Some weeks ago I added some english language texts to safari-photographer.com which feature descriptions about the most important African National Parks in the most important safari destinations: South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia and Botswana.
Serengeti Special campsite by safari-photographer.com
These texts also include, as I like hiking and trekking very much, African trekking trails. This week I want to highlight the South African chapter, as it was much work getting all the information together. You can find the texts linked in the header under the headlines “Safari in Africa” (English) or “Safari in Afrika” in (German).
South Africa has a broad spectrum of varying nature from a diverse coast, deserts, savannahs, and mountainous areas and has a good tourist infrastructure, with a lot to offer travellers interested in nature. Over 500 reserves total 642,000 km², an area larger than Spain and Portugal combined.
Trekking tours are popular in the Drakenstein Mountains, in the Kwa Zulu Natal province, with a terrain of up to 3,500m altitude and 1,000 km length in the east of South Africa. There are countless spectacular tracks .
Many of the South African National parks offer excellent trekking tours and walking safaris on so-called nature trails. Some parks also offer the opportunity to use a mountain-bike for a trek through the wilderness. All activities such as safaris, hiking tours, trekking tours, and any outdoor activities are normally organised through the national park management, who accept all the bookings. The network address of the South African parks management is http://www.sanparks.org.
Flight connections from Europe: Nearly all major European airlines (Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, KLM) and South African Airways from major European hubs like Frankfurt and London Heathrow fly to South Africa. Most connections go to Johannesburg and/or Cape Town.
For flight connections from the Americas or Asia: South African flies Buenos Aires to Johannesburg with A 340. And there are plenty of flights with airlines like Emirates or Etihad to Johannesburg via their hubs in the middle East. From North America you have to cross the Atlantic and get a connecting flight from somewhere in Europa. Best European airports and carriers in question of transfer time: KLM via Amsterdam, Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air Canada via Frankfurt. British Airways and American Airlines via London, check carefully if your connecting flight goes either from London Heathrow or London Gatwick!
Germany offers direct flights from Frankfurt and Munich to Johannesburg with Lufthansa and South African Airways; Air Berlin leaves daily from Munich to Cape Town except on Sundays.
Bookings: The park management of South Africa has set up a website for queries and bookings of accommodation and camping grounds.
