Southern Africa Information
- Consider the remarkable qualities of this region :
- A new , dynamic Democracy
3 000 km coastline with breathtaking lagoons, estuaries, rea’s, peninsulas, a tropical current on one side and icey current on the other side and a wealth of sea life, including whales, sharks and coral reefs.
The majority of Earth’s plant biomes .
Environmental diversity starting at sea level and streching up to 3 400m in the snowy peaks of the majestic Drakensberg.
An accessible Wildlife paradise with several records of nature, like both the largest land and sea mammals, biggest tree circumference and many more, in a variety of game Wildernesses.
The Cradle of Humankind , boasting hominid fossils 2,5 million years old near Johannesbrug, Table Mountain in Cape Town, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe/ Zambia, the Namib Desert in Namibia, the Kalahari , Namakwaland Flowers, Okavango Delta in Botswana, tropical beaches of Mozambique, Coastal Dunes of Kwazulu-Natal , Lesotho , the Kingdom in the Sky and bastions of the Freedom Struggle in Johannesburg, to name just a few famed landmarks/ destinations.
Fertile soil, feeding almost all types of agriculture imaginable .
Wealth upon wealth of minerals . South Africa has the biggest known recourses of Gold, Platinum and Iron in the world.
Cultural custom & tradition as old as mankind. The rainbow nation prouds itself in its 11 official languages, each with own special character and history, spiritual inheritance and fascinating rituals.
A climate to die for ! Most of the region experiences Summer rainfall and moderate Winter, bliss for anyone from a cold and/or rainy climate.Yes, Southern Africa rocks ! No place else can equal our opportunities for the Special Interest Traveller, craving to feed his/ her passion !
- Examples of these are :
- Photographic Interest : Southern Africa has more good weather days than most countries. Photograph people of all colours & creed (they usually don’t mind nor charge), close encounters with wildlife, picturesque wilderness scenery, classic & character African living, mountain vistas, lush & dry in the same season, huge rural & urban territories, dramatic ocean meets land, underwater, desert & semi- desert, and dense forest.
Adventure/ Adrenaline Interest : With Victoria Falls, Cape Town, the Garden Route, Mpumalanga escarpment, Kwazulu- Natal and Namibia as the Adrenaline Hubs, we cover from Abseiling to Zip Line and all in between, like White water Rafting, Scuba, Adventure Cycling, Bungee (highest in the world), Gorge Swing, Kite Boarding and ample more !
Safari : Southern Africa offers Wild; Southern Africa offers Tame (for the lazy click- awayers). With a variety of wildernesses, SA guarantees to keep the Safari traveller in awe, no matter what the medium, whether Open Vehicle, on Foot, Mountain Bicycle, Horse back, in Makoro or in a Hot Air Balloon. Visit Kruger National Park, the Kalahari, Etosha, the Okavango, Hluhluwe- Imfolozi, Addo and hundreds of private game concervancies across the whole expanse of Southern Africa, for sightings of the BIG 5 of Africa, plains animals, impressive numbers of bird species – a wildlife spectacle indeed !
Field trips/ youth : The immensely diverse geography and culture of the region provides substantial depth for field trips with an array of subjects. Infrastructure has no shortcomings to cater for these.
Spiritual : See ‘Sacred Wonders of Africa’ itinerary in the Special interest Tours section of this website. It tours an intensive spiritual experience and encompasses Tribal Legend, Dolphin Encounters, Sacred venues & rituals, Shamans and Sangomas (spritual healers) in mystical locations like Modjadji, Venda, Mozambique, the Drakensberg and Table Mountain, with many more on offer for special requesters. - See also: South African Tourism link at http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance
Southern Africa’s climate varies with the diversity of the various regions and environments – with comfortable temperatures throughout the year in most areas. Rainfall also varies: winter rainfall during the months of June to August in the Southern areas and summer rainfall during the months of December to February in the Northern areas, with subtropical rainfall in the southeastern areas.
South Africa has a population of forty million people, divided as follows:
Three quarters are black (African),
About 15% white (European)
And the remaining 10% comprised of people mixed white, Malayan and black decent and people of Asian (mostly Indian) descent. The African majority is composed of many different ethnic groups, the largest of which are Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, and Bapedi. Until very recently, the country’s tribal divisions were harshly enforced as part of the government’s official policy of Apartheid, or apartness. Apartheid was dismissed as a governing system in 1994 when the first true democratic election was held in South Africa. Since then, South Africa has prospered and political peace reigns. South Africa is currently the bastion of all African economies.