Frommer's South Africa (Frommer's Complete)

485 Pages·2009·7.42 MB·English

by  Pippa de Bruyn

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S GweraGrootfontbu eini ZIMBABWEZIMBABWEGhanziGhanziCENTRAL KALAHARI CENTRAL KALAHARI SSWINDHOEKWINDHOEKGAME RESERVEGAME RESERVEOUTHERNOUTHERNOUTHERNPalapyePalapyeMessinaMessinaSwakopmundSwakopmund(Closed to the general public)(Closed to the general public)PARQUE NACIONALPARQUE NACIONALThohoyandouThohoyandouDE BANHINEDE BANHINEAAWalvis BayWalvis BayooMahalapyeMahalapyeN1ppooppFRICAFRICAFRICAmmRehobothRehobothiiNNLouis Louis LLLLMOZAMBIQUEMOZAMBIQUEiiKALAHARIKALAHARIN11KUTSIKUTSImmAATrichardtTrichardtppDESERTDESERTooGAME RESERVEGAME RESERVEConception Conception MMppPolokwanePolokwaneKRUGERKRUGERooBayBayBOTSWANABOTSWANAIILIMPOPOLIMPOPONAT’LNAT’LMolepololeMolepololeBBPROVINCEPROVINCEPARKPARKNAMIBNAMIBMarientalMariental NAUKLUFT NAUKLUFT GABORONEGABORONELebowakgomoLebowakgomoPILANESBERGPILANESBERGDDPARKPARKInInNATIONAL PARKNATIONAL PARKMABUASEHUBEMABUASEHUBEEEB1GAME RESERVEGAME RESERVESSKGALAGADIKGALAGADISun City/Sun City/Xai-XaiXai-XaiNAMIBIANAMIBIAHottentots Hottentots PRETORIAPRETORIAEETRANSFRONTIERTRANSFRONTIERLost CityLost CityMhluziMhluziN4BayBayN4RRPARKPARKMafikengMafikengMAPUTOMAPUTOGAUTENGGAUTENGMPUMALANGAMPUMALANGATTR378KeetmanshoopKeetmanshoopBaia de MaputoBaia de Maputo MBABANEMBABANEJohannesburgJohannesburgLüderitzLüderitzR49N14N17SowetoSowetoMAPUTO MAPUTO B4ManziniManziniJoubertonJoubertonELEPHANT RESERVEELEPHANT RESERVEVereenigingVereenigingVryburgVryburgDIAMOND AREA 1DIAMOND AREA 1NAUTENAUTESWAZILANDSWAZILAND(RESTRICTED AREA)(RESTRICTED AREA)TEMBETEMBEKlerksdorpKlerksdorpKurumanKurumanVaaldamVaaldamRECREATION AREARECREATION AREAELEPHANT RESERVEELEPHANT RESERVEllN3FISH RIVERFISH RIVERaaN1N12Chamais Chamais aaSodwana BaySodwana BayVVN11CANYON PARKCANYON PARKN2BayBayAUGRABIES FALLSAUGRABIES FALLSSOUTHAFRICASOUTHAFRICAISIMANGALISOISIMANGALISOB3RICHTERSVELDRICHTERSVELDNAT’L PARKNAT’L PARKB1WETLAND PARKWETLAND PARKNAT’L PARKNAT’L PARKN5KWAZULU-KWAZULU-ssWttrrKimberleyKimberleyAlexander BayAlexander BayFREE STATEFREE STATEaaBohlakongBohlakongUpingtonUpingtonOrangeOrangeNATALNATALN3Lake St LuciaLake St LuciaHHTHE UKHAHLAMBATHE UKHAHLAMBALadysmithLadysmithPort NollothPort NollothN14R27Richard’s BayRichard’s BayN10DRAKENSBERG PARKDRAKENSBERG PARKMcDougall’sMcDougall’sGiant’s CastleGiant’s CastleRICHARD’S BAY GAME RESERVERICHARD’S BAY GAME RESERVE N8BLOEMFONTEINBLOEMFONTEINGOEGAPGOEGAPBayBayPietermaritzburgPietermaritzburgGG Nababeep NababeepMASERUMASERUPrieskaPrieskaNATURE RESERVENATURE RESERVERRINDIANINDIANSpringbokSpringbokLESOTHOLESOTHONORTHERN CAPENORTHERN CAPEEEOOGrootvolerGrootvolerrraaBBDurbanDurbanOCEANOCEANBritstownBritstownnnggSSAliwalAliwaleeN1Verneuk Verneuk NNN7R361NorthNorthR27R355PanPanEEMiddleburgMiddleburgPort ShepstonePort ShepstoneKKN2N12CarnarvonCarnarvonAACalviniaCalviniaRRPort EdwardPort EdwardR63VictoriaVictoriaN6DDN10MKAMBATI NATURE RESERVEWestWestMKAMBATI NATURE RESERVEUmataUmataGREAT KAROOGREAT KAROOKAROOKAROOClanwilliamClanwilliamPort St JohnsPort St JohnsGraaff-ReinetGraaff-ReinetNAT’L PARKNAT’L PARKSaint HelenaSaint HelenaQueenstownQueenstownTANKWA-KAROOTANKWA-KAROOGGBayBayrrBeaufort