The countries of Southern Africa offer the international traveler a wealth of incredible destinations and experiences to savor. Wherever you choose to roam, with African Sky, your vacation will surely be magical.
Need Advice?South Africa is the most visited country in Africa; affectionately known as 'A World in One Country,' it offers travelers exceptional wildlife viewing in many national parks and private game reserves. It has a seemingly endless coastline and various natural, cultural, and historic attractions to explore on your vacation.
The Kruger Park is South Africa's largest and most famous safari destination. It offers some of Africa's finest game viewing and accommodation choices, ranging from basic but comfortable to some of the world's most luxurious lodges.
Cape Town is beautifully displayed below the massive Table Mountain, one of the world's most recognizable landmarks. The city offers visitors diverse attractions and is Africa's most popular travel destination.
Grand Coastal and Mountain Views and some of South Africa's top golf courses are the Garden Route's drawcards. The area also offers many family activities and fine beaches.
Namibia offers desert landscapes, star-studded skies, and remote wildlife viewing areas like Etosha National Park and Damaraland. The cold waters of the Atlantic wash its coastline, creating dramatic oceanscapes on the Skeleton Coast in the Namib Desert.
Etosha is one of Africa's best safari destinations for capturing exceptional wildlife images. Photographers will delight in the concentration of wildlife species around waterholes, where rare black rhino sightings are commonplace.
Some highlights at Sossusvlei are towering red dunes, the opportunity to view desert-adapted animals, and some of the world's clearest night skies that create a dazzling display of galaxies and stars.
Swakopmund is a quaint coastal town with a distinctive German Character. It is Namibia's top seaside destination, with easy access to the Skeleton Coast and many ocean and land-based activities.
Botswana is the ultimate travel destination in Africa for those seeking to experience wilderness areas untouched by man. Visitors to Botswana will experience Africa's finest authentic safaris in breathtaking regions.
This inland delta exists where the Okavango River's waters disappear in the sands of the Kalahari, creating a wilderness oasis crisscrossed by clear channels surrounding islands that are home to abundant wildlife.
Chobe National Park lies in the northeastern corner of Botswana. This park is renowned for its large elephant population and unforgettable water-based safaris. A sunset cruise on the Chobe is an experience to be remembered.
Makgadikgadi Pans are the remnants of a large inland lake that existed millennia ago. It is a harsh, desolate landscape with a unique spiritual attraction and magnificent sites like Kubu Island.
Zimbabwe is home to enchanting landscapes, rich animal life, and magnificent attractions, most notably Victoria Falls. The country offers incredible safari adventures in various national parks and private concessions.
It is rumored that David Livingstone was the first European to see the majestic Victoria Falls. This waterfall is one of the world's natural wonders and one of the top attractions in Southern Africa.
Mana Pools National Park is the premier safari destination in Zimbabwe. Its beauty will leave you breathless, and you will be thrilled by the game drives, canoeing, and walking safaris in this biodiverse ecosystem.
Hwange is the largest national park in Zimbabwe and a fantastic destination for viewing the Big Five and much more. Safari Camps are small and private and offer authentic African safaris.
Zambia is a lesser-known but fantastic safari travel destination in the southern part of Africa. It borders Victoria Falls on the northern banks of the Zambezi River.
Kafue is the oldest and largest of Zambia's National Parks. It protects an incredible diversity of wildlife, including the Kafue lechwe, native to the wetlands of Zambia and Angola.
Lower Zambezi National Park lies north of the Zambezi River, with Mana Pools on the southern bank. It is an unspoiled slice of African wilderness that offers unforgettable land—and water-based safari activities.
South Luangwa National Park is revered as the birthplace of the walking safari, one of the most thrilling ways to encounter African wildlife and experience the minor, often overlooked signs of the wild.
Mozambique is the perfect destination for those seeking sun, sea, and sand. It is a tropical paradise with an extensive coastline and various islands and archipelagos. No finer beach vacation destination exists in the Indian Ocean.
The Bazaruto Archipelago comprises six islands surrounded by crystal clear waters, coral reefs, and some of the finest scuba diving sites in the Indian Ocean.
