The grasslands to the west, broken by small granite outcrops, give way to sandstone mountains to the east, the foothills of the Maluti mountains. The provincial capital Bloemfontein is characterized by some excellent museums: The National Museum, the old Fourth Raadsaal (parliament) of the former Republic of the Free State, the National Afrikaans Literary Museum, the exhibitions about Eugene Marais, Breytem Breytenbach or the prominent anti-apartheid writer Adam Small has in its program, or the Oliewenhuis Art Gallery. A memorial commemorates the women and children who perished in British concentration camps during the Boer War. The building ofObservatory Theater on Signal Hill is actually an observatory, hence the name.
The Free State’s most scenic areas lie east of the capital. Starting from Bloemfontein, there is a beautiful view of the hills gradually rising, past Thaba’nchu, the ancient seat of the Basotho kings, and on to Ladybrand on the main Lesotho route. To the north is Ficksburg, famous for its spring cherry blossom festivals, and the New Age settlement of Rustler’s Valley, which hosts a music festival every fall. Further northeast is Golden Gate National Park with its massive rock formations of weathered sandstone, whose different shades of red, yellow and orange leave an unforgettable impression.
Topschoolsintheusa: Guides to study in South Africa, including geography, climate, economy, and tourism of the country.
Attractions
There are numerous museums including the Fort Klapperkop Military Museum, the Geological Museum (fossil and gem collection), the Pretoria (Tshwane) Art Museum and the Transvaal Museum of Natural History. Of particular interest is the State Theater dedicated to all the performing arts. The Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary is home to countless waterfowl. Other nature reserves include Derdepoort Regional Park, Fountains Valley Nature Reserve, Wonderboom Nature Reserve, the National Botanical Gardens and Meyers Park Nature Reserve.
Limpopo Province (formerly Northern Province)
The Limpopo province borders on Botswana and Zimbabwe in the north and on Mozambique in the east, and large parts of the Kruger National Park (see Mpumalanga ) extend across its territory. In the far south is Warmbaths with, as the name suggests, hot mineral springs. In the provincial capital Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg) you should pay a visit to the Bakone Malapa Museum. The Waterberg mountain range to the west is excellent walking country. In contrast to the dry south of the province, the north offers lush vegetation, mangoes and avocados grow on the slopes of the Soutpansberg. The places Venda and Gazankulu in the northeast are rural and known for fine handicrafts. The artist Jackson Hlungwane lived and worked here for a long time, and his sculptures are exhibited in both South African and European galleries.
Kimberley is an attractive city with wide avenues and good shopping centers. Sights include the Big Hole, the largest archaeological site in the world, and the Mining Museum with replicas from the gold rush period (19th century). The De Beers Hall Museum houses an exhibition on rough diamonds and cut diamonds. The famous “616”, the 616-carat, largest rough diamond in the world, as well as the “Eureka” diamond (the first diamond discovered in South Africa) can be admired here. The William Humphreys Art Gallery has an excellent art collection.
Attractions
The 202 m high Carlton Panorama offers an excellent view over Johannesburg. Northcliff Ridge is the city’s highest natural point. Gold Reef City is a reconstructed gold rush town with hotels, bars, shops and theatres. A collection of English, Dutch, French and South African artworks is on display at the Johannesburg Art Gallery. The planetarium, the arts and crafts market at Zoo-Lake is also worth a visit. A variety of bird species can be seen at Florence Bloom Bird Park and Melrose Bird Park. From Harvey Wildflower Park in Linksfield you can enjoy a beautiful view of Johannesburg and Magaliesberg. There is also a zoo and a botanical garden with exotic trees and over 4000 species of roses.
Gauteng
In this region there are refreshing lakes where you can go boating, fishing or bird watching, as well as numerous parks, nature reserves and green spaces.
Trips
A stroll through the shopping streets of the posh Johannesburg suburb of Sandton with its varied range of boutiques and restaurants is extremely popular with visitors.
Trips
The Magalies mountain range impresses with its diverse flora and fauna. There are numerous private animal and nature reserves. This region is home to the Hartebeespoort Dam with popular watersports, camping, fishing and mountaineering opportunities. An aquarium 3 km from the dam is home to exotic fish, crocodiles and seals. There is also a zoo, a snake park and a nature reserve. Near Krugersdorp are the Sterkfontein Caves, where a woman’s skull believed to be a million years old was found.
Nelspruit is a good base for visiting the famous Sudwala Caves, which penetrate deep into the Mankelekele mountain. Some of the side caves are exceptionally large, such as PR Owen Hall, an underground amphitheater. Guided sightseeing tours are offered. The nearby Dinosaur Park features life-size replicas of the prehistoric giants that roamed South Africa 250 million years ago. Exeter Game Lodge is close by.
Durban: The beach promenade ( Golden Mile ), the harbour, numerous temples ( Temple of Understanding ), mosques ( Jumah Mosque ) and bazaars give the city a colorful appearance.
Trips
National and nature conservation parks worth seeing are e.g. B. The Royal Natal National Park, Spioenkop Public Resort Nature Reserve, Kamberg Nature Reserve, Giant ‘s Castle Game Reserve and Vergelegen Nature Reserve. Hikes to Cathkin Peak (3149 m), Cathedral Peak (3004 m) and Champagne Castle (3377 m) are recommended. There are fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys from several passes: Oliviershoek Pass, Sani Pass and Van Reenen’s Pass.
Pietermaritzburg is in the heart of Zululand. This city becomes particularly charming in September when the azaleas bloom. The most interesting museums in the city include the Macrorie House Museum, the Natal Museum and the Voortrekker Museum. Pietermaritzburg is the ideal starting point for trips to Howick Falls, Karkloof Falls and the Albert Falls Public Resort and Nature Reserve.
Western and Southern Cape
The exceptionally beautiful landscape of this region stretches from the western rocky areas behind Lambert’s Bay to the mountains in the south of the peninsula and is known for its fine wines.
Stellenbosch is a center of wine production with many beautiful buildings including the Village Museum and the Dutch Reformed Church. In Franschhoek, also in the wine-growing region, Huguenots who emigrated from France once lived and brought their art of viticulture with them to South Africa. There are scenic vineyards, orchards and farms to visit
in the Drakenstein Valley. You can follow several »wine routes«. Bontebok National Park near Swellendam is particularly rich in animal species. Numerous shellfish can be found
on the rugged west coast.
North cape
This vast and often inaccessible wilderness stretches from the west coast along the borders of Namibia and Botswana to the North West Province and the Free State. The southwest of the North Cape turns into a huge sea of flowers in the spring months; the south is part of the Great Karoo while the north extends into the Kalahari Desert.
Northwest Province
Sun City is arguably the province’s best-known place for gambling, hosting golf tournaments and star-studded concerts. Not far away is the Pilansberg Game Reserve, the province’s oldest game reserve. A little further south are Rustenberg and the Rustenberg Nature Reserve on the Magaliesberg, which is a habitat for antelope and other wildlife, as well as for rare birds of prey (black eagle). Other places worth seeing are Klerksdorp and the old university town of Potchefstroom.
