National Parks and Reserves of South Africa

South Africa has close to 600 national Parks and reserves, collectively boasting spectacular scenery, impressive fauna and flora, excellent facilities and reasonable prices. Many are enclosed within fences, intended to minimise conflict between the animals and their human neighbors.

Yet, due to the vast spaces, you will generally only see the fences when you drive through the park gates - the wildlife itself is satisfying and completely wild. Visiting the parks and reserves will likely be the highlight of your visit. The most famous feature is wildlife, while others are primarily wilderness sanctuaries of hiking areas. When on safari, it is worth remembering that wildlife tourism is one of the main sources of revenue for conservation efforts in South Africa. The money you spend in national parks and reserves in ploughed back into these areas, thus ensuring that future visitors will be able to collect their own unforgettable memories. 

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Beautiful Cape Town

Cape Town occupies one of the world’s most stunning locations, with an iconic mountain slap-bang in its centre. As beautiful as the surrounding beaches and vineyards can be, as cosmopolitan and lively as its cultural scene, it is the rugged wilderness of Table Mountain, coated in a unique flora, which is the focus of attention. Complementing this natural beauty is Cape Town’s eye – catching way with design and colour – in everything from the brightly painted facades of the bo-Kaap and the Victorian bathing chalets of Muizenberg, to the contemporary Afro-chic décor of the many excellent guesthouses, restaurants, and bars. The city multi-ethnic population is proof of South Africa’s ‘rainbow’ nation’ and a visual record of the cities tumultuous recorded history of over 350 years.

Covering some three quarters of the peninsula Table Mountain National Park stretches from flat-topped Table Mountain to Cape Point. For the vast majority of visitors the main attraction is the 1086 m –high Mountain itself, the top of which can easily be accessed by the Cableway. The views from the revolving cable car and on the summit are phenomenal. Once you are at the top, there are souvenir shops, a café, and some easy walks to follow. The Cableway doesn’t operate when it’s dangerously windy and there‘s little point going up if you are simply going to be wrapped in the cloud known as the ‘tablecloth. ’The best visibility and conditions are likely to be first thing in the morning or in the evening.

Umhlanga Coast, KwaZulu Natal

The Umhlanga Coastline is north of Durban. The beautiful, sandy beaches are a cosmopolitan collection of white hotel buildings and blocks of timeshare apartments that easily signify the lifestyle sought by many on this incredible stretch of coast. It is also tourist mecca and fortunately, over the years this seaside village maintained its character of a small holiday town.

The little seaside villages of Umhlanga, La Lucia, Mount Edgecombe and Umdloti nestle alongside each other in a string of the best beaches there is also a beach of blue flag status.

With the warm Indian Ocean waters, the rocky lined beaches that allow for plenty of seaside paddling and shell searching, and attractions like O’Connor promenade - a walkway that stretches from Durban View Park to Breakers Resort - that is constantly used by an array of walkers, joggers and amblers, the Umhlanga coastline is the ideal holiday destination. 

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A Prayer for the Traveler

"May your trails be crooked, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end, meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling with bells, past temples and castles and poet's towers into a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and down into a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes, and pinnacles and grottos of endless stone, and down again into a deep vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze on profiled cliffs, where deer walk across the white sand beaches, where storms come and go as lightening clangs upon the high crags, where something more beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams waits for you beyond that next turning of the canyon walls."

Edward Abbey

The Farmhouse Hotel, Langebaan, Western Cape

Overlooking the tranquil Langebaan Lagoon, The Farmhouse Hotel is an experience to be savoured. Celebrated for our pleasant staff and West Coast warmth, The Farmhouse offers guests an authentic coastal farmstead encounter. Alluring to nature lovers, Langebaan offers vivid shows of spring flowers, birdlife, and an untamed coastline.

Explore the lagoon, hike the neighbouring Nature Reserve or simply relax and enjoy the sunset. The farm kitchen bakes fresh bread and other produce daily for the popular restaurant, that serves up hearty meals infused with West Coast culture.

