PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to South Africa Lesotho & Swaziland...... 2Map ................................... 425 Top Experiences ........ 6Need to Know .................. 18If You Like ......................... 20Month by Month .............. 23Itineraries ......................... 25Travel with Children ........ 32Regions at a Glance ........ 35

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTANDSOUTH AFRICA, LESOTHO & SWAZILAND

South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland Today ....... 504History .............................. 506Music ................................ 525Food & Drink .................... 533People & Culture ............. 539Environment .................... 547Wildlife & Habitat ............ 555

South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland Today Two decades after the end of apartheid, life in South Africa remains dominated by social inequality. Central Cape Town’s mountain and beach communities, for example, contrast with the townships sprawling across theCape Flats, lining the N2 with shacks and portaloos. Seeing rst-worwealth alongside African poverty is confronting for rst-time visitors

et what makes South Africa an uplifting and intriguing place to visit is the issolution of divisions. Every day, millions of South Africans try to understand and respect the vastly di erent outlooks of eo le fromother economic and racial groups. Projects aim to em ower inhabitants

LesothoSouth Africa Swaziland

population per sq km

≈ 1 person

Food & Drink Take a bit of black magic, a dash of Dutch heartiness, a pinch ofspice and a smidgin of Malay mystery and what you get is an aarray of cultures all simmering away in the potjie (pot) of culinaences that is South African cuisine.

The earliest inhabitants survived on animals hunted for the food gathered from the beaches and sea, and myriad vegetabtubers. When it became necessary to have fresh vegetables anavailable for passing ships, the Dutch arrived and planted their garden. Their rich cuisine was infused with nutmeg, cinnamon asia, as well as rice from their colonies in the east. Malay slavMadagascar, Java and Indonesia added to the mix, providing sompaniments to the bland fare on o er.

The Cape was the birthplace of South African cuisine, but KwNatal is im ortant too: there were blacks who migrated from

Rainbow Experiences South Africa, its mountains, deserts and rivers leading to vibrant cities and sprawl-ing townships, is truly a rainbow nation in the experiences it o ers. This vast and beautiful, troubled but developing land’s diversity is re ected by its world-famous associations: Table Mountain, Soweto, the Big Five, Zulu culture, Robben Island, big skies, broad smiles and the Drakensberg. To get the most out of your time here, ditch any preconceived ideas about South Afri-can history and society, pack a pair of bin-oculars for spotting lions – and get ready for a country that stuns and surprises at every turn, from the Wild Coast’s bendy back roads to Cape Town’s lanes.

Accessible Africa South Africa has a reputation as ‘Africa light’ – an accessible corner of the conti-nent, relatively safe and comfortable. It does indeed shine on this front, o ering superb accommodation and opportunities to interact with various African people and cultures; wildlife watching in terrain from bushveld to the Kalahari, at prices well below some nearby countries; and scenic spots where you can just relax and enjoy the lekker (tasty) views and hospital-ity, including the Cape Winelands, Indian Ocean getaways, wilderness lodges and re- ned Karoo towns.

welcome to South Africa, Lesotho &Swaziland

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

2

PAGE

503GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so youcan make sense of what you see

Cape Town and the Western Cape are refined, developed spots, where you can sip wine and enjoy activities on beaches and mountains. Head north to the Northern Cape and North-West Province for rugged experiences in wildernesses and wildlife parks.

Surfers, hikers and lovers of African culture will enjoy the Eastern Cape, bordering the mountain kingdom of Lesotho and the Free State. The latter’s golden fields lead to the Drakensberg, which stretch into KwaZulu-Natal, where beaches, wildlife parks and Zululand spread north from Durban.

Cape To Outdoor Act Eating Shopping

Outdoor Ac Its mountainopark, beaches make Cape Tolocation for accluding kitesuclimbing and The beautiful make hiking astrolling alongpromenade a s

Eating Cape Town’s mpeoples have bit a range of cuple Cape Mala

th t

regions at a glance

Dramatic Landscapes From the Cape’s mix of coastline and mountains to expanses like Namakwa, the Kalahari and Karoo, South Africa and mountain-ous Lesotho feature some of Africa’s most impressive landscapes. Drakensberg Awesome peaks and formations, such as the Ampitheatre make up the Dragon Mountains. The view from the top of the escarpment is reputed to be one of the world’s best (p 267 ).

Cape Peninsula A spine of mountains runs down the peninsula from Table Mountain to Cape Point (p 55 ).

Wild Coast The green hills dotted with pastel rondavels (round huts with a conical roof), rugged cli s and empty Indian

Wildlife Diverse, accessible and swarming with wildlife, the parks and reserves here are some of the world’s best destinations to see the Big Five and their prey. Kruger National Park South Africa’s famous park has 5000 rhinos alone, and landscapes from woodland to mopaneveld (p 379 ).

