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Game Drive in Hluhluwe Imfolozi: A South African Rhino Safari
For most Americans, the holiday season conjures images of tree decorating, gift-giving and wintry weather. It is difficult for many of us to imagine Christmas without also thinking of snowflakes, sleigh bells and a yearly visitor from the North Pole. And, though I remember very few years in which we actually had a white Christmas in Oregon growing up, the cold winter weather did not make it difficult to imagine a snowy wonderland outside. It rarely occurred to me that, for those, living South of the equator, Christmas and snowflakes…
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A Self-Guided Safari in Kruger National Park
While safari-going may rank toward the top of things to do on a trip to Africa, I admit that prior to setting foot on the continent, animal viewing fell somewhere near the bottom of my travel list. After all, I’d been to plenty of zoos in my life and seen many of Africa’s prized animals up close in captivity. How different could it be to see these animals in the wild, I wondered? My first encounter with Africa’s animals in the wild came during a month-long adventure through Botswana, Zimbabwe,…
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The Spectacular Blyde River Canyon in South Africa
South Africa’s Blyde River Canyon, also known as the Motlae Canyon, sits at the confluence of the Blyde and Treur rivers. It is a remarkable geological icon, made even more beautiful by the lush greenery that clings to its walls. The Blyde River Canyon’s mist-shrowded rock formations tower above the verdant canyon slopes, providing birds-eye views of the river below. It is among the most beautiful canyons in the world and one of South Africa’s most awe-inspiring natural attractions. Visiting the World’s Third Largest Canyon Everyone has heard of Arizona’s…
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Western Cape Road Trip in South Africa
The Western Cape of South Africa is home to some of the Africa’s most awe-inspiring scenery. Defined by its wildlife-rich coastline, its towering flat-top mountains, and its vineyard-clad valleys, it is a place where exploration and relaxation go hand in hand. Cape Town justifiably gets much of the area’s tourist attention. The city is one of the most dynamic and scenic in the world. It is steeped in history, pulsing with nightlife, encircled by beauty, and inhabited by a diverse population. But the area’s charm’s don’t end with the confines…
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Exploring South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the southern end of South Africa’s Cape Peninsula.The spectacular cape has long been associated with the southernmost tip of Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans collide. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope lies at the southernmost tip of the African continent. The misbelief has led the area to become one of South Africa’s most popular tourist attractions. In reality, however, the southern terminus of Africa lies 150km East, at Cape Aghulas. But I don’t think…
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Cape Town in Three Days: A Land of Contrasts
After a year of living in rural Namibia, Cape Town hit me with a large dose of culture shock. The city seemed, on the surface, to be everything my dusty, northern corner of Namibia was not—cosmopolitan, diverse and teeming with things to do. My friends and I fell in love with Cape Town immediately. The food was tantalizing, the air was crisp, the mountains were stunning. It was difficult to believe that just a few days prior, my friends and I had been navigating the dusty streets of Ovamboland, and…