Created and decorated with a West Coast farm-style aesthetic, the rooms at The Farmhouse Hotel are inviting and comfortable spaces. From crash pads, traveller's rooms, one bed through to a family sized room and a dual level 2 bedroom cottage, the hotel has the perfect accommodation for couples, families, friends and business guests wanting to enjoy the atmosphere of the West Coast.

Our guest suites, some with their own fireplace and sweeping views of the lagoon, lead to a private poolside garden and our Traveller’s Rooms are perfect for kite surfers and keen travellers looking for more affordable accommodation. The Farmstead is a spacious room with sweeping views, The Loft offers a bird’s eye view from its open plan refuge, and the separate dual level Cottage is perfect for family getaways.

Facilities at The Farmhouse Hotel include the pool area; with gorgeous views over the lagoon, the pool area at The Farmhouse Hotel feels like a little piece of paradise. Wrought iron loungers, lapa’s, and a sparkling pool make the pool area a beautiful place to enjoy the sunshine and relax.

The Lounge at The Farmhouse Hotel is beautifully appointed with a great hearth at the centre. Filled with charming trinkets, the lounge is a place of relaxation, reflection, and reading where guests have a selection of books and reading material to choose from. The Cellar, built in the original underground water tanks of the old farm, The Farmhouse Hotel wine cellar encases an award-winning wine selection. Guests are welcome to hand pick a bottle of wine from the wine cellar. The cellar is the perfect venue to expand your wine knowledge and enjoy a wine tasting.

The spa is uniquely situated in the wine cellar where treatments are performed by internationally qualified therapists who offer an array of massages, facials, therapies and even couples massages. The spa that is also open on Sundays can be accessed via the hotel lounge through the well-known cellar, also spilling out onto the pool area where guests can relax in gowns and slippers. Our spa also boasts a spa bath, which can be incorporated into a treatment. The centre offers beautiful views of the lagoon, adding to the ambience of relaxation.

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Knysna’s elephants

Two hundred years ago, great herds of elephants roamed the southern Cape. Today, thanks to ruthless hunting throughout the 18^th and 19^th centuries, there are only seven left, hidden in the secretive dark-green depths of the forests around Knysna. The persistent hunting has made the tiny herd wary of humankind with the result that it is extremely difficult to locate.

It is known that the heard- the world’s most southerly – has managed to adapt to forest conditions; although these beasts belong to the dam species as the savannah elephants, their habits and lifestyle are now thought to be more similar to the elephants found in the equatorial forests of Central Africa.

The herd’s future is by  no means assured; three young elephants from the Kruger National Park were introduced in 1994, but one died shortly afterwards. Although you have to be lucky indeed to catch a glimpse of these magnificent animals, Terblans Nature Walk through the Gouna Forest just north of Knysna is a good bet. Another popular trail is the six-hour Elephant Walk that starts from the Diepwalle Forestry Station, just over a kilometre (half a mile ) from the mighty King Edward Vll Tree - another giant of the forest; a 46-metre – high (150 ft.) yellowwood whose circumference measures a stupendous 9.5 metres (30 ft.).

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South Africa’s coast of whales

Whale population are on the increase, and the Cape is one of the best places in the world to see the southern right whale in coastal waters.

No fewer than 29 species of toothed whale (Odontoceti), including the killer whale, are found off the South African coast, along with eight species of baleen whale (suborder Mysticeti). However, by far the most commonly spotted are the southern right whales, pods of which seek out sheltered bays along the Cape coastline every year for breeding. Between June and December, there is a good chance of seeing them all the way round the peninsula from Elands Bay on the west coast to Mossel Bay on the Garden Route. On a good day, you might see them “Spy hopping” (standing on their tails with their heads out of water), “lob tailing” (slapping their flukes on the water’s surface) or “breaching”- leaping out of the sea like a trout.

