DESTINATION: SOUTH AFRICA
If youve ever wanted to stalk big game and experience the romance of a real wildlife safari, South Africa is for you. Here in over 20 national parks you can actually see the big five of the mammal kingdom. Thats right were talking elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and buffalo and more...
South Africas national parks are amongst its main attractions. Many of the parks have accommodation in bungalows, huts or camping grounds. There are also a wide variety of tours and safaris so you can observe the animals at close range.
Kruger National Park is probably the most famous of the parks and should need little introduction. It also has VIP accommodation. Its two million hectares boast 147 mammal, 507 bird species, 114 reptiles, 336 trees and it has amongst the best infrastructure for seeing them.
Kruger is designed for all tourists. If you are the self guided type you can follow your own driving routes through the park following waterholes, outlook points and hides to sight animals on your own. Alternatively there are plenty of other organised routes including game trails that can be covered on foot over one or several days, mountain bike routes, and day and night guided drives. You can even play golf!
Amongst the attractions in the park is a hippo pool with bushmen paintings nearby; granite outcrops that provide scrambling platforms for small antelope and viewing platforms for lions; and twilight viewing of elephants, waterbuck, impala and even elusive predators quenching their thirst at the Crocodile River.
Check our list of tours and discount offers for a full list of providers to the Kruger National Park.
Big Game Safari...
There are plenty of "fives" to hunt while youre in Kruger; and not just the big mammals including the little mammals, birds, trees and natural/cultural features.
Heres a checklist for your own tour:
The Big Five – Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard, Lion and Rhino.
The Little Five – Buffalo Weaver, Elephant Shrew, Leopard Tortoise, Ant Lion and Rhino Beetle.
Birding Big Six– Ground Hornbill, Kori Bustard, Lappet- faced Vulture, Martial Eagle, Pel’s Fishing Owl and Saddle-bill Stork.
Five Trees – Baobab, Fever Tree, Knob Thorn, Marula, Mopane.
Natural/Cultural Features – Letaba Elephant Museum, Jock of the Bushveld Route, Albasini Ruins, Maserini Ruins, Stevenson Hamilton Memorial Library, Thulamela.
VIP has hostels all over the world. Take advantage of the VIP card for savings on accommodation, tours and services. | VIP NEWS:
TOP THINGS TO DO IN SOUTH AFRICA
1. Endulge in one of the 20 national parks including world famous Kruger NP which alone boasts over 9 000 elephants and 20 000 buffaloes
2. See a real bushman in the sundrenched landscape of the Kalahari desert
3. Hunt for your own diamonds in Kimberely
4. Explore the beautiful, culturally diverse city of Cape Town
5. Take the cable car to see the world renowned Table Mountain - a flat 3km plateau overlooking Cape Town
picture above: Wagon Trails
6. Sip some of the fine local wine in the picturesque region of Stellenbosch
7. Take a safari through a game reserve and stalk your own Big Five mammals - elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and buffalo
8. Visit a Zulu Kraal for traditional lifestyle, cooking and dancing
9. Go Nelson Mandela hunting - visit his museum and primary school in Qunu, south of Umtata; and Nelson Mandela Bay
10. Catch some waves on the fantastic Eastern Cape beaches
picture above: Wagon Trails
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
DECEMBER:
> Spier Summer festival, Stellenbosch
MARCH:
> Cape Town International Jazz festival
> Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour
JUNE:
> National Arts Festival, Grahamstown
> Durban International film festival
> Comrades marathon
JULY:
> Nelson Mandelas Birthday (18)
> Knysna oyster festival, Knysna
AUGUST:
> South African Music Week
> Jazz festival, Johannesburg
SEPTEMBER:
> Stellenbosch wine and music festival
> Whale festival, Hermanus
NOVEMBER:
> Ficksburg Cherry Festival |
