Exploring South Africa

Fly through the trees: A treetop canopy tour will offer you a birds eye view of the forest - and a bit of an adrenalin rush - as you slide through the trees on a strong steel cable. There are three treetop tours: in the Tsitsikamma Forest, near Stormsriver; at Karkloof in KZN; and off the edge of the Magaliesberg.

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Hot Air Balloning In South Africa:Hot air ballooning in South Africa - Up up and away: Hot air ballooning in South Africa is arguably the best way to take in the landscapes of this beautiful country. Floating high above the ground, you have a spectacular, uninterrupted view of the gorgeous countryside below. Described as a somewhat magical experience, hot air ballooning is one of the oldest forms of flight known to man. Nowadays tailored to meet the needs of the public, hot air ballooning in South Africa has become a highly sought after activity.

A hot air balloon trip will usually begin just before sunrise. You’ll gently lift off the ground to a height of approximately 10-20m and leisurly float along with the wind. At this height you’re able to have a glorious view of the sunrise as well as keep on the lookout for animals on the ground below. The panoramic views that you are privy to from this height leave many speechless as they witness the sunrise and the spreading light extending to the opposite horizon. It’s a magnificent experience and will leave you with a warm glow for weeks after.

Exploring South Africa

Spend some time really looking at rock art:The northern Cedarberg, just over two hours north of Cape Town, has some of the most easily accessible and best documented rock art around. If youre in a position to splurge out on a luxury game lodge experience, stay at Bushmanskloof, where youll be pampered and taken on escorted rock art tours. If, however, youd rather watch your budget, Travellers Rest, next door, is an inexpensive self-catering establishment that offers access to the equally spectacular rock art on the Sevilla Trail. You wont be accompanied by a hunky game ranger, but you can buy an inexpensive map and explanatory guidebook.

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Ride with the herd at Kaapsehoop: This fabulous, misty, mountainous landscape is home to what is probably the largest herd of feral horses in South Africa. Theyll often join up and spend some time with the domestic horses (and riders, of course) on an escorted horse trail. You also stand a good chance of seeing the rare and endangered blue swallow.

Exploring South Africa

The Wine Route:The wine routes of the Cape are arguably the signature experience of the region, and certainly one of the principal tourist attraction in South Africa as a whole. Africa may conjure an image of big game, of the open plains and thundering hooves, and although in South Africa there is perhaps more of this than anywhere, South Africa is also a nation or rare accomplishment, of civil, legal and administrative sophistication, and of artistic, cultural and social maturity. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Cape, and in no phenomenon more dramatically than in the wine industry.









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Exploring South Africa

Nesting Turtles An MaputaLand:Every year turtles return, sometimes travelling thousands of kilometres, to the warm watered beaches in this region to lay their eggs near the spot they had hatched.

Once they’ve arrived on the beach, the nesting is a slow process and most turtles lay between 500 and 1000 eggs at a time, dug into large holes and finally covered by 30cms of sand. The eggs hatch two months later and the tiny hatchlings dig their way out of the nests and scurry to the ocean. The warm water attracts different kinds of turtles: Loggerheads, huge Leatherbacks and Green Turtles and tropical Hawksbills.

Turtles lay their eggs at different times and if you’re lucky you will be able to see both nesting and hatching in the one night. The season starts in October and finishes in April. Most of the money generated by tourism in this area goes back into the Maputaland Sea Turtle Project (you can even adopt your own turtle, who you can hold before you release into the ocean.

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Abseil off Table Mountain:Go to the edge and heights you never experienced before, enter the adrenaline zone, try the The "long drop", a 112 metre trip into oblivion. This is the highest commercial abseil in the world, off the top of Cape Town’s famous landmark Table Mountain. Amplify that rush with the exhilaration of putting your trust in the strength of a single, slender rope while dangling above the full expanse of the Mother City and its environs.