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Robben Island

World-famous as the place where Nelson Mandela was condemned to life imprisonment, this little kidney-shaped island 11 Km (7 miles) off the shores of Green Point was named by the Dutch for the large numbers of seals (“rob)” they encountered her. It has a grim history: this was where  Jan van Riebeeck kept Khoi Khoi leaders captive; later, the  British used it as a general dumping –ground  for lepers paupers  and lunatics alike known as Irishtown was built next ot the jetty. A military base during World War ll, it was finally taken over by the Department of Prisons in 1960, quickly acquiring a reputation as South Africa’s most notorious penal colony.

Today, South Africa’s own Alcatraz has been turned into a national monument and museum, run by the Ministry for Arts and Culture. Ferries and charter boats bound for the island leave Cape Town‘s V&A Waterfront several times a day, but not all of them are allowed to land. In order to protect the environment (Robben Island is a haven for wildlife. Especially seabirds and jackass penguins), visitor numbers are limited to 300 a day. Many boats simply circle the island, providing passengers with a view from about a kilometre (half a mile) out at sea.

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Rhino River Lodge, Hluhluwe, KwaZulu Natal

Rhino River Lodge is an intimate and exclusive private game reserve and lodge with some of the best game viewing Zululand has to offer. Superb accommodation and exemplary service together with cuisine that features traditional South African flavours, dishes, and cooking styles and a wine list has been hand-picked to provide our guests with a selection of some of the finest affordable wines that South Africa has to offer await you.

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Rhino River Lodge is located in Zululand, 30 kilometres north of Hluhluwe in the shadow of the majestic Lebombo Mountains and is a private reserve within the greater Zululand Rhino Reserve. The rare and endangered black rhino is found in this park; a rare privilege for guests to see. 20 black rhinos have been relocated into the park, and their numbers have now swelled to 30, providing for excellent game viewing opportunities.

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Delightful two bed roomed log cabins constructed solely from locally sourced materials await you, ironstone flooring and high thatched roofs make for a cool interior to the spacious cabins. Each cabin has its own private boma attached for relaxing evenings and private dinners can be arranged.

In addition to these stunning log cabins, there are four luxury en suite double or twin rooms each with private entrance and veranda that overlooks the Umsunduze River. All accommodation has coffee and tea making facilities, bar fridge, mosquito nets and ceiling fans.

Watch as rhinos and elephants collide; see the reclusive black rhino as he slips through the riverine bush; Hear the leopard’s rasping call as he prowls his territory at night; Delight in the many different antelope that inhabit the Zululand bush; Be dazzled by the herds of Zebra and their beautiful foals and get close the ever curious Giraffe that think they can hide behind the thorn trees!

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Soweto Hotel on Freedom Square, Soweto, Gauteng

The Soweto Hotel on Freedom Square... the jewel of Soweto!

Nestled in the heart of Kliptown is one of Soweto’s first 4-star hotels: The Soweto Hotel on Freedom Square. Catering for locals and visitors alike, the hotel offers delectable cuisine, luxurious accommodation, and soulful jazz with a distinct cultural flavour, intermingled with contemporary flair. This gem instils a sense of pride and nostalgia, captured by the eclectic collection of jazz and historical memorabilia, which form the backdrop of the hotel’s stylish interior décor.

This 4-star facility has 46 Deluxe Standard Rooms and 2 Presidential Suites (including a paraplegic room). Inter-leading rooms are available for families and groups. Rooms are equipped with televisions (with a broad bouquet of local and international channels), coffee/tea making facilities, wireless connectivity, hairdryers, and in-room safes. Room service, laundry and dry-cleaning services are also available. The hotel also has three boardrooms seating six, eight and 14 guests each and fully equipped with AV equipment.

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The Soweto Hotel on Freedom Square is also the proud home of the Jazz Maniacs Restaurant. This restaurant is named after the famous 50’s band, the Jazz Maniacs, whose pictures adorn the walls of the restaurant. This elegant, 60-seater restaurant is open daily to the public as well as resident guests, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Exquisite menus adapted to retell the history and heritage of Soweto are captured in the township continental breakfast of sautéed chicken livers and traditional dumpling (ujeqe), magwinya (vetkoek) and atchar and the ever-famous “Russian” sausage reminiscent of township fare. The breakfast buffet also offers an array of hot porridges such as Palishi (maize meal porridge), Mdoko or Ting (sour porridge) and Mabele Meal (sorghum porridge) as well as Continental and Full English breakfast options.

