The Beauty of South Africa - Cape Town and the Cape Winelands

South Africa is a stunningly beautiful and fascinating country to visit with world-renowned wildlife and cosmopolitan cities such as Cape Town and Johannesburg. The country has a huge number of national parks which offer all those who visit a broad range of things to do and see with diverse fauna and botanical sights, alternative climates and a landscape that lends itself to a wide variety of outdoor activities.

With a population of over 40,000,000 speaking more than 10 languages, South Africa is thankfully past its previous problems with racial segregation. And with an ever-improving infrastructure, the country is fast becoming one of the more popular tourist destinations. Its landscape varies from arid deserts to tropical beaches and impressive mountain backdrops.

As the oldest town of Southern Africa, Cape Town is definitely one of the must-see cities in the world. Located 40km from the Cape of Good Hope, the city boasts a spectacular setting. The impressive Table Mountain dominates Cape Town, while a couple of minutes away stunning white beaches line the cliff-hugging coast. The city centre, spread around the foot of Table Mountain, includes the historic centre, residential districts, the Waterfront and the modern harbor. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is a main hub, an old harbour that has been redeveloped and provides a large variety of shops, restaurants and entertainment.

The notorious Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent much of his incarceration, the Cape Malay quarter, Bo-Kaap and the superb and exclusive beach of Camps Bay are just some of the additional 'not to be missed' attractions that Cape Town offers. With its energy and cosmopolitan ambience, this is a unique city that is perfectly situated to allow visitors to explore the greater Cape region.

Those who do should seek out the Cape Winelands, a picturesque and quaint region that is home to some of the best wines in the world. Known as 'The Winelands', the valleys of Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek offer perfect conditions for wine production. The region boasts hundreds of wine estates and small pretty towns set amongst beautiful mountainous scenery.

Another popular destination is the Garden Route, a 600km stretch of small towns, wineries, farms and sea villages spanning the coastal region of the Western and the Eastern Cape Provinces. From Cape Town along the coast to the Tsitsikamma Forest, the route is a rich tapestry of freshwater lakes, impressive sandy beaches, indigenous forests and deep gorges. It is a place of breathtaking landscapes where visitors can enjoy the great outdoors, fine dining and relaxation on pristine beaches or even an ocean safari in pursuit of dolphins and whales.

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Car Hire Cape Town

The Wine Route Car Rentals & Travel Information

Venturing into the Stellenbosch Winelands with Stellenbosch Car Hire this legendary Wine Route is situated less than 100 km outside Cape Town and passes through the town of Stellenbosch. It is home to some of the best wines in the world. Tourists flock to this region of South Africa to taste the world-class wines and to get a glimpse of the breathtaking scenery.

This quiet landscape features fields of vineyards nestled between endless mountain ranges. Top attractions include the unique art of viticulture where locals study and create some of the world's most famous wines. The region is dotted with original Cape farmhouses, fully restored and each with its own distinct European influence.

Select a car from Wine Route Car Rental and tour the Stellenbosch Wine Route. Touring through Stellenbosch is like teleporting back to 14th century Italy – with the added bonus of experiencing superb South African hospitality. Founded in 1971, today the Stellenbosch Wine Route brand is home to over 200 wine and grape producers in the region.

Plan your travel route according to the area that you would like to explore, or the wine you would like to sample. There is nothing more satisfying than mapping out the best wine farms, or the ones that hold a distinctive kind of merlot, your wine of choice. The route itself can be travelled many times according to whatever preferences or experiences you would like to take home with you.

The Wine Route is divided into five sub routes, each one occupying a separate area in the Stellenbosch Winelands. Explore the Greater Simonsberg, Stellenbosch Berg, Helderberg, Stellenbosch Hills, and Bottelary Hills Wine Routes at your leisure.

These five routes feature a multitude of cellars that offer daily wine tasting, cellar tours and on-premises wine sales. Many of these wine farms have restaurant and picnic facilities that are ideal for families looking for a memorable outdoor day-trip. Remember that selected cellars offer tasting by appointment only.

