Cape Town

Cape Town is southern Africa's most beautiful, most romantic and most-visited city. Few urban centers anywhere can match its setting along the Cape Peninsula spine, which slides like the mighty tail of the continent into the Atlantic Ocean. By far the most striking - and famous - of its sights is Table Mountain, frequently mantled by clouds, and rearing up from the middle of the city to provide a constantly changing vista to the suburbs below. Table Mountain is the city's solid core which divides the city into distinct zones with public gardens, wilderness, forests, hiking routes, vineyards and desirable residential areas trailing down it's lower slopes.

Johannesburg

Johannesburg's contrasts are some of the most extreme in the world; poverty-stricken and overcrowded Alexandra is surrounded by some of the richest suburbs in South Africa, and downtown hundreds of homeless struggle to survive around the Stock Exchange. The contrast between suburb and township is mirrored nationwide, but is more extreme here because of the intense wealth of many of the suburbs, and the sheer size of the townships and their satellite squatter camps. Yet the city as a whole continues to suck in people and skills from all over the country, making it the financial, commercial and cultural powerhouse of South Africa.

Victoria Falls

The town of Victoria Falls is a pleasant place, created for visitors. There are hiking routes and rental bicycles. There are also trinket shops, selling everything from cheap T-shirts to antique African musical instruments. Carvings of masks and animals are a tradition around the area (as is the bargaining required to purchase them for a reasonable price). The Victoria Falls Hotel, a short walk from the falls, still operates in full colonial splendor and should be seen even by those not staying there. Visit Crocodile Ranch and Craft Village - a fascinating glimpse into Zimbabwean culture. Visit Livingstone, just across the border in Zambia— more than just a tourist town and more character than Victoria Falls. Another appealing side trip is to Chobe National Park, in neighboring Botswana. Chobe is one of the finest game parks in the world.

Plettenberg Bay

Originally christened "Bahia Formosa" (beautiful bay) by Portuguese explorers, Plettenberg Bay can now be easily accessed. Great forests lying at the feet of the fabled Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma mountains are the gateway to the incredible indigenous African wealth of Plettenberg Bay, which lies on South Africa's spectacular south coast. The Outeniqua-Tsitsikamma indigenous forests are a unique mixture of Cape Fynbos and temperate forest and offer the nature lover world-renowned hiking trails and an exciting opportunity to see last remaining forest elephants of South Africa. The entire area teems with birdlife. No less than ten important nature reserves embrace the varied ecosystems of the area as well as unique marine reserves, home to soft coral reefs, dolphins, seals and a host of other marine life. The bay itself is Nursery to the endangered Southern Right Whale which come here to calve in the winter and spring. The area is a sports paradise and boasts fabulous trails for hikers, mountain bikers, horse riders and canoeists. The highlight of the area is the rivers, beaches and bay with ideal conditions for all facets of watersports, including sailing, rock and surf fishing and scuba diving. Or simply stroll along clean, sandy beaches stretching for miles along the Indian Ocean or enjoy its safe swimming areas. At night, Plettenberg Bay is alive with pubs, night-spots and fine restaurants.

Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch is a town located in the province of Western Cape Town in South Africa. It is one of the oldest towns in the state of South Africa dating back to 1679. In the year of 1710 a fire broke out that destroyed most of Stellenbosch, all but two to three houses that remained. Stellenbosch is known for being home to more than 140 local wine farms; here you will find plenty of opportunities for wine tasting tours and excursions. Aside from the abundance of wines, this town offers a lot to its visitors of all ages; enjoy a show at one of the famous theaters, visit one of the museums in town or simply spend an afternoon hiking and discover all of the amazing scenery Stellenbosch has to show for.

Hermanus

Hermanus is located on the southern coast of the Western Cape of South Africa. Hermanus is a famous viewing spot for southern right whales, and they can often be spotted from the cliffs in the town center June through December. Visitors also enjoy the many open-air cafes, restaurants, art galleries, craft markets and boutiques in town.