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A beautiful country with a vast mix of landscapes ranging from the dense bush of Kruger National Park, to the lush greenery of the Blyde River Canyon and a cultural experience unlike any other, South Africa is a place that many people dream of visiting. Whether it’s the gorgeous idyllic sprawling coastline, or taking part in a once in a lifetime safari that draws you in, once you visit South Africa, you’ll wonder why you haven’t done so sooner.
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Read more: Things you should know before going on your first African safari
South Africa is dotted with old historic towns, villages, such as Soweto (the home to Nelson Mandela) and is home to two very iconic African major cities; Johannesburg, or JoBurg as it’s more commonly called and of course, Cape Town, one of the world’s most sought after travel destinations.
Africa is classified as the second largest continent in the world, with South Africa sitting right at the very bottom, is approximately the size of Spain and France combined, which is massive! Due to its size, it’s advisable that you have a well planned route in mind as to what you’d like to see during your stay, as driving can be long and tedious, depending on road conditions, traffic and of course, making sure that there are service stations along the way to fill up, or make any emergency stops.
When I visited South Africa, I was fortunate enough to join a group where everything was planned out in advance, from having a personal bus driver, to securing unique accommodations, as someone who travels solo 98% of the time, it was nice to not have to plan something for once. For a country such as South Africa, I do suggest joining a group tour if possible because it’s a sure fire way to be able to see all the highlights with experienced locals and with a sense of safety and security, which is a huge factor with a lot of travellers.
Read more: South Africa – Compassion, connection & courage
Like any country, or tour group, make sure that you are taking part in ethical touring practices that don’t support the abuse, or exploitation of animals, people, or culture and traditions. Voluntourism is spiking in popularity over the years and has somewhat gained a bad name and reputation among many seasoned travellers, as well as locals in which the voluntourism takes place in for many of those reasons I mentioned above.
During my two week stay, some of the activities and experiences on our itinerary included a trip to Blyde River Canyon, visiting the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern hemisphere, volunteering at an animal rehabilitation centre, teaching classes at Daktari Bush School and of course, camping outside for a night in Kruger National Park surrounded by wildlife – no fences, just us in nature sleeping in tents and yes, we did have three armed rangers with us just in case. Our group also took part in a bicycle donation project, which provides bicycles to those in need. The money goes directly towards Qhubeka, who will distribute the bicycles, which I thought was a great cause for the people of South Africa.
Read more: I Left My Heart in South Africa
So whether you want to visit South Africa for its fantastic beaches, delicious food, Stunning wineries with mountain backdrops, educational safaris, or bask in the fast paced and eclectic big city life of Jo’Burg, South Africa has it all.
Here are 25 photos that will inspire you to book a trip to South Africa as your next travel adventure.
If you’ve ever thought about visiting South Africa, but are still being held back for whatever reason, I say go on and do it. Save your money, book the trip and don’t fret the long haul flights. Once you touch ground and get out there and see what the country has to offer, you’ll be hooked, I promise you that much! Have any of you been to South Africa, or are thinking of going? Let me know in the comments below! xo
