Category Archives: Africa

Places to visit in Durban

Places to visit in Durban

Africa will never cease to amaze you, it is like every city in this country is truly beautiful in its own way and whose beauty seems to be ageless and never fade over time. As the third largest city and the busiest port in South Africa, Durban is also one of the most visited cities in South Africa. The city subtropical climate and the beaches seem to be the best place for tourist to stop by and enjoy the scenery. Other than the beaches, other places the tourist would visit while they spend their holiday in Durban is the city magnificent building such as the Moses Mabhida Stadium, uShaka Marine World and Sea World Aquarium.

The first tourist stop in Durban is the Moses Mabhida Stadium or usually called as Durban Stadium. Located in Masabalala Yengwa Ave, Stamford Hill, Durban the Moses Mabhida Stadium can hold up to 80.000 spectators. Not like any other stadium, this stadium has an arch on top of it that represent the once divided nation coming together, just like the flag of South Africa. From this ark, there are several attractions for tourist to experience such as the Skycar and the Big Swing. The Skycar attraction is to ride a cabin car following the arch line, the cabin is framed by glass windows thus you can have 360o view of Durban city. Jumping from the stadium arch, 106 meters above the world cup stadium is an experience you cannot find anywhere else except from Durban Stadium Big Swing.

After the Durban Stadium, the other great place in Durban is the uShaka Marine World. This place is Africa’s largest Marine Theme Park with numerous attractions for you to enjoy.  One day would not be enough to try everything in this place. You can visit Wet n Wild world for amazing swimming experience, huge pool, river rides and high speed chutes are available for you to enjoy. Another attraction is the Sea World Aqurium, the 5th largest aquarium in the world. With 32 water tanks and hundreds of fish species to see, the aquarium itself is built with shipwrecks theme. Aside from Sea world aquarium and swimming pool you can find beautiful beaches and good restaurant in here. The view from the restaurant itself is like you are inside a tank and surrounded with a lot of giant sharks, something you cannot see in your everyday life.

As part of uShaka Marine World, the Sea World Aquarium is famous for its attractions and do not forget, its dolphins. As a world class aquarium, the Sea World Aquarium provides you with world class attractions also. The attractions are ranging from Dolphin Show, Dolphin Lagoon and Penguin Rockery for penguin lovers. The other attraction is the Pop Up Tank, where you can have fish swimming just a few centimeters around your head. There is also a seal show, a performance by seal that is also interesting to watch. In overall, the Sea World Aquarium is really hard to miss when you visit the uShaka Marine World.

Reservation places in Plettenberg Bay

Reservation places in Plettenberg Bay

South Africa would not be South Africa without animal reservation places. It is like on each corner of this country there will always be a reservation place waiting to be visited by you. This facts also applied for Plettenberg Bay, hence the name this city also has reservation sites for its natural beauty. If you are thinking about spending your holiday in Plettenberg Bay, then you should at least visit one of the reservation places of this city.

Located 8 kilometers south of Plattenberg Bay, you can see Robberg Nature Reserve, a remote rocky peninsula that considered as the most famous walking destination in Plattenberg Bay. Not only known as a good walking site from this site you can also see dolphins, whales, seals and sometimes sharks. There are 3 walking routes within this reservation area with different difficulty on each of them. Located near the ocean, the Robberg Nature Reserve is a good place for walking while enjoying the beauty of the sea and also the marine life that can be seen from here. This reservation place is one of the most recommended places to visit if you ever spend your holiday in Plettenberg Bay.

Moving on to the next destination place is the Birds of Eden. The Birds of Eden is the World’s Largest Dome that house large collections of free-flight African Birds. First opened in December 2005, there are more than 3.500 birds inside this sanctuary. While having its own collection, the Birds of Eden also allowed bird owner to release their bird in here. Located next to Monkeyland in the Crags 16 kilometers East of Plettenberg Bay, the Birds of Eden is open every day all year round and you can have either guided or non-guided walk in here. Visiting the Birds of Eden, you can expect to see large variety of birds roaming free within the dome. It is advisable to enjoy the sanctuary with a guided walk if you first visit this place, because you will be able to learn more about the bird species and the place to see your favorite birds. Experiencing the world’s largest bird sanctuary would be an unforgettable memory and the beauty of the birds will captivate your heart.

