South African Holidays and Travel...
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Situated in the southernmost point of the African continent, the Republic of South Africa covers an area of 1 233 404 square kilometers, nearly five times the size of the United Kingdom. It’s border countries are Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and the land locked country of Lesotho which is inside the South African Borders. It stretches almost 2000 kilometers from the Limpopo river in the north to the Cape Agulhas, the most southerly tip of Africa, and it is approximately 1500 km in width from Port Nolloth in the west to Durban in the east. The whole countries scenery in just magnificent with mountains, rivers, grassy plains, lakes, lagoons, sun scorched coastlines and semi deserts. South Africa is divided into nine provinces which make up our lovely and famous holiday destinations namely, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Northern Province, Nort-West, Kwazulu –Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Northern Cape.
A Brief History:
Khoi – San tribes of nomadic hunters, gatherers and pastoralists had lived in southern Africa for around 40 000 years by the time the pastoral tribes began to settle there in the 15th century. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama opened the Cape of Good Hope spice route in 1498, and by the late 17th century Dutch traders under their leader Jan van Riebeeck had established a permanent settlement on the site of present day Cape Town. Gradually the European settlers moved into the hinterland, clashing with the Khoi-San as they did so. Towards the end of the 18th century Dutch power faded and Britain occupied the Cape. In the interior of the country, the Zulu chief, Shaka, was leading a campaign that destroyed some tribes and enslaved others. The Boers, on their Great Trek away from British rule in the 1830’s, fought against these indigenous people for pastrol land, and in due course they founded their two republics, the Transvaal and Orange Free State. A great economic boost to the region was the discovery of diamonds near present day Kimberley in 1868/9, followed by the discovery of gold on the Rand, where Johannesburg was to be established in 1886. These discoveries had enormous repercussions on the Politics of the country which triggered clashes between the Boer’s and the British that culminated in the Second Anglo Boer War of 1899-1902. The Boer’s defeat was followed eight years later by the establishment of the Union of South Africa.
South Africa’s Conservation and Ecotourism:
South Africa’s wildlife and conservation area’s can be classified into two main categories, National and Provincial game and Nature reserves and Private Game Reserves. The larger national and provincial reserves have enclosed rest camps, comprising of thatched rondavels, bungalows or chalets. Numbers are limited to protect the environment, and reservations should be made well in advance.
The South African Big Five:
The term Big 5 originated in the hunting jargon for the most dangerous trophy animals to hunt on foot. The Big 5 occur in many of the Game Reserves in Southern Africa. From a tourists perspective that whale is often added to the list forming the tourisms Big 6 due to the world-class whale watching opportunities that South Africa has to offer.
Lions are the largest of the African cats and live in prides of varying sizes controlled by one of the dominant males. An adult male weighs about 180kg and a female about 135kg. Lions can live for up to 20 years of age. The Lion’s roar, normally heard at dawn and dusk, can be easily heard within a range of many kilometers.
The Leopard is a shy predator that hunts mainly at night. Leopards prefer dense riverine areas and craggy hills, which explains why they are not easily spotted. They hide their prey from other predators in tree’s and are often seen resting in the branches of tree’s. Leopards are by nature wary and very stealthy, they can also be incredibly bold.
The Rhinoceres is classified as either white or black, although there is no real color difference between the two. White Rhino are generally larger with a flattened or square mouth and feed on grass. The name “white” arises from the Dutch word 2wid” meaning wide. Black Rhino have a pointed mouth that they use to strip leaves and break twigs. Rhino can weigh up to 1500kg. The Rhino’s horn is formed from matted hair and skin.
Elephant live in a tightly knit family herds, led by the matriarch. The bulls remain solitary or may join together to form batchelor herds. A fully grown Elephant weighs 6-7 tonnes and they are the largest land based mammals. When there are young Elephants in the herd the adult female can become very aggressive and it is advisable to keep a safe distance from the herd and babies.
Buffalo are the most abundant of the Big 5 and occur in the largest herds that can number up to 600 animals. Deceptively docile, these animals are aggressive and powerful, particularly the older bulls that have been rejected from the herd. These older bulls form smaller batchelor herds. When a herd of buffalo is alarmed the herd tends to stampede. Buffalo are regularly preyed on by Lions.
Architecture:
South Africa’s buildings range from beautiful Cape Dutch homesteads and Georgian and Victorian homes in the English style to the Sotho and Ndebele mud huts with their distinctive, colorful geometric designs and unique Zulu grass huts.
Art:
Art in South Africa includes Khoi-San rock paintings that date from centuries ago and well preserved at various sights around the country. Traditional crafts such as beadwork, pottery and weaving have been handed down from generation to generation. Samples are widely available at craft markets. Museum’s and Galleries display exhibitions which feature a wide variety of South African Art. Museum’s throughout the country cover topics ranging from natural history, archeology, geology, history, art, mining and agriculture. Most of the larger Museum’s are situated in the larger cities.
Food and Entertainment:
Traditional South African food is diverse with eating patterns drawn form across the world. The Western Cape has excellent seafood, while its Malay cuisine includes fragrant bredies (stews) and boboties. The West Coast offers a range of seafood including mussels, crayfish, calamari and bokoms (dried fish) often one can eat outdoors. Other Cape foods are venison, Karoo Lamb and Waterblommetjies. Curries and Breyani can be enjoyed in Kwazulu-Natal. Two of the best loved South African eating traditions are the Braai (Barbeque) and the traditional “Potjie” (stews cooked in a large pot over an open flame).
Telecommunications:
The country has a sophisticated telecommunications system. For international calls to South Africa the code is +27 followed by the area code prefix (the first 0 in the area code should not be dialed). For calls from South Africa the international code is 09 and the international dialing codes can be found in the South African telephone directories. Most national routes are covered by South Africa’s cellular networks and cellular telephones are available for hire at all major airports.
Important numbers are,
Police and Emergency: 10111
International Enquiries: 0903
National Enquiries: 1023
Post Office: 8:30-16:30 on weekdays and 8:00-12:00 on Saturday