Be sure to visit local gems like the Boschendal Wine Estate that holds one of the Wine Routes most established restaurants – with a wine list to match. Indulge in the vibrant local history of Spier Wine Estate that serves authentic African dishes at their internationally acclaimed restaurant. Don’t miss the award winning Van Loveren Vineyards where you can wine taste, hike and spend the day or hold a special function for a loved one. Wherever you choose to go, if you stop at one of these top estates you can’t go wrong.

Wine Route Car Rental

Skydive - Cape Town

Skydiving in Cape Town is a novel and unique way to experience the magnificence of the Western Cape, and why not do it and one of the most beautiful Drop Zones in the world. The location for your Skydiving in Cape Town experience takes place just 40-minutes drive north of Cape Town, along the West Coast. Marvel at the breathtaking view as you climb to 9000 feet before plummeting towards the ground in what is a drop zone like no other on earth!

Take the time to appreciate the view on the way up, because it will be an entirely different experience on the way down!

Cape Town City Tours

Cape Town City Tours - Situated below Table mountain Cape Town offers a rich cultural and industrial heritage, with a hive of activity and excitement. Join us for an afternoon or morning tour of the Mother City which can experience different seasons within the same day depending on which side of the mountain you are.

We drive past Clifton a residential suburb with four bikini beaches ideal for sun bathing with the backdrop of the Twelve Apostle mountain range. This area is also prime Real Estate as a small bungalow on the beach can sell for up to R30 million. We visit the Castle built by Jan van Riebeeck the pioneer who made Cape Town his home. We pass through the Bo-Kaap with its brightly coloured houses at the foot of Signal Hill the spiritual home of the Cape's Muslim community.

Cape Town Day Tours - Visit waterfront , Drive through camps bay and Clifton, Bokaap/ Cape Malay Quarter, Company gardens, South African Museum, Castle of the Cape Of Goodhope, Short Diamond factory tour.

Table Mountain Day Tours

Shark Cage Diving

One of the most popular activities for visitors to Cape Town is cage diving with great white sharks. here is some info on what a shark diving trip generally entails courtesy of this Adventure Tours Cape Town site:

This is no aquarium!! Your shark cage diving expedition begins with a light breakfast in Gansbaai followed by a brief orientation on the day's activities ahead where you will experience one of the most exhilarating days of your life!

You do not need certification for the shark cage diving at Shark Alley. You will be given a full body wetsuit, weight belt, booties and face mask, and the dive master will run through all the procedures of where to hold on inside the cage etc.

If you are not up to jumping in the cage you can get a brilliant view of these spectacular predators from the upper deck of the boat. The Skipper will begin "chumming" (the technique used to attract the sharks) and you will have the opportunity to view from the deck or to participate in a shark cage dive as the sharks make their appearance.

Time permitting, the boat will visit Geyser Island en route, to view the Seal Colony. All equipment will be supplied. A light lunch and snacks and drinks will be served on the boat.

Find out more about shark cage diving Cape Town

Green Point Holiday Apartments

Green Point Holiday Apartments, famous for its Market which is open on Sundays, where thousands of stalls are set up around Green Point stadium.

The Waterfront and Sea Point are the closest for all shopping requirements and Green Point is dominated by a mix of restaurants, bars and lively pubs.

Green Point Holiday Accommodation, in one of Cape Town’s trendiest places to hang out in, and for those looking for entertainment; they have a huge variety of restaurants, delis and also coffee bars and most awesome views of the Atlantic Ocean and of Robben Island.

Staying in Green Point gives visitors easy access to some of the best attractions Cape Town has to offer.

Also the home of the new world class Green Point Stadium being built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup being hosted in South Africa.

Holiday Rentals Green Point

Cape Town Helicopter flights

One of the great things to do in Cape Town if you get the chance is go on a helicopter flight. It really is one of the best ways to view the beauty of Cape Town.

There are some of the different Helicopter flight options avalable in Cape Town:

The Hopper

This brief 'hop' gives you the best abbreviated tour. Leave from the V&A Waterfront and fly over the city bowl, the new Green Point Stadium, the famous four beaches of Clifton, the white sands of Camps Bay and the majestic Twelve Apostles before making an about turn back to Cape Town.

