South Africa

Leisure and Sport

Click to view all our recommended itineraries for Adventure Activity Holidays in South Africa

Scuba Diving
Hiking
Mountaineering & Rock Climbing
Mountain Biking
Yachting
Sport Fishing
Rafting & Canoeing
Surfing
Paragliding & Parachuting
Flying
Whale Watching
Bird Watching

SCUBA-DIVING

There are four categories of diving:

Tropical reef diving- Sodwana Bay (on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal) is similar to the Florida Keys in the USA while Aliwal Shoals (on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal) is where divers look for ragged-tooth sharks.

Wreck diving - The rugged Cape Coast is notorious for the number of sunken ships;

Cape Diving - Conditions here vary from those in KwaZulu/Natal and compare favourably with those off the California coast in the USA. Diving for abaloni, crayfish and great white sharks is popular. Tsitsikamma Coastal Park offers excellent opportunities for underwater photography with two underwater diving trails.

Shark dives - Sharks migrate through False Bay, at the Cape, from June to August, and ragged-tooth sharks move into the Durban (KwaZulu/Natal) area from October to January.

More than 10,000 scuba divers are trained in South Africa each year and over 100,000 dives took place in the coral reefs of the St Lucia Marine Reserve in a single year.

HIKING

Large areas of South Africa's vast tracts of diverse scenery are not accessible by vehicles. That's why increasing numbers of visitors are voting with their feet and turning to hiking. Not only does hiking provide the opportunity of getting close to the natural environment, it is also an inexpensive way of exploring the country. There are self-guided as well as guided off-the-road hiking trails. The self-guided trails are ideal for groups of family and friends and are well marked, with sleeping huts for overnight stays on the longer routes. Be sure to take enough food, water and bedding, if necessary, for the trip. Guided trails in nature reserves could span a few days and are less demanding as the hike is usually led by a trained, armed and experienced game ranger, who provides information about ecology, plants and animals. There are more than 300 trails to choose from and for those backpackers on a budget (the great majority!) there are nearly 50 hostels featured by the HISA (Hosteling International - South Africa), which is recognised by the International Youth Hostel Federation.
Here is a brief, region by region description of some of the best know trails.

Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Northern Province
The most popular hiking and nature walks in the region are situated on the plateau, which dominates the landscape. There are sections of evergreen forest, rivers, panoramic views and rocks eroded into strange formations. Birds of prey are abundant and small game such as rhebok, oribi and duiker can be found in the area. The Kruger National Park offers guided walking trails under the supervision of game rangers.

KwaZulu-Natal
The province consists of four main regions: the South and North coasts, the Midlands and the Drakensberg. Lake St Lucia attracts a large number of hikers and coastal paths, such as the Ngwanase Trail in the Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, also draw many visitors. But by far the most popular area is the Drakensberg Mountains. With its peaks, steep gorges and basalt outcrops, the Drakensberg has become synonymous with hiking and backpacking. In the Midlands region trails take in many of Pietermaritzburg's historic buildings and sites.

Free State
The Golden Gate National Park, with its strikingly coloured sandstone cliffs, is a major draw. Hikers can see small game, such as blesbok, zebra and wildebeest as well as birds such as the black eagle and the lammergeyer. A number of other nature walks exist, some established along the edges of the major dams.

Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and North-West
This area covers the majority of South Africa's total landmass and offers a wide range of scenery. Many hikers flock to the Swellendam Hiking Trail at the foot of Table Mountain, while wilderness areas such as Cedarberg and Boo smanbos, are popular amongst more experienced hikers. The Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma forests offer numerous walking and hiking trails, whilst along the shoreline of the Garden Route, hikers can follow the renowned Otter Hiking Trail. Dense, coastal forest and dune vegetation can be explored in the Alexandra State Forest while the Amatola Trail passes through stunning, mountain terrain. In the Great Karoo, hikers on the Mountain Zebra Trail can spot eland, kudu, red hartebeest, jackal, the Cape Fox and duiker. To the northwest, Namaqualand and the west coast offer magnificent vistas when the wild flowers come to life with the rains in July/August. Guides will also take hikers through the Pilanesburg National Park.

Recommended Maps & Books

Landscapes of South Africa: the Cape Car tours, walks, picnics  (Maps Worldwide)
Published by Sunflower Books Series The Landscape Series
This Landscape Countryside Guide on the South African Cape is designed to take visitors away from the tourist centres and out into the countryside, exploring by private or public transport, or on foot. Divided into three sections the book covers car tours, picnics, and walks for all ages and abilities.

MOUNTAINEERING & ROCK CLIMBING

There is a wide range of rock climbing areas in South Africa especially in the KawZulu-Natal - Drakensberg region and over the escarpment of Lesotho.

MOUNTAIN BIKING

An alternative way of getting off the beaten track is by mountain bike, where the backpack can be relegated to the saddle bag! Some reserves and parks are putting in mountain bikes trails. There are several outfits that organise trips.

YACHTING

South Africa's coast and its many lakes make it a favourite destination for yachtsmen and women from all over the world. The Cape to Rio Yacht races takes place every third year, the next being held in 2006.

SPORTS FISHING

There's nothing tame about sports angling off the coasts of South Africa, with fishing trips often taking on a tough, pioneering atmosphere. At least 250 species of fish are caught by sea anglers. Where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean currents meet near the Cape of Good Hope, a greater concentration of game fish can be found than anywhere else in the world. The Cape is famed for its concentration of large tuna, including the albacore, yellowfin and southern bluefin, whilst the recently discovered populations of swordfish have drawn international attention amongst the world's big game fishing fraternity.