Beaufort DWESA NATURE RESERVEDWESA NATURE RESERVENAT’L PARKNAT’L PARKeeEASTERN CAPEEASTERN CAPEN1aaWestWestttVredenburgVredenburg FFEquatorWESTERN CAPEWESTERN CAPEiiATLANTICATLANTICssN12WEST COASTWEST COASThhN9East LondonEast LondonADDO ELEPHANTADDO ELEPHANTWellingtonWellingtonNAT’L PARKNAT’L PARKOudtshoornOudtshoornOCEANOCEANNAT’L PARKNAT’L PARKGrahamstownGrahamstownPaarlPaarlCAPE TOWNCAPE TOWNKwa NobuhleKwa NobuhleGeorgeGeorgeTropic ofBellevilleBellevilleTable MountainTable Mountain0200 miN2CapricornN2Cape of Good HopeCape of Good HopePort ElizabethPort ElizabethKnysnaKnysnaSOUTHMosselMosselStrandStrandFalse False CapeCapeAFRICABayBayCAPE OF GOOD HOPECAPE OF GOOD HOPEDE HOOP DE HOOP 200 km0BayBayRecifeRecifeCape AgulhasCape AgulhasNATURE RESERVENATURE RESERVENATURE RESERVENATURE RESERVE
Skeleto n C o ast
South Africa
6th Edition
by Pippa de Bruyn
with Keith Bain, Janine Stephen, Philip Briggs &
David Allardice
Published by:
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5 4 3 2 1
C O N T E N T S
LIST OF MAPS vi
1 THE BEST OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 1
1 Unique Southern African 5 The Best Outdoor Adventures. . . . . .6
Moments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
6 The Best South African
2 The Wildest Animal Encounters . . . .2 History Stops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
3 The Best Private Game 7 The Most Authentic Culinary
Lodges & Camps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Experiences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
4 The Best Parks & Nature Reserves. . .5
2 SOUTH AFRICA IN DEPTH 11
1 South Africa Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 3 The Rainbow Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Truth + Guilt + Apology = 4 The Lay of the Land. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Reconciliation?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 5 Recommended Books. . . . . . . . . . . . .29
2 South Africa History 101 . . . . . . . . . .14 6 Film Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Dateline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 7 Cuisine in Southern Africa. . . . . . . . .33
3 PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO SOUTH AFRICA 35
1 When to Go. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 6 Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
South Africa Calendar of Events. . . . .40 7 Specialized Travel Resources . . . . . .56
2 Entry Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 8 Safari Specifics: FAQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
3 Getting There & 9 Sustainable Tourism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Getting Around. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 10 Special-Interest Trips &
4 Money & Costs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Escorted Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
The Value of Local Currencies vs. 11 Staying Connected. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Other Popular Currencies . . . . . . . . . . .51 12 Tips on Accommodations. . . . . . . . .69
5 Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Malaria: Frequently Asked

Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
iv
4 SUGGESTED SOUTHERN AFRICAN ITINERARIES 71
1 The Real Relaxer: Cape Town 3 The Splurge Safari: in 10 Days . . . . .74
in 1 Week. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
4 The Budget Safari: in 14 Days. . . . . .77
2 The Quick Fix: Three Tours
5 Road Trip: Western Cape
in 1 Week. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
in 10 days. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
5 THE MOTHER CITY: CAPE TOWN & THE WINELANDS 82
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Cultural Sights: Cape Muslim
The Neighborhoods in Brief . . . . . . . . .86 to Khayalitsha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
2 Getting Around. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 Especially for Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152
A
RIC Fast Facts: Cape Town. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 Island of Tears. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .157
AF 3 Where to Stay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Driving Tour: A Peninsula Drive . . . .158
UTH Tintswalo: On the Edge 6 Staying Active. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
O of the Atlantic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 Surf & Sand: Cape Town’s
S
4 Where to Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Best Beaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
The Dining Mile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 7 Shopping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Perusing the Wine List . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 The Great Gay EsCape. . . . . . . . . . . . . .170
S
NT The Sunset Strip: Wining, Dining & 8 Cape Town After Dark. . . . . . . . . . . 173
E
T Posing in Camps Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 9 The Winelands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
N
CO Family-Friendly Restaurants. . . . . . . .138 Three Dramatic Winelands
5 Exploring Cape Town . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .180
The 2010 World Cup in Pit-stop in Paarl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Cape Town. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
6 WILD FLOWERS, WHALE COAST & GARDEN ROUTE:
THE WESTERN CAPE 203
1 Staying Active. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 6 The Klein Karoo & the
2 The West Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Garden Route. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
The West Coast Beach Barbecue . . .217 7 Knysna & Plettenberg Bay. . . . . . . 255

3 Cederberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 A Castle of Your Own. . . . . . . . .262
4 Exploring the Overberg & Dining with a Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265
Whale Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 8 Side Trips to the
5 Swellendam & Route R62 . . . . . . . 233 Northern Cape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Route 62: The Best Road Trip
in South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .234
v
7 UNDISCOVERED WILDERNESS: THE EASTERN CAPE 280
1 Port Elizabeth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 2 Grahamstown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Fast Facts: Port Elizabeth. . . . . . . . . . .284 3 Graaff-Reinet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
The Home of the Perfect Wave . . . . .295 4 The Wild Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
8 AFRICA’S BIG APPLE: JO’BURG 304
1 Johannesburg & Environs . . . . . . . 304 Fast Facts: Johannesburg &
Staying Safe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307 Tshwane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .310

