Adventures in South Africa
Andrew Sullivan- World Adventure Traveller and nature enthusiast writes about Adventures in South Africa.
Adventures in South Africa are ceratainly one of a kind! When I received an email from South Africa Adventures, asking me if I’d like to join them on a few tours, you can imagine I didn’t have a hard time writing a reply. It was myself and my girlfriend’s 5th anniversary and the timing was perfect.
We have always had an unquenchable thirst for the great outdoors and we knew that adventures in South Africa are abundant. Hiking, SCUBA diving, safaris, shark diving, mountain biking-every activity in this beautiful country is geared towards getting us city slickers out into the wilderness to work up a sweat in some epic adventure activity.
South Africa is fast becoming a popular tourist destination. Most likely due to the favorable exchange rates, incredible weather, friendly people and of course the cultural experience that is unique to this young and upcoming country.
In my opinion it is one the best places to visit in terms of adventure travel and affordability. The destination is only half of the adventure. And do they have it all!! South Africa is 1.2 million square kilometers of total awesomeness with diverse eco systems that make a variety of adventures here possible.
Top adventures in South Africa
Hiking and trekking: The country has some of the most incredible hiking terrain in the world. The ancient mountains of the Drakensberg afford some really spectacular views that are attainable by seasoned trekkers and novices alike. The beauty of this adventure that appealed to me the most was the fact that we literally had the whole mountain to ourselves.
We did not see any other hiker for 3 days. The crew at South Africa Adventures was incredible. From the planning and logistics right through to the mental motivation needed to summit our chosen massif known as Cathedral Peak.
Scuba Diving in Sodwana: I have dived all over the world and I can tell you that this place is a hidden gem. Not only do you get to walk on the pristine beaches but the diving adventure is a 5 star experience. The reefs are un-spoilt and afford the underwater, air guzzling guests the opportunity to see an array of tropical fish, turtles, corals and moray eels. The highlight of the tour was swimming with wild dolphins on the boat ride out to the dive site. This was an incredible and awe inspiring experience that was definitely the best thing to happen to me on my adventures in South Africa.
Pilanesberg Safari: I had never been on a real South African safari before. The closest I have ever come to an elephant was in a zoo. This is what makes this country so amazing. They have everything. We had just experienced hiking in the Drakensberg, diving in Sodwana and now we were trekking in the African bush as the game ranger edged his way towards a breeding herd of elephants. My heart must have been pumping at over 200 beats per minute.
The fight or flight instinct to run was ever present. Well looking at the 6 ton elephants in front of us it was definitely not going to fight. Our South Africa Adventures ranger was cool and calm. He took us through the process of safe trekking in the Pilanebserg and we landed up exploring the bush seeing some incredible wildlife. And to finish of the day the crew had a massive fire bush fire waiting with an array of local cuisine to feast on. This adventure was way different to rest of what we had experienced in South Africa for sure.
Best time to visit?
A question that is hard to answer. The variety of adventures in South Africa is so diverse and caters for all weather conditions that I’d say anytime is the best. The Drakensberg Mountains can be equally rewarding in the rainy summer months as they can be in the snowy winter months.
As for walking safaris, the best time would be from April to September as the bush is not as lush and the chances of seeing wildlife is greater. Best adventure dives would be from April to November in the Kwazulu natal regions as the weather is most stable at this time of the year. However, having said that, Adventures in South Africa can be done all year round.
If your desire for adventure is great, you will make a plan. And I promise you, you will not be disappointed. Not only are the adventures out of this world but the cultural experience and friendliness of this nation will leave a mark on your heart forever.
Andrew Sullivan- World Adventure Traveller and nature enthusiast
