If you haven’t been to South Africa, then you’re missing out. There are several reasons why you should visit the country. When I first came to South Africa in 2017, I brought all the stereotypes that people know about Africa as a whole. And it was stupid.
The country is well-developed. And although there are poor areas, the rich areas are better than what I have found in Western countries. And yes, you won’t see lions and cheetas on their good roads and there are parts where it snows every year. So without further adieu, here are the top 10 reasons why you should visit South Africa.
Cape Town is amazing
To say that Cape Town will leave your mouth agape is an understatement because no explanation does justice to this place. If you enjoy living at the heart of a beautiful city, your dreams will come true in Cape Town. First, the city is forged in front of a mountain range that precipitates calmly into the sea. Then there exist pristine white beaches that define the edge of the Atlantic where giant boulders offer the best tan beds anywhere in the world.
The big five calls this home
South Africa is home to the elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard. In addition to these, tourists can be assured of sighting a hippo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, wild dogs, hyena, meerkats and ostrich. A visit to Outsdhorrn presents one with the rear opportunity to ride on an ostrich.
Whale watching is fun
Especially for those whose accommodation in onshore, the South African coast provides a platform for watching the whales. Other places that accord visitors this honor include coastal footpaths, cafes, and restaurants. Want to be part of an experience that you will never forget? Hermanus offers an epic land-based view.
The Sardine run happens here
You never get to hear much about natural events happening underwater but that is probably because you never took time to visit South Africa. In the marine calendar is an event that can only be dubbed as the earth’s greatest migration due to the volume of individual entities that take part.
What you will see when this migration is taking place is an extensive shoal of sardines as it moves upwards towards the north taking the coast as its path. Do not even try to count or estimate the numbers as it is simply beyond human comprehension. The best you can do is joining in the pursuit – with a camera of course.
The landscape is jaw-dropping
You can never have enough of South Africa regardless of whether you are visiting or living here. The landscape alone which one sees every time they watch their surroundings from an elevated position is incredible. Some notable landmarks include the Valley of Desolation and the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve.
You get to ride in a luxury train
For an experience that many people describe as one in a million, taking the luxury train on a trip around South Africa is quite pampering. The route of this trail spans 994 miles to connect Cape Town to Pretoria. This happens within 27 hours but passengers get to freshen up on a single stop in either direction. Apart from the great view of the countryside as the train travels past, passengers enjoy meals and drinks courtesy of the fare.
The wine country
There is a reason why South Africa is among the many places where people visiting the African continent for the first time want to step foot. For those who love wine particularly, the over 200 wine cellars located only in and around Cape Town are enough to want to settle here. Serviced by 4 wine regions, visitors always have a destination where they can sample indigenous cuisines as they sip on wine.
You can visit where Nelson Mandela lived
People all over the world know nelson Mandela, the great South African leader who transcended race, culture, religion, and region to arouse such a deep sense of appreciation for democracy all over the world.
If you know absolutely nothing about South Africa, you at least have an idea of who Nelson Mandela was. Now, his private residence has been made accessible to the public for luxury accommodation. The property can accommodate up to 12 overnight guests at a time so it is an ideal holiday retreat.
Cape Agulhas is the meeting spot for two major oceans
No other place in the world can one experience two natural water masses converge while still preserving their individual identities. The Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet in South Africa and there is a spot to show for it.
Do not just take a picture of the monument – look at the water long enough and you might just be able to catch a glimpse of the borderline.
The Penguin story comes alive in South Africa
For some real-life penguin story, visit Boulders beach and have these waddling visitors welcome you. This beach is where hundreds of penguins at a time come to nest lazily in the warmth of the sparkling sand.
Visitors to this located get treated to a rare spectacle as the black and white creatures preen on the rocks then make a dart for the crystal waters of the ocean. For an extra dose of nature out of the water, a visit to Seal Island ushers you to the life of seals.
UNESCO spotted some heritage sites here
Perhaps the highest in the world, South Africa has eight UNESCO world heritage sites under its belt. If you are planning a tour of South Africa, allow time to move between Robben Island, Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park, Vredefort Dome, the Richtersveld desert, the Cape Floristic Region, Mapungubwe, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, and the “Cradle of Humankind.”
Check the requirements for a South Africa eVisa
Well, the only way to enjoy all this is if you have a visa, follow this link to check the requirements for a South Africa eVisa. With the South Africa eVisa, application and processing are quite convenient because nowhere does it need a physical appearance at the embassy. By answering a series of short questions, applicants will just need to take a couple of minutes off their schedule and they are done. It makes work a lot easier if you are holding your passport in your hand at the time of application since the nature of the questions is personal.
Judging from the many attractions that South Africa boasts of, the eVisa is expected to be quite popular with tourists. The projections put the number of expected visitor volumes at 19.5 million by 2022 up from 16 million in 2017.
