DIY South Africa: 3 itineraries to get to know it

I could talk to you for hours about "my South Africa", but rest assured, I will try to be brief, concise and practical ?

You already know that I won't be able to be very objective, because South Africa is for me Africa, with all its well-defined colours, with wild animals living in freedom, but also with the fears that every trip to this continent draws in our minds, with the contradictions between peoples, with apartheid and all that it has generated.

Deciding on an itinerary for South Africa is not at all easy, because it depends on the time we have available, the period in which we are going, our desire for free safari or safari in Private Reserves.... as the motto says "South Africa: the world in one country", and indeed it is.

I have come up with 3 itineraries that can satisfy different needs, different timeframes, different desires, but which all have in common the fact that they will be able to see the real South Africa, the one that when you return home you miss so much, you can't even breathe, you just need to experience it again as soon as possible.

Itinerary 1 - South Africa of flowers and safaris

This itinerary takes you to the western part of the country, takes a minimum of 2 weeks and allows you to visit a little touristy but very fascinating part of the country. For me this is perhaps the most beautiful itinerary, the one that allows you to get in touch with nature and fill your eyes with the beauty of South Africa.

Ideal time: late August first half of September

Highlights: flower desert, ancient cities, safari in the Kgalagadi and Addo Elephant NP, San tribe

Costs: $$ - intercontinental flights excluded, 18 days for two people approx. 2000€ (approx. 1500€ 4×4 rental for 18 days with equipment, 2 nights in Cape Town 150€, 300€ for 16 nights camping)

Summary of main stages

✅ Arrival in Cape Town, visit of the Table Mountains and visit of the Boulders Beach penguin colony, then the spectacular Chapman's Peak and Cape Point for breathtaking views, finally the Winelands, in particular Stellenbosh and Franschhoek.

✅ the Garden Route, from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, a breathtakingly beautiful coastal stretch. The road skirts the Indian Ocean on one side and the Outeniqua Mountains on the other. You pass through forests, bright green fields and pristine beaches. A stop in the oyster paradise, Knysna, is not to be missed.

✅ A short diversions toAddo Elephant National Park, an animal lover's paradise. The park is not only home to elephants, but also to rhinos, buffaloes and lions, as well as sharks and whales in its marine reserve.

Interesting fact: Addo N.P. is one of the few parks in the world where the 'Big Seven' can be found.

✅ From Port Elizabeth we proceed north, the landscape changes, we say goodbye to the big animals and visit quaint villages with 'dutch' style houses. Among them, be sure to visit Graff Reinet, dating back to 1786 and one of the oldest towns in South Africa. Not far away, another picturesque town is Cradock, with the nearby Mount Zebra National Park. West of Graff Reinet begins one of South Africa's most amazing areas, the Karoo. This semi-desert area is home to some of the best early dinosaur fossils. They have estimated that about 80 per cent of the mammal fossils found to date have been found in the Karoo.

✅ Straight road to Upington, with stops at the Verneuk Pan Salt Lake (for the adrenaline junkies, this lake is famous for Cambell's 1929 speed record of 350 km/h and where many attempt the land speed record every year, sometimes even getting killed!) and the Witsand Nature Reserve, where you can play with high white sand dunes and wake up in the morning among springboks.

✅ Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park, or the park of peace, a park created by the union of the South African park with that of Botswana. The park is teeming with lions, giraffes, leopards and oryx. Every day here will be a wonderful surprise.

✅ Namaqualand, from savannah to flowery desert. It is here that between August and September the desert comes to life, becomes a garden of colourful flowers, incredibly perfectly shaped flowers... but only for a few days a year. (read more about this wonder of nature in the article South Africa: the flowers of Namaqualand, the lions of the Kgalagadi).

Itinerary 2 - Animal and Mountain South Africa

This itinerary is more traditional, with an emphasis on safaris and African landscapes.

