Hello forumers,

I'd like to ask for your help and knowledge or your own area of the world. I have 5 weeks free in January and together with my girlfriend we are considering the idea of traveling to your part of the world. We have been traveling quite a lot in Asia but not in Africa and I don't know the area at all.

If you had 5 weeks to travel to Namibia, South Africa and Mozambique where would you go?

Is January a good time to travel in the area?

We'd like to do some culture and some beach time, we like mountains and we are both avid scuba divers. Any tip to help us draw an itinerary would be much appreciated!

Thanks a million in advance!

either one of the countries...but if i have to pick ...its gotta be south africa. Capetown.

We'd like to do some culture and some beach time, we like mountains and we are both avid scuba divers. Any tip to help us draw an itinerary would be much appreciated!



Based on that statement. Cape Town. Culture, beach, mountains.

hi Camaway

Here is a list of a few places you should consider (in my opinion) for your holiday in southern africa in January...

Kwa-Zulu Natal: Located on the eastern side of SA, from here you could tick all your boxes - from Durban you are about 2 hours from the Drakensburg mountains. This range has a lot of great hiking trails and spectacular views.

For scuba diving you have to check out Aliwal Shoal about 30mins from Durban http://www.aliwalshoal.co.za/ This is rated as one of the top ten dive spots in the world.

The KZN coastline has some of the best beaches in SA, the water is always warm and most of the popular beaches are protected from sharks.

The game parks in northern KZN and the Mpumalanga lowveld are excellent if you want to see some wildlife - the Kruger Park is awesome and good value for money as some of the smaller reserves can be pricey.

The Western Cape is also a great place especially Cape Town and the Garden Route - lots of mountains and plenty of things to see and do. The beaches of Cape Town look amazing but the water is quite a lot colder than the east coast.

Don't forget Swakopmund, Namibia.

I think you should try to see alittle bit of everything, here in SA places are not far apart, the most is 2 hours on a plane. Mozambique for the seafood!, Namibia for the dessert dunes! SA for the mountains, beaches & sights!

First Time tourist to southern Africa... this is my idea for 5 week itenerary:

1week in Cape Town and surrounding Winelands.
1week travelling up the east coast via Garden Route to Durban and Drakensberg
4/5 days at a game reserves in northern KwaZulu Natal or Mpumalanga
1 week in Maputo then to Bazaruto Island, or other gorgeous Mozambiquan locale.
4/5 days in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay exploring the Namib Desert

That should conclude a 5 week journey and give you the best we have to offer in such a short period of time. Cape Town is by far the best city. Drakensberg the most dramatic mountains, Mozambique is most like a tropical paradise and the sea's warm and the beaches untouched and stunning, Garden Route most scenic coastline (Knysna's probably SA's prettiest town), winelands have the most genteel and gorgoeus countryside, KZN and Mpumalanga the best and sophisticated game viewing. The Namib is the most gorgeous for stark, unearthly landscapes.

^^^ That'd be my dream vacation if I can ever take 5 weeks off of work! Maybe I should start playing the lottery lol.

There is a world record-breaking housing development under construction in Johannesburg. To read more go to http://theworldedition.com/housing/johannesburg.php

If it's mountains you want, then within the Drakensberg, be sure to visit:
-The chain ladder hike that straddles the mountains between the Free State and Natal. You're almost 10,000 feet above sea level, perched at the very edge of the mountains, at the top of one of the world's highest waterfalls, with views that stretch forever.
- Giant's Castle park. Incredible mountain scenery, great hiking, pretty streams

Also, if you have time, get to the Garden Route by heading northeast from Cape Town, along the N1. Then head south at Prince Albert Road, and reach the Garden Route via the Swartberg Pass. It's one of the most spectacular drives ever. And if the weather is good, the road is passable for most cars. Then head south through Oudtshoorn, and then across one of the Outeniqua Mountain passes to George and Garden Route.