There are about 750,000 marine anglers in South Africa and the staging of regular tournaments has been well-developed throughout the region - so the infrastructure for angling is excellent, with accommodation, charter boats, party boats and specialist guides available at most venues. There are some important fish runs which take place. The highlight of the Sardine Run (June), along the Natal coast, is the hordes of feeding game fish and sharks. In the summer, tuna and king mackerel abound, while the autumn and winter brings huge runs of snoek. Inshore there are opportunities for freshwater fishing all year round. Trout fishing is also available in various places from September to May.

theflyguide.com
A Gate way to Southern African Flyfishing

Mavungana FlyFishing
offers consultation on the development and management of flyfishing operation throughout Southern Africa

CANOEING & RAFTING

In the far north-west, bordering with Namibia, rafting and canoeing trips on The Orange River have become very popular. The main attraction is the scenery on route which passes through the desert wilderness and between the banks of the high and dry Richtersveld Mountains. More challenging rafting can be had on the Tugela River located in KwaZulu-Natal, when the river is at it's highest during the months of late December to mid-March. Other rivers suitable for canoeing include the Komati in Mpumalanga and the Olifants, Berg and Breede in Western Cape.

SURFING

South Africa offers one of the best and perhaps least crowded surfing destination in the world. Jeffrey's Bay is the most popular place but there are many other alternatives particularly along the east and south coasts where the best time of the year for surfing is between April and July. Surf boards and equipment are on sale in most the major coastal towns.

AERIAL SPORTS

South African Hand Gliding and Paragliding Association
the internet site of the South African Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (SAHPA), the controlling and licensing Authority for the recreational sport of hang gliding and Paragliding in South Africa. Gives details of clubs and schools in South Africa.

FLYING

Microlight Aviation South Africa
The unofficial home page of Microlighters in South Africa. Updated regularly with loads of stories, pictures events and more... 

WHALE WATCHING

For years, South Africa has been proud to be home to the "Big Five" - lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Now the country is starting to boast about the "Big Six", the addition to the list being a creature somewhat larger then even the elephant - the whale. The Western Cape Tourism Board, together with the local Hermanus Publicity Association, recently established a Cape Whale Route, to guide visitors to the best spots for observing these leviathans of the deep as they swim close to the shoreline - so close in fact that it is not unusual for observers to be soaked from their spray!

Whaling along the Cape coastline dates back to the 1770s but was discontinued many decades ago. Little remains of the whaling stations, but implements from this era can still be seen at the South African Museum in Cape Town and at the Residency Museum in Simon's Town. The whales themselves, though, are very much in evidence from June to September.

The most common is the Southern Right Whale, so called by whalers because it is fat and slow-moving and was therefore considered to be the "right" whale to catch. In 1940, the species was given complete legal protection in South African waters. The Southern Right Whales are easy to recognise because they have no dorsal fin and carry light coloured patches of roughened skin on the head called "callosities". Adults average 14m in length and probably weigh about 40 tonnes. The highest concentration of Right Whales occurs in Walker Bay, between Hermanus and Gansbaai and the picturesque stretch of coast between Hermanus New Harbour and the mouth of the Klein River lagoon. These sites provide outstanding viewing as the creatures come particularly close to the shore. At the height of the season they can also be seen in False Bay. The reason they swim so close to land is because the females have just given birth and they use the inshore waters as nursery areas. Humpback Whales and Bryde's Whales, can also be seen. Both have small dorsal fins and lack callosities.

A 'Whale Festival' is held at Walker Bay every year during the last week of September, an event celebrated with music, theatre, cabaret and sporting events, which include a cycle race, a triathlon, a fun run, volleyball ' kite stunt flying and competition flying- Thousands of people flock to the seaside resort of Hermanus to join in the fun. During the day, craft markets fill the streets and everyone enjoys the star performers - the magnificent Southern Right Whales.

BIRD WATCHING

The Africa Guide's recommended book

Birds of Southern Africa (amazon.com) - USA  (amazon.co.uk) - UK by Ber Van Perlo describing all 1,250 bird species one might see not only in South Africa but in Zambia and Malawi (both long neglected elsewhere), Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. And this is the only guide to illustrate the birds of Angola (including Cabinda), home of the striking White-headed Robin Chat of river basins and the Angolan Cave Chat, a dweller of rocky hillsides.

South Africa has one of the widest diversities of bird types in the world, featuring over 870 different species and making it a paradise for bird-watchers. The Kruger National Park and Kalahari Gemsbok National Park are amongst the last strongholds of the large raptors, such as vultures and eagles.

The main breeding ground for migrating flocks of pelicans and flamingos are in reserves such as Nduma, Mkuzi, Lake Sibaya and St Lucia in northern KwaZulu-Natal and a visit by bird enthusiasts is highly recommended. An impressive range of birds inhabit the fynbos reserves of the Western Cape and the Langebaan Lagoon is populated in the summer months by over 50,000 birds including enormous numbers of curlew sandpipers.

In the Free State, the goldfield pans and Seekoeivlei, also support large populations of bird. Inland regions such as Nylsvlei and Barberspan in the Northern Province are good locations. Waterbirds and birds peculiar to the bushveld are found in great numbers, especially at Nysvlei. There are bird watching clubs in major cities in South Africa.

Zest for Birds
A site about birds, birdwatching and birding tours in Southern Africa with lots of interesting information and many photographs.