The Transvaal is dry and hot in summer, rainy in spring and cold in autumn and winter months. Yet the sunsets stay the same bright spray of gold, red and orange colours across the heavens. Jo'burg (Johannesburg) is a bustling city, the business capital of SA and offers what all big cities are famous for; flash restaurants, shopping extraordinaire, elite hotels and fun-filled nightlife. Afternoon tea at West Cliff Hotel with fabulous views over Jo’burg or fine dining at Monte Casino (mini-Italy), shopping in Sandton City or Rosebank flea-market and Katzy's jazz club or underground raves are all must-dos. As well as the Cape is known for is art and culture, Jo’burg is still the business capital where most head quarters are based for major record labels, music publishing houses’ and radio stations. Radio DJs are among the top 5 most influential types of people within the country to help promote South African musicians and Kwaito music. Major labels Sony, BMG, and EMI have produced and distributed acts like female singers Verity (internationally recognised for innovation in the music industry), Brenda Fassie, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Miriam Makeba, Bea Benjamin and Mango Groove. Plus male singers like; Jonathan Butler, Hugh Masekela, Parlatones, Just Jinger, Jonas Gwangwa, Abdullah Ibrahim, Chris McGregor, Steve Hofmeyr, Fokofpolisiekar, and Johnny Clegg with his bands Juluka and Savuka, and including the Soweto String Quartet - all these musicians have enjoyed various success underground, publicly, and abroad. Just a few hours drive, on the outskirts of Johannesburg is the famous Sol Kerzner's Sun City aside the Pilansberg and Madikwe Game Reserves. Whilst driving to there stop at Leopard Lodge it overlooks Hartebeesport Dam and the African markets on the street are great for arts and crafts. Sun City has various water sports like parasailing, man-made beach, lazy pool or big dipper water slides, plus casinos, restaurants, cabaret shows, hotels and golf courses. Definitely have a safari breakfast at Pilansberg, it starts at about 5am and it’s the best time to see lions, giraffes, leopard, elephants, rhino and springboks. Fine dining at Madikwe is exclusive as the restaurant is a 100m from a waterhole within the game reserve, so whilst enjoying your meal the view of lions and other game drinking from the waterhole is most entertaining. If you have little time in Johannesburg, then nipping over to the smaller game reserves near Sun City is a good option. However, for those concentrating more on safari as part of their trip, head to the Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa covering 19,485 square kilometres with 9 entrance gates. There are a variety of wilderness trails and lodges available like Skukuza, Sabie and Singita. Discover more at http://www.krugerpark.co.za. Pretoria, an hour’s drive from Johannesburg, is a historical trip with a visit to the Voortrekker Monument, the journey of the Boer War. South of the Transvaal, there is more history to discover in the Free State, especially the mountainous terrain when winding your way through the Drakensberg. It has over 500 caves with 30,000 paintings of bushmen art between the Drakensberg Royal Natal National Park and Bushman's Neck. It is estimated the art dates back to over 100,000 years ago and is the largest collection of such work in the world. For hiking pleasure, the highest peak is Thabana Ntlenyana, at 3,482 metres and other favourites to climb are Champagne Castle and Cathedral Peak, where the white Rhinoceros or Bearded Vulture can be spotted. Alongside the Free State is Kwa-Zulu Natal, home of the Zulu’s - a massive tribe in South Africa, Shaka King was their ruler during the Boer War, a courageous warrior and leader. With a tropical climate, the Indian Ocean lies on the east coast and it’s surfer’s paradise for riding six-feet waves. Great places to visit are Ushaka Marine World for caged Great White Shark diving, Sibaya for an African cultural experience in Ballito Bay and pure beach fun in Umhlanga and St Lucia and of course the sugar cane fields are a must. Besides Umhlanga’s fantastic seafood dining at Beverly Hills Hotel, try Tare Panda at Gateway Shopping Mall - the chef is amazing and cooks the best Japanese food right in front of you. Whilst discovering, South Africa, try their famous boerewors braai’s, listen to Kwaito music (black musicians who sang in Afrikaans or English from apartheid days), watch a live rugby or cricket game, sip Savanna Dry, Castle Beer or Dom Pedro, and definitely eat pootjiekos and pap. There are eleven official languages: English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu †so there are many cultures to meet and simply fall in love with the clicks of this land. To discover more about South African adventures, read Sunny South Africa - The Cape.
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