The beautiful Quirimbas Archipelago is a chain of thirty-two Indian Ocean Islands that span 200 km of the coast of northern Mozambique. The islands are accessible from Pemba.
The private game reserves in South Africa are some of the most popular luxury safari destinations on the African continent.
We offer a beguiling glimpse of what to expect during your travels to Southern Africa. This contrasting collection of countries and unique destinations share one essential similarity - inherent magic.
The subcontinent of Southern Africa comprises six unique and beautiful tourist countries, teeming with wildlife, unparalleled, diverse scenic landscapes, and many exciting attractions and activities. Africa is also a continent of rich culture and heritage; each country has its unique history and cultural representations.
There is an inherent generosity in Africa that extends well beyond its wealth of natural resources or the goodwill of its people. There is such an abundance of beauty, excess of magic, that the land compels itself to be shared. Throughout your journey, this intrinsic bounteousness will make itself evident in the sheer pride and adoration of the continent's inhabitants, the barrage of wildlife you will encounter on your safaris and the endless stretch of landscapes that appear never-ending in their scope and splendor.
Thank you to African Sky for providing excellent service, planning, and communication for our Southern African sojourn. Andrew worked closely with us to arrange the trip of a lifetime for my husband and me. He worked within our budget and time constraints to cover four countries in 37 days. We would recommend African Sky!
Judy & Donald Baker, USA
African Sky offers various vacation options and packages to those who wish to visit the destinations of Africa.
South Africa is a land of breathtaking diversity. It offers stunning landscapes and a seemingly endless coastline and is a top destination for some of the African continent's finest Big Five game viewing. Vibrant cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg have excellent entertainment venues and endless activity choices. If you had to choose only one country to visit, it should be South Africa.
Botswana is celebrated for its pristine wilderness and exceptional safari experiences. The Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the crown jewel of these wilderness areas. The country is committed to conservation, as reflected in parks and reserves, from Chobe National Park in northeastern Botswana to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in the southern part of the country. It is arguably the finest safari destination in Africa.
This vast, sparsely populated country is one of striking contrasts. Its breathtaking landscapes offer unique and iconic experiences in Southern Africa. The otherworldly beauty of the Skeleton Coast, with its many shipwrecks, and Damaraland, with its strange rock formations, contrasts with the vibrant wildlife in Etosha National Park. The country has rich cultural diversity and popular destinations, including the Fish River Canyon, Swakopmund, and Sossusvlei. The country is ideal for nature lovers and adventure seekers.
Zambia is most famous for Victoria Falls, one of the world's seven natural wonders. The falls can be viewed from the Zambian or Zimbabwean side of the mighty Zambezi River. The country is also a hidden gem for safari enthusiasts, with pristine national parks like Kafue, Lower Zambezi, and South Luangwa. The rich cultural heritage is a highlight for any visitor.
We list some lesser-known but exciting destinations anyone visiting Southern Africa should consider. These off-the-beaten-track areas will add a unique dimension to your experience on the subcontinent.
These semi-arid regions of the Karoo and Little Karoo are ideal for those seeking solitude and a connection with nature. Not far from Cape Town and the Garden Route, you will encounter charming towns with wide-open spaces, dramatic mountain ranges, and clear starry skies.
This private reserve is less well known than those further south. However, it forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park and spans an area of 60,000 hectares. The reserve is known for its rich biodiversity, including the Big Five (lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, rhino, and elephant), and it offers an immersive safari experience.
Namaqualand is famed for its springtime transformation when a tapestry of wildflowers paints the otherwise arid landscape in magnificent color. The Northern Cape, which encompasses the Namaqualand, is South Africa's largest province and a destination ideally suited to those wishing to escape it all. It offers attractions like the Orange River and Kgalakgadi Transfrontier Park.
Less than two hours drive from Cape Town, South Africa's Overberg is a treasure trove of natural beauty and rustic charm. Rolling hills and vibrant fynbos beneath the Langeberg Mountains characterize the area. Its rich history is reflected in quaint towns, and the Overberg offers fantastic wilderness areas like the De Hoop and the Bontebok National Park. The Overberg lies roughly halfway between Cape Town and the Garden Route.
