1

5
0

M
u
s
t
-
D
o

E
x
p
e
r
i
e
n
c
e
s

i
n

S
o
u
t
h
e
r
n

A
f
r
i
c
a

I SBN 978-1-77026-560-8
9 781770 265608
MAC/CPT/1213/TG/NB/GH
B ket
List
150 Must-Do Experiences in
Southern Africa
150 Must-Do Experiences
in Southern Africa
About the Author
Patrick Cruywagen is currently the Features Editor of Land Rover Monthly
magazine in the United Kingdom. Before that, he spent a decade working as
the Bush Editor of SA4x4 magazine in South Africa. He is recognised as an
expert on 4x4 and adventure travel in southern Africa. His work has been
published in several magazines, such as Getaway, Weg, Mens Health, Bicycling,
Natonal Geographic Traveller, Runners World, TopCar and Leisure Wheels.
He is at his happiest when mountain biking, running or driving his
Land Rover through some remote part of Africa, with his wife Ali
and his son Isaac by his side.
Y
o
u
r
B ket
List
Y
o
u
r
Scan this QR code to view
the MapStudio website
ANY COMMENTS research@mapstudio.co.za
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATES, DOWNLOADS, MAPS,
CATALOGUES & SPECIALS
MapStudio and the MapStudio device are trademarked to
New Holland Publishing (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd.
1st editon MapStudio 2014. All rights reserved.
No part of this publicaton may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmited in any form or by any means,
electronic, electrostatc, magnetc tape, mechanical, photo-
copying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in
writng from the Copyright owner.
B


