South African Adventures
When you’re looking for adventure and excitement, then South Africa is a country that regularly crops up in the mind. Stunning landscapes and scenery, combined with an extraordinary range of amazing wildlife, make this one of the must go places for all with a taste for adventure. Check out this article for a quick taste of just three things that this great country can offer.
Shark Alley, Western Cape
If you think sky diving or going on a roller coaster has an unbeatable amount of thrills, then you might think differently after you hear about this extreme pursuit. The famed ‘Shark Alley’ is located between Geyser Rock and Dyer Island, off the coast of Gansbaai in the Western Cape, South Africa. Unsurprisingly, the strait is home to a particularly large population of Great White Sharks, who stay there to feed on the resident seal colony. Gansbaai is within about half an hour’s drive of Cape Town, and you’ll be able to catch a boat from there. When you reach Shark Alley the crew will begin chumming, which involves throwing blood and fish guts overboard to attract the sharks. When the sharks arrive you’ll be able to watch from the boat, or even go inside an underwater cave to see these awesome creatures in their natural habitat. Very lucky visitors may get to see a ‘breach’, which is the rare occasion when the Great White fires itself out of the water with huge force, flying into the air before crashing back down into the sea. Prices are from 140 USD per person. Take a look at Airjaws for more.
Wild Safari, Kruger National Park
There are many places in Africa where you can go on safari. Unfortunately the popular destination of Kenya seems like a no go area this year after periods of sustained civil unrest, but South Africa has the National Parks to be amongst the most exciting places to go on safari on the continent. The most famous and most popular in SA is Kruger National Park, located in the north east of the country, and it is roughly the same size as Wales! You’ll be able to take a slow ride through some breathtaking scenery, hoping to see all of the ‘Big Five’ that live in the park. Lion, wilderbeasts, rhinos, leopards and elephants are all found here along with a host of Africa’s most impressive animals. There are plenty of different packages to book, from romantic safaris to more adventurous treks. Take a look at the Kruger Park website for more.
Cango Caves, Western Cape
South Africa is a country famous for extensive mines, particularly for gold, and some of the most incredible cave complexes in the world are hidden away in its mountains. The Cango Caves system is another of the Western Cape’s natural wonders, located near the town of Oudtshoorn at the foothills of the Swartberg mountain range. This complex is the only system in SA that offers both standard and adventure tours. The more intrepid explorers can head down steep stair cases into cellar like chambers and crawl through tight tunnels. There are fresh water pools and watery tunnels to go pot holing through. This is not for the claustrophobic! An added bonus of this underground adventure is that it comes at the cheap price of R 66 – only £4.50. See the Cango Caves website for more.
If you’re looking for cheap deals and bargain holidays to South Africa, then check out Travelzoo. This website pools together some of the best bargains from the internet on one website, making your search for the best prices nice and easy. Also, when you’re heading for an adventure holiday, check out Go Travel for travel insurance..
