There are many reasons to want to travel to and around South Africa. The stunning natural beauty, the many things to do in the bustling metropolis, our big game and so much more. And some incredible experiences that are quite unique to our part of the world, too. Experiences that you won’t easily find elsewhere.
Here are five of those experiences:
Climb one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of Nature
By definition, you can see six other Wonders of Nature, of course. But Table Mountain, with its flat top beauty, is in the middle of a bustling city, whereas the rest of the New7Wonders all require a bit of a trip to get to. Halong Bay in Vietnam, for example, requires a boat cruise in order to really appreciate the stunning area. The incredible Iguazu Falls in Brazil also requires some careful planning. You can access it from Buenos Aires in Argentina or from Rio de Janeiro.
From either of these cities you would then need to fly or take a bus to Iguazu, and then drive to see the falls. Table Mountain, on the other hand, is accessible to almost anyone staying in or visiting Cape Town and can be viewed without much effort at all. Getting to the top will require booking tickets for the cable car – which offers spectacular views of both the mountain and the city below – or hiking up the mountain, the latter of which is free.
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Experience the Big Seven all in one place
You’ve heard of the Big Five – the lion, leopard, black rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo. These can be seen in a number of different parts of Africa, including right here in the Western Cape.
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Have the best whale watching experience
This one is a bit cheeky as you can whale watch from a lot of places around the world, but the best viewing is definitely in South Africa. Many whale pods swim through and past our waters during their mating seasons. As mentioned before, Hermanus offers some incredible whale-watching opportunities and has an entire whale festival dedicated to these sea creatures – a great way to entice visitors to the area.
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Check out the penguins
They’re cute and clad in their funkiest black and white tuxedos! Visiting the penguin colony at Boulders Beach is a must for anyone exploring Cape Town for the first time. Just when would you have another opportunity to get up close and personal with these adorable, waddling cuties? Don’t forget your swim trunks or bikini as this gorgeous little oasis is the perfect spot to escape the heat of the African sun and swim with African penguins – does it get any better? Along with your swimming costume, don’t forget to bring your SA ID with entry onto this beach priced at R40 per adult and R20 per child.
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While this may not be in the Western Cape, it’s still something that needs to be added to your bucket list. One of Africa’s first commercial 360 cinemas opened in the heart of the iconic Kruger National Park at the Kruger Station last year.
The KRUGER 360 Cinema is built like a cylinder with a 360 wrap-around screen inside that gives guests an immersive viewing experience, no matter which way they are facing.
Viewers will sit on chairs that swivel and rotate in order to give them the full 360 experience. Movies screened at the cinema run during the operational hours of the Kruger Station and focus on conservation stories. It’s a special experience as you would be very hard-pressed to find such a high-tech entertainment experience in another safari location or nature reserve.
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