South Africa

South Africa is home to Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa.

South Africa, on the continent’s southern tip, is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, and by the Indian Ocean on the south and east. Its neighbors are Namibia in the northwest, Zimbabwe and Botswana in the north, and Mozambique and Swaziland in the northeast. The kingdom of Lesotho forms an enclave within the southeast part of South Africa, which occupies an area nearly three times that of California.

The best places to visit in South Africa include the stunning coastal towns of Hermanus, Cape Town, Knysna and Durban. Enjoy the mountain air in Hogsback and the Drakensberg. Settle back with world class wines from the Cape Winelands, and enjoy a safari in the oldest and best Wildlife Park in Southern Africa — Kruger National Park. No trip to South Africa would be complete without a visit to a township, and Soweto is the largest and most vibrant of them all.

Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa, covers an area of 7,523 square miles in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 220 miles from north to south, and 40 miles from east to west. The climate of the Kruger National Park and Lowveld is subtropical. Summer days are humid and hot with temperatures often soaring to above 100 °F. The rainy season is from September until May. The Kruger National Park website lists September and October as the driest periods, culminating in rains late in October. The dry winter season is the ideal time to visit this region for various reasons. There is less chance of contracting malaria, and the days are milder. Viewing wildlife is more rewarding as the vegetation is more sparse, and animals are drawn to the waterholes to drink every morning and evening.