The Garden Route is a gorgeous stretch of coastline that runs from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape region to Storms River in the Eastern Cape. Lush coastal forests and verdant ridges are dotted with countless lagoons and lakes, giving this region its name. Its coastal climate is one of the most mild in the world, second only to Hawaii. It never drops below 50F in the winter, and rarely climbs above 83F in the summer. The indigenous fauna is some of the most unique in the world, blending the famous Cape Fynbos plants of the Western Cape, with species typical of temperate forests. This lovely area offers great hiking and charming towns, like Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, and George. Surprising destinations pop up along its length, making it a wonderful place for a self-driving adventure. Stop in at Oudtshoorn, the world's ostrich capital, or enjoy a round of golf at one of the many award winning golf courses.
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A chain of protected marine reserves along the Garden Route have created a haven for the diverse ocean life. Divers can find soft corals, large pods of dolphins, seals, and endangered Southern Right Whales. Considered one of the best whale-watching sites in the world, the Southern Right Whales gather in large numbers in the protected bays of the Western Cape to give birth to their calves. Humpback whales and orcas have been known to feed close to shore, taking advantage of the ample food sources provided by the cold, nutrient-rich waters.
Cape Town is one of Mango's favorite spots in Southern Africa. It is a beautiful city with endless things to do and see. You can take the the arial cableway to the top of Table Mountain, visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens or take the ferry to Robben Island which is where Nelson Mandela spent many years in prison. There are many day trips from Cape Town, including the famous Wine Lands, the Cape of Good Hope and the spectacular Chapman's Peak Drive considered one of the most beautiful drives in the world.
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The dining scene in Cape Town is world class. You can sample curries in Bo-Kaap, eat fresh fish on the V & A Waterfront or try the Africa Cafe which offers cuisine from almost all of the countries in Africa. We recommend a 3 or 4 night stay in Cape Town for you to enjoy all it has to offer.
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 7,580 square miles in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, officially becoming South Africa's first national park in 1926.
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There are sixteen eco-zones, which are home to more than 500 bird species and 150 mammal species. As a result the wildlife viewing is excellent. Many of the lodges we recommend are on private reserves like the famous Sabi Sands and Timbavati Game Reserves, which are adjacent to the national park's boundaries but part of the greater ecosystem. Thanks to joint conservation efforts, the Greater Kruger National Park and its Associated Private Nature Reserves offers excellent wildlife habitat. It has especially strong populations of rhinos and the big cats - lion, leopard and cheetah.
Kruger is perfect for people who want to enjoy great game viewing while still being in the lap of luxury. There is a lodge or camp to suit every style of travel, from rustic and charming to decadently luxurious. A safari in the Greater Kruger National Park area pairs beautifully with time at the beach or one of South Africa's fun cities. There are many flights in and out of the region, making it readily accessible for those visiting other parts of southern Africa.
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and it is also the gateway to all of the Southern African Countries. While it used to be just a transfer spot, and now we recommend a one or two night stopover to see all it has to offer. You can take a city tour to see all of the important sites including the Apartheid Museum, the township of Soweto, The Cradle of Humankind (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Nelson Mandela Square.
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Johannesburg's residential areas range from luxurious, wooded suburbs, to shanty towns and squatter settlements. Many of the hotels we recommend are in areas with excellent restaurants, art galleries and world class shopping where you can find anything from african drums to designer shoes.
Don't hesitate to add a Johannesburg stop to your African trip.
Founded in 1928, Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s largest wildlife reserve. Due to heavy settlement in the north of the country during colonial times, the park was cut off from the vast routes historically used for the annual migrations for animals. Because of this there is no permanent surface water source in the park and wildlife is sustained by a series of pumped waterholes.
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Despite this odd set of circumstances, the wildlife is quite prolific and diverse. Visitors can expect to see lion, elephant, buffalo & leopard. Rhino were reintroduced in the park in the first about 2008 and thus far they have slowly taken hold. Hwange also offers good habitat for cheetah and wild dogs.
We normally include Hwange in itineraries that include Victoria Falls and also a second safari destination like Mana Pools in Zimbabwe or the various options in Botswana. Relative to location like the Okavango Delta, Hwange offers a reasonably priced safari at a nice value.
The oldest largest national park in Zambia, Kafue until just a few years ago, was a pretty empty place in terms of visitors. Recently there have been some great camps opening up and the wildlife densities increasing to attract new interest.
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Like pretty much all of Zambia the park is seasonal with the best times to go being during the dry season July through October. The Kafue River splits the south and north parts of the park. In the south, the area to see the most wildlife is on the Busanga Flood Plains in the north sections of the park. Even in dry season this can be flooded requiring guest to take thrilling helicopter transfer to and from camp.
Wildlife here is highly diverse as there are said to be over 150 species of mammals recorded. Of these there are over 15 species of antelope, more than any place else on earth along with buffalo, zebra and more than 400 bird species . Also prevalent are lions - sometime found in trees, leopard and cheetah. Wild dogs are also spotted as well. Elephant numbers are starting to recover after years of heavy poaching.