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Deep in the Kalahari, Kgalagadi is one of the world’s best places to spot big cats, from cheetahs to black-maned lions (p 447 ).

Mkhaya Game Reserve Swaziland’s stunning reserve has endangered species plus leopards, bu aloes, elephants and an impressive rhino popula-tion (p 501 ).

Addo Elephant Park South Africa’s third-largest national

Open Sp Whether you halong the coastrural country ovigorating sens Namakwa The roplains covering twestern quarterswild owers (p 45

Free State Goldeand corn elds crior, between theof Gariep Dam anHighlands Natura

Kalahari Red duas the eye can seRiver snakes throdesert surrounde(p 443 ).

Southern LesotMalealea and thethe mountainousmusk- and orangleys, rivers and otrack villages (p 4

If You Like...

Top Events

Wildlife watching, July

Namakwa wildflowers, September Buganu (Marula) Festival, February

Whale watching, September

Summer music festivals, November

Month by Month

January South Africans descend on tourist areas, including the coast and major parks, during summer school holidays (early December to mid-January). Book accommodation and transport well in advance. High season December to March.

�" � Cape Town Minstrel

Carnival (Kaapse Klopse)Th M h Ci ’

�" � Buganu (Marula)

Festival One of Swaziland’s most popular ‘ rst fruits’ harvest festivals, Buganu celebrates the marvellous Marula. Throughout February and March, women make buganu (Marula wine), men drink the results and everyone celebrates. Swazi royals attend the three-day ceremony (p 485 ).

�� � Hands on Harvest

At the rst of Robertson’s ve annual wine festivals

�� � Cape Argus Cycle Tour

Held in mid-March, this spin around the Cape Peninsula is the world’s largest timed cycling event. More than 30,000 contest-ants, from serious racers to costumed Capetonians, tackle Table Mountain and Champman’s Peak Drive (p 67 ).

April A two-week school holiday around Easter, generally regarded as the beginning

I SBN 978 -1 -74179 -800 -5

9 781741 798005

99725

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Paper in this book is certified against the Forest Stewardship Council™ standards. FSC™ promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

Get the right guides for your trip

ENCOUNTER• Pocket-sized• Easy-to-use• Highlights

DISCOVER• Best-of• Photo-packed• Inspirational

COUNTRY & CITY• The o riginal• Comprehensive• Adventurous

Lonely Planet in numbers70 languages spoken by our writers

12 seconds pass between posts on our Thorn Tree travel forum

100,000,000 Lonely Planet guidebooks sold, and still counting

190+ countries covered by a Lonely Planet guide

Looking for other travel resources?

LONELYPLANET.COMFor travel information, advice, tips & digital chapters

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EBOOKSGuidebooks for your readerlonelyplanet.com/ebooks

APPSLocation-based guides for the streetlonelyplanet.com/mobile

ProvinceNorth-West

ParkNationalKruger

p379p397

Limpopo

Mpumalanga

p309

p221

p460Lesotho

KwaZulu-Natal

p483Swaziland

p421

p291

p433Northern Cape

p162

Western Capep93

Eastern Cape

Free State

p42Cape Town

p359Gauteng

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings

and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z .................. 572Safe Travel ....................... 589Transport ......................... 591Health ............................... 608Language ......................... 613Index ................................. 629Map Legend ..................... 638

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE ROAD

Accommodation South Africa o ers a range of good-value accommoda-tion. You’ll generally nd high standards, often for

igni cantly less than you uld pay in Europe or North erica.

rates quoted in this for high season,

te bathroom. noted in list-

dered by es

tTop some lodges, aguesthousPrices at thlar to, or sligthose in EuroAmerica. Thersome not-so-suand guesthousebe expensive disments, so be selLesotho Rates arable to South Ayou usually get evalue for moneycommodation iceptions includin Malealea, Sand Roma. Ctunities abomajor townSwazilanto thosis a hho

Directory A–Z

PAGE

40

PAGE

571

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

James Bainbridge Kate Armstrong, Lucy Corne, Michael Grosberg,

Alan Murphy, Helen Ranger, Simon Richmond, Tom Spurling

Look out for these icons:

Our author’s top recommendation

Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their favourite places are listed first

A green or sustainable option No payment

required

CAPE TOWN . . . . . . . . 42

WESTERN CAPE . . . . . 93WINELANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Stellenbosch & Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96Franschhoek . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Paarl & Around . . . . . . . . . .106THE OVERBERG . . . . . . . . . . 111Hermanus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114Swellendam . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120ROUTE 62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Tulbagh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Oudtshoorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133GARDEN ROUTE . . . . . . . . . 136Mossel Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137Wilderness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141Garden Route National Park . . . . . . . . . . . 142Knysna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143Plettenberg Bay . . . . . . . . . 148Robberg Nature & Marine Reserve . . . . . . . . . . 151CENTRAL KAROO . . . . . . . . .151Prince Albert & Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151Gamkaskloof Nature Reserve (Die Hel) . . . . . . . . 152Karoo National Park . . . . . 153WEST COAST & SWARTLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . 154Darling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154West Coast National Park . . . . . . . . . . . 155Cederberg Wilderness Area . . . . . . . . . 158

