South Africa lies at the southernmost part of the African continent. It is bordered to the north by Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the northeast by Mozambique and Swaziland and to the northwest by Namibia. On the east coastline lies the Indian Ocean, the Southern coastline the confluence of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and Atlantic Ocean on the western side. South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho.

Most of South Africa has elevations of over 914m (3,000 ft) and at least 40% of the surface is at an elevation of over 1,220m (4,000 ft). Parts of Johannesburg are 1,829m (6,000 ft) above sea level. Resembling an inverted saucer, the land rises steadily from west to east to the Drakensberg Mountains, the tallest of which is Mont-aux-Sources at 3,300m (10,823 ft).

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South Africa was once divided into two British Colonies, namely the Colony of Natal and the Cape Colony, and two Boer Afrikaner Republics, namely the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 after 8 years of negotiations after the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 - 1902. The Republic of South Africa as it is today was form in 1961, which covers the southern tip of Africa and an area of 1,2 million square kilometers.

The country was divided into 9 provinces (states) in 1994 when we had our first democratic elections and Mr. Nelson Mandela became president. The provinces are: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga, North West, Limpopo and Gauteng. Each province has its own capital and the country has three capital cities, namely Pretoria the administrative capital, Bloemfontein the judicial capital and Cape Town the legislative capital. (more…)

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Escape to the land of contrasts where the fresh smell of daisies, colourful spring flowers and sweet melodies greet you. Namaqua National Park boasts with a kaleidescope of indigenous flora species every spring time and it is for this reason alone that people are drawn to the area.

- Breathe in the fragrant aromas of spring flowers

- Find your own secluded oasis of tranquility

- Enjoy camping out under the African sky

- Situated 495km from Cape Town South Africa

Namaqua is famous for its display of wild flowers in spring and a rich diversity of succulent plants, with an estimated 3500 species. Escape to the land of contrasts, where the rigorous climate has created a myriad of life forms superbly adapted to their specific habitat.

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Named after the great Limpopo River that flows along its northern border, this province is rich in wildlife, spectacular scenery and a wealth of historical and cultural treasures.

Known as the Great North, Limpopo province is home to ancient lands and pre-historic secrets. This is home to Modjadji, the fabled Rain Queen; The Stone Age and Iron age relics of Makapansgat Valley and the treasures of Mapungubwe that date back to time immemorial.

Straddling the northern Kruger Park, Limpopo province boasts wildlife safaris, nature trails untamed Africa at its finest. This is the land of wide-open bushveld, big-sky country, the ever-present thorn tree and the mystical baobab tree.

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One of the best known “big five” is the Elephant which is part of the Proboscidea family and is the class of Mammalia. They were once classified along with other thick skinned animals in a now invalid order, Pachydermata.

At the moment there are three living species – the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant and the Asian Elephant. Mammoths of course are part of the same family, however since the last ice age around 10,000 years a go they have become extinct.  At that time the Mammoth was the largest land animal alive but today it is the Elephant. An Elephants gestation period is around 22 months and this is the longest of any land animal. At birth an elephant calf is commonly around 120 kg in weight and can live as long as 70 years, sometimes longer.

Many people are aware that Elephants are big animals but the largest recorded elephant that was shot in Angola in 1956 was male and weight an astonishing 12,000 kg! It’s shoulder height was 4.2 meters which is about 1 meter taller than the average male African Elephant. (more…)

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One of the lesser known safaris of Africa is the Pilanesberg Safari, known more for the game and adventure associated to it rather than real wildlife, but if you are lucky, you might just spot the Tiger somewhere. Pilanesberg is located in the North-West province of South Africa and is famous for “game safaris” rather than the normal self-drive safari that parks like kruger boast of.

Game safari is basically a pre planned safari, in which, a group of people is taken along with a ranger who knows the park and its creatures well. Therefore, ii=n a game safari, the element of doubt is totally removed, because the rangers are almost certain as to what you might see at a certain place, much like a zoo,  but none the less, these game tours are designed in such a way that they thrill you to the core. Pilanesberg houses the largest “games relocation project” undertaken on the continent of Africa (known as ‘operation genesis’). The landscape, vegetation and wildlife of this park are totally awesome.

The park is home to a 3 ml. year’s old extinct volcano, which has deposited alkaline wastes around itself, giving rise to diverse vegetation.

The environment is just amazing, with rolling round knolls in the background, contrasted with flat brown ground grass or savannah in the foreground. And this type of forest setting is perfect for animal like zebras, antelopes and buffaloes, which can be seen in large groups all over the park, painting its natural backdrop with the colors of life. The actual game viewing in the park begins early morning at around 5 and the ground crew of the park makes sure that you are taken care of. And when you begin the perfectly timed game drive, you catch the sun-rise which illuminates the whole park in amber light, a perfect start to a perfect safari. The roads of the park are designed in such a way that they often lead to water sources and are easy to walk on, so the chances of spotting a lion, taking a stroll to the river are greatly increased, although, it is not as authentic as spotting the big one by a bush, yet it is thrilling none the less.

This is what “game viewing” is all about; the park is designed in such a way that you get a clear view of each and every animal present, without hampering their natural habitat. The rangers are well equipped and are in constant touch, and this helps them track the tigers, and in turn, helps us to get a good view of the animal, specially while is catching its prey, i.e.

When the “game” is on! Another heart rendering experience of the Pilanesberg park is the balloon safari, enabling the tourist to pick the “game(hunting)” he wants to view. You can effortlessly float to any part of the park without worrying about following the map or the roads, and you are even served with a sparkling glass of wine, atop the hot air balloon. Finally, while you are nearing the end of your trip, you might be able to spot a hippo, submerged in a river somewhere, bidding adios to you!

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