South Africa is a magnificent land- and Acacia Africa aren’t simply biased, we assure you. With eleven official languages, nine scintillating provinces, a rich diversity of people and some of the most spectacular landscapes and wildlife you’ve ever experienced, it’s time to head away from the popular destinations and experience a true taste of Africa’s secrets. There’s more to this fascinating country than just the Big 5 and the Garden Route… and it’s time to discover them for yourself.
Enter Joburg’s hidden heart
If you hear of Jozi on travel blogs at all, it’s as the ‘business capital’ of South Africa. With gorgeous Cape Town and bustling, picturesque Pretoria attracting all the attention, it’s easy to neglect this urban metropolis as too plain and boring for fun. Not any more! With the birth of the Maboneng Precinct and a city-wide urban cleanup operation, Jozi invites you to explore the very best art, cinema, fashion and culture this sizzling city has to offer.
Step off the Garden Route
While Wellington lies only a 45-minute drive from vibey Cape Town, and is fast cultivating a reputation among wine lovers for tasty contemporary wines, it’s easily overlooked in favour of famous Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. If the wine alone isn’t enough of a draw, try it’s succulent brandies, craft beers, whiskies and gin out on your tastebuds- you won’t be sorry you skipped the beaten track for this hidden gem.
Meet nature’s smallest critters
Why chase the Big 5 when some of Africa’s most fascinating fauna could fit in the palm of your hand? From our cheeky meerkats to the charming, shy dik-dik, there’s a wealth of tiny wildlife just waiting for you to explore them. Nowhere offers more diversity of life than the remarkable fynbos biome, utterly unique to the Western Cape alone yet barely known worldwide. Come explore the beauty of Africa’s tiny worlds, and the critters who inhabit them.
Explore the Wild Coast
When it comes to tourist hot-spots, the Eastern Cape is usually noticeable only by its absence. Yet this is also home to the glorious Wild Coast, a breathtaking stretch of coastline filled with secret bays, empty beaches, wild waters and rolling green hills for you to explore.
Find the falls that tourism forgot
Augrabies Falls. We’re betting even the name is unfamiliar- yet this is one of the 5 biggest waterfalls in the world. ‘The place of the Great noise’ in the native Khoi tongue, this hidden gem nestles along the Orange River in the Northern Cape, thundering down 60 spectacular metres in a harsh, craggy rock landscape that will call to your heart and soul. The Augrabies Falls National Park is also a fantastic place to spot the caracal, bat-eared fox and leopard.
These 5 hidden African gems are far from the only secrets South Africa’s shores hold, so why not make it your mission this year to explore off the beaten track with Acacia Africa? We look forward to meeting you soon!