EASTERN CAPE . . . . 162EASTERN KAROO . . . . . . . . 163Graaff-Reinet. . . . . . . . . . . . 163Camdeboo National Park . . . . . . . . . . . 169Mountain Zebra National Park . . . . . . . . . . . 174WESTERN REGION . . . . . . . .174Tsitsikamma National Park . . . . . . . . . . . 175Cape St Francis & Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178Jeffrey’s Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . 179Port Elizabeth . . . . . . . . . . . 184CENTRAL EASTERN CAPE . . . . . . . . . 190Addo Elephant National Park . . . . . . . . . . .190Port Alfred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197AMATHOLE REGION . . . . . 200East London . . . . . . . . . . . 200Hogsback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205THE WILD COAST . . . . . . . . 207Coffee Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211Port St Johns . . . . . . . . . . . 213NORTH-EASTERN HIGHLANDS . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Lady Grey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

KWAZULU-NATAL . . . 221DURBAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225SOUTH COAST . . . . . . . . . . 243NORTH COAST . . . . . . . . . . 246Umhlanga Rocks & uMdloti Beach . . . . . . . . . . .246ZULULAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

Mtunzini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249Eshowe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251Ithala Game Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256THE ELEPHANT COAST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257Hluhluwe & Around . . . . . .257Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258iSimangaliso Wetland Park . . . . . . . . . . . 260Lake Sibaya & Coastal Forest . . . . . . . . . . 264uMkhuze Game Reserve & Around . . . . . . 266DRAKENSBERG & UKHAHLAMBA-DRAKENSBERG PARK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267Northern Berg . . . . . . . . . . .270Central Berg . . . . . . . . . . . .272Southern Berg . . . . . . . . . .275THE MIDLANDS . . . . . . . . . 279Pietermaritzburg . . . . . . . .279BATTLEFIELDS . . . . . . . . . . 284Ladysmith . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286Isandlwana & Rorke’s Drift . . . . . . . . . . . 289Blood River & Ncome Monuments . . . . . 290

FREE STATE . . . . . . . . 291BLOEMFONTEIN . . . . . . . . . 294NORTHERN FREE STATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299Parys & Vredefort Dome Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299Kroonstad & Around . . . . 300

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

EASTERN HIGHLANDS & SOUTHERN FREE STATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301Harrismith . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301Golden Gate Highlands National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303Clarens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304Ladybrand . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307

GAUTENG . . . . . . . . .309JOHANNESBURG . . . . . . . . 312AROUND JOHANNESBURG . . . . . . . . 337Soweto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .337Cradle of Humankind . . . . . . . . . . . . .343Southern Gauteng . . . . . . 344PRETORIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 344AROUND PRETORIA . . . . . 356

MPUMALANGA . . . . .359DRAKENSBERG ESCARPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . 361Dullstroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361Sabie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364Graskop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .367Blyde River Canyon . . . . . 368EASTERN LOWVELD . . . . . 370Hazyview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .370White River . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371Nelspruit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .372Malelane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .375Komatipoort . . . . . . . . . . . .376Barberton . . . . . . . . . . . . . .376

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379PRIVATE WILDLIFE RESERVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392Sabi Sand Game Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .393Manyeleti Game Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394Timbavati Private Game Reserve . . . . . . . . . . .395Thornybush Private Game Reserve . . . . . . . . . . 396Makuleke Contract Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396

LIMPOPO . . . . . . . . . . 397CAPRICORN . . . . . . . . . . . .400Polokwane (Pietersburg) . . . . . . . . . . 400BUSHVELD . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403Mokopane (Potgietersrus) & Around . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403Modimolle (Nylstroom). . . . . . . . . . . . 404The Waterberg . . . . . . . . . 405SOUTPANSBERG . . . . . . . . 407Louis Trichardt (Makhado) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .407Musina (Messina). . . . . . . 409Mapungubwe National Park . . . . . . . . . . .410VALLEY OF THE OLIFANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413Letaba Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . 413Tzaneen & Around . . . . . . . 414Phalaborwa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417Acornhoek . . . . . . . . . . . . . 420

NORTH-WEST PROVINCE . . . . . . . . . 421Rustenburg . . . . . . . . . . . . .423Sun City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .424Pilanesberg National Park . . . . . . . . . . 426Madikwe Game Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428Mafikeng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430

NORTHERN CAPE . . .433THE UPPER KAROO . . . . . . 436Kimberley . . . . . . . . . . . . . 436THE KALAHARI . . . . . . . . . . 443Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park . . . . . . .447Augrabies Falls National Park . . . . . . . . . . . 451NAMAKWA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park . . . . . . .457