k
e
t

L
i
s
t
Y
o
u
r
This book is the result of a decade of southern African travel while working for SA4x4 magazine as their Bush
Editor. I like to call it the best decade of my life, as during this tme I was able to visit just about every river,
waterfall, lake, mountain, pass and natonal park found within this very special part of Africa. You can
experience thousands of memorable and must-do-at-least-once-in-your-lifetme actvites when travelling
through southern Africa. For this book we had to narrow them down to only 150. We decided to include
Tanzania, Angola and Kenya in our list of countries covered, because once you are in northern Zambia or
Namibia, some of these are just a short border crossing away.
Anyone can reside in southern Africa, but to truly experience the place or call yourself a local you need to tck
of as many of the actvites on this bucket list as possible. We might not all have the physical capabilites to do
something as crazy as run the Comrades Marathon, but you stll need to go and experience it at least once or
support a mate who is doing it. While some of the actvites on our list are prety straightorward, such as going
to see the penguins at Boulders, we have given others a unique twist to heighten the experience. You will see
that instead of just telling you to go to the Victoria Falls, I suggest swimming in the Devils Pool on the edge of
the falls, or taking a helicopter fip to a private island just downstream from them. My wish is that this book
will serve as a reminder of all the great actvites and experiences on ofer in southern Africa and, more
importantly, I hope that it inspires you to go out there and do as many of them as possible. Get tcking!
(See the Checklist on page 188.)
Introducton
100
LESOTHO
Lake Kariba
Cahora Bassa
Z
a
m
b
e
z
i
Z
a
m
b
e
z
i
Orange
K
a
v
a
n
g
o
ZAMBIA
ANGOLA
MALAWI
MOZAMBIQUE
ZIMBABWE
NAMIBIA
BOTSWANA
LESOTHO
SWAZILAND
SOUTH AFRICA
Richtersveld NP
|Ai-|Ais/
Richtersveld
Transfronter
Park
Kruger NP
Gorongosa NP
Etosha NP
Khaudum NP
Hwange
NP
Kafue NP
Kgalagadi TP
Springbok
Mossel Bay
PORT ELIZABETH
Beaufort West
Port Edward
EAST LONDON
St Lucia
DURBAN
Lderitz
Walvis Bay
Tombua
BULAWAYO
Livingstone
Clanwilliam
Knysna
Upington
Dundee
Ladysmith
Swakopmund
Keetmanshoop
Maun
Inhambane
Beira
MUTARE
MASERU
MBABANE
WINDHOEK
GABORONE
HARARE
LUSAKA
MAPUTO
CAPE TOWN
PRETORIA
JOHANNESBURG
LESOTHO
Legend to maps from pages 12 - 187
uKhahlamba
Drakensberg
Park (World
Heritage Site)
uKhahlamba
Drakensberg
Park (World
Heritage Site)
National road
Other road
Route number
National park
and game reserve
City
Major town
Secondary town
Other town
Settlement
Country name
Place of interest
International
boundary
6
Semonkong
Lodge
Semonkong
Lodge
KwaMashu KwaMashu
Ambilobe
Patlong
Mokhotlong
MASERU
7
101
Hike to the highest point of
southern Africa
When: All year round
Where: Thabana Ntlenyana
Experience: Moderate hiking
87
Not everyone has the chance to climb
iconic mountains such as Everest
(highest mountain in the world) and
Kilimanjaro (highest mountain in
Africa). The next best thing has to be a
hike to the peak of Thabana Ntlenyana,
the highest point in southern Africa.
Youve probably never heard of it,
nor do you know where it is. Well, it
stands at 3,482m high, making it the
highest peak south of Kilimanjaro, and
it is located in the northeastern part
of the mountain kingdom of Lesotho.
Amazingly, the height of the peak was
only calculated in 1955, and it was only
30 years later that satellite readings
confrmed its height. The unusual name
of this Malut mountain peak means
nice litle mountain in Sotho.
To get to Thabana Ntlenyana, make
your way to the top of Sani Pass (see
page 68) and then base yourself at the
Sani Mountain Lodge. You can start
your hike from here.
For a person of average ftness,
climbing this peak
will take the
best part of a
day. Some prefer
to spend a night near the peak and so
take tents and food along. The peak
is only 14km away from the lodge in a
northwesterly directon, and there is
a path of sorts all the way there.
Its a long hike, and harder than climb-
ing something like Table Mountain. For
starters, it takes almost four tmes as
long to get to the summit. Note that it
can get very cold on the hike, so dress
accordingly and bring along the right
gear. In winter the place receives a
whole lot of snow. Make sure that the
staf at the lodge give you the weather
forecast, and tell them of your inten-
ton to hike to the summit of Thabana
Ntlenyana. If your navigaton skills are
not the best, rather ask them to pro-
vide you with a guide. They only charge
a nominal fee its much cheaper than
getng to the top of Everest!
If you dont fancy day-long hikes, you
can drive a litle closer, but youre
stll going to spend several hours
hiking. The easiest way to get to the
peak (except using a helicopter) is on
horseback, and this can be arranged at
the Sani Mountain Lodge. Dont expect
vistas like those you
might fnd on top
of Table Mountain.
The view from the
highest point in southern Africa is no
fner than the views when driving up
Sani Pass. It is impressive, but dont
expect too much it is more about the
great hike and the fact that you can
say that for a few minutes you were
the highest person in southern Africa.
Thats reason enough to hike to the
peak of Thabana Ntlenyana. If spending
the night near the peak, take along
some sherry and a small gas stove to
make cofee and a hot-water botle.
...for a few minutes you were the
highest person in southern Africa.
Getng there (292805.4S, 291609.1E)
+From Johannesburg: take the N3 towards
Durban and turn of at exit 99 (Howick).
Follow the R617 for 110km to Underberg.
From Underberg, take the road to Himeville
and then follow the signs to Sani Pass.
From Durban: take the N3 motorway towards
Johannesburg and turn of at exit 99 (Howick).
Turn lef and follow R617 for 110km to
Underberg. From Underberg, take the road
to Himeville and then follow the signs to
Sani Pass.
Where to stay
Sani Mountain Lodge (they can arrange
pick-ups from the South African border)
%
+27 (0)78 634 7496 (reservatons)
:
www.sanimountain.co.za
Contact details
:
www.www.summitpost.org/thabana-
ntlenyana/637672
Mohale
Dam
Katse
Dam
uKhahlamba
Drakensberg
Park (World
Heritage Site)
uKhahlamba
Drakensberg
Park (World
Heritage Site)
Thabana
Ntlenyana
3,482m
Thabana
Ntlenyana
3,482m
T
o