The Caprivi Strip is a narrow strip of land about 280 miles in Namibia that stretches east from the main area of the country between Botswana to the south, Angola & Zambia to the north and the Okavango Delta to the west. This odd narrow shaped section of land was originally annexed in 1890 to provide access to the mighty Zambezi River.
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Now this narrow strip of land serves as a main commercial traffic artery for people and good moving through the surrounding countries (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia). Because of this access, many overland budget and self drive safaris that are planning to visit some or all of these countries travel through the area.
Unlike most of the rest of Namibia, the Caprivi Strip is a wooded and fertile region, and it is crossed by a number of rivers including the Chobe, Zambezi, Kwando and Okavango Rivers. The strip is also the site of several wildlife rich parks and reserves, which while not offering the same abundance of wildlife seen in places like the Okavango Delta, they certainly provide spectacular scenery and relative solitude. The strip also offer some of the better habitat for the increasingly rear African wild dog.
Besides wildlife and the gorgeous scenery, a main draw to the Caprivi Strip is fishing. The most sought after catch is the famous and fierce tiger fish which is known as one of the best fresh water game fishes anywhere in the world. Avid fishermen and women travel from all over the world to try their hand at catching a tiger fish in a fly.
Etosha National Park is located in northwestern Namibia, and gets its name from the Etosha salt pan that sits almost wholly within the park and comprises 23% of the actual park. Etosha is located within the larger Kunene region and shares borders with the Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa regions.
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Aside from the distinguished salt pans, there are the Leopard Hills to the south and dolomite hills to the west. Due to the salt pans it is a highly saline environment, but that has not stopped uniquely adapted plants and animals from thriving there. Amid the more habitable savanna woodlands that blanket most of the park, visitors will find many water holes that attract rare black rhinos, lions, zebras, elephants, ostriches and masses of antelope. After unusually heavy rains cause flooding, blooms of blue-green algae give the pans a whole new life by attracting flocks of flamingos and pelicans as far as the eye can see.
Accommodation in the park is clustered around the water holes to help ensure visitors encounter as much wildlife as possible. There are more exclusive and secluded camps located deeper in the park that offer a safari-style experience for discerning travelers. In addition to several well-established Government run rest camps, there are a host of private lodges available on private conservancies adjacent to the National Park. Roads throughout the park is accessible to 2WD vehicles, making Etosha is doable for the self-drive traveler to navigate the series of water hole loops.
The Damaraland and Kunene region of Namibia occupies the northwestern coastline along the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Angolan border to the north,Swakopmund to the south and the Cunene Province to the east. It is very dry with an inaccessible mountainous landscape, and thus largely undeveloped. Despite its harsh conditions, it is home to the indigenous Himba and Damara people. The Damara occupy a small region within Kunene called Damaraland, whose self-contained government was abolished in 1989 when Namibia was transitioning to independence.
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The region represents one of the last true wilderness areas Africa, with a truly pristine desert ecosystem. Expanses of sun-scorched desert flats and dunes end promptly with the frigid waters of the Atlantic, where many historical shipwrecks occurred. A remarkably unique assemblage of life has evolved to siphon water from the frequent fogs that drift over the coast from the Atlantic. These fascinating creatures reside amid the Kunene's rocky outcroppings, grasslands, and dry riverbeds that create corridors of wildlife. While exploring these areas, visitors might see a rare black rhino (one of the last of the dwindling free-range population) or a herd of the uncommon desert-adapted elephants, who act as keystone species in the ecosystem by digging deep waterholes during droughts, thus allowing other animals to survive.
There are only a few camps sprinkled throughout this desert region, but those that are available offer an unexpected experience that is unique from other areas that visitors may travel to. Chartered flights bring the adventurous into the heart of the Damaraland and Kunene region, where they can explore with guides who love to share their knowledge of the intriguing area. Travelers with more time can explore this beautiful region on self-drive trips as well.
Swakopmund sits on the northwestern coast of Namibia, to the west of the capital Windhoek. It is flanked by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Namib Desert on the other. Palm trees dot the streets and oceanfront promenade. The sandy beaches and coastal relief from the heat of Namibia's interior means the city draws many tourists to its beach resorts every year. It was founded as the main harbor to German Southwestern Africa in 1892, with elements of the culture like language and architecture still present today. Early mornings and evening can draw an Atlantic fog, which helps cool the desert heat, with the days being perfect for tropical sunbathing.
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It is a excellent place to see the colonial architecture, or other attractions such as the Swakopmund Museum, the National Marine Aquarium, art galleries and the Swakop River with its swooping sand dunes. Thrilling adventures like skydiving, dune-boarding, hot air balloon rides, beach angling, deep-sea fishing and quad biking are available in the city and nearby areas. Historical sites can be found throughout the city and offer a intriguing glimpse into the area's past. Visit the Woermannhaus library, the Deutsche Evangelical Church and Hohenzollern Building.
Access to the city comes from B2 road by car, the Swakopmund Airport, or if visitors want a more nostalgic journey, the Trans-Namib Railway, which was started in 1895.
There is a great variety of accommodation in Swakopmund which cater for all tastes and budgets.
