South Africa's 5 Must See Destinations

South Africa is a truly wonderful world location. Rugged, passionate, tough and sometimes unforgiving, she has seen a world of change in just a short couple of decades.

Notwithstanding a turbulent and often violent past, South Africa still has an astounding selection of enriching experiences to offer vacationers to her sunny shores. It would take an epic to list even half of these, so let's look at 5 of the top attractions this world in one country has on offer.

Cape Town - At the Foot of God's Table

Sitting majestically at the foot of the continent with the awe-inspiring Table Mountain at her back, Cape Town is one of the most eclectic and truly metropolitan cities in Africa. With its long history as the settler gateway to Africa, Cape Town has a wealth of historical and cultural gifts to offer its vacationers. In addition Cape Town offers some of the most breathtaking natural beauty and diverse and fascinating wildlife in the world.

From the Table Mountain Cable Way cable car, the Kirstenbosch botanical gardens, the bustling Victoria and Alfred waterfront to historical Robben Island, Cape Town delivers world class sights, shopping, dining and excitement in abundance.

Catering for all tastes the area offers some of the worlds best know wine estates, the world's highest commercial bungee jump, Whale watching and for the staunch hearted cage and open water Great White shark diving. Cape Town is indeed an attraction like no other.

Kruger National Park - African Wildlife Wonder

Probably one of the most well known and visited game reserves in the world, the Kruger Park offers guests the opportunity to view South Africa's famous wildlife treasures in their natural surroundings. Covering 7,332 square miles and extending for 217 miles north to south along the Mozambique border and over 60 miles wide the park is home to the most definitive range of Southern African wildlife on the sub continent.

Visitors to the Kruger Park can choose from several types of accommodation ranging from exclusive formal safari lodges to tented camps. So whether you want to rough it or stay in the lap of luxury Kruger has it all. The park is criss-crossed by hundreds of miles of good tarmac roads giving guests the opportunity of driving through Africa and view its natural wonders just as it must have been hundreds of years ago. Guided game drives and walks are also available. No visit to Southern Africa could be complete without experiencing this natural wonderland.

Knysna - Oyster from Heaven

Folks in Knysna have a saying that describes their little patch of heaven. "Just arrive - the rest comes naturally" That is so true. Situated on the scenic Western Cape Garden Route, and rated as one of the worlds top 100 destinations, Knysna is one of South Africa's coastal gems and not to be missed.

A large warm water lagoon fed by the Knysna River is the main attraction in this beautiful town. Exiting into the warm Indian Ocean through the awe-inspiring Knysna Heads, this estuary is home to wild fowl, otters and pleasure seekers all year round. Water sports abound and accommodation is plentiful in many world class hotels, guest houses and the signature Knysna house boats.

Surrounded by lush forests offering sanctuary to the only forest elephants in Southern Africa, Knysna offers the nature lover a magical experience of a life time. For the more formal fun seeker, horse riding, yachting, fishing, canoeing, paragliding, scuba diving and water skiing is offered. Knysna is also home to some of the world's finest oysters and hosts a yearly Oyster Festival not to be missed.

Pilgrims Rest - There's Gold in Them Thar Hills

Pilgrims Rest is one of South Africa's hidden treasures. With a rich historical past and surrounded by some of South Africa's most breathtaking natural beauty, this little town will not be out of place on any vacationers must see list.

Gold is what gave birth to Pilgrims rest and still plays a large role in the attraction of the town with gold panning championships pulling huge crowds to the town every year. Pilgrims gold rush past is also celebrated in several museums and places of interest.

Visitors to Pilgrim's can find comfortable accommodation and exemplary service in several venues all with a strong historical slant. Delicious local fare can also be enjoyed in historic splendor with some fine establishments catering for the hungry, foot sore traveler.

With noteworthy local attractions such as the Kruger National park, the world renowned Sudwala Caves, Bourke's Luck Pot Holes in the Blyde River Canyon, Bridal Veil Falls, God's Window and the Mac Mac falls within easy driving distance, visitors to this historic gem won't be short of memorable things to fill their days.

Drakensberg Mountains - Back of the Dragon

The last South African attraction to be considered here is not actually a single place. It is a rugged and breathtakingly beautiful mountain range 11,000 feet high and running for over 620 miles across South Africa. It is home to some of the most beautiful natural vistas imaginable and is a treasure trove of natural and historical attractions.

With over 35,000 different examples of San Bushman cave paintings, the largest such collection in the world, Boer War battlefields, horse trails, hiking trails, 4 x 4 trails, birding and wildlife trails this World Heritage Site will never leave it's vacationers bored or jaded.

Home to the Spectacular Tugela Falls which, at just over 3,100 feet, is the world's second highest waterfall, the Drakensburg experience is extensive enough to take a lifetime to explore properly. This natural wonder is a must see when visiting South Africa and comes highly recommended as a world class experience.

Next time you are hard pressed to decide on a suitable vacation destination, consider South Africa. Gateway to Southern Africa and a veritable kaleidoscope of natural, cultural and historic experiences, it is indeed a world in one country.