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The hotel chef is Jafta Hatshejame, a recent addition to the Soweto Hotel’s kitchen, who leads his team to develop typical township, traditional fare, adapted for all palates. His buffet features mogodu (tripe) and mnqushu (samp and beans), morogo and roasted butternut, just to name a few favourites. Comfort food just like Gogo used to prepare it!

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Hans Merensky Hotel and Spa, Phalaborwa, Limpopo

Situated on the border of the world renowned Kruger National Park, the Hans Merensky Hotel and Spa offers a unique blend of golf and game to both local and international visitors, offering luxury accommodation, sports, conference facilities and a world famous golf course that is home to a wide variety of game and over 200 species of birds. Air-conditioned and secluded en-suite accommodation is offered in the form of thatched chalets situated along the golf course and hotel rooms in the garden.

Visitors to Hans Merensky Hotel and Spa can choose to stay in a chalet overlooking the golf course or in superior rooms closer to the hotel itself. The hotel comprises of 143 rooms in total (combination of hotel rooms, chalets, self-catering, and two Junior Suite). Self-catering family chalets offer the additional facility of a lounge, kitchen, and dining area.

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For weddings with a difference, there is the perfect venue, whether it is a romantic setting in one of our gorgeous green gardens, or for a bit of a more adventurous scene, there is a luxurious bush setting by the banks of the Oliphant’s River. Wedding venues can seat between 100 and 250 wedding guests.

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Designed by Bob Grimsdell, Hans Merensky Golf Course provides a truly unique golfing experience with a range of challenging holes. Having hosted many high-profile professional and amateur tournaments, the course is of widely acknowledged quality. The course is lined with bushveld forming a beautiful backdrop to the holes, and gives the impression that the course is far older than its 30 years.

Buhala Game Lodge, Kruger Park, Mpumalanga

Buhala is an enchanting Game Lodge right on the banks of the Crocodile River, the border of the Kruger National Park. What a wonderful waterhole to have at the bottom of the garden! Elephant, buffalo, hippos, and many antelope are just a few of the frequent visitors there.

Guests sitting on the veranda sipping sundowners or lazing around the pool have wonderful sightings of these fascinating animals. Fine food and wines are served on the deck under candlelight and the whole atmosphere is one of casual elegance and great comfort and tranquility.

Buhala is a marvellous place also, from which to explore the magical bushveld, which gives you the realization of true Africa.

Luxurious accommodation is provided in ten elegant en suite double/twin rooms, each with full bath and separate shower, and is complemented by superb cuisine and a well-stocked wine cellar.

Enjoy some pampering at the open deck day spa, which overlooks the Crocodile River and the Kruger National Park. The day spa offers full body hot rock massages, back and neck massages, manicures, pedicures, foot treatments and facials.

Mpumalanga offers a wealth of attractions you can visit during your stay at Buhala Game Lodge. God's Window, Pilgrim's Rest, Bourke's Luck Potholes, and many breath-taking waterfalls make for an easy day's round trip, while Swaziland and Mozambique’s Maputo are only 2 hours’ drive away. Guests of Buhala Game Lodge have access to the prestigious Leopard Creek Golf Course.

Listen to the distinctive call of the Fish Eagle as it soars gracefully above the beautiful thatch of charming Buhala, nesting cosily in expansive gardens. The well-tended family farm offers lovely nature trails set out for your hiking enjoyment.

Revel in the magnificent bird life; over 200 species have been recorded. Bee eaters, rollers, fish eagles, weavers, loeries, kingfishers of numerous varieties, green pigeons, owls, swallows and swifts, bul buls, drongos, even parrot species are regularly seen from the poolside.

Game viewing from the shade of the extensive veranda provides its own enchantment. Sit there and listen to the heartbeat of Africa.

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