|
|
Sightseeing in South Africa |
 You never understood why somebody would call a place God’s Window, until you go there yourself. The view of stretches and stretches of pine trees, criss-crossed by winding dirt roads, grassy hill after grassy hill, make one understand why this piece of land in the heart of Mpumalanga province had such a godly name.
- To borrow from celebrated South African author Alan Paton’s ravings about the Kwa-Zulu-Natal’s Valley of the Umzimkulu, ‘the beauty of this land is beyond any singing of it.’
- The Long Tom Pass, in the Mpumlanga highveld, is one of such scenic routes, ascending almost 2000 metres above sea-level in winding zig-zags. It is in this area that you find such wonders as the Three Rondavels, God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and Blyde River Canyon among others.
- And then there is the Midlands Meander in KwaZulu-Natal province, the land of wide gorges, tumbling waterfalls and rivers that roar like the lion, the king of the African jungle. The Midlands Meander is also home to the world acclaimed Drakensberg Mountains, which the local people call Ukhahlamba. It is also a fly fisher and mountaineer’s haven with high quality hotels and game lodges.
- KwaZulu-Natal is also home to The Valley of a Thousand Hills - a photographer’s paradise that stretches as far as the eye can see, dotted with Zulu huts and an atmosphere of rural tranquility.
- Up in the heat of the Limpopo Province, you find the archeological treasure of Mapungubwe, where a great African kingdom that traded in gold and iron thrived hundreds of centuries ago. Mapungubwe lies north west of another great wonder of the north, the mythical Lake Fundudzi of Venda, where legend has it that a giant serpent resides in the waters where the Venda people perform sacred rituals.
- Down from Venda, in the towering mountains of Mokopane lies the Makapansgat Caves, where bloody battles between Voortrekker and African were waged centuries ago, and also where early man is said to have lived.
- And then down in Gauteng, the place of gold, South Africa’s economic capital, natural beauty and wonders survive cheek and jowl with the mass industrialization and big business. Struggle sites are a major attraction in this province. The Cradle of Humankind, Sterkfontein Caves, is situated in this province along the picturesque Magalies Meander Route.
- Haak! Vrystaat! That’s what they call the Free State province, the land of wide, open skies and flat landscapes, home to the city of roses, Bloemfontein, Mangaung and the Golden Gate National Park.
- And down in the Cape, the picturesque Garden Route, is no doubt one of the more beautiful places in the country. Here you’ll find gorgeous rocky outcrops, spectacular beaches, indigenous forests and a whole lot of bonhomie.
South Africa, Mzansi, the place to visit when you want to see the beauty of nature and absorb the rich culture and history. Need we say more?
Links:
|
|
|
|
|
|