M
a
s
e
r
u
A1
A25
LESOTHO
Khukhune
Katse
Butha-Buthe
Mokhotlong
Similar Experience
Plateklip Gorge Table Mountain
Hike, Cape Town
:www.tablemountainwalks.co.za/walks
102
88
Once you have reached the top of Sani
Pass in your 4x4, the Lesotho border
post awaits. It lies at 2,874m above sea
level and, once youre through it, the
Sani Mountain Lodge is on your right.
Its a popular overnight stay or just a
quick stop for those who have done the
pass (provided you have your passport,
of course), especially during winter
when everyone loves to go to Lesotho
for the snow. The lodge has several
accommodaton optons on ofer and
also serves food, but it is the pub that
usually atracts the most atenton as
there is a massive sign above the bar
that reads Highest Pub in Southern
Africa. Here, many an ice-cold beer
or soul-warming sherry has been con-
sumed while punters enjoy spectacular
views back down the pass. It is ideally
located at the top of the pass and is the
perfect stopover for those going into or
coming out of Lesotho, with the added
bonus of ofering a drink at the highest
pub in southern Africa.
However, afer several recent trips
into Lesotho, and armed with my GPS,
my suspicions have been confrmed
that technically this is not the highest
pub in southern Africa. Afer leaving
Sani Mountain Lodge, head towards
Upper Rafolatsane, and on the way
you will pass Thabana Ntlenyana,
which, at 3,842m, is the highest peak
in southern Africa. That, though, is a
story for another Bucket List chapter.
Just remember one
thing about travels
in Lesotho: though
your destnaton
might not be that far in terms of
kilometres, it does take longer than
usual due to the mountainous nature
of the terrain. There will be lots of
steep ups and sharp downs. Contnue
heading towards Mothae, crossing
the Senqu
(Orange) River
along the way.
About 10km
before
Oxbow
Lodge is the
turn-of to
Afriski. Take it,
park your vehicle
and take out
your GPS. Walk
towards one of
the pubs found
at the ski resort.
I say try the Gondola
Caf. The alttude reading on your
GPS should now read around 3,030m,
making it higher than the pub at Sani
Mountain Lodge. Order yourself an
ice-cold pint of lager and sip it slowly.
You are now at the highest watering
hole in all of southern Africa. Enjoy it.
If its winter and theres lots of snow
about, you might want to take this
opportunity to try some skiing. That
way you can tck of another actvity on
your Bucket List. Earlier I mentoned
passing the highest point in southern
Africa (see page 101). If you plan a road
trip carefully, you could tck of seven
things on this Bucket List: 4x4 up or
down Sani Pass, visit the highest point
in southern Africa, drink at the highest
pub in southern Africa,
try your hand at skiing
at Afriski Resort, abseil
down the Maletsunyane
Falls, and then fnally do the pub-crawl
using donkeys at Semonkong Lodge.
This well-planned trip could potentally
be one flled with many adventures.
When: All year round
Where: Afriski Resort
Experience: Social
Have a drink at the highest pub in
southern Africa
Getng there (284922.6S, 284340.6E)
+Its about 420km from Johannesburg and
takes on average about fve hours. Take the
N12 from Johannesburg; this becomes the
N3. Turn of at Bethlehem and head towards
Fouriesburg and then the border post at
Caledonspoort. From here its another 75km
just follow the signs.
Where to stay
Accommodaton is available at Afriski, or else
you can try the nearby Oxbow Lodge.
:
www.oxbow.co.za
Contact details
:
www.afriski.net
Mohale
Dam
Katse
Dam
uKhahlamba
Drakensberg
Park (World
Heritage Site)
uKhahlamba
Drakensberg
Park (World
Heritage Site)
Thabana
Ntlenyana
3,482m
Thabana
Ntlenyana
3,482m
Sani
Mountain
Lodge
Sani
Mountain
Lodge
Afriski
Resort
T
o