One more exciting reservation site in Plettenberg Bay is the Lawnwood Snake Park. Located at The Crags, Plattenberg Bay and open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10.00 AM to 4.00 PM, The Lawnwood Snake Park is a snake paradise. A one hour guided tour is available and it will take you to see snake pit, a lizard enclosure, a large dome filled with South African exotic snakes and do not forget a giant python room. Not only covers the most exciting place inside the park, the guide will also provide you about ways to respond to an unexpected encounter with local snakes. It is pretty intriguing, right?! One thing you should remember if you want to visit this place is that the Lawnwood Snake Park only opens during summer season because following the snake is undergoing their hibernation time in winter season.

Taking Your Safari Experience to the Next Step in Kruger National Park

Taking Your Safari Experience to the Next Step in Kruger National Park

The Kruger National Park is one of safari-themed park located in South Africa. In here, you can see the big five of safari animals which are the elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo. The Kruger National Park offers you with many different safari packages options whereas all of them will show you the beauty of wildlife animal with its own unique criteria. Spend your holiday in Kruger National Park and enjoy the safari life that makes you feel like an adventurer.

One of the safari adventures you can experience in Kruger National Park is the Nhongo Safaris. The Nhongo Safari is a safari operator which provides you with open vehicle game drives activities with route around the National Park. It was first opened in 1993 by Dean and Verity Cherry. While this operator is specializing in small group or family safaris, it also provides larger group safari experience. The Nhongo Safari offers you fully guided open vehicle safaris which are departing from Johannesburg and also an overnight safari from two until seven night. The guide from Nhongo Safari is experienced in birding, wildlife photography as well as vast knowledge of African bush. Coming to Kruger National Park, this safari is one of your best choices for a good, safe and memorable safari.

If you do not like to stay inside a vehicle and want to experience the nature of Kruger National Park then Wolhouter Wilderness Trail is your choice. This safari operator program is an exploration of National park on foot limited to small groups of maximum 8 people and guided by an experienced and armed ranger. Looking for an actual safari ranger feeling? Then this operator is your answer. Walking the designated trail in Kruger National Park on foot and observing not only the big animals but also the small one that hides inside the bush is the strong point of this safari operator. An authentic wilderness experience guided by legendary father and son ranger of Kruger National Park, for many years they have patrolled within the southern section of Kruger National Park. The camp for Wolhouter Wilderness Trail is located between Ber-en-Dal and Pretoriuskop restcamps, the center of white rhino populations.

Other Wilderness Trail available in Kruger National Park is the Nyalaland Wilderness Trail. While the service it offers is the same with Wolhouter Wilderness Trail but the destination is different. So basically in Wilderness trail you can choose which kind of animal would you want to see the most. The camp of Nyalaland Wilderness Trail is located on the bank of Madzaringwe Stream north of Punda Maria and near Luvuvhu River. The trail of Nyalaland Wilderness trail is one of the prime wildernesses of Kruger National Park. The area is known spectacular birdlife view and you can see many other prime wildlife animals such as elephant, crocodile, hippo and buffalo. The view from the trail camp is beautiful also with diversity of plant and animal life inside the national park. The package of this wilderness trail is from 3 nights to 7 nights with minimum of 4 people and they are not available from 15 December to 15 January.

The Ancient Culture of Egypt in Cairo

The Ancient Culture of Egypt in Cairo

Visiting Egypt should be started from visiting Cairo, Egypt’s capital city. This city, while known to be the largest city in the entire Arab and Africa world, is also known to be the closest city to the ancient culture of Egypt. Other called Cairo as “the city of thousand minarets” because the architecture of this city is heavily influenced by Islam architecture. Having a holiday in Cairo means you can travel around this city and enjoy the beautiful site it offers starting from Coptic Cairo to Citadel of Saladin.