LESOTHO . . . . . . . . . 460Maseru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465Northern Lesotho . . . . . . . .472Northeastern & Central Highlands . . . . . . . 474Southern Lesotho . . . . . . .479

SWAZILAND . . . . . . .483Mbabane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .487Ezulwini Valley . . . . . . . . . 490Malkerns Valley . . . . . . . . . 494Manzini. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 495Northern Swaziland . . . . . .497Eastern Swaziland . . . . . . 499Southern Swaziland . . . . . 502

F

G

B

B

Bay

OCEANATLANTIC

St Helena

FalseBay

NORTH-WEST PROVINCE

WESTERN CAPE

NORTHERN CAPE

GobabisWINDHOEK

Mariental

Vryburg

Tshabong

Upington

HotazelKuruman

De Aar

Graaff-Reinet

Middelburg

Prieska

Carnarvon

Kimberley

Oudtshoorn

BayKnysna

Mossel BayGeorge

Plettenberg

Beaufort West

Keetmanshoop

Calvinia

Bitterfontein

NoordoewerBayAlexander

Port Nolloth

Springbok

CeresWorcester

Paarl

Bredasdorp

Hermanus

Stellenbosch

Saldanha

CAPE TOWNSwellendam

Montagu

Kanye

Central KalahariGame Reserve

Kgalagadi

National ParkCamdeboo

National ParkTsitsikamma

National ParkWilderness

National ParkKaroo

National Park|Ai-|Ais

National ParkRichtersveld

WildernessArea

National ParkTable Mountain

Cederberg

De Hoop

ReserveNature

National ParkAugrabies Falls

ParkTransfrontier

24ºE22ºE

30ºS

28ºS

20ºE18ºE16ºE

34ºS

Tropic of Capricorn

CapeSt Francis

A WK AAN

M

CapeAgulhas

Kalahari

Vaal River

(Senqu)

Orange

River

River

Orange (Senqu)

Olifants R

iver

BOTSWANA

SOUTHAFRICA

NAMIBIA

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Namakwa

V&A Waterfront

Winelands

Table Mountain

Lions and red Kalaharisands (p447)

Vivid spring flowers carpetopen spaces (p454)

world-class wines (p96)Cape Dutch estates produce

flat-topped mountain (p51)Cape Town's iconic

buildings (p53)Chic boutiques and heritage

› South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland

02-destination-map-sls9.indd 4 10/08/2012 8:28:59 AM

INDIANOCEAN

LIMPOPO

GAUTENGMPUMALANGA

KWAZULU-NATAL

EASTERN CAPE

FREE STATE

Inhambane

Musina

Phalaborwa

Thohoyandou

Ellisras

(Makhado)Louis Trichardt

Polokwane(Pietersburg)

GABORONE

Massingir

Macia

MAPUTO

Xai-Xai

Sabie

PeakMBABANE

Pigg's

ManziniErmelo

Nelspruit

HlathikuluPiet Retief

Volksrust

Dundee

Vryheid

PRETORIA

Johannesburg

Sun City

Soweto

Rustenburg

Clarens

Kroonstad

Welkom

Senekal

Bohlakong

Vereeniging

Middelburg

Standerton

Harrismith

Durban

EstcourtEmpangeni

Pietermaritzburg

Amanzimtoti

Port St Johns

Port Shepstone

MASERU

Mafeteng

Mohale's

Aliwal North

QueenstownMthatha

Hoek Kokstad

Ladysmith

Lobatse

Mafikeng

Klerksdorp

Bloemhof

Zeerust

Potchefstroom

Lichtenburg

BLOEMFONTEIN

Thaba'Nchu

Bhisho

Port Alfred

EastLondon

ElizabethPort

Grahamstown

Cradock

Komatipoort

Golela

Richards Bay

Mtubatuba

BanhineNational

Park

NationalLimpopo

Park

National ParkGonarezhou

Park

Blyde River

TransfrontierGreat Limpopo

ParkNationalMarakele

NPMapungubwe

Canyon Nature

Kosi Bay

Sodwana Bay

Nature Reserve

National Park

Park

Park

iSimangalisoWetland Park

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi

uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park

MkambatiNature Reserve

HlulekaNature Reserve

ParkNational

ReserveNatureDwesa

ParkNationalElephantAddo

Mountain ZebraNational Park

NationalReserveKrugerPilanesberg

National ParkHighlands

Golden Gate

Drakensberg

36ºE34ºE32ºE30ºE28ºE26ºE

Tropic of Capricorn

Zululand

River

River

Limpopo

River

Limpopo

Olifants

don)