M
a
s
e
r
u
A1
A25
LESOTHO
Khukhune
Katse
Butha-Buthe
Mokhotlong
Order yourself an ice-cold pint
of lager and sip it slowly.
Similar Experience
Have a drink at Sani Mountain Lodge
at the top of Sani Pass. This used to
be the highest pub in southern Africa.
103
Go skiing in Africa
I have skied in Verbier, Switzerland,
probably one of the most famous ski
resorts in the world. But if you asked
me where I had my best skiing experi-
ence ever, I would have to answer
Lesotho, and more specifcally at the
Afriski Resort, one of only two places
you can ski in southern Africa, the other
being Tifndell in the Drakensberg. Yes,
it may only have one short, 1km-long
slope, and more ofen than not there
is no snow and so the machines have
to work overtme making it, but to
uter the words skiing and southern
Africa in the same sentence is just
mind-boggling. So its more of a novelty
thing than anything else. Dont get me
wrong, though. Everything has been
done properly and you can be forgiven
for thinking that youre in a European
ski town once
you see the
set-up. You can
hire gear, take lessons
on the nursery slope, enjoy a cuppa in
the Gondola Caf, or take the one T-bar
ski-lif to the top of the slope.
Lesotho is the only country on the
planet where every centmetre of
land lies more than 1,000m above sea
level, so if they were going to build a
ski resort anywhere in southern Africa,
it had to be in Lesotho. As the season
is short (from the frst week in June to
the frst week in August), the resort is
prety much booked up, especially over
school holidays and long weekends.
Dont be dismayed if you cant get a
booking, as you can stay in a nearby
resort such as Oxbow Lodge, while
some people stay in the South African
border town of Fouriesburg, which is
only 90km away.
I loved my frst Afriski experience. We
had tmed it perfectly as there was
some heavy snow falling at the tme
and, more importantly, we were in a
capable 4x4, so we could easily make
it into the resort
some people do
get stuck on the high
passes due to the snow
drifs and black ice. Afer a morning
spent falling about in the ski-school, I
was ready for the big 1km-long slope
that drops just over 300m during that
distance. It took me the best part of
two days to build up my confdence
on the slope, but by the end of the
long weekend I was comfortable going
down from the top. That is the great
thing about Afriski it gives you a small
idea of what a skiing holiday in Europe
could be like (though in Verbier they
have hundreds of kilometres of slopes),
and if you enjoy Afriski then you will
also enjoy a skiing trip abroad. Most of
the instructors at Afriski work abroad
during the African summer, and so the
quality of the tuiton is prety good.
I will never be an Olympic skier but
as an African it is nice to know that
my frst-ever skiing experience
happened right here in litle Lesotho.
Now when people in Verbier or
Chamonix ask me where I learnt to ski,
I can answer: Africa!
When: June, July and August
Where: Malut mountains, northern Lesotho
Experience: Sporty
89
...every centmetre of land lies more
than 1,000m above sea level...
Similar Experience
Skiing at Tifndell, South Africa
:www.tfndell.co.za
Getng there (284922.6S, 284340.6E)
+Its a 450km, fve-hour drive from
Johannesburg. The Afriski website has decent
informaton and directons.
Where to stay
Afriski Resort
%
086 1237 4754 (bookings)
8
bookings@afriski.net
:
www.afriski.net
Oxbow Lodge
:
www.oxbow.co.za
Contact details
:
www.afriski.net
Mohale
Dam
Katse
Dam
uKhahlamba
Drakensberg
Park (World
Heritage Site)
uKhahlamba
Drakensberg
Park (World
Heritage Site)
Thabana
Ntlenyana
3,482m
Thabana
Ntlenyana
3,482m
Sani
Mountain
Lodge
Sani
Mountain
Lodge
Afriski
Resort
T
o

