The buffaloes roam in game reserves. So do other exotic and dangerous mammals, including elephants, leopards, lions and rhinos. Reserves and national parks are scattered across the country. "National Geographic Adventure" magazine calls Kruger National Park the best place to see those animals. Located on the northeast border with Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the park has an area of 7,580 miles. Explore yourself, or go with an expert park ranger.
Swimming with the sharks is more than an expression in South Africa. Tourists flock to Gansbaai on the southern tip to cage dive with sharks off Danger Point Peninsula. You'll enter a protective cage that goes 3 feet underwater. Great whites swim yards away. The less daring might choose to observe from a boat.
Whales can also be spotted off the nearby coastline. Old Harbour Museum in Hermanus celebrates the fishing industry and local maritime history.
The South African coastline stretches 1,739 miles. Beaches vary from remote areas to holiday resorts. On the east coast, people flock to Durban, on the Indian Ocean. The warm weather allows for winter swimming. (Visitors should note that South Africa's seasons are the opposite of the northern hemisphere.) Durban is also known for its nightlife, including the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World complex.
On the west coast, Cape Town has a series of beaches on the Atlantic Ocean that are ideal for sunbathers and surfers. The non-commercialized coastline is perfect for relaxing strolls, but unlike in Durban, the water is too cold for swimming.
You can't escape the issue of race in South Africa. From 1948 to 1994, the minority white population controlled the majority black population through apartheid, or legalized racial separation. The civil rights heroes are remembered with museums and memorials. The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg has moving exhibits and photos, including a room with 131 nooses dangling from the ceiling. The nooses symbolize the number of government opponents executed during apartheid.
Under apartheid, the government moved blacks, coloureds (people of mixed race) and Indians to ghettos called townships. The overcrowded areas suffered from high levels of poverty. Today, local residents give guided tours into townships for a look at genuine African culture. In Johannesburg's popular township of Soweto, you can sample traditional African dishes like mutton stew. Mandela's former home there is now a museum.
Whether your preference is red or white, South Africa's many wineries in the Western Cape are worth a visit. Along the way, you'll pass postcard-perfect mountains, streams and peaks. From 2004 to 2008, readers of "Wine" magazine named Vergelegen the country's best winery. Other famous wineries include Constantia, Paarl and Stellenbosch.
