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Gauteng
Journey to the Cradle of Humankind, a World Heritage Site about 40km from Pretoria. These palaeo-anthropological sites have yielded hundreds of hominoid fossils. Sterkfontein and Wonder Caves are open to the public, and there ’s a host of other activities close by, such as horse riding; rhino, lion and cheetah parks; rock climbing or abseiling into the caves; game drives; trout fishing; a spa; and an observatory.
If that ’s all too energetic, book into the Mount Grace Country House and Spa for a deliciously decadent day of pampering, massages, hydrotherapy and beauty treatments. There are also hiking and mountain bike trails, a pool and a restaurant.
Go on a township tour of Sharpeville, Soweto or Alexandra, during which you can visit some local homes, sip a beer in a shebeen and soak up the township vibe.
Limpopo
Three hours’ drive from Johannesburg can put you deep in the wild of Lapalala Wilderness, a sanctuary for the black and white rhino and the perfect place to rediscover our beautiful country.
The Waterberg Living Rhino Museum is also close by. Meet (and even feed) Bwana, a hand- raised black rhino, before going to Geluksfontein goat’s milk cheese farm, to sample its wares and sip a glass of wine.
KwaZulu-Natal
Leave the crowds on the beach and go inland to the scenic Oribi Gorge nature reserve, west of Port Shepstone. There are loads of idyllic picnic spots on the river banks, endless walks, beautiful birdlife, horse riding and, if you’re feeling brave, try white water rafting, a gorge swing or a 110m abseil next to Lehrs Falls, all with Wild 5 Adventures
Head for the hills. Chuff your way through the Valley of a Thousand Hills on board a 1912 steam train that runs on the first and last Sunday of every month from Kloof Station to Ichanga, enjoying stunning views and breakfast or lunch along the way.
Free State
A three-hour drive from Bloemfontein will take you to the natural paradise of the Golden Gate National Park, with its formidable red sandstone buttresses looming over a gentle river. Look out for zebra, oribi, black wildebeest and the rare bearded vulture.
On the way back, browse around the quaint shops and galleries of Clarens, an artist’s haven, or you can head south of Bloemfontein to Lake Gariep, South Africa’s largest dam, and take a tour through the 13,2km of tunnels inside the dam wall (you need to be first – there are over 1 000 stairs).
Eastern Cape
Experience a day trip to the quaint country village of Nieu Bethesda. Stroll the streets that time forgot, grab some good country cooking at one of the restaurants, and don’t miss the astonishing Owl House, former home of artist Helen Martins, with its walls of ground glass and a fantasy garden of concrete sculptures.
You’ll get your adrenaline fix at Storms River Adventures in Storm ’s River Village. Choose from abseiling, kloofing, and boat trips, or opt for the Treetop Canopy Tour, a kind of giant foofie slide on which you soar from tree to tree, dangling from a cable up to 40 metres above ground.
Addo Elephant National Park, outside Port Elizabeth, will almost certainly dish up loads of elephants and antelope, and a lion or two if you’re really lucky.
Get holiday fever on one of these local day trips that are also great if you have relatives visiting.
Western Cape
Beat the beach and wine-route crowds and head inland to the valley of wine and roses: Robertson. There are scores of award-winning wines to taste in the area, including Graham Beck for sparkling wine, De Wetshof and Van Loveren along the river, or Bon Cap for organic wine.
At Viljoensdrift you can taste wine aboard an old barge named ‘Uncle Ben’ or try the Kolgans River Restaurant for some good home cooking.
Closer to Cape Town, opt for an action-packed day in Simon’s Town. Start at the jetty in front of the Simon’s Town Waterfront with a cruise to Seal Island in the middle of False Bay (about two hours), or Cape Point (about three hours). After lunch and a browse around the shops, visit the world-famous penguin colony at Boulders. Finish up with a tour of the Bronze Age Art Foundry on King Georges Way, a working foundry where friendly craftsmen will explain every step of the process.
To soak up some pure South African culture, pop out to Darling for lunch and a show at Evita se Perron, starring Pieter- Dirk Uys, Evita Bezuidenhout and friends.
North West
If Sun City’s bright lights are too glitzy, turn off to the Pilanesberg National Park instead, where you can look out for the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo, along with fantastic bird life.
Pack your sun block and towel and spend the day at Hartbeespoort Dam trying some water sports, play golf at Pecanwood, or visit the Lesedi Cultural Village.
Cheetahs are a rare sight in the bush, but you can see them up close at the De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre, one of the world’s most successful research and breeding projects.
Mpumalanga
If you’ve already done the scenic drives around the historic mining town of Pilgrim ’s Rest to God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and Blyde River Canyon, and you’ve decided a day’s game driving in the Kruger Park just isn’t wild enough, how about heading to Hazyview for a half-day paddling the rapids on the Sabie River, followed by a 30m abseil down a solid block of granite? It’s suitable for the whole family, if you ’re brave enough.
Northern Cape
If you have stars in your eyes, visit the South African Astronomical Observatory at Sutherland, which is famous for its clear (and very dark) night skies. The free daytime tour consists of a slide show, a talk on astronomy and SALT (Southern African Large Telescope), which, when it’s built, will be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, and a guided walk around the domes.
If you feel more earth- bound, head for Kleinzee on the north-west coast to see the world-renowned seal colony on the admiralty strip, and to tour the fascinating workings of the De Beers Namaqualand Diamond Mine. (If you have a 4x4 vehicle, try the one-day Diamond Coast Trail.)
If you like things wet and wild, go rafting along the Orange (Gariep) River to the Augrabies Falls (or you can just drive into the national park).
