Mandela created "The Rainbow Nation", colourful, fantastic and the land of opportunity. The country has so much good and bad, a high pulse, subcultures, and inspires you to know what you are doing, where you are and what you have to do. You definitely shouldn't just go on a walk on the wild side unless you seek it out. In my view, South Africa lacks what I love about the rest of Africa...the spirit of traditional villages, the origin of the land, simplicity. Seen from above, South Africa is intersected by highways, agricultural fences, residential areas, and industry...



Nevertheless, it is a fascinating country. I myself have spent 5 months traveling through South Africa right after the fall of the apartheid regime. There was a lot I didn't care for and wasn't completely comfortable with. I have spent a summer holiday as a volunteer in a poor rural area, where I, together with a fellow student from the agricultural college, were the only white people in the whole area. We renovated a home for mentally disabled children together with university students from South Africa. It was a cultural exchange, a helping spirit and a step towards breaking down prejudices in relation to racial discrimination. Later, I spent 3 years at the University of Pietermaritzburg, where I studied wildlife management, because I have always been deeply fascinated by the nature of Africa.

South Africa's winter usually extends from March to August. Many who travel from the Danish summer on holiday to South Africa may well be surprised by the temperature. But if you're just mentally prepared, at least in relation to being on safari, there are some clear advantages: it can be quite tiring to have to endure the heat of Africa, but in winter the daytime temperature is pleasant, and in the cold nights if you enjoy the warmth of a campfire or a fireplace all the more. The fact that the trees in the bush lose their leaves means it is easier to spot animals on a safari, and waterholes and rivers attract game - and predators benefit from hunting at the watering holes. The large predators such as leopard and lion remain more active during the daytime than they do on hot days. And then there are far fewer mosquitoes in the winter - by the way, most of South Africa, except for the lowlands at the Kruger National Park, is free of malaria.

It is a country where you can get anything if you have money. And as a tourist destination, it is also a relatively cheap destination. There are so many different accommodation options and activity offers that it is easy to organize any kind of holiday. "A World in One Country" is their tourism slogan and it captures the contrasts and possibilities very well. Surrounded by the warm Indian Ocean on the east side, with eminent surfing spots, and the cold Atlantic Ocean on the west coast, South Africa has a very varied nature as it consists of several climate zones. You can experience everything from snowfall, desert, tropical forests, mountain ranges, large rivers, and an absolutely enormous biodiversity. The country has some well-established and well-managed national parks and plenty of private game reserves.