Cape Town Lure Visitors With Spectacular Beauty and a Rich Cultural Diversity

Cape Town has had a long and turbulent history. With Apartheid still linger in the minds and hearts of its people. Transformation has led to the new 'Rainbow Nation', which can be experienced in the cosmopolitan city centre of Cape Town.

Flower sellers, business executives, parking attendants, office workers and shoppers all rub shoulders in a setting of both historical and modern buildings, backed by the city's most famous landmark, Table Mountain. The colourful Malay Quarter, the remains of District Six, St George's Cathedral, Government Avenue and the old Castle are historically significant, while world-class African and international restaurants tempt travellers with their culinary delights.

Although an African city, Cape Town has a European flavour but the city has comforts of First World standard.

Cape Town's unique setting means that it can be enjoyed from various vantage points: Table Mountain provide breathtaking vistas over the city bowl and the Cape peninsula.

You can find many scenic routes along magnificent stretches of coastline and inland terrain leading to special places like Cape Point.

The city has four distinct seasons.

Summer - White sandy beaches, Autumn - Crisp colours, Winter - Ferocity of stormy seas in winter, Spring - Show of Cape 'fynbos' flowers.

From culture, history and scenery - to an unforgettable experience.

Cape Town is a special place with much to contribute towards its growing reputation as a favoured travel destination.

Cape Town Excursions

** Robben Island and Table Mountain

South Africa's most widely known tourist attraction is probably Robben Island, seven miles (11 km) from Cape Town in the centre of Table Bay.

For nearly 400 years this tiny rocky island outcrop was utilised as a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment for numerous categories of people ostracised by society, ranging from political protestors to lepers.

During the years of Apartheid, Robben Island became synonymous with institutional brutality as numerous freedom fighters, including the island's most famous resident Nelson Mandela, were imprisoned here for more than a quarter of a century.

The island is now a museum, symbolising liberation and the triumph of the human spirit. Regular island tours are conducted, lasting three and a half hours. The tours, which are guided by former prisoners, include a visit to the maximum-security prison on the island where an estimated 3,000 freedom fighters were incarcerated between 1962 and 1991.

** Capman's Peak Drive lookout Chapman's Peak

Chapman's Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular coastal roads in South Africa, linking the seaside community of Hout Bay to the Noordhoek Valley along the Atlantic Coast, with breathtaking views from along the narrow, winding road blasted into the cliffs.

Constructed in 1915, the six-mile (9km) route took about seven years to complete and was built as a shorter, alternative route between Cape Town central and the South Peninsula. Many visitors use this scenic route to reach Cape Point Nature Reserve situated at the tip of the Peninsula.

** Penguins on Boulders Beach

A recommended day excursion from the city includes a trip through the southern suburbs and along the scenically beautiful False Bay coastline via Muizenberg to Simonstown, South Africa's principal naval base.

Simonstown lies about 25 miles (40km) from the city and is a quaint town built around a naval dockyard, with well-preserved Victorian buildings, museums, sidewalk cafes and local legends to learn about. One such legend is about a dog called 'Just Nuisance' who 'joined' the British navy, becoming their mascot, when Simonstown was a British base.

A short distance from the town is Boulder's beach, famous for its protected colony of African Penguins (formerly Jackass Penguin) that can be viewed from the boardwalks.

Transport: Metrorail suburban train from Cape Town's central station; Admission: Boulders Beach Penguin Colony: R15 (adults), R5 (scholars)

** Cape Point

Most visitors to Cape Town are keen to make a day trip 40 miles (65km) from the city to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, not only to take in its floral diversity in what at first sight appears to be a bleak landscape, but to stand at the top of the towering promontory at the most southerly point of the Cape Peninsula (not of Africa, visitors must go further afield to Cape Agulhus for this).

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Green Point Accommodation

Bungee jumping in South Africa

Weehah! South Africa has the highest commercial bungee jump in the world - it's official. At 216 metres, it's not for the faint of heart.

The jump is run by Face Adrenalin, at the Bloukrans Bridge on the border of the Eastern and Western Cape.

The same company also offers a range of jumps on the much lower Gouritz River Bridge near Mossel Bay, also in the Western Cape. Here you'll also find South Africa's only commercial bridge swinging operation, run by Wildthing Adventures.

Abseil, rapp jump

Hang out a kilometre high over Cape Town, over crashing waves at Knysna, or rapp jump down skyscrapers in Johannesburg or Durban.

Not sure of difference between bungee jumping and bridge swinging? With bungee, you jump off a bridge (or other high fixed platform) with giant elastic bands usually, but not always, tied to your feet.

Bridge swinging, on the other hand, involves jumping from one bridge while tied in to climbing ropes suspended from an adjacent bridge.

OPERATORS

Face Adrenaline - enough said.

Wildthing Adventures offers bridge jumping, which involves a big fall in a body harness before swinging between two bridges. It happens at the Gouritz River Bridge and has attracted visitors from over 70 countries. The record for the oldest jumper belongs to a 91-year-old man, the youngest to a five-year-old boy. Wildthing also presents other adventure activities, such as mountain biking, white water rafting and canoeing.

