Seven South African Wonders

When one hears “seven” and “wonders” in the same sentence, one might think of the Seven Wonders of the World. But here in the Southern part of Africa, we are very fortunate to have such unique and diverse wonders right on our doorstep. Often, we as South Africans, tend to overlook all that this land has to offer. We search the rest of the world for wonders, while South Africa attracts many tourists from far and wide. They explore and enjoy our country while we’re off to explore theirs. The seven South African wonders include; The Drakensberg, Tsitsikamma forest, The Blyde River Canyon, The Cradle of Humankind, The Karoo National park, Cape Point and Table mountain.

The Drakensberg

The Drakensberg is a rich mountain series stretching from Dordrecht in the Eastern Cape through to Tzaneen in Mpumalanga. The biggest part of the 200km range falls in KwaZulu-Natal, adding to the richness of that part of our country. The Zulu nation refers to the mountains as “uKhahlamba” meaning the barrier of spears, but to the Voortrekkers it resembled a chain of angry dragons. The Drakensberg is also known as the highest mountain in South Africa, with the Mafadi Peak rising up to 3 451 met res.

The Tsitskamma Forest

 The Tsitskamma Forest is an opulent forest filled with ancient Yellowwood and Stinkwood. It forms part of theTsitsikamma National Park. Tsitsikamma takes its name from the Khoisan phrase for “place of many/sparkling/abundant water”. The Park is a stretch along the coastal strip between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, along the garden route. It is also home to Africa’s oldest and largest marine reserve and one of the largest marine protected areas in the world. Dolphins frolic and play in the breakers and the southern right whale is one of the many regular visitors.

The Blyde Canyon

The BlydeRiver Canyon stretches 25 km just north of Pilgrim’s Rest in Mpumalanga. It features toweringcliffs, terrifying rapids and subtropical jungle. The world’s third largest green canyon offers views to feed the soul.

Cradle of Humankind

When venturing on a tour of The Cradle of Humankind, you’ll learn why this site was declared a World Heritage Site. The site covers 47 000 hectares between Hekpoort, Broederstroom and Lanseria. It features a vast treasure chest of fossilized remains of past life forms, particularly of hominids.  This area is riddled with caves filled with pre-human relics including the famous skull of Mrs Ples, which they now believe belonged to a Mr Ples.

Karoo National Park

The Karoo National Park is situated in the Great Karoo, a vast and unforgiving landscape in the middle of nowhere. Nevertheless, this piece of earth is home to a diversity of live, making it the largest ecosystem in South Africa. The park boasts with lofty mountains and rolling plains.

Cape Point

Have you ever been to the end of the world? Cape Point is the end or the beginning of Africa. It’s the southernmost point where two powerful oceans meet. Cape Point is about an hour’s drive from Cape Town and should be at the top of your to-do list, when on a visit to the Cape.

Table Mountain

The mighty Table Mountain rises 1 086m above sea level.   The mountain is visible 200km out at sea and   is a compass to many Capetonians. Table Mountain covers a 50km range reaching towards Cape Point in the South. Many different fynbos species can be found on this mountain, making it a botanist’s paradise. A visit to Cape Town will not be complete without a visit to Table Mountain.

I believe that these wonders are worth visiting. More South Africans should be exploring their own country to see why tourists flock to see and enjoy our SA. The seven wonders of South Africa is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to top places to visit in South Africa.