The views are intoxicating and photo opportunities are incredible. You can catch the cable-car or walk up to the top for a mind-blowing experience. Experience the Cape's beathtaking scenery from a unique point of view. Qualified instructors will explain the gear and technique to you, make sure of your safety and over you go for the experience of a lifetime. The cost is offer the guided walk-ups at R 200pp depending on what you and trips run --daily, weather permitting.

Exploring South Africa

Grahamstown Festival:The Grahamstown National Arts Festival 2009: Africa’s largest cultural event offers a choice of the both local and international talent. Thousands of people flock to Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape to experience a feast of dance, opera, caberet, fine arts, craft arts, music and much much more. Every hall becomes a theatre, parks and sport fields become flea markets. Grahamstown Festival is one of the most diverse festivals in the world.

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Kruger National Park: The Kruger National Park (KNP) is in north-east of South Africa and and runs along the border of Mozambique in the east, Zimbabwe in the north, and the southern border is the Crocodile River. The park covers 20,000 square kilometers and is divided in 14 different ecozones, each supporting different wildlife. It is one of the main attractions of South Africa and it is considered the flagship of South African National Parks (SANPark).If youve never explored this mega South African icon, youre really missing out. Dont listen to the mother grundies who say its too developed. Its 20 000sq km with, granted, some tarred roads and huge rest camps, but this is a wild place. You go self-drive, join a night drive, take a self-guided 4x4 trail or even adventure on an escorted mountain bike trail.

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Exploring South Africa

Berg Lake:Berg Lake is a lake on the Robson River just below the river's source located within Mount Robson Provincial Park, at the doorstep of the north face of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.It is partly fed by the Berg Glacier.
The turquoise colored Berg Lake is dotted with icebergs even in the middle of summer.

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Cable Car up Table Mountains:Table Mountain is Cape Town's icon, easily seen from almost anywhere in the Cape Town area when the distinctive flat top isn't covered in a thick layer of clouds. It is flanked by Devil's Peak to the east, Lion's head and Signal Hill to the west, and Karbonkelberg to the southwest. The top of Table Mountain is a flat-topped plateau overlooking Cape Town, and on a clear day, The Twelve Apostles standing along the Atlantic Coast are visible.

The Table Mountain Aerial Cable Way, is used by around 800,000 tourists per year and up to 65 people can fit into the rotating compartments. Yes, the floor of the cable way actually rotates so all passengers get a 360 degree aerial view of the city! How unusual it that... It takes 5-10 minutes to reach the top and when the weather is good, what a view it cant be expressed in words.

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Exploring South Africa

Paddle The Orange River:The Orange River (Afrikaans/Dutch: Oranjerivier), Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean. The river forms part of the international borders between South Africa and Namibia and between South Africa and Lesotho, as well as several provincial borders within South Africa. Although the river does not pass through any major cities, it plays an important role in the South African economy by providing water for irrigation, as well as hydroelectric power.

Awesome scenery, fun but easy rapids, great food and sleeping under the stars is one of the best destressers around.

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The long white beach at Buffels Bay(Kynsa):Buffalo Bay, Knysna is situated halfway between the towns of Sedgefield and Knysna. Buffalo Bay is one of the major and most beautiful Knysna Tourist Attractions. Buffalo Bay's pristine white beaches stretches along the way to Brenton on Sea. The fascinating beaches with splendid view of the deep-blue sea and the rocks along the beaches make Buffalo Bay, Knysna an ideal location for day trips. It is only 21 kilometers from the town of Knysna. It is also a popular sunset point near Knysna and must be included in the list of Sightseeing in Knysna.
Buffalo Bay, Knysna is a family beach where the water is safe for swimming. Adventurous people will enjoy surfing as the location has excellent surfing conditions, including a "wild side". The Buffalo Bay beach is also ideal for long walks and beach fishing. While swimming or walking along the beach you can spot dolphins and whales. Those who are adventure freak can go for a thrilling horse ride through the surf. Romantic couples can go for a 'Romantic Low Tide Beach Horse Ride' along the beaches at Buffalo Bay.

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