Figuring out what number of days (or weeks) in South Africa might be a very powerful determination to make once you’re planning a visit to the nation. How lengthy you spend there immediately impacts what number of locations you may go, and the way deeply you may discover every.
Certainly, it’s troublesome to hammer down a quantity, and even actually discover a place to begin. On one hand, South Africa is the simplest nation in sub-Saharan Africa to discover independently; you might spend only a week or two right here and canopy numerous floor.
Alternatively, South Africa appears downright enormous once you break it down into its areas, and get out of the Cape City and Johannesburg areas. Hopefully, this text will show you how to down the appropriate path, no matter that finally ends up being.
Common South Africa Journey Concepts
1 week in South Africa
With per week in South Africa, you have got to choose. Some vacationers will arrive in Cape City and spend per week within the metropolis and surrounding space, be that within the wine nations of Franschoek and Stellenbosch, or alongside the luxurious Backyard Route. Others will fly to Johannesburg after which make a beeline for Kruger Nationwide Park or different close by recreation lodges.
2 weeks in South Africa
In case your reply to what number of days in South Africa is “about 14,” you may take pleasure in one of the best of each worlds: Cape City, the Cape Winelands and the Backyard Route; plus Johannesburg and Kruger. You might also be capable of enterprise elsewhere, akin to persevering with onto the Wild Coast from the Backyard Route, or heading south from Johannesburg to the Drakensberg, Africa’s oldest mountain vary.
One month in South Africa
With a month in South Africa, you may see a lot of the nation. I’d in all probability suggest beginning in Cape City the place, after exploring town and wine nation, you may slowly make your means down the Backyard Path to Storms River. From right here, go by way of Port Elizabeth, the de-facto starting of the Wild Coast, heading all the best way to Durban earlier than pivoting north by way of the Drakensberg to Jo’burg and Krugen.
6 weeks in South Africa
Six weeks is a very long time to spend in South Africa. With this period of time, it’s possible you’ll select to observe the journey plan I’ve laid out for a month, however take extra time having fun with it. Alternatively, you may add in secondary and tertiary locations. From the Backyard Route, for instance, you may detour inland to Oudtshoorn and its quirky ostrich farms. Alternatively, spend a while “away with the faeries” in Hogsback, or stress-free on the dune seashores of Chintsa.
Longer journeys to South Africa
Should you spend longer than six weeks in South Africa, you in all probability have a selected purpose to be there. For instance, it’s possible you’ll lease an Airbnb in Cape City or Jo’burg and determine to “reside” in South Africa for some time, or lease a safari car and discover the wilder elements of the nation (and even close by Botswana and Namibia) by yourself. In my view, a visit of this size could be fairly lengthy for a standard “vacationer” go to to South Africa.
The Finest Time to Go to South Africa
South Africa’s seasons are the other of the Northern Hemisphere—their summer time is our winter. Certainly, I’d say that January and February are a few of my favourite months to go to South Africa. You’ll take pleasure in sizzling climate that’s excellent for the seashores of Cape City, whereas Johannesburg (and, extra importantly, close by Kruger Park) can be dry. This ensures that animals will collect round watering holes, making the “Massive 5” simpler to identify.
With this being stated, there are benefits to visiting throughout different elements of the 12 months, regardless of what number of days in South Africa you find yourself spending. Coming within the spring months of October and November, for instance, means that you can take pleasure in flower blooms, together with Praetoria’s well-known Jacaranda. The South African winter will be downright chilly in locations, however the trade-off is that there can be just about no crowds.
Irrespective of what number of days in South Africa you spend, this magical nation on the finish of the world will appeal and delight you. South Africa occurs to be the simplest African nation to discover independently, however that isn’t the one purpose you need to come right here. Spend per week or two and discover Cape City and the Backyard Route, or concentrate on Johannesburg and close by Kruger Nationwide Park. Or keep longer and discovery secondary areas such because the Wild Coast and the Drakensberg Mountains.
Robert Schrader is a journey author and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications akin to “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” alongside the best way. His weblog, Depart Your Every day Hell, gives a mixture of journey recommendation, vacation spot guides and private essays masking the extra esoteric points of life as a traveler.
