Category Archives: South Africa

The Charms of Orange River, South Africa

Orange River is the longest river in South Africa. The charming river transcends boundaries and flows through Lesotho and Namibia to reach the Atlantic Ocean at Alexander Bay; its final destination.

The river flows through a vast region, which allows travellers to experience a wide variety of landscapes such as grand mountain ranges and spectacular waterfalls before gushing along to its final destination; the Atlantic Ocean at Alexander Bay.

Incredible Water Sports

The Orange River is a popular attraction for water sports aficionados as its offers wonderful opportunities for canoeing, river rafting, fly-fishing and more. As far as canoeing or rafting is concerned, the rapids of the river are so diverse that they can be a challenge even for seasoned rafters, and at the same time be so flat and calm that one feels comfortable and relaxed.

Exhilarating Camping Experiences

Apart from the water sports adventures, one may also go camping to the nearby Richtersveldt Desert. For more thrilling outdoor activities, join a guided tour. These guided tours include camping and sleeping under the stars, amidst unknown, rocky terrain, for several nights near the river and soaking in the natural surrounds at daytime. The river’s banks make for exciting camping destinations as it passes through spectacular terrain encompassing craggy hills and lush forests.

Unforgettable River Guides

Take the services of one of the many skilled tour operators, who can provide qualified and safe river guides after deciding upon a good point to start your journey. The adventures packages offered by the guides can be as short as a day to as long as around a week. The guided trips can be made via a canoe or a raft, with a raft being a better alternative for new travellers.

Where to Begin Your Journey

Travellers can start their journey from the Augrabies Falls National Park, which is a national park around the Augrabies Falls; one of the two waterfalls on the Orange River. The national park is a two hour drive from Upington Airport. There are plenty of other good locations as well for canoeing, rafting, and camping. These include Richtersveld Transfrontier Park and several other places in Namibia.

Top Wine Estates in and around Stellenbosch, South Africa

Stellenbosch has one of the best wine estates in South Africa and it would require an entire handbook to list down all of them. When you come to Stellenbosch you’ll find an overwhelming variety of high-quality wine flavours.

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So if you are a wine lover with a passion for tasting majestic reds and unusual whites, here are some of the best wine estates that you must visit in Stellenbosch.

Jordan Wine Estate

Jordan Wine Estate is well-known for its high quality, yet affordable red and white wines. The Jordan family has been producing wines in Stellenbosch for over 16 years. One of their most famous products is the Bordeaux Blend Cobblers Hill, which offers reserved, mint and berry aromas with ripe berry fruit.

Ken Forrester Wines

Ken Forrester’s winery farmhouse story started in the 17th century. Forrester’s offers different fine wines, including the three highly renowned signature wines – the Chenin Blancs, including the unmatched FMC Chenin, Merlot and Shiraz and a divine Rhone style blend produced from Grenache and Shiraz. The Forrester’s Wine farm is located in the Helderberg Range. One can enjoy beautiful scenic views and great food at their family restaurant.

Meerlust

Meerlust wine farm is located in a cooler part of the Stellenbosch zone.  It is well renowned for the classiness and elegance of both its red and white wines. The Bordeaux blend Rubicon was one of the first to appear in the region and has become a world-wide sensation. The estate is spread over 400 hectares of vineyards. The most recommended Reds are the supple and elegant Pinot Noir and Merlot.

Rustenberg

The Rustenberg Wine Estate has a new cellar and building with a tasting room, located near the town of Stellenbosch. The estate is run by the Barlow family. Some of their famous prize wines are the John X Merriman Bordeaux blend, Merlot and Peter Barlow Cabernet Sauvignon.

Please Note: One must check the complete information before visiting the wine estates. Some owners like to welcome guests after prior appointment. You may also get in touch with local estate agents.

Pack your Bags for Splashy Fen Music Festival 2016, South Africa!

Location

Named after the farm, which is also the venue for the festival, Splashy Fen brings music lovers together for 5 days of music and a lot of fun.

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The beautiful views of mountains, fantastic acoustics, and large fields that are used for camping and natural amphitheatres make Splashy Fen one of the most awaited annual festivals of South Africa. The farm is located in Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal.

History

Since 1990, when Splashy Fen started, the festival has evolved into one of the top music festivals in South Africa. The event is attended by thousands of revellers and music lovers from all around the globe. The festival is now considered as the ‘ultimate outdoor experience’. It is the brainchild of Bart Fokkens and late Peter Ferraz. The idea was born when they were having dinner with wine.

What’s in Store?

