What to do in South Africa

Shopping

You have lots of options when it comes to shopping in South Africa. Informal street vendors sell various crafts and art works such as carvings, pottery, home-made preserves and beadwork at relatively cheap prices. These art works are made by locals who like to use their talents to earn a living.

There are also lots of vibrant markets and classy malls. You will also find curio shops for special items.

The biggest local markets in the country can be found in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town. Serious shoppers can indulge in the world-class malls that are situated in the major cities of the country.

Most of the malls here have complete facilities, such as banking, restaurants, entertainment centers and hubs for kids to play in.

Game viewing and safari

Your trip to South Africa can’t be complete if you don’t get to see the country’s wildlife. The best way to do this is by experiencing the Big 5 safari.

The big five are the rhino, elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard. These animals are considered to be the most dangerous types to hunt.

Of course, in the safari, you won’t be hunting them down. The only thing you’ll be shooting with is your camera.

You can try the activity in almost any province in the country, but this is best experienced at the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces.

The experience can be quite thrilling as you get a closer look at these wild animals and take pictures as you proceed with the tour. This is also a great chance for you to learn more about the wildlife, habitat and conservation of these animals.

Nightlife

If you find that the days in South Africa are ablast with life, get ready, for the fun is doubled when night sets in.

There are nightclubs almost everywhere, from the city suburbs and downtown places to the semi-rural areas. The nightlife in each city says a lot about the city’s identity when it comes to personality and musical preferences.

Once you experience the biodiversity and ethnic differences of the nightlife in a few of South Africa’s cities, you will understand more why the country has been referred to as a rainbow nation.

 Township Tours

Township tours will let you better understand the meaning of a humanist philosophy that is embraced in the country – the Ubuntu spirit that says, “I am because we are.”

As these tours help you learn more about the places and the people of South Africa, you will get a deeper appreciation for the spirit of unity and togetherness of the people in the nation.

A township tour is like taking a detour from all the glamour and luxury that you can get when you visit South Africa’s more posh cities. On quieter tours such as these, you get a chance to focus more on the emotions of people, an opportunity to connect with the working class in the country.

Checking out the ostrich farms

Ostrich farming is big business at the Western Cape area of the country. The industry has actually spread all over the Little Karoo region, and it continues to flourish right from the day it started decades ago.

One reason why business is good is because these birds have many uses. You can take this chance to learn about the uses of the different body parts of these birds, which are being exported around the world. Its meat contains leaner cuts of protein and provides quite a healthy treat. The skin of an ostrich can be made into bags, shoes and jackets. The feathers are now mainly used as fashion accents and the eggshells as decorative items.

Ostrich farms are frequented by tourists, and this gives employment opportunities to the locals. For non-locals, it gives you the opportunity to see ostriches up close.