| South Africa is a land finally moving ahead after a | | | | 18 C. Summer, (December to March) tends to be |
| long period of troubles. It offers a magical tourist | | | | very hot, maxing out at 26 C, and tempered by |
| experience with its natural splendour, wildlife and | | | | winds known as the Cape doctor. |
| pulsating cities. | | | | Accommodation: from cheap stays to luxury |
| Johannesburg | | | | resorts |
| Johannesburg, a vast brassy, metropolis bursting | | | | Check on the internet for the range, location and |
| with contrasts, is the place to visit if you want to | | | | cost of Cape Town hotels |
| understand the real South Africa. | | | | Events: what's on and what's hot |
| Transport: getting there and getting away | | | | Cape Town is a happening place with something |
| Johannesburg International Airport (JIA), is | | | | going on every week |
| conveniently reachable from both Pretoria and | | | | *January sees outdoor arts performances |
| Jo'burg. It has flights all around the country. The | | | | *October features a Food and Winde Festival |
| major destinations are served by a number of | | | | *December features Carols by Candlelight in the |
| budget airlines. International bus services connect | | | | Company's Gardens. |
| Jo'burg with the nearby countries of Mozambique, | | | | *December is also the month for the Cape Town |
| Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland and | | | | Queer Project. Outrageous fancy dress is the |
| Zimbabwe. | | | | order of the day. |
| Climate | | | | Durban |
| Both Johannesburg and Pretoria can be | | | | Beaches on the Indian Ocean, sub-tropical jungles |
| oppressively hot in summer. Winters can get cold. | | | | and a proud Zulu culture define Durban. The |
| Accommodation: from cheap stays to luxury | | | | modern city is sophisticated and at night pulsates |
| resorts | | | | with taverns, lounges, theatres, discos, pubs and |
| Check on the internet for the range, location and | | | | clubs. |
| cost of Johannesburg hotels | | | | Transport: getting there and getting around |
| Events: what's on and what's hot | | | | Durban International Airport handles both domestic |
| *The grand event of the year is the Arts Alive | | | | and international flights, with regularly-scheduled |
| Festival which runs throughout September and | | | | service to Swaziland, Mozambique, and Mauritius. |
| October. The event showcases the talents of the | | | | Durban is South Africa's largest port and the |
| country's rich cultures which were long | | | | busiest container port in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| suppressed. | | | | Trains from Durban Railway Station connect with |
| *The Rand Easter Show at the National Exhibition | | | | Johannesburg and Cape Town. |
| Centre in April | | | | Taxis, minibus taxis and Zulu rickshaws offer |
| *Jo'burg Jazz Festival in late September | | | | transport around the city |
| *The annual Gay Pride March held on the last | | | | Climate |
| Saturday of September. | | | | Mild in both summer and winter. Rain is more |
| Cape Town | | | | common between October and May, and winters |
| The Table Mountain crowns this city but it also | | | | can get quite chilly in the evenings. |
| boasts magnificent beaches and starky beautiful | | | | Accommodation: from cheap stays to luxury |
| landscapes and a host of flora and fauna. | | | | resorts |
| Transport: getting there and getting away | | | | Check on the internet for the range, location and |
| Many international flights connect with Cape Town. | | | | cost of Durban hotels |
| Trains and buses are available both departing | | | | Events: what's on and what's hot |
| from the Cape Town train station. | | | | *March features Time of the Writer, Durban's |
| Taxis and 'Rikki' transporters will get you around | | | | literature festival, at the Centre for Creative Arts |
| the city. Minibus taxis and an efficient bus system | | | | at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. |
| are other choices. | | | | *Comrades Marathon in June is run through the |
| Climate | | | | valley of a thousand hills in Natal, South Africa. |
| Winter (June to August) can be miserably cold | | | | *Durban International Film Festival is held in June |
| and wet with temperatures ranging from 7 C to | | | | at the Centre for Creative Arts. |