River

(Cal

e

Moh

okar

e

Kei River

Great

MOZAMBIQUE

ZIMBABWE

SWAZILAND

LESOTHO

Kruger National Park

Mapungubwe National Park

Blyde River Canyon

iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Drakensberg

Clarens

Golden Gate Highlands NP

The Wild Coast

Addo Elephant National Park

Lesotho

This epic park has

the Big Five (p410)Baboons, baobabs and

natural landmark (p368)Viewpoints dot this vast

Five ecosystems containing

country getaway (p304)An arty, laid-back

misty peaks (p267)

shimmering grasslands (p303)Sandstone outcroppings and

diverse wildlife (p260)

elephants (p190)

Xhosa villages (p207)Empty beaches and

More than 400 African

Green slopes lead to

mountain bases (p460)Adventures at remote

animals galore (p379)

00

150 km100 miles

Top Experiences ›

ELEVATION

0

600m

1200m

1800m

2400m

02-destination-map-sls9.indd 5 10/08/2012 8:29:06 AM

Michael Grosberg Eastern C ape Early in his career Michael found his way to Durban, where he investigated and wrote about political violence, prison abuse and other issues, and helped train local government offi cials in the province of KwaZulu-Natal while still fi nding time to travel all over the country. In addition to his Lonely Planet work, he’s returned to the country for magazine assignments. Michael, a reformed academic, is based in Brooklyn, New York City, and has worked on

nearly two dozen Lonely Planet books.

Alan Murphy Free State, Mpumalanga, Kruger National Park, Limpopo, History, Environment, Wildlife & Habitat Alan distinctly remembers bouncing around in the rear of a bakkie (pick-up truck) from Johannesburg airport sometime in the late 90s on his fi rst trip to South Africa. Since then he has been back numerous times, both working for Lonely Planet and to pursue one of his favourite activities – wildlife-watching. Alan loves to spend time in this contradictory and beautiful

country, especially around Kruger.

Helen Ranger Food & Drink, People & Culture, Music For a Lonely Planet author to dislocate a hip on the way to research a guidebook is pretty devastating! But while she was delayed by a few months, nothing can really keep Helen away from South Africa. Table Mountain beckons, and she can’t resist investigating all that’s new since her last visit. Helen has worked on several Africa titles for Lonely Planet, includ-ing the previous editions of South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland and Cape Town.

You can follow Helen on twitter at @helenranger.

Simon Richmond Cape Town Simon has been hooked on Cape Town since fi rst visiting in 2001 to research Lonely Planet’s South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland guide and the Cape Town guide. He’s returned for every edition of both guides since, exploring practically every corner of the Cape. An award-winning writer and photographer, Simon has also written scores of other titles for Lonely Planet and other publish-ers, as well as contributed features to many travel magazines and newspapers

around the world. Follow his travels on his website www.simonrichmond.com.

Tom Spurling Gauteng, L esotho Tom fi rst experienced South Africa while working on Lim-popo’s shortest-lived newspaper. Returning for this guidebook, he tackled the off -road mountains of Lesotho in a ‘sporty’ roadster and was often overtaken by blanket-clad horsemen. In Gauteng, he moved faster, pacing city streets in liv-ing colour and at full speed. Jo’burg is his new favourite city, shortly followed by Perth, his new hometown, where he lives with his wife and two kids. This is the

fi fth continent he has researched for Lonely Planet.

Contributing Author Dr David Lukas wrote the original Wildlife & Habitat chapter. He is an avid student of natural his-tory who has travelled widely to study tropical ecosystems in locations such as Borneo and the Amazon. He has also spent many years leading natural-history tours to all corners of Costa Rica, Belize and Guatemala. He also wrote wildlife chapters for the Lonely Planet Kenya, Tanzania and East Africa guides.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9839th edition – November 2012ISBN 978 1 74179 800 5© Lonely Planet 2012 Photographs © as indicated 201210 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

OUR WRITERS James Bainbridge Coordinating Author, North-West Province, Northern Cape Based in Cape Town, James has travelled the length and breadth of South Africa for guidebooks and magazine assignments. He fi rst visited the country in 2008; since then he has met a lovely Capetonian lady, moved to the Cape from London and got married on an organic wine farm. While researching this book, the Northern Cape’s wildernesses and North-West Province’s wildlife parks were a revelation for James – he loved

the sense of space and freedom in the Karoo, Kalahari and Namakwa. When he’s not sloping around the Winelands, James contributes to other Lonely Planet guides, including Turkey and Morocco.

Kate Armstrong KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland Kate was bitten by the African bug when she lived in Mozambique, and returns frequently to Southern Africa. For this edition she tackled the region solo in her 2WD hatchback. Memorable moments include her ‘altercation’ with a bull elephant, her fi rst sip of Marula brew, and learning, while on an isolated pass, that it’s still possible to lock one’s keys in a car. Kate loves the Zulu culture (plus leopards, and giraff es). She is continually humbled by the

generosity of the local people. For more, see www.katearmstrong.com.au

Lucy Corne Western Cape Since she fi rst visited South Africa in 2002, Lucy has been hooked and has returned on six occasions, spending time in more than 200 towns across the country. Despite having explored the Western Cape in depth before, she still managed a few fi rsts while researching this guide, including the vertigi-nous trip to Die Hel, discovering the delectable pinot noirs of Elgin and fi nding the off beat Western Cape in the mission villages of Wupperthal, Elim and Genad-

endal. Lucy currently lives in Cape Town where she writes on travel and beer. Check out Lucy’s website at www.lucycorne.com.

