According to Extrareference, Johannesburg is the financial and industrial center of the country, one of the richest cities in the world. Founded by gold miners, today this city offers visitors an amazing urban landscape, which combines modern glass concrete buildings and colonial buildings. Among the most important sights of the city, it is worth noting the Old Post Office building, one of the most beautiful in the city, Oppenheimer’s Garden, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Diamond skyscraper, the Banksity architectural complex, etc. In the vicinity of the city, it is worth visiting the Soweto Zoo (the best on the continent), the Lesedi Cultural Village and the historic Zulu village of Sibaya-Zulu-Boma, the Gold Mine at Rendfontein, the Wadderbyl Park bird sanctuary, and the Klufendal and Krugersdorp nature reserves. 60 km to the north of Johannesburg is Pretoria (Tswana) – the administrative center of the country. Here, the city center, Cathedral Square, the huge administrative building “Union Buildings”, the National Zoo of South Africa, as well as numerous museums of the city deserve attention. The large port city of Durban attracts tourists with its golden beaches, oriental bazaars and the nearby Indian Ocean. Here is the Golden Mile, where Vasco da Gama landed at one time. Today it is one of the largest resorts in Africa, where luxurious hotels, restaurants, bars, etc. are located. Lovers of nature and outdoor activities should visit the Dragon Mountains, a huge 250 km long basalt wall. In Zululand and the North Shore, you can get acquainted with the culture of the Zulu peoples. In the mountainous regions there is a huge number of reserves and national parks, the most famous of which is the Royal Natal Park, where you can see the “Amphitheater” – a huge 8-kilometer cliff – and the Tugela waterfall. Maputaland, home of the Tsonga people, is one of the wildest regions of the country. Here are the highest dunes in the world, as well as vast areas of untouched nature, where the tropics and subtropics collide. Sodwana Bay is popular with diving enthusiasts, and the famous salt lake system is located in the Cozy Bay area. In the north-west of the country, in addition to countless reserves, you can visit the caves, which allowed scientists to trace the evolution of man. The local Las Vegas, the city of Sun City, is also located here. Cape Town is located in the south of the country, where the country’s parliament is located. It is worth visiting the Castle (XVII century), the oldest building in South Africa, St. George’s Cathedral, the parliament building, Nurel Nameid and Pink Palm Tree mosques, Furtrekker Road shopping street, the magnificent Kirstenbosch botanical garden and much more. A variety of hiking trails start from Cape Town, including the magnificent Garden Route. Numerous beaches and resort towns are also located here. In Kimberley, the diamond capital of the country, in the center of which is still the world’s largest open pit mine, you can visit the active diamond mine Bultfontein. Routes to the great Kalahari Desert start from the same city. In the vast territory of the Kruger National Park, you can see dozens of rare and endangered species of animals and birds. This is perhaps the most famous park in the country. in the center of which is still the largest open-pit mine in the world, you can visit the operating Bultfontein diamond deposit. Routes to the great Kalahari Desert start from the same city. In the vast territory of the Kruger National Park, you can see dozens of rare and endangered species of animals and birds. This is perhaps the most famous park in the country.
National cuisine of South Africa
The cuisine of South Africa is extremely diverse, as are its inhabitants. Typical for local dishes is the use of a large number of spices, as well as local ingredients, sauces and herbs that vary from one area of the country to another. The combination of spicy oriental cuisine with traditional cooking methods for local tribes can also be called typical. Of the meat dishes, you should try “boboti” – lamb pilaf with dried apricots and raisins, fried crocodile tail, triangular spicy biscuits with “samusas” meat, dried meat “biltong”, “watterblommetyebredi” – meat stewed with water lily buds, spicy sausages burworth, cold cuts karu lamb, steak with herbs, etc. If you plan to travel to different regions of the country, be sure to try the same dishes in different regions – the variety of local interpretations of “traditional” dishes will surprise you. South Africa is famous for its seafood, which is available all year round. It is worth trying lobsters with fruit sauce, seafood pate, shark fins, kingklip fish, halibut smoked in the smoke of herbs, sea urchin caviar and much more. Drinks include weak coffee with milk and many varieties of tea. Local wines, which are famous all over the world, deserve special attention. Of the original drinks, it is worth trying the local sparkling drinks made from fruit juices “graptizer” and “epltaizer”, as well as homemade yeast beer.
Transport
Between cities you can travel on comfortable buses, the presence of air conditioning in which is required. Transportation is carried out by various companies: Intercape Mainliner, Greyhound and Translux. The road network in South Africa is well developed, the roads are asphalted and well maintained. There is also a good railway connection in South Africa, but it is much slower, although cheaper. Seats can be purchased in a different class, from regular seats to superior sleepers. Train tickets can be purchased at the box office at the stations, sometimes you can pay the fare directly to the driver. It is recommended to book tickets for long-distance flights in advance. On many routes you can buy a ticket with intermediate stops, while the fare does not change. Air transportation within the country is carried out by South African Airways (SAA), although recently competing airlines have begun to appear, including a few low-cost airlines. Urban transport varies from city to city, in many regions it is completely absent. Cape Town and Durban have a developed network of buses that run around the city from 6 am to 11 pm. There are also city buses in Pretoria, although the network is poorly developed here. Taxi is a rather expensive mode of transport. There are two types: private, where the price is negotiable, and regular taxis with a meter. It is not recommended to hail a taxi on the street. You can also find the usual minibuses. If you plan to travel around the country by car, pay attention to traffic signs. Despite the fact that most of them comply with international standards, there are some differences: prohibition signs are round with a blue background, warning – triangular with a blue background. Fines for speeding and illegal parking are paid locally and are very high. Parking on the streets in settlements is paid.
