Discover South Africa

South Africa is the world's 25th-largest country, comparable in size to Colombia. The landscape varies throughout the country, from mountainous regions, open plains, dry grass savannah and thorn trees, sub tropical jungle, dense bush and misty mountain forests, to vast areas which bloom into a wonderland of flowers, and 'valleys of a thousand hills'.

Come along for the ride as we travel on a round trip through the provinces and experience the general look and feel of the landscape and climate.

From the desolate sands of the Kalahari desert in the Northern Cape we journey down through the Great Karoo in the summer heat, the endless grassy landscape and rocky, flat top mountain outcrops seem to inspire a feeling of timelessness that drifts into an African sunset.

Travelling up to the North West, we arrive at the 'platinum' province, where the climate is mostly warm to hot all year round. The terrain is rugged and the bush becomes more dense and suitable for larger wildlife in the area. En route to the  Limpopo  province we pass the quartzite cliffs, deep gullies and perennial waterfalls with crystal clear water - of a mountain range which is 100 times older than Mount Everest, the Magaliesberg.

The Limpopo lowveld can be as hot as 45°C during summer and is home to the giant ancient, 4000 year old Baobab trees. The province varies (as do most provinces in South Africa) in vegetation and landscape.  The mountainous areas of the  Waterberg, Blouberg and Soutpansberg provide spectacular scenery and a rewarding experience of wilderness country. One of the great rivers of Africa, the Limpopo, runs along the northern border providing a mix of bushveld, forest, open grassland and wetlands to the region.

Southeast of Limpopo lies the province of Mpumalanga the 'wild frontier'. The third deepest canyon in the world - the Motlatse (Blyde River Canyon), the breathtaking scenic splendour viewed from  'God's Window',  the extraordinary beauty of the Lowveld and escarpment, mountains, panoramic passes, valleys, rivers, waterfalls and forests, characterise the landscape known as 'Paradise Country'. This is... the bush done properly.

The province of Gauteng is hedged between the three northern provinces, and the Free State to its south. The climate, typical to most of the interior, is characterised by hot summers with late afternoon thunderstorms  and cold dry winters.  The countryside consists mainly of flat to undulating grassland and savannah, small bush and trees, and scattered wetlands, with 'koppies' (little hills), rocky outcrops and ridged areas, many of which have their own unique fauna and flora. This landscape changes dramatically as we journey southwards.

Nelson Mandela referred to it as "the landscape that gladdens my heart". Wide open spaces, rolling hills and endless crops waving in the breeze. Large rivers and many picturesque dams, including the deepest and  two  largest  in the country. Long roads that fade into the distance, and winding mountain passes. This is the 'bread basket' and heartland of South Africa - the Free State. Set on its eastern highlands are the massive, golden, colourful sandstone formations and ancient caves of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. Leaving the Free State with its hot summers, and winters with snow capped mountain peaks, we head for the kingdom of the Zulu and the 'surfer zone'.

The Drakensberg Mountains (Dragon Mountains), or as the Zulus call it 'uKhahlamba' (Barrier of Spears) are a 200-kilometre-long mountainous wonderland and world heritage site. From the top of the Van Reenen's  Pass  route  at 1646m  above sea level, and winding down the escarpment into KwaZulu Natal, the outlying Acacia trees, Aloes and surrounding foliage, become more prominent. The route takes us over high hills and steep valleys, surrounded by vibrant vistas and millions of hectares of forest plantations. On the final undulating descent to the coast, the average rise in temperature can be felt as we near the coastal area of hot summers and warm winters. Along the north coast, the landscape transforms into hillsides of endless sugar cane plantations, dense, evergreen sub tropical forest, mangrove-rich estuaries and numerous rivers which flow from the high lying inland regions, into the warm waters of the Indian ocean.

Crossing the Umtamvuna River we embark on a journey into a region of remarkable geological diversity as we enter the sunny Eastern Cape. Lagoons, wide clean endless sand beaches and the deep-blue sea  accompany us  along  the remote  and enchanted Wild Coast, with its steamy forests, and waterfalls that tumble into the ocean. Inland we encounter misty fern-covered mountain forests, with dense, entwined undergrowth, mossy ground and mighty Yellowwood trees interlaced with murmuring mountain streams and waterfalls. Venturing northwards,  through fertile,  softly undulating farmland and the 'wilderness' we find ourselves in the Frontier country with 'prehistoric' cycads growing in their natural environment. We continue on through the central plateau and low scrub vegetation, and the dry desolate, infinite  openness of the Great Karoo, where the silence is captivating. And finally the inhospitable Valley of Desolation, with its bizarre rock formations formed millions of years ago.

As we enter the Western Cape, the endless horizons and summer heat are unrelenting, and the ancient, fossil-rich land continues. Over 9000 species of plants, and the largest variety of succulents found anywhere on earth,  make this the richest  desert flora  region in the world. En route to the coast we pass the magnificent Swartberg Mountain Range with its own unique micro-climate and host to one of the most spectacular mountain passes in the world and one of the world's great natural wonders, the Cango Caves. As we head for Knysna the weather can change at any time while traversing the rich indigenous mountain forests of Outeniqua. Arriving at the lush Garden Route we now journey down to Cape Town accompanied by a lovely Mediterranean maritime climate. Summer brings clear blue skies and warm weather, and winter is the rainfall season.  Beautiful  green valleys, lakes, rivers, world renowned winelands and farms make up the landscape as we draw nearer to Table Mountain on the Cape peninsula, where the summer sun sets late in the evening.

On the last leg of our journey we go in search of the hidden gems of the Northern Cape. The route to the north takes us to 4x4 country, to rugged mountains, desert dunes and endless flatlands which seem to go on forever and into places which are almost devoid of people. We journey through pollution-free country which allows us to gaze at the starlit skies at night, whilst enveloped in the magical atmosphere of the Karoo. To the west lies the wild and lonely coastline and to the north flows the longest river in South Africa,  the mighty Orange River, known by the local people as the Gariep. Our destination lies along the western region of the province from Namaqualand to the Richtersveld. Countless poems,   novels,   paintings   and   prose   have  been   written   about   the phenomenon that takes place after winter. Nature shows us how to make a flower garden. The landscape with its strange looking Aloes such as the Halfmens (which looks like a tall thin alien with a muppet hairstyle),  is  transformed  into a spectacle of colour, in some places stretching to the horizon. Thousands of different colours and species of flowers spring up and 'carpet' the landscape, drawing people from all over the world to come and witness this extravagant spectacle.