Read more about James at:lonelyplanet.com/members/james_bains

Read more about Kate at:lonelyplanet.com/members/kate_armstrong

Read more about Lucy at:lonelyplanet.com/members/lucycorne

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OVERPAGE

MORE WRITERS

Itiner-aries

Whether you’ve got six days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.

BOTSWANA

LESOTHO

MOZAMBIQUE

SWAZILAND

ZIMBABWE

Johannesburg

PRETORIA

MBABANE

MalolotjaNature Reserve

PrivateWildlifeReserves

MadikweGame

ReservePilanesbergNational Park

Ezulwini Valley MkhayaGame Reserve

uMkhuzeGame Reserve

iSimangalisoWetland Park

Hluhluwe-iMfoloziPark

Durban

KrugerNational Park

Kwazulu-Natal

Free State

Mpumalanga

Gauteng

Limpopo

North-WestProvince

NorthernCape

#÷

#÷

#•#÷

#÷#÷

#÷

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One to Two WeeksSafari Special

South Africa is one of the continent’s best safari destinations; in just a week or two it’s possible to do some serious wildlife spotting. From Jo’burg, head east to Mpu-malanga and the country’s safari showpiece, Kruger National Park. The wildlife here and in the adjoining private wildlife reserves will hold you captivated for

several days. If time is tight, Madikwe Game Reserve and Pilanesberg National Park, both within four hours’ drive of Jo’burg, are worthwhile additions to a bushveld itinerary.

From Kruger, head south to Swaziland’s Malolotja Nature Reserve, where 200km of hiking trails cross grasslands and forests, and along the Ezulwini Valley, stopping to ad-mire the woodlands and pick up local craftwork, to Mkhaya Game Reserve. Wildlife-rich Mkhaya is known for its unsurpassed black and white rhino populations. Leaving Swazi-land, hit the N2 to KwaZulu-Natal’s uMkhuze Game Reserve, where animals lap at water-holes in pans surrounded by fever trees. Nearby are the waterways and diverse ecosystems of the 200km-long iSimangaliso Wetland Park, and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, where hiking the wilderness trails is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From there, continue south along the Indian Ocean to Durban’s bars, restaurants and beaches.

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LESOTHO

PrinceAlbert

Franschhoek

Hermanus

Stellenbosch

PlettenbergBay

Knysna

MontaguOudtshoorn

CAPETOWN

De HoopNatureReserve

FreeState

NorthernCape

WesternCape

EasternCape

Meiringspoort PassSwartberg Pass

Chintsa

Nature’s Valley and Tsitsikamma National Park

Wilderness

Jeffrey’s Bay

Cape Agulhas

INDIANOCEAN

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One to Three WeeksCape Coast

Beautiful scenery, excellent infrastructure and a platter of attractions make this the South Africa of the glossy brochures. The loop can be done by public transport, but a car off ers many possibilities for detours.

After a few days in Cape Town, fi tting in historical sights such as the District Six Museum and Bo-Kaap alongside iconic Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope, bid a tearful farewell and head to the Winelands. Spend a night or two wine-tasting in the vineyard-clad valleys of Stellenbosch or Franschhoek.

Possible coastal detours include Hermanus for watching southern right whales (from June to December); Cape Agulhas, Africa’s southernmost point, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet; or the beaches of the 34,000-hectare De Hoop Nature Reserve.

Continue the gastronomic Winelands activities and head along the Breede River Valley to refi ned Montagu, its thatched cottages and gourmet restaurants reached through a hole in the Cogmanskloof mountains. From here, scenic Route 62, one of the world’s longest wine routes, leads through the Little Karoo to Oudtshoorn, South Africa’s ostrich capital.

With its 19th-century mansions built by ‘feather barons’, Oudtshoorn is a convenient stopover before tackling the untarred Swartberg Pass, an engineering marvel, or Meir-ingspoort Pass, with a waterfall en route. On the far side of the Swartberg (Black Moun-tain) in the Great Karoo, the 18th-century village of Prince Albert is near the N1 back to Cape Town. Alternatively, backtrack south past Oudtshoorn to the Garden Route, where Wilderness’ beaches and lagoons are less developed than other parts of the coast. Heading east along the Indian Ocean, old-growth forests rise into the mountains above the resort towns of Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, both off ering water sports and activities.

