 400 bird species and a wide variety of wild animals.  
Fish River Canyon, Namibia At a depth of up to 550 metres, the Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world, before the Grand Canyon in America. Hikes are very popular during the cooler winter months.  
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe The largest curtain of water in the world, 1 708m wide, dropping between 90m and 107m into the Zambezi Gorge, with an average of 550,000 cubic meters plummeting over the edge every minute.  
     
Accommodation If you are looking for accommodation anywhere in South Africa, the all new AA Travel Guides homepage is a great place to start your search. They have real-time booking online and good information on most South African towns including Cape Town, the Garden Route, Knysna, George, Durban, Sun City, Sabi Sands, and the Kruger National Park, as well as covering accommodation in the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho and Swaziland. Click here