2010 WORLD CUP - SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 11 - JULY 11

Courtesy of Lanz Von Horsten

South Africa

South Africa with its 45 million population, 11 official languages, and 9 provinces, is an unforgettable sensory treat - a land of lively rhythms, fascinating tribal cultures,  tantalizing cuisine with award winning wines, adrenaline pumping adventure.…and the most gorgeous vistas on earth.  Host of the World Cup June 11 – July 11, 2010.  Its cities have the vibrancy of Rio and New York.  Its people, warm and welcoming.  Here the seasons are reversed.

Unbridled Variety

South Africa offers incredible hiking, safaris tracking South African wild animals notably the Big 5:  lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard, rhinoceros.   South Africa is noted for its undulating wine country, and two world renowned rail journeys:  the Blue Train and Rovos Rail.  Soak in your tub on the Blue Train as you sip champagne.  Hike the Dolphin Trail in comfort carrying only your day pack.  Journey back in time at Pilgrim’s Rest.  Meet the heroes of the road to democracy from Apartheid in South Africa and hear their stories at the Apartheid Museum.  Walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela.  Learn about Mrs. Pies.  Explore Blyde Canyon, the third largest gorge in the world.  Visit the Kimberley Big Hole.  Watch the antics of waddling Jackass penguins at Boulders Beach.  Ride the waves at Sun City.  Relax in your 5-star spa as your masseuse kneads your tired muscles.  Witness a Big White breach.  Or a leopard kill.

Wine and Dine

L’ermitage in Franschhoek

Food & Wine has touted South Africa’s wine country as the world’s “most beautiful wine country.”  Tour one of 13 wine routes in the Western Cape region, whether on a short half-day trip out of Cape Town or by taking a week or more to visit scores of vineyards and fine-dining establishments.  Be sure to request a table with a view of the vineyards.   Meander through Stellenbosch, thirty-five minutes from Cape Town, a charming oak tree-lined college town with close to 100 wine estates nearby.  In Franschhoek, about an hour from Cape Town, sip exquisite South African shiraz and dine on South Africa traditional foods at any of a variety of inns and wineries.  This is the gourmet capital of the winelands.

If you are a dedicated connoisseur, be sure to time your visit to coincide with one of three Good Food and Wine Shows held annually in Cape Town (mid-May), Durban (late September) and Gauteng (early November).

Entertainment and Music Festivals

Courtesy of Diana Schneider

Tap your feet to the beat!  In Joburg’s Newtown Music Center, spend an evening at
a jazz or dance club.  Head to Melville for alfresco cafes and music scenes for the younger hip set.  Seeking a more upscale experience?  Then choose Melrose Arch, home to hot dance spots, international restaurants, and sidewalk cafes.  Sandton and Rosebank, too, are awash with fabulous nightspots and wine bars.

In South Africa even your take-out tastes better as you dine al fresco on the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront serenaded by a local band.

At the Grahamstown National Arts Festival held every June and July, enjoy award winning South Africa dance performances; listen to all kinds of music:  classical, gospel, jazz, avant-garde. Celebrate Afrikaans music, culture and language at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival held every April in Oudtshoorn.  The Cape Town International Jazz Festival held in March or April features an all-star line up of top international and African performers. 

Culture in South Africa

Meeting South Africa’s people will be one of the most rewarding experiences of your visit.  Tour the townships, join in local festivals, visit cultural villages.   Discover and learn South Africa history when you gain insight into the turbulent past and ultimate victory of the human spirit over adversity.  The District Six Museum is a tribute to the once vibrant mixed-race community of 60,000 people including many artists and musicians forced to relocate during apartheid. 

Be certain to include a visit to Soweto, home to Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  Make sure your tour includes a stop at the Regina Mundi Church, renowned for defying the government during the township uprising.  

Cango Caves Courtesy of Hein Von Horsten

After visiting the Mandela Family Museum on Vilakazi Street, stop in at Sakhumzi’s to sample South African traditional foods.

Adventure

Do you long for adrenalin pumping adventure?   In South Africa you can:  Sandboard.  Scuba.  Surf.  Raft.  Windsurf.  Sail.  Paraglide.  Cave.  Hang glide.  Treetop.  Abseil.  Bungy.  Horseback ride.   Elephant or horseback safari.  Quad bike.  Canoe.  Balloon.  Hike.  Deep sea fish.  Shark dive!

Family Fun

Xhosa family Courtesy of Heinz Von Horsten

Have fun through your children’s eyes.  Learn the traditions of a Xhosa, Zulu, Pedi, or Basotho family at the Lesedi Cultural Village.  Journey below in a miners’ cage at Gold Reef City.  Meander and skip through the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.  Picnic at an open-air concert.  Treat your child to her first “grown-up” spa treatment.  Sign your child up for a “children’s only” safari.  Reserve the land rover for your exclusive private ranger guided family safari.  Ride the carousel.  Applaud as your child graduates as a mini-game ranger.  Canoe.  Take the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour with your older children.  Scream with delight as you race to the bottom on the water slide or bob along on brightly coloured inner tubes on the Sacred River Ride in Sun City.

In South Africa:

• Treetop Dining Courtesy of Diana Schneider

  View the Big 7 up close and personal
• Marvel at San Bushmen cave paintings
• Visit the Cradle of Humankind with an anthropologist
• Walk in the Footsteps of Nelson Mandela
• Dine on bobotie at your treetop table
• Visit the Apartheid Museum
• Relax in sybaritic elegance onboard the opulent Blue train
• Hike the Blyde River Canyon Trail
• Chat with a local vintner as you sip South Africa’s award winning wines in Constantia, Franschoek, Paarl, or Stellenbosch
• Revitalize your mind and your spirit with a stay at a world-class South Africa spa
  or wellness retreat

Meet a new friend Courtesy of Diana Schneider

When the day winds to a close, where will you be?  At a charming B&B?  A prestigious golf resort?  Game Lodge?  On board the luxurious Rovos Rail or the Blue Train?  At a manor house in the wine country?  Luxuriating in the sumptuous surroundings of a five-star spa?  The choice is yours.

Plan now to visit South Africa.  See for yourself why South Africa has earned the title of “A World in One Country” and why so many visit South Africa again and again.

Call us at 718 858 4239 
to discuss and plan your visit to South Africa