The first thing you should remember while traveling to Cairo is to wear the appropriate dress which is a dress that covers your shoulder and legs before entering any building in here. If you visit Cairo you can start from Coptic Cairo, part of Old Cairo which includes Babylon fortress, Coptic museum, Hanging church and so many other sites. By visiting this place, you will be able to imagine what Cairo would look like in the ancient times. This area is also known to be the center of ancient Coptic Christian community thus included 5 original Christian churches. Taking a walk around Coptic Cairo while enjoying the architecture of the buildings and taking picture of them is what tourist usually do when they visit Coptic Cairo.

Egypt would not be Egypt without its pyramids; Egyptian pyramid is what makes this country well known all over the world. In Cairo, you can visit a site which called Gizeh Plateu that includes 3 great pyramids and Sphinx. Gizeh Plateu is located around 25 kilometers southwest of Cairo city center and 9 kilometers from Giza. It is known that the pyramids are unique and thus made it into the Seven Wonders of the World but it also the oldest ancient structure. The 3 pyramids within the Gizeh Plateu are Pyramids of Khufu, Pyramids of Khafre and Pyramids of Menkaure, other magnificent architecture in this place is the Great Sphinx. Since this pyramids is the main reason why people comes to Egypt, it usually get crowded all day long so you would want to come as early as possible to enjoy the pyramids. Renting a camel is advisable in here; not only for the experience but since the complex is pretty large it is better to use a camel.

The next destination you should not miss in Cairo is the Citadel of Saladin. This site is Mokattam hill near the center of Cairo City and was used as Egypt center of government for many Islam dynasties. Aside as center of Islamic government, this citadel is also used as a fortress and it was able to guard Egypt form outside attacks. As a center of Islamic government, it is a given that within this citadel stand some magnificent mosque such as the Mosque of Mohammad Ali and Mamluk Mosque of El Nasser Mohammed. Aside from mosques, you can find museums in here also such as the Military Museum, the Police Museum and the Royal Carriages Museum. The Citadel of Saladin is located on top of a high hill which allows you to enjoy the view of the Cairo City.

The Beauty of Natural Landscape in Cape Town

The Beauty of Natural Landscape in Cape Town

As Cape Town becomes more and more famous for its beautiful landmark and beaches, more tourist are coming to this city. In this city, you can see the fusion between an extravagant mountain and a charming beach. The city itself is modern and very crowded which is good for visitor looking for a place to stay. This city holds many beautiful landmark perfect for you as a getaway from your static life.

This mountain is known to be the reason why people travel to Cape Town. The Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain and just like its name, it does looks like a table. This mountain can be seen from all part of Cape Town and the view itself is extravagant. Even though the top is flat, climbing it is nowhere near easy thus the locals suggested a railway line to the top of this mountain. With height more than 1.086 meters above sea level, Table Mountain is also home for many rare and endangered plants and also a floral paradise with more than 1.000 species located in one area. As a mountain, one of the attractions would be the view from top of the mountain the city below; and because this is a flat topped mountain, it can hold more people and visitor to have larger area to explore. If you are spending your holiday in Cape Town, it would not hurt to enjoy come and visit this mountain. You will not feel sorry because starting from when you set your foot on the railway, you will understand what makes Table Mountain famous.

As mentions before that Table Mountain is what you can call as a floral paradise, a botanical garden was made at the foot of this mountain which called the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. Established in 1913, this botanical garden becomes the home of more than 22.000 Cape Town native plants. The beauty of this garden is known to the world making it one of the most visited places in Cape Town. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens also has a large conservatory inside with plants come from many different regions such as savanna and fynbos. This garden provides you with many paths selection that gives you different plants to see. There are 2 popular paths which are the Skeleton Gorge and Nursery Ravine, both of them with its own unique plants which directing to the Table Mountain. This path is famous among hiker, thus you need to be somehow fit to travel in this path.

Two places mentioned before is the example of how Cape Town becomes known to the world eye for its beauty but if you need more proof the Roben Island is your answer. This island is known as the island that acting as the prison for the first Africa democratic president, Nelson Mandela. Due to its location, this island is a good place for a prison and there were many important political figure held in here. Nowadays the prison is no longer used as a prison and UNESCO already declare this island as World Heritage Site of Cultural Significance. Even though it is no longer used you still can visit the prison in this island and see the prisoner chamber and the quarry mines. For an island with not-so-good background, this island also becomes the home of many bird species. You might get lucky and see rare birds in this island.

