Before traveling to South Africa , thousands of doubts invaded our minds. This is the first time we have ventured on a month-long trip and we wanted it to be a country that had a lot to see, that was cheap and left a mark on us.
Is it worth traveling to South Africa? That is to say, does South Africa have so much to see or is it not worth traveling for a month? We already anticipate that it is worth it , it has a lot to see.
Is it safe to travel in South Africa? The million dollar question! From our point of view we can say that it is safe to travel to South Africa as long as you are careful and we are going to give you some advice on this .
It is not Asia, but it is cheap, you can travel with a budget of €50 a day including all the expenses you may have on the trip, except the flight. In other words, if you go for 18 days and you can spend €900 + €500 for the flight, a total of around €1,400 for 18 days in South Africa.
Enjoy the Journey Between Johannesburg and Kruger: the Blyde River Canyon
It is frequently claimed that the journey is the goal. And on many occasions it is completely true. This is one of them. When you take the car or the van, or whatever transfer, to go to the Kruger Park from Johannesburg -it's six hours of good paved road- you will find a spectacular route. Some impressive landscapes. It is the Blyde River Canyon Nature Preserve. On the way, there is a lookout. Attentive. Don't miss anything.
On Safari in the Kruger Park
A safari is a special experience. And seeing the biggest animal sanctuaries in South Africa, like Kruger National Park, is the pinnacle of such experience. Before being a National Park, Kruger was a hunting reserve where hunting was carried out indiscriminately due to a lack of legislation, until it was declared a National Park in 1926 and a year later it was opened to the public. It is one of the parks with the greatest diversity of animals. It has more than 500 species of birds, 100 reptiles, almost 150 mammals, numerous archaeological sites, and an extraordinary number of trees and flowers.
Table Mountain and Kirstenbosh
But there are two fundamental points that anyone who comes to Cape Town should visit. Bathed by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and topped by the fabulous Table Mountain on the other, a climb to its top is highly recommended. You may either use the cable car or a trekking method to get there.
A good suggestion is to start at the beautiful Kirstenbosh Botanical Garden and from there progress through lush forests, streams and waterfalls until you reach the summit and admire the impressive view from above.
The Garden Route
If possible and you have time, a proposal is to take a car and travel the "Garden Route" (Garden Route), from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, between Wilderness to the Tsitsikamma National Park , one of the stretches of coast most beautiful that exist. Mountains, deserted beaches, dense forests, mighty rivers, rocky landscapes, vineyards...
Brutal. Also, to give the last touch to this trip, you can go on a safari in the Gondwana Reserve, where you can see the Big 5 : lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhinoceros.
Whale Watching in Hermanus
Between the months of July and November, there is a small town an hour and a half drive from Cape Town, Hermanus , which is considered one of the most recommended locations for whale watching . In fact, it is one of the few places where you do not necessarily have to get on a boat to see them.
When the whale watcher rings the bell, everyone looks over the horizon to see them break the surface. If you are unlucky, you can always set sail with the boat from the port, where you will have many more possibilities.