Ideal period: all year round

Highlights: cosmopolitan cities Johannesburg and Durban, safaris in the swamps of St Lucia and the Kruger, mountains and Ndebele tribes

Costs: $ - excluding intercontinental flights, 15 days for two people approx. € 1600 (approx. € 1200 4×4 hire for 14 days with equipment, 2 nights in Jo'burg € 200, € 200 for 12 nights camping)

Summary of the main stages

✅ Johannesburg, very beautiful and attractive city, to be visited with a guide, especially the Soweto area.

✅ Pilanesberg National Park, a small park for a taste of safari. We liked it because of the absence of tourists and the abundance of animals, such as zebras, springbok and kudu.

✅ Middlenburg, a few kilometres from this town with an African flavour, is worth a diversion to the Botshabelo Nature Reserve, not only for the rhinos found there, but because there is a beautiful Mission where you can see Ndebele houses and artefacts. The Ndebele tribe is famous for the mural painting of their houses: large geometric stripes in bright colours, outlined in black.

✅ Dullstroom, finding yourself in the mountains in South Africa. That is the feeling you get when you arrive here. Tall dark green pines, deep blue lakes and wooden houses with red balconies. And who would ever say they are in Africa? Incredible landscape not to be missed.

From the Kruger Park to the ocean coast

✅ Phalaborwa is the entrance to the northern part of the Kruger. Although most of the roads are now paved, it remains an animal sanctuary. To enjoy the park at its best, take the dirt roads to the right and left, so as to immerse yourself in the smells and sounds of the savannah.

✅Skukuza, southern part of the Kruger, near one of South Africa's most famous private reserves, Sabi Sand.

✅ iSimangaliso Wetland Park, north of St Lucia, is Africa's largest estuary and one of the world's premier sanctuaries for hippos and elephants. It is one of the few parks where hippos, crocodiles and sharks can be seen together.

✅ Durban, one of the most famous seaside areas in South Africa. Its kilometre-long coastline and consistently mild climate have dubbed it the Surf City, and once you are there you will fully understand why. Of the various beach resorts near Durban, we really liked the resort of Ballito.

✅ Drakensberg, Dragon Mountains. Along the road to the north, these mountains can be seen on the left. These are the highest mountains in South Africa, and it is one of the most amazing parts of the country, with rock faces, jagged peaks and greenery as far as the eye can see.

✅ Bloemfontein, the judicial capital of South Africa. Bloem, also called 'City of Roses', although a large city, is easily visited on foot. On the way to Bloem, don't miss the charming village of Ladysmith, as delicate as the jacaranda flowers that colour the town purple.

Itinerary 3 - Concentrated South Africa

Ideal period: all year round

Highlights: South Africa's major cities, safaris in the Kgalagadi and Kruger, flight connections

Costs: $$ intercontinental flights excluded, 16/18 days for two people approx. 3300€ (approx. 1600€ 4×4 rental for 14 days with equipment, 1 night in Jo'burg 160€ + 1 night in CapeTown 160€, 250€ for 14 nights camping, internal flights approx. 1100€)

Summary of main stages:

✅Cape Town, a visit to the Table Mountains and a visit to the Boulders Beach Penguin colony, then the spectacular Chapman's Peak and Cape Point for breathtaking views, finally the Winelands wine area, in particular Stellenbosh and Franschhoek.

✅by car along the Garden Route, a journey into a softly coloured Africa with stormy coastlines and deep green forests.

✅Short diversionsto theAddo Elephant National Park, an animal lover's paradise. The park is not only home to elephants, but also to rhinos, buffaloes and lions, as well as sharks and whales in its marine rise. This makes it one of the few parks in the world where the 'Big Seven' can be found (minimum 4 days).

✅ FromPorth Elizabeth, flight to Upington, from here on a 4×4 safari into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, one of the most beautiful parks in South Africa (minimum 4 days). This park, also known as the 'peace park', is a safari lover's paradise. Kgalagadi is rich in wildlife, such as lions, giraffes, leopards and oryx. Every day here will be a wonderful surprise.

✅Directflightto Johannesburg, from where you start a tour that touches the Dullstroom Mountains and the Kruger Park. We continue south where we see the Africa of ordinary people, slums but also large farms. You arrive in Durban.