The Beauty of Zanzibar

The Beauty of Zanzibar

While Africa is mostly known for its beautiful savanna, there is a city with its own unique natural beauty. Zanzibar is part of Tanzania and it is best known for its beautiful beaches and historic center. Not only that, Zanzibar also has many other extravagant places that would make you wanted to stay longer in this city and enjoying its beauty. This city has been famous since decades ago due to its location as a trading city and until now that fame never fades.

Known to have many beautiful beaches, Zanzibar has attracting more tourists to come to their city. One of the outstanding beaches in Zanzibar is the Paje Beach. Located in southeastern area of Zanzibar, this beach is widely known amongst tourists especially kite-surfers. The weather is warm, the water is waist deep and gets deeper as you leave the beach but with sandy bottom which makes it a perfect place for a beginner. The tide itself is ranging from 1 m to 6 m but most of the days it goes for 3 m to 4 m. If you are not kite-surfers, this beach also welcomes you with many other activities such as swimming, surfing or diving in its beautiful sea. Even though Paje Beach is pretty popular but the beach itself is very clean and less tourists in here, the white sand and crystal water in a clean and friendly environment are the plus point of this beach. If you are tired after swimming all day, there are a lot of cafés and bars in Paje Beach that will enlighten your nightlife.

Experiencing the historical lifestyle in Zanzibar is possible if you know the right place. You should visit Stone Town, a town where the infrastructure and the architecture hardly change for the last 200 years. The alleys, bazaars, mouse and houses layout is still the same and the community knows each other, showing the close relationship in this city. The architecture of this city is dating back to the 19th century with unique mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian and European architecture style. Although Stone Town is very crowded with tourists, Stone Town is still a city where the locals live and work, you would probably want to be more careful with the alleys because there are many motorbikes passing around. Coming to Stone Town, you might want to take a walk and see the variety of architecture in this place which is quite stunning, most of the houses still use coralline rock which gives sense of the past to the building.

You will not regret having to spend your holiday in Zanzibar, because the beauty of this city does not stop in the beautiful beaches and unique town. In here, you can see the largest butterfly paradise in East Africa. The Zanzibar Butterfly Center has more than 100 species of butterflies roaming free in here. The butterfly that exhibits in here is mostly natives to the island and when you visit this place you will be able to see the lifecycle of the butterflies. Guided with experience trainers, this place is considered best as family recreation. You can spend a day in here with your family, enjoying new experience of butterfly watching and moreover additional knowledge about butterflies.

overall aerial view of Cape Town

The Guarded City of South Africa

South Africa is probably one of the most wanted natural recreation place. This country seems to have a reservation on each inch of its cities, waiting for you to explore its wildlife animals and plants. This recreation place is also available in Knysna. There are several places you can enjoy when you set your trip to Knysna which are the Knysna Heads, Knysna Elephant Park and Featherberd Nature Reserve.

Knysna city is famous for “The Heads” or usually called Knysna Heads. What makes The Heads popular is because they are like a guard, 2 sea cliffs that are guarding the entrance to the Knysna Lagoon from the ocean. The stone cliffs make Knysna a unique city compared to other beach city in South Africa. On the east side of Knysna Heads, you can enjoy the view of the Lagoon, Leisure Isle and Knysna, while the west side of the heads is changed into nature reservation site called the Featherberd Nature Reserve. If you want to enjoy the unique view of this head you can rent a boat and see the heads from the sea. The natural architecture of this heads is really unique and the view from top of it is also good.

The next place is the Knysna Elephant Park which is located on the N2 between Knysna and Plattenberg Bay. Knysna Elephant Park is first opened in 1994 and has become a home for orphaned elephants and also offers a nature adventure activity for its visitor. The Knysna Elephant Park open all year round from 8.30 AM to 4.30 PM with experience guides to take you with their elephant tour. In this park, you can experience some exciting activities such as riding the elephants and feeding them. There is no fence inside this park, the elephants are already tamed and you can take pictures with them. Some activities in this park need a booking first such as the Elephant back rides, this activity allow you to enjoy the park view from the top of the elephant and have the elephant for your own. The next exciting activities is called the elephant lodge which is having a night with the elephant. Do not worry as the guide already prepared food for the elephant to keep them busy all night.

