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An update from Evaneos

Best places to visit in South Africa

A country of contrasts, South Africa offers its visitors diverse landscapes; from the forest of Kruger National Park to the Kalahari desert, passing through the green hills of Zululand or the Mediterranean vegetation of the Cape. African and Western, tribal and ultramodern, the numerous faces of South Africa rub shoulders but do not resemble each other.

Although its administrative capital is Pretoria the economic lungs of the country is none other thanJohannesburg an evolving megalopolis, as fascinating as it is complex. A modern city of fascinating urban cultures is waiting to be discovered. 

A few hours northeast of the country and as big as Belgium; theKruger National Park) is the main attraction. Here safari is open to even the smallest budgets contrary to many other countries, as you can safari in your own car or camper-van. There you can see lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards and rhinos as well as cheetah, giraffes, antelope, etc.

By following the coast of the Indian Ocean, you will findDurban the country's third city, half Zulu half Indian. Then walk along the buttresses of theDrakensberg mountains, before descending towards theWild Coast. The Xhosa country preserves its rich ancestral tradition and its villages of colourful round huts that stand along a jagged cliff edge, isolated from the magnificent wild beaches.

Still following the coast, you'll cross the Garden Route, a route of forests and lagoons, notably around Knysna. At the end of the route, there is wine country in the inland region ofCape Town. The second city of the country, this piece of Europe at the end of Africa spreads across the majestic Table Mountain; the end of the mountain range of theCape of Good Hope. Cosmopolitan, mixed and cool, this California-like city seduces South Africans just as much as tourists. Finally, going back up towards Namibia and Botswana, you can visit the green Kalahari a rarely visited but beautiful region of the desert watered by the Orange River.  

Camille Griffoulieres
Lying 50 km from Johannesburg, Pretoria, with its peaceful town feel, is actually South Africa's de facto capital.
This small reserve in Overberg, close to Swellendam, is known for being the temple of local biodiversity, because has over seven ecosystems including the famous fynbos (1500 varieties of plants).
This town in Overberg is half way between Cape Town and the Garden Route. It's an important town in the inland of the wine growing region.
A small village full of character in the back country of the wine routes near Cape Town.
Formerly a dock area, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront was redeveloped into a fashionable quarter in the space of just a few years.
A humid zone in the Limpopo, this little known spot in the north of South Africa is one of many private reserves known for its incredible scenery.
Durban (South Africa)
Durban
2.7/5
A city with a contrasting richness.
Balule (South Africa)
Balule
2/5
Located around 200 km from Nelspruit, Balule is a private nature reserve that has the advantage of being directly adjoined to Kruger National Park.
A small town in the Great Karoo, Cradock is not touristy. People go there to visit the Mountain Zebra National Park nearby.
A small village located between the Kruger National ParK in Mpumalanga on the east and Johannesburg on the west. It is known for its main activity: fly-fishing, which is practised in numerous surrounding rivers.
East London is a river port that is rather dull but gifted with an impressive surfing spot.
Facing the Highveld, the Lowveld is a low-altitude plain extending from the Great Escarpment to the Mozambique border and from Limpopo to the Swaziland border.
The second largest city in Swaziland after Mbabane, the capital, Manzini has a fairly large population of 80,000 citizens.
This colonial town is situated in Zulu territory, not far from Durban and from Drakensberg.
Umhlanga Rocks is a holiday area in the North of Durban which forms part of the posh suburbs of the city, inhabited by rich white people, on the coast.
With almost 330,000 inhabitants, it is the second city in the Eastern Cape, the land of the Xhosa, after East London.
This fairly important town at the centre of the country is the entry point to nearby Lesotho. Few tourists stopover here, even when taking a break between Johannesburg and Cape Town.
George (South Africa)
George
1/5
A large, inland town, at the start of the Garden Route George is not very touristy.