South Africa:
Safari And So Much More
Yes, a safari is magnificent, the experience of a lifetime. But… there is so much more about Africa. Did you know…?
> A must-see is Cape Town -- a gorgeous, cosmopolitan city with an easily walk-able dining and entertainment district (image above) . Take the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, where you get a breathtaking view of the city, beaches, and ocean. But you won’t go broke, because…
> South Africa is pretty cheap once you are there! Of course, the cost of the long flight to South Africa is hefty. But, your dollar buys so many S. African rands that you get an upscale restaurant meal for the cost of U.S. casual dining, and a bottle of wine for the price of a glass back home. A mid-priced land tour includes luxury hotels.
> The wineries are an experience. On a tour of the South African wine country, stop at picturesque villages on your way to family-owned vineyards for wine tasting. You sit on a veranda or at a picnic table, perhaps with other world travelers; possibly sample farm-to-table delicacies; and get treated like family. (South Africans are gracious and hospitable.) You may see charismatic wildlife in the back yard, such as the zebra-like quagga. South Africa’s signature varietal is Pinotage, a delicious red wine.
> You get really close to elephants, giraffes, etc., even lions – which may walk within a few feet of your open-air safari vehicle. Yes, it’s safe! The lions see you as neither food nor a threat. Your ranger has a rifle just in case, but probably has never had to use it. Elephants can be so quiet that one can walk up next to your land rover from behind, and you wouldn’t know it until your ranger tells you to turn your head – surprise!
> Your safari camp or lodge is within a vast wildlife sanctuary, yet you enjoy gourmet meals prepared by the staff and served outside on a deck overlooking, say, an elephant watering hole. Encounter nonchalant monkeys, antelopes, zebras, etc., as you walk around the camp.
> You can see adorable penguins – including a colony of cuties at Boulders Beach near Cape Town (photo below by Joan). Many penguins, like these in South Africa, live in warm climates, so you need not endure frigid weather to get close to them.