The Atlantico

Continue on from THE HOPPER over the rugged beauty of Llandudno, the ‘Republic of Hout Bay’ and see a magnificent view of Seal Island and then back the same way over Cape Town to V&A Waterfront.

Three Bays

This spectacular flight continues on from the ATLANTICO via the impressive Chapman’s Peak and the lagoon-laced stretches of the pristine 6km-long Noordhoek beach. It then turns inland to fly over Sun Valley, before reaching the False Bay coastline and the fishing villages of Fish Hoek and Kalk Bay. It continues over Muizenberg and back via the lush Constantia Valley - South Africa’s oldest wine region and home to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Then finish back off at the V&A Waterfront

To the Point

The ultimate tour of the Cape Peninsula detours from the THREE BAYS route and continues south via Noordhoek on to Kommetjie and the wild beauty of the remote Scarborough region. From there we fly over the indigenous flora and fauna of the Cape Point Nature Reserve to the spectacular cliffs of Cape Point. We return via False Bay over the naval base and the white sandy stretches of Simonstown, Fish Hoek and Muizenberg. You may even get lucky with seasonal whale sightings! Then back to the V&A Waterfront.

Source: Extreme Scene Helicopter Flights Cape Town.

Milnerton Holiday Apartments

Milnerton Holiday Apartments, situated in a suburb of Cape Town, north of Cape Town City Centre. Milnerton is the oldest suburb along the Northern section of Table Bay with beautiful residential areas.

This area has stunning properties and is known for its attractions such as the lagoon and golf course. Milnerton is known for its lovely lagoon, beach, and racecourse and not to mention the shopping facilities.

The Golf course lies only 8 kilometers from the centre of Cape Town and the entrance to the club lies right opposite the lighthouse of Milnerton and therefore cannot be missed.

Not to be missed and located in the Northern part of Table Bay are the views from Milnerton, Robben Island, V&A Waterfront and the Atlantic Ocean which are all simply breath taking.

Milnerton Holiday Accommodation

Kruger Park Car Hire

Aroundabout cars offers discount car rental Kruger Park. We have a wide range of cars in Kruger Park! Come and see the wild life up close, enjoy the african sunsets. Also, you can hire one of our cheap car rentals in Kruger Park from our Kruger Park Branch. Select one of our of cheap Kruger Park car rentals below by entering your rental dates.

Nelspruit Car Hire

Around About Cars, car rental Nelspruit offers quality car hire in Nelspruit, South Africa and a wide selection of quality rental cars. Around About Cars has a 99% availability rate year round and guarantees person local service.

Stellenbosch Car Hire

Car hire Stellenbosch is affordable but stocks are limited so book early. You also need to make sure that you head to the many wine farms when you are here! So come and enjoy this very warm destination and enjoy your car hire from our Stellenbosch car rentals office. All car rentals vary so ask for the car that suits your needs! Enjoy a glass of wine and enjoy this historic little town.

Car Hire Rustenberg

Car rental Runstenberg is affordable but stocks are limited so book early. You also need to make sure that you head to Sun City when you are here! So come and enjoy this very warm destination and enjoy your car hire from our car hire Sun City office. All car rentals vary so ask for the car that suits your needs!

Bloemfontein Car Hire

Bloemfontein is the city of "mealies" or as the English say "corn". Car hire in Bloemfontein is what we do best! Our Bloemfontein car hire is limited so booking is essential! Enjoy Bloemfontein with one of our car rentals.

Car Hire Pretoria

Pretoria is the land of Rugby. Pretoria also has large amounts of car hire stocks but its also the land of the "Blou Bulle" a fanatic group of rugby supporters! Car hire Pretoria is simple and straight forward. At Aroundabout you will find a large selection of car rentals. Car hire Pretoria is what we do best! So come and visit us in the city of "Blue" organize your car hire in Pretoria at one of our many car rentals Pretoria branches and enjoy!

