Cycling through the Soweto township was one of the best experiences I have had. In this part of South Africa I had a great time and enjoyed unique experiences by staying at the Fair trade Tourism in South Africa certified Lebo’s Backpackers.

The tour started with a township lingo lesson (Tsotsi Taal) at a hill with a beautiful view of the stadium and the Orlando Towers. We learned how people from Soweto greet each other and other useful phrases. For instance we learned the common “Love, Peace and Happiness” handshake that I used many times already here in South Africa.

After learning about Soweto’s history and culture we continued to the former hostel settlements where you can find a “shebeen” (informal bar shack). Inside the shebeen we had some traditional and odd tasting “Joburg beer”, which is a sorghum beer brewed by a loose collective of South African breweries using maize, wheat, water and yeast. Coming from the beer nation – Germany, I probably had different expectations of beer, but the more I drank the better it got. After the drinking we put on some traditional Zulu jewellery and started dancing and singing.
The next stop on the tour was the Hector Pieterson Memorial, named after a 13 years old boy. When the guide explained what happened on this square the group became silent. The story of the little boy, who was shot in this street during the Soweto uprising on June 16^th, 1976, touched us all with many goose bumps on our body. The 16^thof June nowadays is a holiday in South Africa in memory of Hector and the other 200 students that were killed. Till this day the area still reflects the struggle from the past and is branded by this vibrant vibe. Touched and mindful, the group continued biking down to the famous Vilakazi Street to see where the two Nobel Prize winners lived – Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Lebo’s Backpackers is the perfect accommodation for an authentic Soweto experience. Lebo’s home is very friendly and makes you feel at home.  Even though no meals are included at Lebo’s Backpackers, there is the possibility to request breakfast, lunch and dinner, which are freshly prepared every day and with love. Furthermore, Lebo’s offers many activities, such as the FTT certified bicycle tour through Soweto.

How to go about it;

Contact us for more information on things to do in South Africa. We create a your tailor made holiday into a unique experience.

Don’t forget to have a look on our travel tips page for more advice that my colleagues would like to share with you.

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I visited the park for three days and two nights where I slept in a typical African rondavel in the bush in the middle of Kruger National Park. During the night I could hear the lions roaring and I spotted 9 elephants, including a baby, from the bar area of the camp. As the camp was not fenced, meaning that any animal except large elephants could enter the camp. During the day I spotted ignalas eating plants just in front of my hut. The experience was truly amazing, and it will be a memorable one. I enjoyed every minute of my stay in the bush and spotting hundreds of animals. I think that staying in a bush camp is the ultimate way to experience the nature and wildlife of Kruger National Park to its utmost!

How to go about it:
If you are planning to go to Kruger National Park as well, I would recommend staying in in a camp as well. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information on our preferred suppliers.

Don’t forget to have a look at our travel tips page for the tips my colleagues would like to share with you

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Cape Town City is beautiful, convenient and very western. The townships are a completely different experience. By booking a cultural township tour or a home-stay, you help local people grow their small businesses. Furthermore, you gain a great authentic experience. My favorite activities in the townships are playing soccer and other games with local children. I also like to meet people to share some stories with. Though poverty is a big issue there, I feel that people are still happy and relaxed. They are greeting you warmly, sometimes with beautiful traditional songs. Watch this video I made from the Old Age House we recently experienced in one of the townships around Cape Town.
Once I’ve done a hand-washing clothes workshop, where elderly ladies shared some interesting stories with me, I felt so comfortable like I was talking to my grandmother.

How to go about it;
My tip to you is to come and experience it yourself. Visit projects such as Bafana kids and play soccer with the children or book one of our cultural tours. If you also enjoy the township atmosphere as much as I do, then check accommodation to have a home-stay in the townships. Please contact us directly to find out more about the Home-stay or things to do there. Our team of Travel Specialists will gladly assist you further.