Orlando Towers in Soweto, Johannesburg calls itself a vertical adventure centre, and it's hard to argue with that description. They offer bungee jumping, climbing, abseiling, rap jumping, and swinging. The Towers, with their eye-catching paintings, were once part of one of the most advanced power stations in the southern hemisphere. They no longer function as a power station, but with all their exciting offerings there is still eletricity in the air!

Living on the Edge Adventures hosts Bungee Mogale, which operates off the Kings Kloof Bridge in Krugersdorp / Mogale City. People between the weights of 40 and 120 kilograms are able to do the bungee jump, but no tandem jumps are allowed. The height of the jump is about 50 metres - plenty high for adrenaline seekers!

Cape Xtreme presents tours of Cape Town and overland tours. Included in the adventure activities are white water rafting, quad biking, shark cage diving, bungee jumping at the Bloukrans River Bridge, and trips to the Kruger National Park, Mozambique, and Kenya.

Cape Town-based Downhill Adventures has a number of bungee jumping options. There's a two-day trip that includes jumps off the Gouritz and Bloukrans Bridges, a one-day option that includes a visit to the Gouritz Bridge, and a combo Great Shark-Jump option that includes cage diving with Great White Sharks and bungee jumping at the Gouritz Bridge. Bridge swinging, single or tandem, is also part of the deal.

Source: http://www.southafrica.info
Cape Town Accommodation

Botanical Gardens in South Africa

South Africa botanical gardens are some of the best in the world, especially ones that concentrate on cultivating and conserving indigenous plants. Eight of the country's botanical gardens are managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute.

The botanical gardens in South Africa include the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden near Cape Town, which is not only the largest but also the most popular with an estimated 680 000 visitors per annum. The garden is home to a wide variety of the Cape Flora.

The Disa flora and the King protea, South Africa's national flower, are cultivated in the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, located an hour from Cape Town near the coastal town of Hermanus. This garden lies in the Cape fynbos region.

The Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden near Johannesburg boasts a large collection of lithops, one of the largest in the world and is home to over 230 species of birds, reptiles and mammals.

Pretoria National Botanical Garden boasts the biggest herbarium in the Southern Hemisphere.

For plants originating from the Free State, Northern Cape and Lesotho, turn to the Free State Botanical Garden near Bloemfontein, where they are grown.

The KwaZulu-Natal Botanical Garden in Pietermaritzburg focuses on growing indigenous plants from the eastern region of South Africa, many of which are endangered; while the Lowveld National Botanical Garden near Nelspruit is home to ancient cycads and various shrubs, which are evergreen thanks to the Nels River and Crocodile River that course through the garden.

Two other remarkable South African Botanical gardens are the Durban Botanical Garden, popular for its large collection of cycad and its huge Orchid House, as well as the Johannesburg National Botanical Garden, which offers large green spaces close to the city centre.

Source: http://www.southafrica.net
Cape Town Bed and Breakfast

A Visitors Guide To Cape Town South Africa

Greenpoint Guest House | Jambo

If you are looking for a truly extraordinary place to visit, consider Cape Town, South Africa. There are few places on earth that can compare. There are wide open spaces and so much beauty that it is hard to describe or imagine.

Cape Town is physically cut off from the rest of the country by a barrier of mountains. The valleys produce grapes, wine, deciduous fruit and wheat. The cobbled streets, ancient oaks, and the British-built Georgian buildings are only a few of the sights that make Cape Town an extremely beautiful place to visit.

The city has an interesting history and a wonderful blend of people both culturally and racially. If you are interested in this aspect of Cape Town you should visit the South African Museum where you will get a glimpse into the various cultures of the area. This museum is the oldest one in South Africa. You can find the South African Museum in Cape Towns Company Gardens at the top of Adderley Street. This is the place to see many exhibits depicting much of the natural and cultural history of South Africa. There is also a planetarium on the grounds.

The Dutch East India Company has a fascinating history and this was the group of people who designed the Cape Town Companys Gardens. These folks established the Company Gardens so that the sailors who were traveling to the East would have a place to stop and take care of any health problems they incurred during the first part of the journey. There are also amazing buildings in the Gardens including a museum and the Anglican St. Georges Cathedral.

In the same area is the office of South Africas State President and the Houses of Parliament. At the southernmost tip of Government Avenue is the citys best known hotel, the Mount Nelson, which sits in the shadow of Table Mountain. This hotel has a grand colonial atmosphere and still serves a delicious and elegant afternoon tea.

On Adderly Street you can walk toward the harbor and see the oldest church in South Africa, Groote Kerk. Be sure to take a look at the ornately carved pulpit. Here you can view the statues of Jan van Riebeeck and his wife, Maria. Close to these attractions is the Castle of Good Hope which is the oldest surviving intact structure in South Africa.

You may want to search out Greenmarket Square which is the heart of the old city. There are flea market stalls, shoppers and buskers galore. The Old Town House is a beautiful baroque building that dates back to 1761 and holds the Michaelis Collection of Dutch and Flemish art. There are also Victorian buildings that house pawnshops and boutiques.

There are many museums and galleries in Cape Town. Most of them operate under the umbrella of Iziko Museums of Cape Town. The museums offer diverse exhibitions in lovely settings. You can even tour a collection of old city houses that have been restored.

Visit Cape Town, South Africa for a trip you will always remember.

By: Thomas Smith

Article Source: www.articledashboard.com