On the weekend of Easter 2016 (from 23rd to 27th March), Splashy Fen is going to host the annual comeback of the longest running music festival in South Africa. After all, it has turned 26 now! This year’s line up includes The Kickstands, Chico Muya, Dan Patlansky and Friends, Goodluck, Grassy Spark, Mango Groove and Xavier Rudd among others. The festival has also brought many new aspects in the game to ensure that fun multiplies sevenfold for the participants as well as the guests.

Check out some delightful facts on the festival.

  • This year, the line-up is going to be diverse, and will ensure some of the best quality of beats and grooves.
  • The festival is value for money with tickets being pretty affordable.
  • The festival will encourage a positive social and community response from the local community and the artists.
  • This year, the layout of the venue has been changed to provide a fresh new feel to the festival. However, best things have been kept intact.
  • The security and safety measures have been increased to ensure a safe and secure atmosphere.
  • There are going to be FIVE stages this year which makes the festival more musical, more magical.
  • There will be better facilities to ensure smoother access to the festival.
  • Camping facilities have been improved to ensure a convenient stay.

Apart from these aspects, facilities like supervised kids’ entertainment centres, an attractive full craft market and quality food and bar services with beer gardens have also been provided.

Exciting Things to do in Franschhoek apart from Wine-tasting

Franschhoek, fondly known as South Africa’s gourmet capital is one of the best places in the country when it comes to food and wine.

Franschhoek

Franschhoek by South African Tourism/ CC BY

Connoisseurs from all around the world specifically come here to sample some of the rare and exquisite vintages from the cellars. However, besides wine, Franschhoek has many other claims to fame. After all, one does not go on a long-haul holiday to the destination to merely drink wine. Come, take a sneak peek into some of the other fun-filled things you can do here.

Dropping into a ‘pop-up’ shop

‘Pop-ups’ are temporary makeshift restaurants, shops and bars that are usually set up when a nearby establishment is closed down for renovations. Not much is spent on the interiors or décor but many of these pop-ups have a quirky specialty. For instance, at Bacon pop-up Bar, everything food has bacon in it. Even the brownies have small crispy bits of bacon and the taste is surprisingly good! Most of the people choose these pop-up Bars for excellent food at affordable prices. Pop-up bars are perfect for a light lunch.

Merrymaking at Franschhoek Station Pub and Grill

The Franschhoek Station Pub and Grill, is one of the most popular haunts among the locals. Situated in a bucolic train station made of stone, the pub not just serves excellent beer and meat off the grill, it also looks aesthetically appealing. The Franschhoek Station Pub and Grill is also famous for its traditional country pub fair. If you have toddlers along, they will find the monkey bars and jumping castle outdoors, quite engaging. Weekends are especially gala!

Learning about Cars

If you love cars, especially vintage cars, the Franschhoek Motor Museum is the place for you. In fact, even if you don’t have an opinion about cars, coming here would make you fall in love with the history of the motorcar. You will find interesting information dating back to vintage cars from the early part of the 1900s to the ultra modern sports and racing cars. Situated at L’Ormarins, the Franschhoek Motor Museum showcases about 80 cars from a collection of more than 300 famous cars. You will need to pay a minimal fee for the entry tickets. However, the price is worth every penny!

The Irresistible Charms of East London

It is said that anyone with a vivid imagination should definitely visit South Africa. Its history, landscapes, culture seem to all but speak to the visitor.

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East London is a city in the south eastern coast of Eastern Cape province in South Africa. The beautiful city lies on the Indian Ocean coast, between the two rivers namely, Buffalo River and the Nahoon River. We have listed down the top attractions of this ‘wild’ province.

THE WILD COAST

The strip of this dramatic coastline is an untamed wilderness offering incredible views of jagged cliffs, sheltered bays, beautiful beaches and rolling hills and valleys. This place can be enjoyed on horseback and is sheer bliss for hikers. Water activities like diving and snorkeling are the highlights of the destination and offer a spectacular under water experience.

ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK3

Addo Elephant National park is rated as the third largest reserve in South Africa for its incredibly wide diversity of wildlife and vegetation. It’s home to buffalos, leopards, lions, rhinos, white sharks, southern white whales and is especially famed as a place where one can see gigantic elephants up close. The rarely spotted dung beetles are an unusual attraction here. The park is also known for its hiking trails. More adventurous visitors may want to explore the place on horseback.

SHAMWARI GAME RESERVE

Shamwari is a private game reserve which has been voted as the best conservation company for 10 consecutive years. For an outing with the family, there is perhaps no better destination for Safari than ‘Shamwari’. Special programs for kids are also available here. After admiring magnificent wildlife, you can pamper yourself with luxurious spas there and treat your eyes to the sunset at the beach behind the reserve.

GRAHAMSTOWN NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

Grahamstown National Arts Festival is South Africa’s largest and most vibrant cultural event. It beckons hordes of people. In fact, the population of Grahamstown almost doubles every year for eleven days in the month of June/July. Over 50,000 people flock here to experience South Africa’s celebrated cuisines, and music, theatre, crafts, art and sheer amusement.