Don’t forget to have a look at our travel tips page for the tips my colleagues would like to share with you.

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Going higher and higher you get to see Cape Town from a bird’s view. You can enjoy the view over Cape Town, its surrounding mountains, Camps Bay, Clifton Beach, Sea Point and Green Point and Robben Island.

It is a very special moment when you arrive at the top of the hill and see the sun rise above the mountains. The morning sun makes Table Mountain appear in a lovely, unique light.

Sitting there and letting the view sink in was an amazing experience for me and my friends.

How to go about it;
If you also want to hike up Lions Head, or maybe Table Mountain or Devil’s Peak, you can do it on one of our overland or self-drive tours that include a stay in Cape Town, South Africa. We also offer accommodations and day tours in Cape Town.

You can also read the travel tips of my colleagues on our travel tips page.

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In my opinion, the pass is particularly interesting because it offers such diverse views. From the vivid coloration of the rocks, which reminded me of the Grand Canyon (USA) to richly forested areas with many different kinds of vegetation.

Although I only saw 4×4 vehicles driving on the pass, I drove the pass with just an ordinary Toyota car. Due to the bumpy sand roads, it must have be way more comfortable in a 4×4 vehicle. Though I think it is very well doable with basically any car as long as you use lower gear, and your brakes and tires are in good conditions. The pass is not very long, but you cannot drive faster than 30-40 km/h. It took me two and a half hour to complete the pass, including some photo stops.

After the Swartberg Pass, I made a stop in Prince Albert where I had lunch before I headed back to Oudtshoorn. It is a little picturesque town and worth a short stop if you are traveling the Swartberg Pass!

How to go about it?
If you would also like to drive the Swartberg Pass and you have to time to, I can only say do it! The Swartberg Pass offers many nice spots for photography although it might be chilly during the late summer months April & May and during winter. If you have any questions regarding the Swartberg Pass, please do not hesitate to contact us! You can also have a look at the Travel Tips of my colleagues.

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The West Coast National Park is not too far from Cape Town. It is only a 1.5 hour drive from the Mother City. A true place to relax and recharge your batteries. Also delight in the silence of this unique eco-destination with its rich biodiversity heritages. The West Coast National Park is situated on the Atlantic seaboard of the Western Cape Province.

The park extends from Yzerfontein in the south to Langebaan in the north. The conservation is located near the popular holiday town of Langebaan. Also Saldanha, the West Coast’s busiest harbour town, is nearby. From here you can spot the majestic Table Mountain in the background. The park not only conserves indigenous fauna and flora, but also a range of important natural and cultural assets. The park is exceptionally rich in biodiversity. It supports important numbers of coastal birds as well as a unique floral diversity. The park nestles against the Langebaan Lagoon which is included in its boundaries. This site is a Ramsar wetland of global conservation importance. South Africa has a total of 19 wetlands on this special list.

How to go about it;
Please contact us directly to find out more about the West Coast National Park or things to do there. Our team of Travel Specialists will gladly assist you further. The West Coast National Park, a true hidden gem!

Don’t forget to have a look at our travel tips page for the tips my colleagues would like to share with you.

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Make your holiday complete by joining the locals for a day or more. See, hear, feel and taste what local life is all about. Create lifetime memories and make sure that when you are back home, you can say that you know what real local life in South Africa is about.

How to go about it;
Check out some of our accommodation tips for more information on staying over with locals and have a closer look at the Khayelitsha excursion. Tailor made options with visits to places of your interest are possible as well. Don’t hesitate but contact us now if you would like to get more information!

Don’t forget to have a look at our travel tips page for the tips my colleagues would like to share with you.

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The further I walked down along the path, the better I heard the sounds of the rough sea. What an overwhelming sound was that! With every step I came closer to the crashing waves.

Once I arrived there, the fresh forest smell was replaced by the raw sea wind.

