South Africa - Main Cities

Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban - four South African cities, each with their own unique attractions and vibrancy, each one a must-visit for urban aficionados. Together, these cities reflect contemporary South African life, and also illustrate the colourful and intrepid history of South Africa's Rainbow Nation. They are melting pots for culture, heritage, music, food and entertainment, offering visitors a full and varied itinerary. In these cities, there's no time to sleep.

The Land

South Africa occupies the southernmost part of the African continent, stretching from 22 to 35° S latitude and from 17° to 33° E longitude. Its surface area is 1,219,090 square kilometres and it shares common boundaries with the republics of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. The Republic of Mozambique and the Kingdom of Swaziland lie to the northeast while in the southeast, the mountain kingdom of Lesotho lies completely enclosed by South African territory.

To the west, south and east, South Africa borders on the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Isolated in the Atlantic some 1 920 km southeast of Cape Town lie Prince Edward and Marion islands.

Seas Coasts and Rivers

South Africa is surrounded to the west, south and east by the ocean and has a 3 000 km coastline which is swept by two major ocean currents - the warm south-flowing Mozambique-Agulhas Current and the cold Benguela. The former skirts the east and south coasts as far as Cape Agulhas, while the Benguela Current flows northwards along the west coast as far as southern Angola.

The contrast in temperature between these two currents partly accounts for important differences in climate and vegetation between the east and west coasts of South Africa. The contrast also contributes to the big differences in marine life. The South African fishing industry is centered on the west coast, where the cold waters are much richer in oxygen, nitrates, phosphates and plankton than those of the east coast.

The South African coastline is even, punctuated by few natural harbours. The only ideal natural harbour along the coastline is Saldanha Bay on the west coast. However, the area lacks fresh water and offers no natural lines of penetration to the interior.

Most river mouths are unsuitable for use as harbours since large sand bars block entry for a large part of the year. These bars are formed by the action of waves and currents, and by the intermittent flow, heavy sediment load and steep gradients of most South Aftican rivers. Only the largest rivers, such as the Orange and Limpopo, maintain narrow permanent channels through the bars. For much the same reasons, the country has no navigable rivers.

Relief Features

The surface area of South Africa falls into two major physiographic features: the interior plateau, and the land between the plateau and the coast.

Forming the boundary between these two areas is the Great Escarpment, the most prominent and continuous relief feature of the country. Its height above sea level varies from approximately 1,500 m in the dolerite-capped Roggeveld in the southwest to a height of 3,482 m in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg.

Inland from the Escarpment lies the interior plateau, which is the southern continuation of the great African plateau stretching north to the Sahara Desert. The plateau itself is characterised by wide plains with an average height of 1,200 m above sea level.

Surmounting the plateau in places are a number of well-defined upland blocks. The dissected Lesotho plateau, which is more than 3 000 m above sea level, is the most prominent. In general, the Escarpment forms the highest parts of the plateau.

Between the Great Escarpment and the coast lies an area which varies in width ftom 80 to 240 km in the east and south to a mere 60 to 80 km in the west. At least three major subdivisions can be recognised: the eastern plateau slopes, the Cape folded belt and adjacent regions, and the western plateau slopes.

Attractions

South Africa is unique in every way, with a number of attractions you won't find anywhere else in the world….

TABLE MOUNTAIN

No visit to Cape Town is complete without a trip up Table Mountain, from where you will see some of South Africa's most breathtaking views. Take a guided walk on one of the many routes or simply ride the cable car to the top - it will be one of your lasting memories of SA.

ROBBEN ISLAND

A short cruise from Cape Town's V&A Waterfront by ferry, this legendary island is a standard must-see on any newcomer's itinerary. This is where Nelson Mandela and his comrades were imprisoned for decades during the Apartheid era. Former inmates take you on an insightful tour of the prison grounds. This historical island is now a world heritage site and also a proclaimed nature conservation area.

THE GARDEN ROUTE

From Cape Town along the coast to the Tsitsikamma Forest, this 600-kilometre stretch of small towns, wineries, farms and sea villages has been a traveller's joy for more than a century. Take your time, soak in the scenery, stay over in a guest-house, enjoy the cuisine and let South African Garden Route hospitality take over.

BEACHES

From KwaZulu-Natal to the Wild Coast, from the Eastern Cape to the West Coast, South Africa boasts more than 3 000km of coastline. Pristine beaches, fishing communities, golf estates, luxury hotels and guest houses dot the landscape as you explore the marine side of South Africa.

NAMAQUALAND DAISIES

Every Spring (August to September), the Northern Cape comes alive with vast fields of daisies in a natural splash of vivid colour. Fed by winter rains, the flower grounds of Namaqualand are a photographer's delight. When Summer takes hold, the land becomes a desert once again - as if the flower fantasia was just a brief dream…

THE GOLD

In the late 19th Century, gold was discovered at various places in the northern reaches of South Africa, leading to a gold rush from all points of the globe. A tussle for the goldfields was one of the contributing factors leading to the Anglo Boer War and the industry - which claims the deepest underground mines in the world - is still one of the pillars of the South African economy.

CRADLE OF HUMANKIND

Declared a World Heritage Site, the Cradle of Humankind west of Johannesburg includes, among its numerous sites, the Sterkfontein Caves, where anthropologist Dr Robert Broom discovered the skull of Mrs Ples, a three-million year-old hominid, in 1936. At the time she was thought to be the closest evidence the "missing link" to be found.

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

About the size of Israel, the Kruger Park is the greatest of South Africa's many national parks which attract a great number of visitors intent on drinking in the wilderness. On guided walks, drives or self-drive, visitors have the best chance of spotting the Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo) in this park.

DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS

A thousand kilometres of mountain majesty, the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains) range is the adventure tourist's playground. It is also perfect for nature photography, easy walking and simple relaxation. Full of game sanctuaries, Bushman rock art sites, challenging peaks and cascading waterfalls, the views in the Drakensberg will compete with anything the rest of the world has to offer.

SOWETO

Just south of Johannesburg lies Soweto - the largest of South Africa's 'townships' (designated residential areas for blacks during the Apartheid years). This vibrant city is home to some 2 million people and a number of historical sights. A typical visit to Soweto includes a stop at a traditional shebeen (drinking hall), where you can savour local beer, food and hospitality, as well as a visit to the homes where Nobel laureates Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu once lived.