George Car Hire

George is a great little coastal town on the garden route. Arrange George car hire, South Africa and enjoy this little buzzing coastal town. Our car hire George branch offers a wide selection of car rental. We also offer car rental at George airport.

East London Car Hire

East london is a city that with lots of character. East London is a popular beach destination and is popular with bathers and surfers. Our East London car hire branch offers a wide selection of car rental.

Durban Car Hire

Come to Durban in South Africa and hire your car and experience a great city. Car hire in Durban is made easy and Durban car rental is what we do best. Durban is the kingdom of the Zulu and it has a warm sub-tropical climate with soaring heat in summer and warm conditions in winter.

Port Elizabeth Car Hire

Port Elizabeth Car rentals is convenient and easy with Around About Cars. For your convenience, you are able to pick-up and drop-off your hired vehicle at Port Elizabeth Airport. Visit the friendly city of Port Elizabeth.

Johannesburg Car Hire

Come to Johannesburg car hire and choose from one of our many branches throughout Joburg. This is the city that never sleeps! Johannesburg is a funky spunky city with lots of character.

Cheap Car Hire in Cape Town

Around About Cars offers quality cheap car hire in Cape Town, South Africa and a wide selection of quality rental cars. Around About Cars has a 99% availability rate year round for its cheap car hire in Cape Town and guarantees person local service.
Come and get cheap car hire in Cape Town and see Table Mountain, enjoy the scenic wine farms, jump into the Atlantic Ocean so that it can take your breath away! You can hire one of our cheap car rentals in Cape Town from our car hire Cape Town Branch. Select one of our of cheap Cape Town car rentals below by entering your rental dates.

Cape Town gears up for massive street parade and festival

Cape Town, South Africa - Now just hours away, Cape Town is gearing up for the biggest party since December when FIFA made the draw in Cape Town. Thursday will mark the city of Cape Town's "Welcome the world" party.

Celebrities like R Kelly, Kurt Darren and others are to perform at the free party. Celebrities will also sign a scroll of "legacy" of Nelson Mandela.

"The FIFA 2010 World Cup spirit has inspired many Capetonians and businesses to participate in this once in a life time street party," said Cape Town mayor, Dan Plato.

The part kicks off at 2pm and later on will include a massive fireworks display as well as a street parade. There will also be the switching on of Adderley street's soccer lights.

The following roads will be affected or closed: Keizergracht, Buitenkant, Darling, Plein, Parade, Corporation, Burg, Wale, Bloem and Green.

Source

If you are heading to South Africa for the world cup why not go Shark Cage Diving in Cape Town with this Cape Town adventure tours company.

Finding Your Fear - Why We Do Extreme Sports

Fear. The constant companion of extreme sports.

I've had many years to consider my fear as I've hung above the planet on a set of thin strings, paragliding. I've watched many students come to terms with it. And yet my familiarity with fear has not bred complacency. Too many of my friends have paid the price for that mistake.

Fear can ruin any sport, but fear can not be ignored. Can it be transcended?

There are three ways of approaching the challenge. First is the way of youth, the sole reserve of those who haven't yet endured a crunch. You know about the danger, but you don't feel the memory of it in your bones. Or you're too new to this particular extreme sport, and ignorant of the dangers. It is a blissful state of untainted adrenalin. This may be a sustainable attitude if you're playing tiddly-winks or croquet, but in the field of extreme sports, it can not last forever. We all grow up. With the wisdom, comes a true measure of the requisite fear.

Enter the second player, who laughs a little too loud when asked if he ever gets scared. "Life's too short to be scared!" he'll answer. Such men died on battlefields, died in high-speed crashes, died alone in cold places .. they are the kind of egotists who earn the scorn of the veterans and professionals alike. Maybe they catch the fleeting glimpse of their own reflection in a camera lens, or the passing interest of young maidens. But they will fulfill their own prophecy. Life will be short.

