, more familiarly and affectionately known as ‘Jo’ or ‘Jo’burg’ or Joanna, it is the commercial hub and the most important transport center. It is not endowed by the bounties of nature as some other cities like Cape Town are. It is not as if ‘Jo’ is totally trouble free and spectacularly packaged, but there is something endearing in the frenetic pace of the city by day. And there is something about the night air and the lively atmosphere of the ‘Joburg’ nightlife that makes a visit to the city an unforgettable experience.

Cape Town The citizen of this city love their place so much that they affectionately call it ”Mother City”. Cape Town is certainly one of the most beautiful city in the world and is in a bewitchingly charming setting nestling as it is in a most spectacular scenery. It is also one of the most visited cities in the world.

Cape Point, False Bay and Boulders Beach are very popular with the tourists, while the uniquely shaped Table Mountain has become the emblem of the city. The Table Mountain is a delight for those who love nature and outdoor enthusiasts. It provides immense scope for trekking, hiking and other more adventurous sports. Whale watching and penguin-sighting are some of the favorite past times of those who flock to False Bay and Boulders Beach.

The former Prime Minister and perhaps the most famous political prisoner of the twentieth century was incarcerated in a prison colony in the Robben island. Most of the visitors, especially those who are interested in the history of apartheid and the fight against it make it a point to visit the island while on a trip to Cape Town.

The architecture of Cape Town reflects the history and heritage of South Africa. The styles vary from the indigenous Cape Dutch architecture to quaint minarets and mosques added by freed Muslim slaves, spotted by the Georgian and Victorian buildings built by the English.

 Bloemfontein It is the provincial capital of Free State province. The city boasts of some handsome historical buildings along President Brand Street. Some of them are, the War Museum of the Boer Republics, the National Women’s Memorial, the magnificent Oliewenhuis Art Gallery, the National Museum and Sand du Plessis Theatre, the site for opera, ballet and orchestral concerts. Bloemfontein is also the judicial capital of South Africa. It is also increasingly becoming popular as a conference and convention center. 

 Durban was for long the ‘‘sunshine playground’ of the white elites. It is the third largest city of South Africa and also its largest port. Robust sunshine and a warm sea just right for surfers are the attractions of the seaside city.

But there is much more to Durban than the attractions of a seaside resort. The city is seeped in history. It was the entry point of all the colonizers as well as emigrants and laborers from different countries. It is a multi racial city with the descendants of Indian laborers making up the second largest ethnic group in the city.

The African Art Center showcases and sells some of the best rural and folk art in South Africa and the Kwa Muhle Museum in Durban is the only one in the country with a detailed record of the history of apartheid. The vibrant Victoria Street Market is chock-a-block with Indian shops and stalls. Mosques like the Juma Masjid (the largest in the southern hemisphere) and Hindu temples dot the skyline all over the city The competing cultural influences in Durban are the waves of African immigration from Kwa-Zulu Natal and as far as Zaire, and the colonial English heritage, reflected in imposing Victorian buildings like City Hall.

Pretoria is nicknamed ‘Jacaranda City’ for the purple-blossomed trees, which bloom in late-September and October. It is in deed a fantastic sight. The city is less exciting than Jo but significantly safer, which makes it an attractive option for those looking for a taste of cosmopolitan South Africa minus the risks. Massive prison buildings and the Supreme Court cannot but remind the visitor of the legacy of Afrikaner redneck conservatism during the height of apartheid. Cosmopolitanism is a relatively new phenomenon in this erstwhile stronghold of white conservatism. But today Pretoria is an urbane, pleasant city with an active student, art and gay/lesbian scene.

the Union Buildings on the steps of which President Nelson Mandela addressed the nation on his inauguration, the Kruger House Museum and Melrose House on the old Church Square and the imposing Voortrekker Monument are impressive reminders of historic and monumental architecture worth seeing.

Established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, the world-renowned Kruger National Park, regarded as the flagship of South Africa's seventeen Parks run by the government, offers a wildlife experience that is among the best in Africa. Almost all the diversity of African animal life is represented in this park. It is the one park in Africa where you can spot leopard lion, cheetah, giraffe and elephant. Kruger covers nearly 2 million hectares and is and is home to 336 tree species, 49 kinds of fish, 34 amphibian species, 114 reptile species, 507 bird species and 147 mammal species.