M
a
s
e
r
u
A1
A25
LESOTHO
Khukhune
Katse
Butha-Buthe
Mokhotlong
M
A
LUTI M
TN
S
104
90
One of the most popular actvites in
the Kingdom of the Sky (also known
as Lesotho) is a pony-trekking trip. You
dont need any prior riding experience,
and they accept riders of all shapes
provided you dont weigh more than
90kg, because a pony can only carry
so much weight. Riding is done on the
hardy Basotho ponies that are a result
of cross breeding between European
full mounts and short Javanese horses.
The result is one tough-as-teak pony
that confdently clambers up the steep-
est rocks with ease. Even the legendary
King Moshoeshoe the Great is said to
have ridden one around 1830. Since
then, the Basotho pony has become
the best method of making your way
around these steep and inhospitable
parts. The ponies ofen go where the
most capable 4x4 cannot, and today
just about every family in Lesotho
has one, as they can cover distances
quickly and without
fuss. When you enter
Lesotho for the frst
tme, youll see them
everywhere, even in
the urban environ-
ments here owners
just te them up,
cowboy style, when
they have to go into
a trading store or
to work. In Lesotho,
owning a pony is like
owning a car.
The best part
of all is that
you, too, can ride
them. There are various lodges and
centres all over the country that ofer
Basotho pony-trekking trips. Some trips
only take an hour or two, while others
last a half-day or a full day. Then, for
those with leather backsides, theres
the mult-day opton. For this you will
have to bring along your sleeping bag,
waterproof clothing and food. Lodges
such as Malealea and Semonkong and
the Basotho Pony Trekking Centre ofer
pony-trekking trips like this. The way
these ponies handle the narrow moun-
tain tracks is nothing short of amazing.
When you get onto one for the frst
tme and take to the rough, rocky
tracks, youll want to jump of at frst
because you cannot believe that a pony
is about to go up such a technical,
steep secton. They go where you
thought only mountain goats could go!
I just love the warning on the
Malealea website regarding falling
of your pony. It reads: There are no
back-up services with a vehicle to
collect you should
you fall of your
horse. You will have
to return to the lodge by horseback.
At Malealea, they give beginners the
choice of two easy two-hour rides to
the top of the gorge or a steep one-
hour hike to see the San paintngs.
They also have longer rides that take
between four and six hours, and these
usually include a lunch stop along the
way you provide your own lunch.
These longer rides take you to the
Batsoela Waterfall, San paintngs or
Makhaleng plateau. The overnight
treks are done according to how much
tme you have, and can last anything
from one to six days. Dont worry
you wont have to sleep in a tent, but
rather in a traditonal hut belonging to
the locals in the areas youll be passing
through. There is no more authentc
way to travel in Lesotho than riding
a Basotho pony and sleeping in a
traditonal hut.
When: All year round
Where: All around Lesotho
Experience: Pony trekking
Go on a pony trek in the mountains
Getng there (295035.6S, 280236.7E)
+From Johannesburg, take the N3 for about
122km untl you reach Villiers. Here turn
right onto the R26 and head for Frankfort,
Reitz, Bethlehem and Fouriesburg, and then a
further 10km to the Caledonspoort border post
and into Lesotho.
Where to stay
Semonkong Lodge
%
+266 2700 6037
:
www.placeofsmoke.co.ls
Contact details
Malealea Lodge
%
+27 (0)82 552 4215
:
www.malealea.co.ls
Mohale
Dam
Katse
Dam
Malealea
Lodge
Malealea
Lodge
Semonkong
Lodge
Semonkong
Lodge
To Butha-Buthe
A2
A4
LESOTHO
Patlong
Sebapala
Matsieng
Katse
Mohales Hoek
Morija
MASERU
The ponies ofen go where the most
capable 4x4 cannot...
Similar Experiences
Horse riding at Kande Beach,
Lake Malawi
Horse riding in the Okavango Delta,
Botswana
105
Abseil down the Maletsunyane Falls
Since Lesotho in its entrety lies
1,000m above sea level, if you are
going to have just one adventure
there, it has to involve some serious
height or big sky. There are high
passes to drive, they do donkey-back
pub-crawls at alttude, and you can do
Basotho pony treks over some steep
and rocky terrain. Which adventure
actvity in Lesotho is the scariest of
them all? Well, Im going to say it has
to be the 204m-long abseil down the
Maletsunyane Falls according to the
Guinness Book of World Records, it is
the highest commercial single-drop
abseil in the whole world. The only
problem with abseiling down a water-
fall is that if the water is seriously
pumping over the falls, you cannot
abseil as it becomes a treacherous
business and too dangerous.
As this is not a short abseil, such as
you might do of the side of a building
or on Cape Towns Table Mountain,
you do need to do half a days training
on some of the smaller clifs near the
Semonkong Lodge, who host the abseil.
This is to familiarise yourself with the
equipment and technique needed to
successfully complete the abseil. The
only problem is all that practsing takes
place nowhere near a waterfall, so
that will all be new to you. The whole
actvity is an adventure as lodge co-
owner Jonathon takes you out in his
Toyota Land Cruiser towards the Falls.
Then it is a 30-minute hike to the top
of the falls fortunately they arrange
a pony to carry the ropes and other
gear. The falls get louder and louder
as you get closer and closer. They can
be overwhelming, and youll be scared
once you start putng on your gear.
Jonathon usually goes frst,
so that he can meet the
abseilers as they
arrive at the
botom of the
gorge.
They say you
shouldnt look
down, but you
cant help it.
Suddenly 25m is
multplied by 10
and your fear by
100. The worst bit
is convincing your-
self its safe to take
that frst step over
the edge, because
clearly thats not
natural at all I was always taught to
stay away from clif edges. It can be
surprisingly windy as you eventually
start to make your way down, and
be warned: you will get wet from the
waterfall. Even though I was scared,
it was prety special dangling from
such a thin rope over a waterfall. Once
down, I let out a few whoops just to
make sure I was stll alive.
Whats the toughest part of the ab-
seil? Well, not the training nor having