Colourful Festivals in South Africa!

South Africa is a country that mesmerizes travellers from the word go. In fact, most people who holiday here only have great things to say about the destination.

Capetown

While its diverse cultures, beautiful beaches, and scenic mountains are the top draws, the nation also stands apart due to its excellent festive scene. From Cape Town to Johannesburg, every city plays host to a number of big festivals. As they say, South Africans just love to get together for a cause, and more often than not that cause is celebration. Especially the months November and December see many big events and festivals taking place, some of which we have listed here.

Ficksburg Cherry Festival – November

Surprisingly one of South Africa’s biggest festivals takes place in a small town named Ficksburg. The festival celebrates the high revenue grossing cherry crop. Ficksburg Cherry Festival is more than 45 years old, and is attended by more than 20,000 people annually. From tasting cherry wine, eating exotic varieties of cherry to watching Friesian horse performances, there is a lot to enjoy here. The festival is all the more popular amongst music buffs.

Old Mutual Kirstenbosch Summer Concerts – November

Before Facebook was born there was a festival that got old friends together quite successfully. All you had to do was attend the Old Mutual Kirstenbosch Summer Concert at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, a festival that celebrates the reunion of old friends and colleagues. With live performances by major bands, delicious meals at the lawn, and plenty of nostalgic moments to discuss, this is certainly one of the most innovative festivals in South Africa.

Rustler’s Valley New Year’s Gathering – December

A rocking festival before the New Year celebrations begin, ‘Rustler’s Valley New Year’s Gathering’ is held every year in Eastern Free State. The festival features a line up of dances, drumming performances, and great food for the spectators. To top it all, the astounding view of the Maluti Mountains certainly adds beauty to the whole experience. One of the most lively festivals, you just have to attend it for sure.

Top 3 Places to Visit in South Africa for Honeymooners

Booking tickets for South Africa for your honeymoon will be one of the best decisions of your life as you are sure to collect lifelong memories here.

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With its exotic and tranquil locations as well as lots of scope for adventurous activities, you can choose between a quiet honeymoon and an adventurous one!  Here is our pick of the top 3 honeymooning destinations in South Africa.

Hazyview, Mpumalanga

For the honeymooners who love adventure, Hazyview in Mpumalunga offers a wide selection of activities. Hazyview lies in the Kruger Lowveld region of Mpumalanga amidst the fruit orchards and is near to Kruger National park. You can enjoy aerial cable trailing, abseiling and tubing, horse-riding next to the Sabie River, a trip to the elephant sanctuary and an early morning hot air balloon ride to enjoy the most spectacular views with your partner.

Thanda, KZN

Thanda Private Game Reserve is a safari lodge situated in KwaZulu-Natal. It is a five star lodge with the best of amenities to make your honeymoon memorable. Thanda in Zulu means to admire or love. So, you may well know that the lodge is a perfect romantic destination for newlyweds.  The lodge has 9 private suites overlooking the game reserve. There is also a rim flow pool where you can enjoy delicious candlelight dinners and a spa to pamper you and your partner. But that’s not all; you can also go on the fascinating ‘Big-Five’ safari.  Thanda Private game reserve sure is the perfect blend of luxury and adventure.

Umhlanga, KZN

With colonial appeal, lush gardens and brilliant service, the Oyster Box, located in Umhalanga Rocks is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in South Africa. The rooms of the hotel are lavish and luxurious with rose petal turndown service, a bottle of select wine and robes with your personal monograms. You can relax beside the two luxurious outdoor swimming pools offering stunning views of the Indian Ocean. You can also choose to take a day off from sightseeing to enjoy a relaxing massage in one of the six service rooms of the hotel’s spa. Also treat your taste buds to freshly caught seafood and the delicious curries from nearby Durban.

Hermanus Whale Festival – Welcoming the Whales

The Hermanus Whale Festival is the only Enviro-Arts extravaganza in South Africa. This event is held every year to welcome the return of the Southern Right whales to the Walker Bay and the arrival of spring. The festival will be celebrated from 2nd to 4th October, 2015 and this year will mark its 24th anniversary.

Origin of the Hermanus Whale Festival

Situated in the extreme South of Africa, Hermanus offers a front-row view of the Cape Whale Route and is known as the best land based whale watching destination in the world. During the season of migration, it plays host to thousands of visitors who climb cliffs to spot the endangered southern right whales. The event was started to make the cliff-top viewing a formal affair and a whale crier was put in place. The world-famous whale-crier of Hermanus blasts out different sequences of long and short notes from his kelp horn to alert eager whale-watchers about the presence of whales.

