The great white shark: a member of the "Big 7"

For the next few months, South Africa is obviously going to receive a lot of attention thanks to the forthcoming FIFA 2010 World cup in June. Without any doubt, the soccer tournament is in itself a great boost to South Africa tourism, and is expected to inject over 20 billion rand to the economy. But perhaps more importantly, it will help raise awareness of South Africa as a great African safari  destination.

In a previous post on South Africa, I mentioned wildlife as one of the greatest tourist attractions in South Africa. The country takes great pride in being the only African destination where you can see the big seven -the big five plus whales and sharks (more so the great white shark and the southern right whale). In addition to wildlife safaris, South Africa will always remain for a great travel destination for the following reasons:

• Adventure travel at its best: Whether you are a fan of extreme activities, or you are into more moderate adventures, you will surely have lots of fun in South Africa. Some of the activities you can engage in include abseiling off Table mountain, scuba diving at Sodwana Bay, shark cage diving at Dyer Island, rock climbing in Montagu and other places, trekking expeditions along the Garden Route, white water rafting, skydiving,  surfing, bungee jumping, etc. To put it simply, the range of adventures available to you in South Africa is arguably the best in Africa.

• Amazing scenery and landscape: South Africa is a country of stunning natural beauty. The country has diverse landscape ranging from the the snow-capped Drakensberg mountains, to the lush beaches and coastline along the Garden route.  The view of the Table mountain towering over Cape Town is breathtaking. When you travel to South Africa, create some time to also see the incredibly beautiful Cape winelands, the cape of good hope, and Hogsback. Yet these are just some of the many beautiful places you can see in the country.

• Great facilities to cater for all tastes: South Africa has some of the best resorts and hotels in Africa and in the world. Last year (2009) for example, the Saxon Boutique Hotel & Spa received the World Travel Award for the World’s Leading Boutique Hotel. In the same year, Bulungula lodge was the runner up in the ethical category of the Guardian (guardian.co.uk) travel awards. Saxon Boutique hotel is a luxury hotel, while Bulungula lodge is a backpackers’ facility, showing the quality of South Africa hotels of all levels. Other South African resorts like The Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa in Cape Town and Singita Private Game Reserve lodges have several won international awards in the past. Add the fact that South Africa has superb communication and transport infrastructure, and you will understand why travelling in South Africa is a delight.

• An incomparable cultural experience: Travel through KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape, Soweto in Johannesburg, Pretoria and other big cities, and you will appreciate why South Africa is called the “rainbow nation”. You will experience greatly diverse African cultures alongside Hindu and European culture all in one nation. The South African cultural villages offer you an opportunity to learn more about some of the African cultures when you have little time to travel across the country.

• A great historical heritage: In South Africa, you get the chance to visit eight UNESCO world heritage sites, most of which are of historical and pre-historical significance. If you love ancient art for example, you will be pleased to visit the Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park and see ancient rock paintings created by the San people almost 4000 years ago. You may also want to visit Robben Island, the prison island where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were held during apartheid in South Africa.

Online Booking for South Africa Holidays
If you are planning to travel to South Africa, you can click here for holidays in South Africa offered through the Africaguide website

Since the end of apartheid, South Africa, also nicknamed “the rainbow nation” has become one of the most visited Africa travel destinations especially among wildlife safari enthusiasts. This country at the southernmost tip of Africa hosts arguably the greatest diversity of African wildlife.

South Africa Wildlife Attractions

1. The Big five
The big five animals remain at the top of all South Africa attractions, and are what attract most visitors to a South Africa safari. Consisting of the lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, and the cape buffalo, the big five were so called by big-game hunters because of the difficulty in hunting them. Today, the big five are found in abundance in South African game parks and reserves. Kruger national park, the most renowned game reserve in South Africa, for example, has over 10,000 elephants, over 20,000 buffaloes, plus a flourishing White rhino population.

2. The Big Cats
The African big cats comprise the lion, leopard and cheetah, all of which exist in plenty in the South African wild. The lion is the biggest of the big cats and is also the most admired and respected, occupying the position of the Africa’s largest predator. African lions are social animals, living and hunting in large family groups called prides.

Leopard on a tree

Leopards are the most beautiful and elegant among the big cats, and also the most elusive. They lead solitary lives and mostly hunt at night, while spending most of the daytime resting on tree branches. Being excellent tree climbers, leopards hide the prey they catch on top of trees away from other predators, more so the opportunistic hyenas. Leopards are also the most adaptive and are thus widespread throughout South Africa.

The cheetah is the fastest animal on land, capable of attaining speeds of up to 70mph. Cheetahs hunt during the day and it is usually very fascinating to observe a cheetah tiring its prey by sheer speed, then tripping it down. However, cheetahs are found in smaller numbers than the other big cats in South Africa.

3. Birdlife
South Africa is considered a birdwatching paradise, with more than 700 resident birds species  found there. The African birds found in South Africa include eagles, vultures, ostriches, ibis, mouse birds, and cranes among many more.  In addition, many migratory birds from other African countries and other regions of the world often come to South Africa.

4. Other Animals
The big five are not the only wildlife in South Africa. Other equally interesting animals to see while on safari include giraffes, zebras, hippos, antelopes, wildebeest, wild dogs, hyenas, and many many more.