There's a path we all come to if we play the game long enough. Wise men know that fear is not to be ignored altogether. It has a use. It is a trusted friend, an adviser, rather than an adversary. It is an indicator of your exposure, and you choose how much exposure you're willing to take. The search for your acceptable level of fear takes you on the greatest adventures, to the moments when you are stretched, when you grow. How much of an appetite you have for growth determines how far and how often you travel. But it needn't be terrifying, that's for the masochists. Just be sure to keep a little fear beside you as a companion.

I find my own fear in paragliding when I leave the roads behind. There's a thrilling feeling of commitment when I lift up my feet and fly over the mountain, rather than along it. Very soon I enter unfamiliar terrain. Sure, I have a map, but its a new map, unthumbed, unblemished. The winds flow strangely over the changed terrain. My familiar landmarks are absent, I have nothing but the sun to orient myself with, and even that appears strangely altered; brighter, somehow. New valleys are laid out before me. Where will I land? Amongst new people, upon new roads. Into a new life, if only for a few hours, or days.

It might be arduous to hike out later, it might be a little crazy to be alone in a remote place, far from my friends and the safety of numbers. But I believe it is worth it, to walk beside my fear for a while and see where the path leads.

It doesn't need to be the path with the greatest fear, to be a worthy path. But your companion should be with you, even if he's a little guy with a crooked smile.

Life's too short not to be scared.

--------------------------------- Words © Greg Hamerton. Greg has been flying since 1992 and is a paragliding instructor and cross-country pilot. He is an author and photographer and lives in Cape Town. His novel Beyond The Invisible explores themes of fear and freedom within flying. His Fresh Air Site Guide is a book for pilots touring South Africa. He was featured in the television production Fresh Air Riders (available on DVD). For more information visit Paragliding in South Africa. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Hamerton

If you are keen to go on a South African adventure check out this adventure tours Cape Town site.

7 Day Ultimate Garden Route Xperience

Xtreme Adventures South Africa Adventure Travel & Tours

Day 1

You will be met at Cape Town International Airport by an Xtreme Adventures ambassador and transported to your accommodation of choice for the night. You will have the arrival day at your own leisure to relax and enjoy before your adventure that lies ahead or we can arrange for an activity for your enjoyment.

DAY 2

You will be collected from your accommodation by your tour guide for the start of the Garden Route adventure.

Depart from Cape Town and drive along N2 through Swellendam and on to Mossel Bay where you have time to visit The Diaz Museum, The Post Office Tree and other attractions of Mossel Bay

Late Afternoon drive back towards Albertinia on the way to a Sunset BIG 5 Game Drive at the Garden Route Game Lodge. Dinner and Jacuzzi under the stars.

DAY 3

Depart from Mossel Bay and drive over the spectacular Robinson Pass on the way to Oudtshoorn.

Spend the day at the Cango Caves; ride ostriches at the Cango Ostrich Farm, view Cheetah's, Crocodiles and many other cats at the Crocodile Farm and xperience a croc cage dive.

DAY 4

Depart from your accommodation and do canoeing on the Wilderness lagoon spotting 200 different species of birds or catch the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe steam train from George to Knynsa instead of canoeing.

Thereafter we visit World's highest Bungy at Bloukrantz. Here you will take the Flying Fox slide to your point of jump and then take the plunge of your life when you leap off the world's highest commercial bungy jump at 216 meters - as well as walk hanging bridge over Storms River Mouth in the Tsitsikamma National Park.

DAY 5

Today you will take a 30 minute glide on a fixed wing glider over Plettenberg Bay beaches spotting dolphins and whales.

After gliding we depart Plettenberg Bay and head to Knysna for lunch and to explore Knysna heads.

Thereafter we tour an aloe factory outside Albertinia and overnight at the Buffeljagts Dam just outside Swellendam. This is where you will do the longest foefie(monkey slide) slide in Africa.

DAY 6

Depart Swellendam and follow the coastal route towards Hermanus.

This where your shark diving xperience begins. Here you will check in at the Whale and Shark Bed and Breakfast and then head off for your diving xperience around mid day.

DAY 7

Your guide will collect you and transport you back to Cape Town where you can take a chance to relax and reflect on the unbelievable xperience you have just completed.

If you are the energetic type we will arrange another activity for you on request.