Accommodation South Africa Best Experiences

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TRACES OF AFRICA is a highly-esteemed tour operator designing and operating tours since 2002 for South African organizations, local tourists and international visitors. We operate in all regions in South Africa and neighbouring countries but specialize in destinations in Gauteng

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ACCOMMODATION SOUTH AFRICA BEST EXPERIENCES

BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN SOUTH AFRICA

CLARENS IN THE EASTERN FREE STATE

There’s a brooding presence that looms over the eastern Free State village of Clarens called Mount Horeb. You can climb it, play golf on its flanks or just sip at your malts and contemplate it from a distance in the early autumn evenings, when the Lombardy poplars in the valley turn gold and the air is quiet and fresh. Mount Horeb with its winter snowcap is a sight to behold.

CRADLE OF HUMANKIND

Declared a World Heritage Site, the Cradle of Humankind west of Johannesburg includes, among its numerous sites, the Sterkfontein Caves, where anthropologist Dr Robert Broom discovered the skull of Mrs. Ples, a three-million year-old hominid, in 1936. At the time she was thought to be the closest evidence the "missing link" to be found.

DRAKENSBERG MOUNTAINS

A thousand kilometres of mountain majesty, the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains) range is the adventure tourist's playground. It is also perfect for nature photography, easy walking and simple relaxation. Full of game sanctuaries, Bushman rock art sites, challenging peaks and cascading waterfalls, the views in the Drakensberg will compete with anything the rest of the world has to offer.

GARDEN ROUTE

South Africa's famous Garden Route is a narrow coastal stretch of 300 km between Mossel Bay and the Tsitsikamma Mountains. The coastline of the Garden Route is an extraordinary region with a mild climate, year-round rainfall and unique vegetation.

GREATER ST LUCIA WETLANDS PARK

In 1999, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park was listed as South Africa’s first World Heritage Site and the Wetlands Authority was established to manage it. A mix of state-owned land, former military sites and commercial forests, the park is now one of South Africa’s largest, 260 000 hectares in size.

Situated on the untamed Elephant Coast of the Zulu Kingdom, it has 220 km of coastline, bringing together five ecosystems and eight unique destinations: Maphelane, Lake St Lucia, False Bay, Cape Vidal, Sodwana Bay, uMkhuze Game Reserve, Lake Sibaya and Kosi Bay.

KGALAGADI TRANSFRONTIER PARK

For many, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is their favourite wilderness experience. It may be hot and dry, but it is also spectacular – each visitor seeing something in it that is special to them. It may be the frieze of a bateleur emblazoned against a magenta sunset; a family of meerkats scoping the landscape from their burrow; the broiling cloud of dust enveloping a pronking springbok; or simply being part of something wonderfully elemental – a place to recharge tired nerves.

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

The Kruger National Park, which measures a whopping two million hectares, is approximately the size of the whole of Wales. Although there are still fences between parts of the Kruger National Park and Mozambique and Zimbabwe, so the planned Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park is not quite yet a reality. When it is, it will be spectacular. Actually, Kruger already is. Most of the park is situated in the Lowveld. Restricted to broad valleys below 1 000m above sea level, the Lowveld is what many people consider to be the 'real' Africa. In this low-lying subtropical climate, broad-leaved trees and thorn trees co-exist happily in relatively open woodland, interspersed with long grass - and, of course, game. Lots of game.

NAMAQUALAND

The Northern Cape's Namaqualand region is unique in every way. During spring, the desert erupts into a colourful carpet of wildflowers in dazzling array. Namaqualand, in South Africa's far north-western corner, is loved by botanists and visitors as one of the world's most special places and the most unusual desert on earth. This dry land is home to almost 3 000 plants, most of them found nowhere else on the planet. During Spring the Namaqualand is covered by wild sweeps of orange, pink, white and yellow flowers, yet the spectacular display lasts for only two months at most, often less.

PLATINUM ROUTE IN NORTH WEST PROVINCE

The Great Northwest is a rugged expanse of bushveld full of surprises making it a province of friends and fantasy, with modest cities and highway villages with fun spots and cherished wilderness reserves. It is home to the Legacy Group lodges in the Pilanesberg where season after season visitors can enjoy guided game drives in the late afternoon. The Pilanesberg has become a preferred spot with wildlife photographers because of the variety of game and the stunning settings.

PORT ST JOHNS

Port St Johns is a village of legend on the Pondo side of the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape. It is also one of the highlights on any international backpacker’s world itinerary because of its natural setting and atmosphere of adventure. Situated on the Umzimvubu River, which is Xhosa for ‘hippo’, the famed Gates of St Johns, Mounts Thesiger and Sullivan flanks either side of the river. The great beaches, excellent fishing and a pleasant atmosphere have made this coastal village a hotspot for young tourists looking for an adventure on the wild side of Africa.

ROBBEN ISLAND

A short cruise from Cape Town's V&A Waterfront by ferry, this legendary island is a must-see on any newcomer's itinerary. This is where Nelson Mandela and his comrades were imprisoned for decades during the Apartheid era. Former inmates will take you on an insightful tour of the prison grounds. This historical island is now a World Heritage Site and a proclaimed nature conservation area.

SOWETO

Just South of Johannesburg lays Soweto - the largest of South Africa's “townships”. This vibrant city is home to some 2 million people and a number of historical sights. A typical visit to Soweto includes a stop at a traditional shebeen (drinking hall), where you can savour local beer, food and hospitality, as well as a visit to the homes where Nobel laureates Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu once lived.

TABLE MOUNTAIN

No visit to Cape Town is complete without a trip up Table Mountain that offers some of South Africa's most breathtaking views. Take a guided walk on one of the many routes or simply ride the cable car to the top - it will be one of your lasting memories of SA.

VENDA ART ROUTE

South Africa is one of the few places in the world where you can meet at least four world-class artists in the a single day and all of them in Limpopo Province in the north of South Africa.

The Venda Art Route is best tackled from the base of the Shiluvari Lakeside Lodge on the shores of Albasini Dam, near the town of Makhado, previously known as Louis Trichardt. From here an organised guide to take you along the craft route where you can sleep in luxury and enjoy excellent meals laden with world-class craftworks.

WHALE WATCHING IN SOUTH AFRICA

From their feeding grounds of Antarctica, the Southern Right whales come to the warmer coast of South Africa to mate and calve. They arrive in winter and early spring and completely invade the Southern Cape coast, providing whale-watchers with spectacular displays of power and elegant water acrobatics. Since 1935, the law protects these whales. These gentle creatures of the deep draw excited crowds to marvel at their displays. Weighing about 60 tons, Southern Rights whales often come close to the shoreline, sometimes to within a few meters of the land.