to go over the edge of the waterfall,
but rather the hike out of the gorge.
I kept on allowing myself a look back
at the falls; it seemed such an absurd
idea, even afer I was safely down.
When: All year round , but theres no abseiling when theres a strong and heavy fow over the falls
Where: Near Semonkong
Experience: Adrenaline
91
Once down, I let out a few whoops
just to make sure I was stll alive.
Similar Experiences
Bungee jump of the
Victoria Falls Bridge, Victoria Falls
%
+263 (0)134 4471
:
www.shearwatervictoriafalls.com
Abseil down Table Mountain
%
+27 (0)21 424 4760
:
www.abseilafrica.co.za
Getng there (295235.7S, 280301.4E)
+From the Maseru border post, head towards
Roma. Stay on the A5, as it takes you through
Ramabanta and on to Semonkong.
Where to stay
Semonkong Lodge
%
+266 2700 6037
:
www.placeofsmoke.co.ls
Contact details
%
+266 2700 6037
:
www.placeofsmoke.co.ls
Mohale
Dam
Katse
Dam
Semonkong
Lodge
Semonkong
Lodge
Maletsunyane
Falls
Maletsunyane
Falls
To Butha-Buthe
A2
A5
A4
LESOTHO
Patlong
Sebapala
Matsieng
Katse
Mohales Hoek
Morija
MASERU
4
PAGE
Overview Map 6
SOUTH AFRICA
1. Visit Namaqualand in fower season 12
2. Search for solitude in the Cederberg 13
3. Experience AfrikaBurn in the Tankwa Karoo 14
4. Cross the Cederberg 15
5. Drive the longest uninterrupted gravel road
in South Africa 16
6. The Matroosberg 4x4 Trail 17
7. Sleep in a wigwam in Paternoster 18
8. Stay on a Langebaan houseboat 19
9. Climb Table Mountain 20
10. Take the Cape Town red bus tour 21
11. Take a boat trip to Robben Island 22
12. Climb Lions Head by moonlight 23
13. Cycle the Argus Cycle Tour 24
14. Take a helicopter fight over Cape Town 25
15. Have a drink at Perseverance Tavern 26
16. Experience the noon gun in Cape Town 27
17. Mother City Queer Project 28
18. Sundowners on Clifon Beach 29
19. Sunday concert at Kirstenbosch 30
20. Drive or cycle Chapmans Peak Drive 31
21. Hike the Hoerikwaggo Trail from Cape Point
to Cape Town 32
22. Catch and cook your own crayfsh 33
23. Hike to Elephants Eye and swim in the
Silvermine Dam 34
24. Newlands New Years test cricket 35
25. Sunday surf at Muizenberg 36
26. Visit the penguins at Boulders Beach 37
27. See a great white shark breach 38
28. Take a tour of the wine routes 39
29. Balloon over the Winelands 40
30. Kloofng along Kamikaze Canyon 41
31. River rafing on the Breede River 42
32. Whale-watching at De Hoop Nature Reserve 43
33. Stand at the southernmost point of Africa 44
34. Sleep next to a lighthouse 45
35. Great white shark cage-diving in Gansbaai 46
36. Drive the southern Cape passes 47
37. Drive the Swartberg Pass 48
38. Drive Route 62 49
39. 4x4 through Baviaanskloof 50
40. Clamber about in the Cango Caves 51
41. Walk with meerkats in Oudtshoorn 52
PAGE
42. Run the Oter African Trail Run 53
43. Blackwater tubing on the Storms River 56
44. Explore the Tsitsikamma Secton of the
Garden Route Natonal Park 57
45. Bungee jump at Bloukrans 58
46. Take a canopy tour in Tsitsikamma 59
47. Explore the Wild Coast 60
48. Swim at the Hole in the Wall 61
49. Go and see a sangoma 62
50. Visit the Owl House in Nieu-Bethesda 63
51. Witness the Sardine Run 64
52. Run the Comrades Marathon 65
53. Drive the Batlefelds Route 66
54. Rolands Cave hike in the Drakensberg 67
55. Drive Sani Pass 68
56. Watch turtles hatch and atempt to reach
the ocean 69
57. Explore iSimangaliso Wetland Park 70
58. Sunset picnic in the Golden Gate Highlands
Natonal Park 71
59. Watch a rugby test match at Lofus Versveld 72
60. Watch the Soweto Derby 73
61. Visit the Cradle of Humankind 74
62. Hike in the Magaliesberg 75
63. Follow the Jock Trail from Graskop 76
64. Chasing waterfalls in Mpumalanga 77
65. Visit the Motlatse River Canyon 78
66. See a rhino in the wild 79
67. Sleep in a bird hide in the Kruger Natonal Park 80
68. See the Big Five in the Kruger Natonal Park 81
69. Stand at Crooks Corner 82
70. Explore the empty north of the Kruger
Natonal Park 83
71. Stand at Worlds View 84
72. Sleep in a traditonal village 85
73. Sunset swim at Mutale River Falls 86
74. Get rocked at Sun City 87
75. Trace the Orange River and sleep at
Groot Melkboom 88
76. Experience the call of the Kalahari 89
77. Stargazing in Sutherland 90
78. Tick of the towns with the unusual names 91
79. Go gravel from Joburg to Cape Town 92
80. Pay your respects to Madiba 93
81. Travel by train from Cape Town to Pretoria 94
82. See the best dorps in South Africa 95
83. Take on the Impi Challenge 96
Contents
5
Contents
PAGE
84. Do a train trip with Rovos Rail 97
85. Visit the transfronter parks of southern Africa 98
86. The ultmate South African road trip 99
LESOTHO
87. Hike to the highest point of southern Africa 101
88. Have a drink at the highest pub in southern
Africa 102
89. Go skiing in Africa 103
90. Go on a pony trek in the mountains 104
91. Abseil down the Maletsunyane Falls 105
NAMIBIA
92. Paddle the Orange River 108
93. Get to the botom of the Fish River Canyon 109
94. Travel around southern Namibia 110
95. Watch a sunset in a quiver tree forest 111
96. Big-dune driving in Namibia 112
97. Ballooning over Sossusvlei Delta 113
98. Scale the dunes of Sossusvlei 114
99. Try out the adventure actvites in Walvis Bay
and Swakopmund 115
100. Catch a fsh along the Namibian coast and
see a seal colony 118
101. See the Spitzkoppe Arch at sunset 119
102. Visit a water hole at Etosha Natonal Park 120
103. Find desert elephants in the Kunene Region 121
104. Hang with the Himba 122
105. Cross the Zambezi Region 123
BOTSWANA
106. Visit Kgalagadi Transfronter Park 126
107. Watch elephants close up at Elephant Sands 127
108. Drive the Old Hunters Road 128
109. See the best of Botswanas parks 129
110. Visit the Makgadikgadi Pans 132
111. Take a mokoro trip in the Okavango 133
112. Catch a tger fsh in the Delta 134
113. Take a fight over the Okavango Delta 135
114. Adventures in the Chobe 136
115. Take that iconic photograph 137
MOZAMBIQUE
116. Take the bush route to Mozambique through
Kruger Natonal Park 140
117. Enjoy a cocktail at the Polana Hotel 141
118. Sail in a dhow from Maxixe to Inhambane 142
PAGE
119. Go deep-sea fshing of Inhambane 143
120. Snorkel the Bazaruto Archipelago 144
121. See the wildlife at Gorongosa 145
MADAGASCAR
122. Go mountain biking in Madagascar 147