Shortly before entering the Eastern Cape, detour down a windy road to Nature’s Valley, an aptly named beach village where happy hikers fi nishing the Otter Trail hang their boots in a tree. Shorter hikes also lead into the rippling valleys of rainforest and fynbos in the sur-rounding Tsitsikamma National Park.

Back on the N2, surf hub Jeff rey’s Bay is worth a stop if you can tell a supertube from a point break. Otherwise, continue to Chintsa for an accessible taste of the Wild Coast area’s dreamy coves and Xhosa villages.

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NAMIBIA

Oudtshoorn

CAPETOWN

Graaff-Reinet

#•#•

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• Addo ElephantNational Park

Kwazulu-Natal

FreeState

NorthernCape

WesternCape

EasternCape

KimberleyTrans-Karoo

tourist-class trainLadybrand

RomaMaseru

NieuBethesda

De Rust

Mountain ZebraNational Park

WildCoast

Amathole

Durban

SaniPass

CamdebooNational

Park

#÷

INDIANOCEAN

#÷

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One MonthGrand Circuit

Getting off to a stunning start in Cape Town, head east along Route 62 and the Gar-den Route, as described in our Cape Coast itinerary. Alternatively, if the Great Karoo’s open spaces seem more appealing than cruising along the Indian Ocean, head east from sleepy De Rust, on the N12 northeast of Oudtshoorn, along Rte 341, the N9 and

Rte 329. Kicking up dust on secondary roads is one of South Africa’s unsung pleasures, but check road conditions locally.

An inland detour along the N9 leads to Graaff -Reinet, South Africa’s fourth-oldest European-settled town, with 220-plus national monuments. Also in this quirky corner of the Karoo are Camdeboo National Park, with Cape buff aloes and views over the plains, and arty Nieu Bethesda, home of the sculpture-adorned Owl House. Stop at Mountain Zebra National Park for some fi nal Karoo panoramas, or continue straight to Addo Elephant National Park, where great white sharks and southern right whales complete the ‘Big Seven’.

Moving east, Amathole, formerly the Xhosa homeland of Ciskei, is well worth explor-ing, before the next batch of stellar highlights on the rugged Wild Coast and laidback Durban’s funky Florida Rd hangouts. From Durbs, head back inland, along the Midlands Meander and into the Drakensberg, where the Sani Pass climbs into Lesotho. Hiking and pony trekking in the mountain kingdom, you will meet Basotho people clad in their distinc-tive conical hats and patterned woollen blankets.

Rather than stay in the capital Maseru, spend your last Lesothan night among sand-stone cliff s in nearby Roma, a 19th-century mission station and now the country’s seat of learning. Across the international border in the Free State’s Eastern Highlands, Ladybrand is another pleasant stopover, its sandstone buildings overlooked by jagged peaks.

Zip through the Free State’s shimmering golden fi elds and cross another border to the Northern Cape capital, Kimberley. The city that witnessed the world’s greatest diamond rush is a great place to get a feel for South African history, with Anglo-Boer battlefi elds, ghost tours, 150-year-old pubs and the township of Galeshewe. If time is tight, pick up a postcard of the world’s largest hand-dug hole and hop on the Trans-Karoo tourist-class train, which will whisk you back to Cape Town (or up to Jo’burg) in 12 hours.

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BOTSWANA

LESOTHO

NAMIBIA

CAPETOWN

Port Nolloth

Kimberley

Calvinia

Matjiesfontein

Namakwa

Upington

ATLANTICOCEAN

#•

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FreeState

North-WestProvince

NorthernCape

WesternCape

EasternCape

|Ai-|Ais/RichtersveldTransfrontier Park #÷

#÷

#÷

#÷

Augrabies FallsNational Park

KgalagadiTransfrontierPark

CederbergWilderness Area

WitsandNatureReserve#÷

Two to Four WeeksThe Wild Northwest

From Cape Town, head north to the Cederberg Wilderness Area, with its sand-stone formations, lodges and campsites. Citrusdal and Clanwilliam are convenient bases.

Head over Vanrhyns Pass, or the untarred Pakhuis Pass, to the Hantam Karoo outpost of Calvinia. Back on the N7, continue north to Namakwa, its rocky expanses carpeted with wildfl owers in spring. Almost at the end of the region’s arrow-straight roads, between the Atlantic and the middle of nowhere, is Port Nolloth. If you have a 4WD and an adventurous streak, continue to the surreal mountain desert of |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.

Back on the freeway, head east to the epic Augrabies Falls National Park, for hiking, rafting and canoeing. Catch the Orange River in a more mellow mood on a sunset cruise in Upington, before heading boldly north, between red Kalahari dunes, to Kgalagadi Trans-frontier Park, one of the world’s best places to see big cats.

Hit the tar back to Upington, or 4WD southeast, and continue through the Kalahari to Witsand Nature Reserve, where the wind roars over the dunes. Head east to Kimberley, famous for its 19th-century diamond rush, and turn south into the Karoo. Possible stops on the N1 include historic, perfectly preserved Matjiesfontein.

