South Africa is known around the world for its animal safaris, which are spectacular, but the country offers a great deal more, all within a relatively compact area. Combine that with an exchange rate that’s quite favorable to Americans and Canadians, and you’ve got a destination that’s both remarkable and quite affordable.
It’s a country that boasts one of the world’s most beautiful cities; amazing animal experiences, a stunning coastline with fabulous beaches and tiny penguins, and also some of the world’s tastiest and most beautiful wine regions. Here’s a look at three areas where you can enjoy the best of South Africa.
CAPE TOWN AND THE COAST
Cape Town, South Africa and the Victoria and Albert waterfront. JIM BYERS PHOTO
I knew about Table Mountain, the large outcropping of rock that towers over the city of Cape Town, but I didn’t realize it was so close to the city. I also hadn’t thought about the views I would get from the top, which are utterly sensational. You can see for miles up and down the Cape, soaking in views of majestic coastlines and rolling blue waves. The mountains in South Africa tumble almost right into the sea, so the coastlines are spectacular.
The Victoria and Alfred waterfront is a marvellous, super-clean part of town, with dozens of shops, live entertainment (the dancing and African singing is extraordinary) and outdoor cafés overlooking the harbour. The Cape Wheel is a massive, enclosed Ferris Wheel like the one in Niagara Falls.
It’s also a very reasonable city in terms of prices. I enjoyed a fine, large pizza and a glass of good South African wine at one of the waterfront restaurants for about $12; far less than you’d pay in Toronto, New York or Los Angeles.
You’ll get a great view of Cape Town Beaches on the Red Line tour from the city’s Hop On and Off Bus company. JIM BYERS PHOTO
One of the most popular side trips is a Cape Peninsula tour, which will take you past posh seaside communities and down to the Cape of Good Hope. On our tour, we visited sea lions barking away on an island in Hout Bay and took a spin along Chapman’s Peak Drive, which is even more dramatic than California’s fabled Highway One. We also stopped to see a colony of African penguins at Boulders Beach, just outside Simon’s Town. Visitors who come to South Africa are usually focused on wild game, but the penguins are a delight.
We didn’t have time, but I’m told the Western Cape makes for an amazing drive, with lovely villages like Hermanus scattered along the coast, clinging to the south end of the African continent for dear life.
THE CAPE WINELANDS
A winery in Franschhoek, South Africa. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The Cape Winelands are a stunning part of South Africa, with rolling hills dotted with pale green vines in spring (I visited in October, which was early spring in the southern hemisphere) and spiky, jagged mountains all around. The wines are rich and lovely, and you won’t find nearly the crowds you’ll get in the top wine regions of the U.S. or Europe.
The town of Franschhoek (it translates as “French hook”) runs for several blocks and features handsome hotels, art galleries and shops selling products from France and South Africa. You’ll also find a monument to the French Huguenot settlers (Protestants who weren’t welcome in Catholic France) who came here in the 1600’s at one end of the village, and the town is dotted with tri-colour French flags.
I found cool shops selling everything from local gins to African spices, as well as antiques and olive oils. Monzart is a fine gallery with lovely, contemporary art.
We took a private wine-tasting tour that was suggested by our hotel, the Franschhoek Country House and Villas. Our driver took us to three wineries, where we had one-on-one chats with winemakers and knowledgeable wine workers and learned how they grow and produce their wines.
Moreson makes exceptional sparkling wine and some very nice whites and reds, and there’s a great set of picnic tables in a shady area if you want to enjoy your wine outside. The Anthonij Rupert Wine Estate is a massive affair that includes vineyards, an olive grove, a vintage automobile showcase, a rose garden and a beautiful home with posh furnishings and a lovely outdoor patio overlooking a lush lawn and stark, craggy mountains.
Another way to experience the area is to take the open-air wine tram, which takes you up and down the valley and stops at a variety of wineries. It costs about 240 South African Rand (roughly $22 CAD), but you pay for your wine at each stop.
Nearby Paarl and Stellenbosch are also very well-known areas for wine tasting in South Africa.
SENSATIONAL SAFARIS
A baby elephant with two adults in South Africa. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The safari portion of the trip was a three-night stay at Kambaku River Sands, a luxurious but not over-the-top lodge that’s part of the Timbavati Nature Reserve. Timbavati isn’t technically part of South Africa’s Kruger National Park but it’s adjacent to it, and there are no fences or other barriers between the reserve and the park. It’s a private reserve that I was told was owned by a few dozen individuals.
The guides were knowledgeable and a great deal of fun.
Lions near Kambaku River Sands in South Africa. JIM BYERS PHOTO
How to Set it Up
You can arrange things on your own, but my trip was set up by Goway Travel in Toronto, which has seasoned Africa experts on staff who know the continent inside and out.
Where to Stay
The Victoria and Alfred Hotel is a lovely hotel on the bustling V and A Waterfront in Cape Town. Many of the rooms offer views of the beautiful harbor and of Table Mountain. The breakfast buffet is spectacular.
Franschhoek Country House and Villas offers comfortable, spacious rooms and two swimming pools, one heated and one not. The food at their on-site restaurant, Monneaux, is sensational.
Located in Greater Kruger National Park in the northeast corner of the country, Kambaku River Sands has a handful of units spread out on a flat bit of ground. They’re all quite spacious and beautifully decorated, with a large bed surrounded by mosquito netting, comfy chairs, a large deck, and bathrooms are larger than some hotel rooms you’ve stayed in.
How to Get There
United flies from Newark to both Cape Town and Johannesburg. It also flies from Washington D.C. Dulles Airport to Joburg or Capetown? Delta flies from Atlanta to both Cape Town and Joburg.