ANGOLA
123. 4x4 in southern Angola 150
124. Drive in Luanda 151
ZIMBABWE
125. Camp at the base of the Chilojo Clifs 154
126. Stroll around the Zimbabwe Ruins 155
127. Hike in the Eastern Highlands 156
128. Taste not-to-be-missed foods 157
129. Camp at Mana Pools 160
130. Houseboat on Lake Kariba 161
131. Full-moon hike at Victoria Falls 162
132. Whitewater rafing on the Zambezi 163
ZAMBIA
133. Swim in the Devils Pool 166
134. Take a helicopter fight to a Zambezi island 167
135. Experience the Liuwa Plains wildebeest
migraton 168
136. South Luangwa walking safari 169
137. See the Kasanka Natonal Park bats 170
138. Visit Africa House and Kapishya Hot Springs 171
MALAWI
139. Take the ferry up Lake Malawi 174
140. Overnight on a Lake Malawi island 175
141. Explore the Nyika Natonal Park 176
142. Sleep on an island 177
TANZANIA AND KENYA
143. Explore the Selous Game Reserve 180
144. Fish and dive on Tanzanias islands 181
145. See the famingos at Lake Manyara 182
146. Wildebeest migraton in the Serenget 183
147. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro 184
148. Jump like a Maasai warrior 185
149. Photograph an Amboseli elephant 186
150. Laze about on Lamu Island 187
Your Checklist 188
1
5
0

