Description
Book SynopsisSouth Africa has one of the world's most diverse tourist offerings. Attractions range from stately Cape Town with majestic Table Mountain, to the scenic winelands around Stellenbosch and the world-renowned Kruger National Park and adjacent private reserves. With hundreds of different national parks and reserves, Africa's longest coastline and several of the region's oldest and most vibrant towns, visitors are often dazzled and confused by the array of options. This compact Highlights guide, written by South African resident and travel expert Philip Briggs, focuses on the genuine 'must-see' sights, and will aid anyone planning their first trip to this magnificent country.
Trade Review'[Philip Briggs] is clearly not only an expert on travel in Africa but also someone who cares deeply about the countries he is visiting.' Traveller Magazine
Table of ContentsIntroduction vii Introducing South Africa 1 1 Background 3 History 5 Economy and infrastructure 19 2 The Natural World 23 Geology, geography and climate 24 Habitats and vegetation 25 Wildlife 34 3 Planning a Trip 57 When to visit 58 Booking a trip 59 Your itinerary: 20 top attractions 62 Red tape 71 Getting there 71 Health and safety 72 What to take 75 Organising your finances 78 4 On the Ground 81 Health and safety in South Africa 82 Banking and foreign exchange 86 On safari: locating wildlife 87 Eating and drinking 94 Shopping 97 Media and communications 97 Business 100 Car rental and domestic flights 100 South Africa Highlights 101 5 Johannesburg and the Northwest 103 Gauteng 104 Northwest Province 122 6 Kruger and the Northeast 129 Mbombela and the Panorama Route 132 Kruger National Park 139 7 KwaZulu-Natal 165 Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast 166 Zululand 174 uKhahlamba-Drakensberg and the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands 188 8 Eastern Cape and the Garden Route 201 Eastern Cape 202 The Garden Route 218 9 The Western Cape 231 History 232 Cape Town 234 The Cape Peninsula 258 The Boland, Overberg and West Coast 267 South African English 285 Selected reading 288 Index 292