Celebrations of the Fest

The whales are the star performers and overshadow the musicians, sports celebrities and thousands of visitors. The Hermanus Whale Festival is a fantastic opportunity to learn about these mysterious beasts of the deep seas. The biggest highlight is the Welcome Whale Wave Walk. For this activity about 5000 people create a 5km long human chain to welcome the whales. This festival is one of its kind and also among the most enthusiastically celebrated events in Africa.

Main attractions at the event

You can exhilarate in the unique natural environment, watch the magnificent whales, participate in the world’s only Welcome Whales Wave Walk, and enjoy music, comedy shows, cabaret performances, and African rhythms every night during the festival. However, apart from that you will get to see a variety of eco-marine displays and educational shows by environmental researchers. Furthermore, you will also spot attractions like vibrant craft markets, wine and beer tents, sound systems for bands, DJs, music arts, magic shows, art classes, vintage car shows, and sports events like bike races, and marathons.

Enjoy a Tour of the Newtown Cultural Precinct, Johannesburg

The Newtown Cultural Precinct, located in the heart of the bustling city of Johannesburg, has become the cultural hub of the destination.

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Newtown wasn’t always as vibrant and charming. It was in a dilapidated state some years ago. However, Johannesburg Metropolitan started making improvements and revived the area by implementing the iGoli 2000 programme. The goal was to turn Newtown into the creative capital of the city and the efforts seem to have paid off. Today, renowned art galleries, cosy coffee shops, restaurants, and many other tourist trappings dot Newtown Cultural Precinct.

Newtown definitely has a unique, colourful character of its own. Take a look.

A Festive Atmosphere

The culturally and ethnically diverse people here celebrate festivals from all around the world with great pomp and show. From the splendid fireworks during Diwali to the huge fire-breathing dragons during Chinese New Year and from Queen’s samba on the Nelson Mandela Bridge during Gay Pride to the merry festivities of the Joy and Jazz Festival of Newtown – every festival here is celebrated with great passion! Some of the other exciting festivals hosted here include SA Fashion Week, the Africa Day, Arts Alive, and the Dance Umbrella.

Places of Interest

Newtown is full of art galleries, museums, live music venues, restaurants and bars. Some of the famous landmarks of Newtown Cultural Precinct are the Market Theatre, Museum Africa, and Gramadoelas Restaurant. These culturally diverse spots have been infused together to form a multicultural enclave. Other popular places here are SAB World of Beer, Sci-Bono Discovery Centre and the Oriental Plaza.

A Warm Welcoming Vibe

You will definitely feel the friendly vibe of acceptance and harmony here. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that Newtown Cultural Precinct follows a colour-blind approach towards race. After all, right since the middle of the twentieth century, Newtown has been the place of refuge for artists, rebels, revolutionary leaders, musicians, dancers and poets, who expressed their sentiments through various arts during the Apartheid.

Arts Alive International Festival – The Annual Celebration of the Artistic Side of Johannesburg

A fabulous arts scene has always been a key draw among travellers visiting Johannesburg. Every year, this South African metropolis hosts the Arts Alive International Festival to celebrate its rich arts and culture.

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The 2015 edition of this annual festival is scheduled from 31st August to 10th September. During these 10 days, you can enjoy music and dance shows, theatre plays and an array of performing arts at various venues across Johannesburg. Let’s check out a few highlights of Arts Alive International Festival 2015.

Jazz on the Lake

This is probably the most popular event of Arts Alive International Festival. Set to commence on 31st August, Jazz on the Lake will feature notable jazz artists such as The Soil, Johnny Clegg, Remna Schwarz and Vidya Shah. You can enjoy soulful jazz performances at the serene Zoo Lake between 11am and 5pm.

Maboneng Township Arts Experience

This event is a national public arts initiative where homes in Maboneng are used as galleries. Numerous artists use these galleries to create graffiti, murals and paintings. The 2-day event will start on 05th September and you can buy tickets online or at the designated tuck shop.

Shared History

Theatre enthusiasts looking for a light comedy can buy tickets for this show which represents an incredible piece of South African-Indian comedy. Jailoshini Naidoo is going to host this show at Joburg Theatre on 04th September at 8pm.

7 Pillars

Created by choreographer and dancer Luyanda Sidiya, 7 pillars is a moving dance piece that represents democracy. Sidiya choreographed this performance to explain the concept of freedom and democracy in a unique way. Wits Theatre is the venue to enjoy this thought-provoking dance on 04th and 05th September.

3 Perfect Couples

Enjoy the funny side of married life at this comedy-drama in which three couples deal with their insecurities, hopes and expectations. Thusong Youth Centre will host this rib-tickling art piece on 06th September. You can buy the tickets on the official website of Arts Alive International Festival.