Touring the City Within a City. . . . . .318

S
9 BIGGAME COUNTRY: KRUGER NATIONAL PARK O
U
AND PRIVATE RESERVES & CONCESSIONS 327 T
H
A
1 Staying Active. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 Better Wildlife-Viewing for the FR
2 En Route to Big-Game Self-Guide Safari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .352 IC
A
Country. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332 Tracker Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .358
3 The Escarpment & 5 Private Game Reserves
Panorama Route. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333 Flanking Kruger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368
C
Driving the Panorama Route. . . . . . .340 Choosing Your Private Reserve . . . . .372 O
N
4 Kruger National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 345 6 The Waterberg & Welgevonden TE
N
Fast Facts: Kruger National Park. . . .349 Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382 T
S
7 Madikwe Game Reserve . . . . . . . . 384
1 0 KINGDOM OF THE ZULU: KWAZULUNATAL 389
1 Staying Active. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390 A Brief History of the Battlefields . . .416
2 Durban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 392 5 uKhahlamba Drakensberg
Fast Facts: Durban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .396 Mountains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
3 Zululand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404 Meandering through the Midlands:
SA’s Creative Countryside . . . . . . . . . .420
4 The Battlefields. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
1 1 THUNDERING WORLD WONDER:
VICTORIA FALLS & VICINITY 426
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426 3 Staying Active. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Fast Facts: Victoria Falls & 4 Where to Stay & Dine . . . . . . . . . . . 434
Livingstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .429
2 What to See & Do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
vi 1 2 ORIGINAL EDEN: BOTSWANA 438
1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439 4 Chobe & Linyanti Region . . . . . . . 454
Fast Facts: Botswana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .441 5 The Dry South: Makgadikgadi &
2 Specialist Safaris & Operators. . . . 442 Nxai Pans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
3 The Okavango Delta &
Moremi Game Reserve. . . . . . . . . . 447
13 FAST FACTS 460
INDEX 463
A
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S L I S T O F M A P S
S
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TE Southern Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 The Klein Karoo & the
N
O The Real Relaxer: Cape Town & Garden Route . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241
C
Environs in 1 Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Eastern Cape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282
The Quick Fix: Botswana, Vic Falls & Greater Johannesburg . . . . . . . . . . .305
Cape Town in 1 Week . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Mpumalanga & the
Two Safaris: One Splurge, Limpopo Province . . . . . . . . . . . .329
One Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Panorama Route & Sabie . . . . . . . .335
The Budget Safari: in 14 Days . . . . . 78
Kruger National Park &
Western Cape Road Trip . . . . . . . . . . 80 Private Reserves . . . . . . . . . . . . . .346
Where to Stay in Cape Town . . . . . . 96 Sabi Sand Game Reserve . . . . . . . .371
Where to Dine in Cape Town . . . . .118 KwaZulu-Natal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .391
Cape Town Attractions . . . . . . . . . . .142 Central Durban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .393
Peninsula Driving Tour . . . . . . . . . .159 Zululand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .405
The Winelands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 The Drakensberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .421
The West Coast & Side Trips Zimbabwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .431
to the Northern Cape . . . . . . . . .209
Botswana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .440
The Western Cape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222
The Okavango Delta . . . . . . . . . . . . .449
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Our heartfelt thanks to those in the industry whose hospitality and passion turn the grueling
task of painstaking research into pleasure. You know who you are.
HOW TO CONTACT US
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops,
and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the informa-
tion with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recom-
mendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s South Africa, 6th Edition
Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
AN ADDITIONAL NOTE
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is espe-
cially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when
making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for
the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we
encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras,
purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Pippa de Bruyn was born in Durban, raised in Johannesburg, and has now settled in
Cape Town. She is an award-winning journalist and is also a coauthor of Frommer’s
India. Cape–based Keith Bain is a coauthor of Frommer’s India, Frommer’s Kenya &
Tanzania, Frommer’s Eastern Europe, Pauline Frommer’s Italy, and Pauline Frommer’s
Ireland. Janine Stephen is a freelance writer and editor working and living in Cape
Town, with a deep passion for South Africa’s wilderness areas. Philip Briggs is based in
KwaZulu-Natal and travels extensively through Africa as the author of books on Tanza-
nia, Malawi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Rwanda. David Allardice lives in Cape
Town, from where he makes regular forays to the rest of the country, particularly his
beloved KwaZulu-Natal, where he was born. He is also a coauthor of Frommer’s India.
FROMMER’S STAR RATINGS, ICONS & ABBREVIATIONS
Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value,
service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system. In country, state, and
regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and
budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recom-
mended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are
rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recom-
mended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).
In addition to the star-rating system, we also use eight feature icons that point you to the
great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists.
Throughout the book, look for:
Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about

Fun Facts Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun

Kids Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family

Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of

Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money

Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money

Value Great values—where to get the best deals

Warning! Warning—traveler’s advisories are usually in effect
The following abbreviations are used for credit cards:
AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa
DC Diners Club MC MasterCard
TRAVEL RESOURCES AT FROMMERS.COM
Frommer’s travel resources don’t end with this guide. Frommers.com has travel information
on more than 4,000 destinations. We update features regularly, giving you access to the most
current trip-planning information and the best airfare, lodging, and car-rental bargains. You
can also listen to podcasts, connect with other Frommers.com members through our active-
reader forums, share your travel photos, read blogs from guidebook editors and fellow travel-
ers, and much more.