2017 Ultimate Travel Bucket List

With a new year comes new opportunities for exploration and adventure!  Here at Off Beat Holiday Club we firmly believe that the best place to start lies right here at home in South Africa, by exploring our beautiful country.

Choosing only one adventure can often be daunting with so much on offer, so we have compiled a top 10 list of some of the best experiences that our country has to offer. Check out our ultimate South African travel bucket list below:

1. Go whale watching in Hermanus

Watching a whale breach, blow and frolic in the surf is one of the most thrilling and awe-inspiring sights.  The best time to spot these giants of the deep is from June to November along the Cape Coast.

2. Cruise Route 62

Arguably one of the most scenic drives in South Africa, Route 62 stretches from the Western to Eastern Cape, and winds through the Klein Karoo and many of the country’s most famous vineyards.  Take a slow drive and take it all in, there is a lot on offer!

3. Take to the skies

Experience the magnificent Magalies River Valley from the unique vantage point of a hot air balloon.  The flight lasts about an hour and includes a sumptuous breakfast afterwards, complete with champagne.

4. Step back in time

Get dressed to the nines, vintage style, and enjoy a traditional high tea at Durban’s Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga.  You may even run into their resident feline celebrity, Skabenga.

5. Get high on life in Durban

If you prefer a birds-eye view of the city, then the Moses Mabhida Sky Car is the ideal addition to any adventure! With views of the ocean as far as the eye can see to the city skyline which runs for miles, this is a “not to be” missed experience.

6. Get to know the Cape locals!

Visit Boulder’s Beach near Simon’s Town and you will be able to spend some time penguin-watching and during the month of January, experience the amazing work of nature when the juveniles moult. If you are after a penguin-selfie make sure you visit either in the late afternoon or early morning.

7. Enjoy some flower power

During August and September the Namaqualand comes alive with wild flowers.  Depending on rains, these daisies form a spectacular coloured carpet, not to be missed!

8. Travel the rails

For a luxury journey of a lifetime, why not book a trip from Pretoria to Cape Town.  Described as a “five-star hotel on wheels”, the Blue Train is a moving hotel fit for a king.

9. Take a walk on the wild side

No list of quintessential South African experiences would be complete with including The Kruger National Park.  The park spans nearly 2 million hectares and is home to an impressive number of species of flora and fauna, including the famous Big 5… something for everyone!

10. Visit the sculpture garden in Nieu Bethesda

Courtesy owlhouse.co.za

Found in the Karoo town of Nieu Bethesda, the Owl House is a wonder to behold. Each sculpture was hand created by Helen Martins, and inspired the Athol Fugard play, The Road to Mecca. The walls of the house are also overlaid with crushed glass in a world filled with light, colour and texture.

December 30, 2016January 5, 2017 by FG Categories: South Africa, TravelTags: Travel Bucket List 66 Comments