(Fig 1: Arial Shot of Cape Town, from travelstart)
Cape Town, the jewel of South Africa. While it is not the capital of the country, it is by far the most visited city in it. This can most likely be attributed to its incredibly scenic views, great weather, amazing sites, and the close proximity to the diverse wildlife of Africa. Cape Town hosts sites like Table Top Mountain, Lion’s Head Mountain, and its white beaches. Despite its troubled past, Cape Town has become one of the world’s greatest cities to travel too, and is quickly rising the lists of many people’s travel to-do lists.
(Fig 2: Table Top Mountain, from Pandotrip)
When you first fly into the city, your eyes will immediately be drawn to Table Top Mountain. This monolithic rock juts from the ground and, along with Lion’s Head Mountain, forms a pseudo barrier between the land and the city. Table Top is possibly Cape Town’s most famous landmark, as it defines the city skyline, and it is almost required as a tourist to hike up to the top, and if you’re especially adventurous, hike it in the wee hours of the day to Catch the sunrise on top. The most direct route up the mountain takes around one and a half hours to complete, while the longer routes can take you on a more scenic hike, but will take up three to four hours of your day.
(Fig 3: Camps Bay Beach of Cape Town, from findtripinfo)
After the hike up the mountain, a trip to the beach would be perfect to relax in the South African sun. The beaches of the city are beautiful, and they are one of the primary attractions of the city. They provide great warm swimming waters, soft sand, and warm breezes to relax in. You can play frisbee, enjoy the sun, and get your summer tan in. After a day of relaxing on the beach, you could go to enjoy some good seafood at the Baia Seafood Restaurant. This great restaurant may be a bit pricey, but it provides fantastic views of the city and the ocean, as well as serves a top class meal.
(Fig 4: Family of Elephants crossing the road on a South African Safari, from row adventure)
The only must do thing that you have to do when in South Africa, is to go on a safari to see the wildlife of the country. Africa is renowned for its wildlife, and the safaris provide a great means to see some amazing animals. You can see animals like elephants, lions, giraffes, leopards, and countless other animals of the African environment. There are many different types of safaris that you can go on, from a short 4 hour tour, to extensive trips lasting several days involving camping in the wilderness. There really is a affordable safari for everyone, and it can provide lifelong memories.
If you are not ready for the ruggedness of the rest of the continent, South Africa provides a great means to experience what it has to offer. You can live in luxury, and spend all of your time in the city, or you can be adventurous and go see the animals in the wild, and hike the scenic mountains. Regardless of your interests, South Africa has so much to offer, and is high on my to-see countries.