Last but not least is the Featherberd Nature Reserve which is located in Western side of Knysna Head. There is no accommodation in this reserve and the only way to reach it is by ferry from Knysna waterfront and it took 4 hours of travel. As a nature reserve, Featherberd provides you with several activities you can enjoy such as featherberd eco-experience in which you can ride a ferry around the reserve and go hiking afterwards. After enjoying the eco experience, it is advisable if you take your lunch in the forest restaurant. This restaurant serves good food with amazing view of the Knysna Lagoons. There are other things you can enjoy in Featherberd Nature Reserve; most of them are having lunch or dinner in a cruiser with exceptional view of Knysna Lagoons from the ship deck.

The Uniqueness of Franschhoek

The Uniqueness of Franschhoek

As all city has its own buildings, landscape and site that makes it unique and different from other city, Franschhoek also has its own unique things. Franschhoek is known to be the wine and gourmet city of South Africa. In this city, the wine grows and top class chefs create delicious cuisine. Not only the food and the wine, this city also has other beautiful places such as stables and unique museum. There are many tourists who spend their holiday in Franschhoek to experience the beauty and uniqueness of this city.

It is mention before that there is a unique museum in Franschhoek, this museum is called The Franschhoek Motor Museum which located on L’Ormarins, Franschhoek, Cape Winelands. The Franschhoek Motor Museum is open every day from 10.00 AM to 05.00 PM and it offers you with 100 years of motoring history ranging from cars, motorcycles and bicycles. The collections of this museum are ranging from Beeston Motor Tricycle from 1898 to 2003 Ferrari model. Even if you do not have any interest for motors, the collection of this museum will make you interested. More than 400 motors in a good shape is placed inside this museum and not behind glass case as well. All the collections of this museum still can run as well, the cars are regularly started up and driven around the museum.

If on other places in South Africa you can visit reservation place for wildlife animal such as giraffe and elephant, in this city you can find one for horses. The Paradise Stable Horse Rescue was built to provide a safe home for abused, neglected or abandoned horses while promoting public awareness and education on the care and responsibilities of horse ownership, said their mission statement. Established in 2001 by Lawrence and Bunnie Harasym, the Paradise Stable Horse Rescue is located on northwest of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Currently, there are 16 horses in Paradise Stable’s care; some of the horses are permanent residents while the others are open for adoption. The Paradise Stable also provides horse riding activities for its visitor that opens from Monday to Saturday from 08.45 AM to 05.45 PM. The route of this horse riding activity is through vineyard, forest and wine estate, while the total duration is 2 hours and 30 minutes, you can have 30 – 45 minutes stop at each wine estate.

Located in a valley, the road to Franchhoek city is a challenge for everyone who wishes to visit this city. The road had undergone many changes to make it better and easier to pass. Currently the Franschhoek Pass is a popular route for sightseers, motorcyclists and a few extreme skateboarders. The scenic beauty from this road is hard to miss and it really is gorgeous. This pass is also good hiking trails for hiker and mountain biker. There are 3 hiking trails available which are Catspad, Du Toitskop and Perdekop. As for mountain bike trail, you can choose La Motte Plantation, Dirtopia Trail Centre or Kagga Kamma. Each of the trail and the route has its own unique beauty for you to see.

Tourist Destination in Swakopmund

Tourist Destination in Swakopmund

Not many of us know about Namibia, or to consider this country as our holiday destination place. It is true that this country is not as famous as other holiday destination country such as France or Egypt, but Namibia like any other country also has its own beauty. One of the places in Namibia you should consider as your travel destination is Swakopmund. Some of the unique spot of Swakopmund are Welwitschia Plains, Swakopmund Jetty and Swakopmund Museum.

The Welwitschia Plains is a dessert that falls within the area of Namib Naukluft Park. To enter this desert, you will need a permit from Namibia Wildlife Resorts office that located in Swakopmund. Within this desert, you will not find many wildlife animals but do not be sad yet, the plants of this desert can cover it all. The beauty of this desert lies on its plants and several old trails you can find in here. The most plant you will see in this desert is WelwitschiaMirahilis plants. There are also track of ox wagons, dollar bush and lichens. The Welwithschia Plains also has a place called The Moonscape, the moonscape is basically a landscape formed by Swakop River, the view is spectacular and it is better to see it in early morning or late afternoon because on that time the landscape will look like a moon scape. If you wish to spend the night in here there are several camps inside the plains you can choose.