M
u
s
t
-
D
o

E
x
p
e
r
i
e
n
c
e
s

i
n

S
o
u
t
h
e
r
n

A
f
r
i
c
a

I SBN 978-1-77026-560-8
9 781770 265608
MAC/CPT/1213/TG/NB/GH
B ket
List
150 Must-Do Experiences in
Southern Africa
150 Must-Do Experiences
in Southern Africa
About the Author
Patrick Cruywagen is currently the Features Editor of Land Rover Monthly
magazine in the United Kingdom. Before that, he spent a decade working as
the Bush Editor of SA4x4 magazine in South Africa. He is recognised as an
expert on 4x4 and adventure travel in southern Africa. His work has been
published in several magazines, such as Getaway, Weg, Mens Health, Bicycling,
Natonal Geographic Traveller, Runners World, TopCar and Leisure Wheels.
He is at his happiest when mountain biking, running or driving his
Land Rover through some remote part of Africa, with his wife Ali
and his son Isaac by his side.
Y
o
u
r
B ket
List
Y
o
u
r
Scan this QR code to view
the MapStudio website
ANY COMMENTS research@mapstudio.co.za
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATES, DOWNLOADS, MAPS,
CATALOGUES & SPECIALS
MapStudio and the MapStudio device are trademarked to
New Holland Publishing (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd.
1st editon MapStudio 2014. All rights reserved.
No part of this publicaton may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmited in any form or by any means,
electronic, electrostatc, magnetc tape, mechanical, photo-
copying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in
writng from the Copyright owner.
B


k
e
t

L
i
s
t
Y
o
u
r