Frommer's South Africa

by Bruyn, Pippa De; De Bruyn, Pippa

• ISBN13: 9780764564772
• ISBN10: 0764564773
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-10-01
• Publisher: Frommer

Summary

You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go--they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer's Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You'd be lost without us! This exciting addition to the Frommer series, much more in depth than its major competitor, offers candid, comprehensive coverage of one of Africa's most vibrant destinations. Our guide is written by a local journalist who has lived in South Africa all her life; she knows the country intimately, and she makes it easy for you to discover its natural wonders. We'll take you to Cape Town, one of the most beautiful cities on earth, before heading off to fabulous beaches (where you can spot whales and penguins!) and the spectacular Garden Route. Look, too, for coverage of South Africa's renowned wineries, with tips from a local wine author and expert. Then it's off to Kruger National Park, plus the best private game parks, with practical advice on arranging the safari trip of a lifetime. Also included are side trips to Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls and Botswana's Okavango Delta, one of the continent's most thrilling safari destinations.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	viii
What's New in South Africa	1	(3)
The Best of South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana	4	(11)
Unique Southern African Moments	4	(1)
The Wildest Animal Encounters	5	(1)
The Best Private Game Lodges & Camps	6	(2)
The Best National Parks & Provincial Nature Reserves	8	(1)
The Best Private Game Reserves	9	(1)
The Best Beaches	10	(1)
The Best Outdoor Adventures	11	(1)
The Best Places to Discover South African Culture & History	12	(2)
The Most Authentic Culinary Experiences	14	(1)
Planning Your Trip to Southern Africa	15	(39)
The Regions in Brief	15	(5)
Visitor Information	20	(1)
Entry Requirements & Customs	21	(3)
Phone Home: Calling to and from South Africa	23	(1)
Money	24	(2)
What Things Cost in South Africa	25	(1)
When to Go	26	(4)
Calendar of Events	28	(2)
Planning Your Safari	30	(4)
Other Active Vacations	34	(3)
Health, Safety & Insurance	37	(4)
Tips for Travelers with Special Needs	41	(3)
Getting There	44	(3)
Getting Around	47	(4)
Tips on Accommodations	51	(3)
Fast Facts: South Africa	51	(3)
Place of Gold: Gauteng & North-West Province	54	(49)
Johannesburg	55	(24)
Staying Safe	57	(7)
Fast Facts: Johannesburg	64	(15)
Soweto	79	(2)
Pretoria	81	(12)
Sun City	93	(4)
Driving from Johannesburg to Cape Town	94	(3)
Game Reserves in North-West & Northern Cape	97	(3)
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	100	(3)
Big-Game Country: Mpumalanga & the Northern Province	103	(61)
Staying Active	103	(5)
Organized Tours	108	(1)
En Route to Big-Game Country	109	(1)
The Escarpment & Panorma Route	110	(9)
The Lowveld Route---Gateway to Southern Kruger	119	(7)
Driving the Panorama Route	120	(6)
The Letaba Area Route	126	(6)
Get Drunk in a Trunk & Visit the Garden of a Queen	131	(1)
Kruger National Park	132	(13)
Fast Facts: Kruger National park	134	(4)
Tips for Better Wildlife Viewing	138	(7)
Private Game Reserves	145	(15)
Choosing Your Private Reserve	150	(10)
The Waterberg Mountains	160	(4)
The Mother City: Cape Town & the Winelands	164	(76)
Orientation	165	(3)
Neighborhoods in Brief	166	(2)
Getting Around	168	(5)
Fast Facts: Cape Town	171	(2)
Where to Stay	173	(11)
Where to Dine	184	(13)
The Dining Mile	192	(2)
The Best Sundown Restaurants & Bars	194	(1)
Family-Friendly Restaurants	195	(2)
Exploring Cape Town	197	(11)
Cultural Sights: Cape Muslim to Khayalitsha	204	(2)
Island of Tears	206	(2)
Farther Afield: Discovering the Peninsula	208	(4)
Driving Tour: A Peninsula Drive	209	(3)
Surf & Sand	212	(1)
Especially for Kids	213	(1)
Staying Active	213	(3)
Spectator Sports	216	(1)
Shopping	216	(2)
Cape Town After Dark	218	(5)
The Great Gay esCape	220	(3)
The Winelands	223	(17)
Quick Fix: Two Dramatic Winelands Drives	226	(4)
Collecting Cape Wines	230	(10)
The Whale Coast & Garden Route: The Western Cape	240	(59)
Staying Active	241	(3)
Exploring the Overberg & Whale Coast	244	(10)
Swellendam & the Overberg Interior	254	(3)
The Route Less Traveled	255	(2)
Exploring the Garden Route & Klein Karoo	257	(33)
The West Coast	290	(5)
Cederberg	295	(2)
Side Trips to the Northern Cape	297	(2)
Settler & Xhosa Country: The Eastern Cape	299	(19)
Port Elizabeth	302	(7)
The 1820 Settlers: Deceit, Despair & Courage	303	(1)
Fast Facts: Port Elizabeth	303	(6)
Jeffrey's Bay	309	(1)
Grahamstown	310	(3)
Graaff-Reinet	313	(3)
Eyes of Glass & Wings of Cement: A Look into the World of Helen Martins	315	(1)
The Wild Coast	316	(2)
Kingdom of the Zulu: KwaZulu-Natal	318	(45)
Staying Active	318	(4)
Durban	322	(19)
Fast Facts: Durban	326	(4)
The Top Temples	330	(11)
Zululand	341	(11)
The Battlefields	352	(5)
A Brief History of the Battlefields	354	(3)
The Drakensberg Mountains	357	(6)
World Wonder: Victoria Falls & Vicinity	363	(17)
Orientation	363	(4)
Fast Facts: Zimbabwe	366	(1)
What to See & Do	367	(5)
Staying Active	372	(3)
Where to Stay	375	(4)
Where to Dine	379	(1)
After Hours	379	(1)
Original Eden: Botswana	380	(21)
Tracey Hawthorne
David Rogers
Orientation	381	(5)
Driving in Botswana: Not a Walk in the Park	382	(2)
Fast Facts: Botswana	384	(2)
Specialist Safaris & Operators	386	(4)
Contacting Safari Operators	387	(3)
Maun, the Central Okavango Delta & Moremi Game Reserve	390	(5)
Chobe National Park & Surrounds	395	(2)
The Dry South: Makgadikgadi & Nxai Pans	397	(2)
The Tuli Block	399	(2)
Appendix: South Africa in Depth	401	(14)
1 The Natural Environment	401	(1)
2 South Africa Today	402	(2)
Truth + Guilt + Apology... = Reconciliation?	403	(1)
3 A Look at the Past	404	(9)
Dateline	404	(9)
4 The Rainbow Nation	413	(1)
The Coloured Class: A New Race	413	(1)
5 South African Cuisine	414	(1)
Index	415