✅Durban, to relax in one of the beautiful resorts along the Indian Ocean. From here, direct flight to Johannesburg or if you want to visit the Dragon Mountains, return to Jo'burg by car.

Whatever route you decide to take, remember that beyond the destination, South Africa is beautiful along the way.

Uncover dirt roads where golden fields hide small farms with red-coloured balconies. Or stop at a quaint little shop and buy wooden souvenirs that, once you get home, you don't understand what they are for. Or lose track of time while standing still and observing animal life.

CAR RENTAL

If you want to spend less, rent a normal car, but this will prevent you from moving around in some parts of the country and, above all, from enjoying nature by sleeping under your tent. In case you opt for traditional cars, the sites I use are :

• autoeurope.com

• rentalcars.com

If, on the other hand, you decide to opt for an off-road vehicle, with or without 'camping gear' (camping equipment, from tents to sleeping bags to crockery), the best sites are:

• drivesouthafrica.co.za

• bushlore.com

• rhinocarhire.co.za

International driving licence?

The Farnesina website states that it is advisable to have an international driving licence (model Vienna Convention 1968 or Geneva 1949, see my post Means of transport) recognised both by the police and by car rental agencies. Although the car rental agency did not require it of us, we have always had an International Driving Licence to travel throughout Africa. When in doubt, better to be armed.

? Ah, you drive on the left and be careful at intersections: at stop signs where two or more roads have a stop sign, the 'whoever gets there first' rule applies. So when you arrive, you have to look in which order you arrived, otherwise we could all be stopped for hours!

OVERNIGHT STAYS

In South Africa you are spoilt for choice. As always, you can find great solutions on:

• booking.com

• airbnb.com

The advice is to book on the way, you will find very nice B&Bs, with swimming pool and doggie! Maybe just book the night of arrival and departure in advance.

The ideal solution, for me, for experiencing Africa are campsites. In this respect, a very useful site for organising stages and finding campsites is caravanparks.com where you will find all the campsites divided by region. You can also download the 'Camping South Africa' app.

Anyway, along the road it is usual to find signs for 'campsites', in the National Parks you will always find Rest Camps, with simple and clean pitches for tents or caravans.

GOOD TO KNOW

✏️visto: a tourist visa is issued directly when entering the South African border, the important thing is not to exceed 90 days' stay

✏️carte credit cards: they are accepted almost everywhere, in some remote areas there are no banks or ATMs, so it is better to carry cash with you (100 Rand= 6 euro approx.)

✏️telefono: the mobile phone network is widespread everywhere, even in the main parks unfortunately. But the roming costs are very high, so better to use the wifi network or buy a local card to lower the costs of phone calls. Many car rental companies rent satellite phones, which can be useful if you plan to go to remote areas for a long time.

✏️adattatore of electricity: do you need, sockets in South Africa are different from ours?

✏️vaccinazioni: no vaccination is compulsory, unless you come from certain countries at risk of "yellow fever" (Zimbabwe e.g.). I have never had malaria prophylaxis for South Africa, as I have for other African countries. However, it is always best to consult your doctor to be sure.

Curiosity:

✏️mancia: generally in restaurants it is good practice to tip about 10%. It is important to tip those who 'watch the car' while it is parked. Often in car parks you will find men in orange or yellow waistcoats who will approach you as soon as you park to get some change. It depends on how long it stays parked, in general it is 2 to 10 Rand at the most, but at least then our car is safe.

✏️supermercati: Pick and Pay, Shoprite and Woolworth, are the main supermarkets you will find throughout South Africa and where you can find a bit of everything, not only groceries, but also car parts.

✏️strani dishes: there are some dishes that you will often find in rural areas, there are two particular ones. 'Smiley' or boiled sheep's head, a traditional Xhosa dish. And 'Walkie-talkies', made with chicken feet and heads, a very famous street food throughout South Africa! I didn't taste them, Frank only tried the Walkie-talkies with polenta, the sheep's head he didn't really want to taste, who knows why?

"We of many cultures, languages and races are becoming one nation. We are the Rainbow People of God." this is Southafrica for Desmond Tutu

And you, which itinerary would you choose?

My story about South Africa, among flowers and animals