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LESOTHO

MOZAMBIQUESWAZILAND

Soweto

EastLondon

Clarens

Port StJohns

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Kwazulu-Natal

FreeState

Mpumalanga

GautengNorth-West

Province

NorthernCape

EasternCape

#÷

Golden GateHighlands

National Park

#•SentinelHikingTrail #÷

Royal NatalNational Park

#÷Oribi GorgeNature Reserve

#•Harrismith

INDIANOCEAN

Two to Three WeeksEastern Wander

Start your trip with a night in South Africa’s most famous township, Soweto. Visit a shebeen and see the street where Nobel Peace Prize winners Mandela and Tutu lived.

Cross the Free State and, leaving the N3 at Harrismith, take scenic Rte 712 past Sterkfontein Dam to Clarens. The arty town, with its galleries and microbrew-

ery, has surroundings worthy of an impressionist landscape. In the nearby Golden Gate Highlands National Park, stay in a riverside chalet and hike between sandstone outcrop; preparation for the mighty Drakensberg. To climb the iconic Ampitheatre to the top of the Drakensberg Escarpment, tackle the day-long Sentinel Hiking Trail.

Spend a couple of days enjoying the spectacular day walks, such as Tugela Gorge, in the Royal Natal National Park, and continue southeast. Declimatise from the Draks in Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve, with its cliff s and forests above the Umzilkulwana River, and hit the Wild Coast. Port St Johns is a possible base for exploring the tribal region, where Xhosa rondavels (round huts with a conical roof) dot the green hills and sandy beaches meet the Indian Ocean.

Pick up a connection from East London to Jo’burg or Cape Town, or continue west and join our Cape Coast or Grand Circuit itinerary.

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McGregor

Greyton

Franschhoek

Hermanus

CAPETOWN

NorthernCape

#•Paternoster

#÷West CoastNational Park

#•

Darling#•Wellington

#÷

KogelbergBiosphere

Reserve

#•

CapeHangklip

#•

Greyton McGregorHiking Trail

WesternCape

ATLANTICOCEAN

One WeekAlternative Cape

From Cape Town, head north and stop in Darling, where Evita se Perron shows give cross-dressing comedian Pieter-Dirk Uys’ distinctive take on South African life. Sur-rounding the Langebaan Lagoon, the West Coast National Park off ers an acces-sible, southern look at the spring wildfl ower bloom. Overnight in Paternoster, with

art galleries and restaurants among the whitewashed cottages. Head inland to Welling-ton, where there are some superb wineries in the shadow of Bainskloof Pass. Further into the Winelands, Franschhoek distils the area’s refi ned, European charm, with its French Huguenot heritage, vineyards and restaurants. Head southeast over the Franschhoek Pass and hit the N2 through the Overberg to reach the delightful village of Greyton. The twee, well-preserved spot has thatched self-catering cottages, good restaurants, mountain views, and a neighbouring 18th-century Moravian mission station. The 14km Greyton McGre-gor Hiking Trail leads through the Riviersonderendberge range to McGregor, a new age village in the Breede River Valley.

From Greyton, return to Cape Town via Hermanus, the world’s best land-based whale-watching destination (June to December). Finish the journey on the stunning, coastal Rte 44, which winds around Cape Hangklip and skirts Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve.

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BOTSWANA

MOZAMBIQUE

SWAZILAND

ZIMBABWE

MpumalangaGauteng

Limpopo

North-WestProvince

#•Soutpansberg#•

Venda region

#÷

MapungubweNational Park

#÷KrugerNational Park#÷

Blyde RiverCanyonNatureReserve

#•

Graskop#•Pilgrim’s

Rest

Two WeeksBushveld Blast

Head directly north from Jo’burg’s OR Tambo International Airport and spend a couple of nights in Limpopo’s biodiverse Soutpansberg range. West of Louis Tri-chardt (Makhado) are some wonderfully remote lodges, reached up rocky tracks and decorated with local artworks. Up on the Botswana and Zimbabwe border, one of

South Africa’s unsung highlights, Mapungubwe National Park, sprawls across 28,000 hot hectares in the Limpopo River Valley.

Returning south, even the landscape around the roads is extraordinary, with baboons scuttling between giant baobab trees. Spend a day or two discovering the mystic Venda region, where artists produce distinctive work and a python god is believed to live in Lake Fundudzi.

Enter Kruger National Park through one of the northern gates and spend a few days ogling the Big Five, heading slowly south. Nip west from Kruger’s central section to the spectacular Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, where the river snakes down from the Drakensberg Escarpment to the lowveld.

Before hitting the N4 back to Jo’burg, relax in Graskop, with gently sloping hills beyond its sleepy backstreets and craft shops. The town is a good base for Pilgrim’s Rest, a per-fectly preserved 19th-century gold-rush village, and outdoor activities.

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