These three destinations are within driving distance of each other in the northwestern part of South Africa. Sun City is Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure, with many entertainment options and family activities. The Malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park and Madikwe Game Reserve are ideal for Big Five safaris near Sun City.
The Waterberg Mountains provide a picturesque natural backdrop to this reserve, which offers luxury lodges in an area of unique ecology where the Big Five can be viewed. Welgevonden is about three hours from the Johannesburg airport. It should be considered by those planning a family safari to a malaria-free destination in South Africa.
The Caprivi is a narrow protrusion of land bordered by Botswana, Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is a well-watered region with abundant waterways, including the Zambezi, Chobe, and Kwando Rivers. It is an ecological hotspot that supports many mammal species and is a bird lover's paradise. National Parks in the area that protect this natural heritage are Bwabwata National Park, Mudumu National Park, and Mamili (Nkasa Rupara) National Park. You could also consider visiting Mahango Game Reserve.
The Fish River Canyon is one of the largest canyons, second only to the Grand Canyon. It features a gigantic ravine, 160km long, 27 km at its widest, and up to 550m deep. It is an ideal destination for nature lovers visiting the southern part of Namibia. This arid region supports a variety of wildlife adapted to these harsh conditions.
Namibia's Skeleton Coast stretches from the Kunene River in the north to the Swakop River in the south. It is a barren stretch of coastline where many shipwrecks bear testament to the wild waters of the Atlantic Ocean, which it borders. It is a place of haunting beauty and vast open spaces that can be explored from a handful of lodges or on day excursions from Swakopmund.
Botswana's Central Kalahari Game Reserve is one of Africa's most remote safari destinations. The area is famed for its black-main lions and waterholes, where many desert-adapted species drink during the dry winter months. The region is home to the San People, one of the world's oldest cultures.
Linyanti, located in the far northern reaches of Botswana, offers unique wildlife-rich landscapes. It is a safari destination renowned for its large elephant population that migrates between the Chobe and Linyanti Rivers. It is one of the best places in Botswana to view the rare African wild dog, and the marshes here are a favorite among bird watchers.
African Sky recommends the ideal destinations to visit for specific special interests.
Southern Africa is a birder's paradise, where rare species like Pel's fishing owl and the shoe-billed stork can be spotted. The avian diversity in the Okavango Delta is over 400 and in Kruger Park, 500. Mkuze Game Reserve and Wakkerstroom are favorite birding destinations. The Drakensberg offers sightings of raptors and vultures.
Cape Town and Victoria Falls are notable destinations for those interested in adrenaline-rush activities. In Cape Town, you can go shark cage diving, abseiling, paragliding, and sandboarding. The Victoria Falls area offers whitewater rafting, canoeing, and bungee jumping.
South Africa's Western Cape Province, specifically Cape Town and the surrounding area, and the Garden Route offer a choice of championship golf courses. Another destination to consider is Sun City, where the Gary Player and Lost City courses are legendary. We recommend combining a safari at Lukimbi in Kruger Park and a round at Leopard Creek, the Augusta of Africa.
The Cape Winelands should be your primary destination if you are interested in first-rate gastronomical experiences. The region's fertile valleys and Mediterranean climate create the perfect conditions for viticulture. Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl are home to many top-rated restaurants that offer gourmet dining paired with exceptional local wines.
History buffs interested in battlefields will be delighted to visit northern KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Free State. The most famous historic battlefields are related to the Anglo-Boer and Anglo-Zulu wars. The most notable are Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift, Blood River, and the Battle of Medjuba.
Traveling parties interested in Rock art should visit the Drakensberg and Cederberg Mountains in South Africa. In Namibia, the most famous rock art sites are Twyfelvontein and the Brandberg, which require a trip to Damaraland in the country's northwestern part.
The sparsely populated western part of Southern Africa offers the finest destinations for admiring the night sky. Sossusvlei in Namibia and the Karoo region of South Africa are the best places to visit if you are interested in stargazing.
So you've chosen your destination. Now, when should you travel? What should you pack? What medical precautions are necessary? We answer the most pressing questions regarding your travels to Southern Africa. Should your queries still need to be solved, don't hesitate to contact us for additional travel advice.
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