The next destination place would be the Swakopmund Jetty, a must-visit place if you spend your holiday in Swakopmund. The Swakopmund Jetty was first built in 1911 with the original length of 640 meters but due to the World War I the length of this jetty decrease until 262 meters. This jetty was closed due to safety reason and reopened on 30 July 2010. After the restoration, there are several features added to the jetty such as a second deck where you can enjoy the scenic view of Atlantic Ocean and also a restaurant at the end of the Jetty. The restaurant itself is very beautiful with a glass walls so visitor can enjoy the ocean while eating their food. The restored jetty also has a walking place on the southern side and a fishing place on the northern side.

Last but not least is the Swakopmund Museum where you can find local history of Swakopmund city. The Swakopmund Museum is located in Strand St Palm Beach Area and open from 10.00 AM to 05.00 PM. Located at the foot of the lighthouse, The Swakopmund Museum is a perfect place for you if you want to learn about the town history. This museum is a privately run museum that first established in 1951 by Dr. Alfons Webber to enhance the tourism in this city. The exhibits are ranging from fossil, meteorite chunks, bones of early human inhabitants until ox-wagons, it definitely everything about the town history. The museum is the ultimate picture of how the Swakopmund has grown over the century and the design of the museum itself is very good. This museum really is worth a visit if you ever come to Swakopmund.

Various Entertainments in Johannesburg

Various Entertainments in Johannesburg

The modern life of Johannesburg is what makes people keep coming to this city for many reasons; either it is looking for a job or just having a holiday in a city that is called as the wealthiest city in South Africa. While also known for its dark past (the apartheid regime) this city keeps improving and providing life for the people who live there. Most of the tourists who are spending their holiday in Johannesburg choose this city because the diversity of tourist attractions it provides, from savanna, amusement park to the museums.

Johannesburg was known as a city that holds apartheid philosophy for a long time. Even though the philosophy is long gone, today’s generation should understand about this regime and never to apply it again in the future, and in Apartheid Museum they can learn about it. Opened in 2001 and built by Gold Reef City, this museum is registered as incorporated not for gain. The exhibition inside this museum is fundamental for you who wishes to understand and experienced what Apartheid is like, the rise and fall of this regime. One of the famous exhibits of this museum is the race classification, the foundation of Apartheid regime. In order to illustrate the condition of the Apartheid regime, museum visitors are divided into race groups before entering the museum and inside they will see the documents that used to implement this racial divide. Other famous exhibit is the pillars of constitution of South Africa which consist of 7 constitutions that will guarantee the equality more extensive than any other place in the world.

No matter how modern a city in South Africa is, there is always a place where people can get in touch with its wildlife environment. In Johannesburg, that place is called the Lion Park. Located in the middle of Johannesburg, in Pretoria complex lies a park that is focuses on the well-being and regeneration of various animals in particular the wild dog, white lion and cheetah. This park is mostly divided into 2 areas, carnivore and non-carnivore. In the non-carnivore are, the animals are roaming free and you can feed them directly if you accompanied by a guide. Within this area, you can see giraffe, zebra and several other animals. In carnivore area you will be able to see lion, cheetah, wild dog and hyena separated with barriers. This park provides you with several trip plans such as Cheetah walk, self drives, Guided Day/Night Game drives and wild-side tented camp.

Inside a modern metropolitan city, there will always be an entertainment place build for its citizen, in Johannesburg it called the Golden Reef City. Located 8 km from the center of Johannesburg city, Golden Reef City is your all in one entertainment place. With its various facilities ranging from amusement park, casino, hotels, restaurant and theaters, this place is the perfect place for holiday. The various entertainments it offers make this place one of the most wanted tourist destination in Johannesburg. Inside the theme park, there are many kinds of roller coaster for you to try and also an exciting 4D Theater. Make sure to visit this place when you visit Johannesburg because in here the fun will never stop.