Further ahead on the route we arrived at a big water spring which was nourished through a giant waterfall. What a powerful view!! It was possible to swim in this water, a lovely refreshment after a tough walk like this. It is also the perfect spot for cliff diving. I saw jumps of at least 8 meters high..

Tsitsikamma National Park is situated along the coast of the Indian Ocean. The park consists of high mountains, cliffs and bushy forests and big amounts of fynbos. It has an 80 kilometer coastline, which is interrupted by beaches here and there. The Storms River pushed its way through the Tsitsikamma Mountain Range and runs into the ocean.

There is a high chance that you will spot some dolphins jumping above the surface during this walk. I can guarantee you, this is a route in a million. I did a walk in one day, but it is also possible to do it for a couple of days, whereby you will spend the night in special accommodations in the National Park.

A memorable route during your trip through South Africa!

How to go about it;
Please contact us directly to find out more about Tsitsikamma National Park or things to do there. Our team of Travel Specialists will gladly assist you further.

Don’t forget to have a look at our travel tips page for the tips my colleagues would like to share with you.

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In the beginning I was pretty scared for the dive. However, a stay in the cage gives  you the opportunity to experience the greatest and yet most misunderstood predatory force of the seas from up close. You are in a cage with a maximum of five people, whilst the sharks are being attracted by death fish. This does not only attract the great whites, but as well thousands of smaller fish. This gives you a beautiful view of the diverse marine life that South Africa has to offer. After two dives I had seen about six different great white sharks. One even hit the cage as it wanted to get the bait. The shark came extremely close and I could even count all its teeth!

Shark Cage Diving is an amazing experience which seems more terrifying than it actually is!

Shark Cage Diving

How to go about it;
You have the possibility to arrange a shark cage diving excursion via Abang Africa Travel. If you wish to take the cage diving a step further, you could also choose to join one of our projects, which is a white shark volunteering program. Don’t hesitate but contact us now for more information.

Don’t forget to have a look at our travel tips page for the tips my colleagues would like to share with you.

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You will be escorted by a guide named Mvuyisi. He will meet you at the Cape Town train station, where you will make your way towards the local community Gugulethu, which means “our pride”. After half an hour train ride you will arrive at the township and walk to Mama Noks’ house. She will welcome you as part of her family for one day. The kids will be very excited and immediately want to play with you and your partner or family.

After you are finished with playing with the kids, you will have the opportunity to  buy some drinks at a local store. After that, Mama Noks will start cooking and explain to you how to make pap, or you can prepare the braai outside. After that you will enjoy a very tasty true African meal.

During the evening you will have time to chat with the locals and exchange experiences.

You will wake up early to enjoy a very nice breakfast and to start the beading workshop. Instead of creating bracelets yourself, you also have the possibility to buy accessories from Mama Noks’ daughter.

At ten o’clock, you will go to the church to attend a religious service. Everyone in the church will highly appreciate it that you are attending their service. It will be an amazing experience to see how committed these people are to their church.

After the service you will go on a walking tour through the local community Gugulethu. The area where Mama Noks lives still is quite a wealthy part of the local community. During the walking tour you will experience the poorer parts, which will be a real eye-opener for some people.

You will be walking around Gugulethu for a while until you arrive at Mzoli’s, which a very popular place to braai. If you wish to eat there we will make a reservation for you. If you will not eat at Mzoli’s, you will walk back to Mama Nok’s house, where you can collect your belongings and say goodbye to Mama Noks, Papa Noks and Mvuyisi. After that you will be brought back to Cape Town by minivan.

We guarantee that this excursion will be an amazing experience for you. By spending the night in a township and by having to buy drinks or arts and crafts at local stores or market stands, you will directly benefit towards the residents of Gugulethu. Besides this your image of the townships will change, because in general people think that being in a township is dangerous, while it is not more dangerous than any other place. The residents are very friendly and would do no harm.

This excursion is a great way to truly experience what life is like in a local community and to change your perception.

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