South Africa — Globe Hopping with Irma

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE TEN DAYS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

One of my most memorable summer vacation with my sons Liam and Mika was when we spent ten days visiting five countries in Southern Africa. I have been to Cape Town in South Africa before and always wanted to come back one day with them. So, I decided to combine this with an adventurous safari. And when travelling with young adults, you need to keep in mind that what is fun for you might not be so much fun for them, and vice versa! For example: I was not particularly interested in doing a 110-metre bungee jump like them…..

After doing some research and considering the expenses, we decided to do the safari in Botswana and Namibia, which was overall cheaper than in Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. Furthermore, there were many flights flying between Cape Town and Victoria Falls, and it is quite a short car journey from Victoria Falls Airport to Chobe National Park in Botswana. Therefore, we added Zimbabwe and Zambia on to our list. Also, we wanted to visit the Victoria Falls waterfall, where the river that follows through to it connects the four Southern Africa countries together: Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

Our itinerary was as follows:

Three days in Cape Town, South Africa

Four days in Kasane, Botswana (next to Namibia)

Two days in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (and an afternoon in Livingstone, Zambia)

One day transiting in Johannesburg, South Africa, to catch our flight back to the UK.

Recommended Airlines

To and from South Africa: Emirates; British Airways, and South African Airlines.

To and from Zimbabwe: British Airways and South African Airlines.

Visas: Please check each country of destination regarding visa requirements as they differ from one another.

The Republic of South Africa is the most southern country in Africa and is the 25th largest country in the world, stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian oceans. It has a population of over 55 million people, which about 80% are of Sub-Saharan African descent divided among the number of ethnic groups speaking different Bantu languages. The remaining 20% consist of the European (white) and Indian ancestry.

With the variety of multi-ethnic society, the country recognises 11 official languages, of which four of the most popular ones are: Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans (coming from the Dutch), and English.

South Africa went through a dark chapter in the mid 20th century. In 1948, the National Party imposed apartheid, institutionalising racial segregation. After a long and at many times violent struggle by the African National Congress (ANC) led by Mr Nelson Mandela, the discriminatory laws were repealed and abolished starting in 1990.

In 1994, the country held its first universal elections, and now all ethnic and linguistic groups have political representation in the parliament. South Africa is also often referred to as the Rainbow Nation. The country is made up of nine provinces, where the capital of the nation is Pretoria, situated in the northern province of Gauteng.

Cape Town, the second most populated city after Johannesburg, is a coastal city in the country’s province of Western Cape. The city’s central district is situated around Table Bay, with Robben Island guarding the city’s entrance.

Cape Town was established in 1652 by the Dutch East India Company. In 1795 the British occupied the city, but it was returned to the Dutch in 1803, and recaptured again by the British in 1806. It is famous for its harbour, beautiful mountain and ocean scenery, and quite recently its vineyards. It is one of the most multicultural cities in the world and is a major destination for immigrants and expatriates.

Recommended Hotels

Taj, Atlantic View Boutique, DysArt Boutique, Cape Royal Luxury, Ellerman House, The Westin, and Radisson Blu.

Recommended Restaurants

The Hussar Grill Mouille Point, The Hussar Grill Camps Bay, The Pot Luck Club, Pigalle, La Colombe, Kloof Street House, Black Sheep Restaurant and Groot Constantia (winery).