Africa Unplugged

This is the only other coastal resort apart from Port St Johns that has a tarred road all the way, making for a pleasant rolling journey from Jojweni or Viedgesville on the N2. The countryside here is quite different to the gentle hills to the south – it is more rugged, and with glimpses of the grandeur of high cliffs. A distinctive feature is the local thatched round huts, each with a 'topknot' fashioned out of a car-tyre, coloured bottles or even an aloe plant. This gives each dwelling a rather surprised expression, but has a strictly practical purpose – it is said to prevent owls (regarded by the locals as creatures of ill-omen) from roosting on the roofs.

Graskop is a small forestry town perched on the edge of the Drakensberg escarpment, centrally situated in the Panorama tourist region of Mpumalanga, South Africa. Graskop is only a few minutes drive from a number of scenic wonders such as God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the world renown Blyde River Canyon and Three Rondawels, as well as spectacular waterfalls such as Lisbon Falls, Berlyn Falls and Mac Mac Falls. The historic mining town of Pilgrim's Rest as well as the quaint forestry town of Sabie are a mere ½ hour's drive away, with the Lowveld and the Kruger National Park less than an hours drive to the east.

Situated in the beautiful Eastern Cape, this reserve is dominated by three ridges said to resemble the bristle's on a hog's back. Come enjoy its indigenous forest with parrot and lourie, the great angling, waterfalls, horse-rides and various walks. The village is magnificently sited on the slopes of the Amatole Mountains, overlooking the rivers and fertile plains of the Tyume Valley in a region dominated by three ridges said to resemble the bristles on a hog's back.

The charming village of Nieu Bethesda is set in the fertile valley of the Sneeuberg Mountains. It is so secluded that development took a back seat leaving a rare historical integrity. It has become a popular retreat for artists and because of its unique appeal, this is a place that no visitor should miss.

Nottingham Road is located in the Natal Midlands in the heart of the Midlands Meander. Nottingham Road is also known as the heart of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands Meander due to its second-to-none hospitality in truly beautiful surroundings, plus wide-ranging accommodation, function facilities, fascinating local calendar of events, invigorating outdoor recreation, adrenalin-pumping adventure sports, historic landmarks, wildlife conservation, shop-till-you-drop arts n crafts, Pie-eyed Possum and friends.

Paternoster is situated the West Coast. Paternoster is a small and unspoiled fishing village 145 kms north of Cape Town on the coastal ROUTE 27 and through Vredenberg on the R45. Paternoster is an all year round destination famous for its strong traditional fisherman’s architecture, endless pristine sandy beaches, whales and dolphins frolicking in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, breathtaking sunsets and the millions of indigenous flowers which open and densely carpet the earth in bright bursts of colour. Paternoster is also home to more than 250 species of birds with seabirds like the Oystercatcher using this coastline as their breeding ground There is a variety of small mammals with an occasional sighting of the strandwolf.

Pilgrims Rest is the most beautiful or romantic spot in world where a gold rush took place. Pilgrim’s Rest was born during the excitement of an alluvial gold rush. Pilgrims Rest is a most perfect example and as such, the entire place has been declared a National Monument. Pilgrims Rest’s history allegedly began when ‘Wheelbarrow’ Alec Patterson, who pushed his belongings along in front of him, panned for gold in the stream running through the valley. News of Alec’s success spread and he was soon joined by hundreds of other prospectors. Within a year there were 21 stores, 18 canteens, 3 bakeries and all sorts of other establishments.

Solitaire, Namibia, is really more of a rest stop near the sparsely inhabited areas of Namib-Naukluft National Park. For years, it has been the only gas station for hours between the dunes of Sossusvlei and the main road from Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It is currently the only gasoline station between the dunes at Sossusvlei and the coast at Walvis Bay. Thus, there is more traffic than would be expected for such an isolated outpost. There is also a small store attached to the gasoline station. Recently, the owners have opened a motel on the grounds. Solitaire has become famous in The Netherlands because of the book of the same name by Dutch author Ton van der Lee dealing with his stay in this place.

Swakopmund is a beach resort and an excellently preserved example of German colonial architecture. It was founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South-West Africa. It is one of the few places anywhere outside of Europe where a sizable minority of the population speaks German and has German roots.The city lies on the B2 road and the Trans-Namib Railway from Windhoek to Walvis Bay. It is also home to Swakopmund Airport. Buildings in the city include the Altes Gefängnis prison, designed by Heinrich Bause in 1909. The Wörmannhaus, built in 1906 with a prominent tower, is now a public library.

Upington is a town founded in 1871 and located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, on the banks of the Orange River. The town was founded in 1884 and named after Sir Thomas Upington, Attorney-General of the Cape. It originated as a mission station established in 1875 and run by Reverend Schröder. The mission station now houses the town museum, known as the Kalahari Orange Museum. The museum is also the home of a donkey statue, which recognizes the enormous contribution that this animal made to the development of the region during the pioneering days of the 19th Century.

Nestled between two mountains and a river, on route from Johannesburg to Cape Town (via Kimberley), lies Victoria West, a small town with an unofficial population of little over 11 000 people. The town was founded in 1855 and since it has grown into a thriving Karoo town. Over the last few years Victoria West has proven that the so called "platteland" still has a lot to offer. Victoria West is situated on the N12, halfway between Cape Town and Johannesburg making it the ideal stopover point for holiday makers or businessmen on a long journey.

Willowmore, first named Willow-Moore, gets its name from the farm, The Willows, and its original owner (William Moore) on which it is built. The town lies in the Great Karoo to the northwest of the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, a World Heritage Site.There are several Victorian and Edwardian buildings in Willowmore, most notably the old colonional hotel which is still in use. Willowmore lies near Aasvoëlberg, a typical Karoo moutain ridge. There are several trails for both hikers and mountain bikers. Para-gliding and abseiling are also available.

Sutherland is a town located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It is known for having some of the clearest and darkest night skies in the world, primarily due to its remote and arid location as well as its altitude of 1 458 metres above sea level. For this reason, Sutherland hosts the telescopes of the South African Astronomical Observatory nearby. Sutherland is also known as being one of the coldest towns in South Africa (although Buffelsfontein holds the official honour), with winter snow a common occurrence.
The coldest temperature recorded in Sutherland was -16ºC, on 12 July 2003.

Steytlerville lies south of the Groot Rivierberg Mountains, and north of the Baviaanskloofberg Mountains. The village lies on the banks of the Groot River. Cockscomb (1758m) is the highest peak in the area. On the northeast on the road to Baroe and Wolwefontein, there are two gorges, Noorspoort and Waaipoort, on the R329. The village has a very wide main street, which was designed to allow an oxwagon to turn around. The architecture is typical Karoo Victorian style, and the church built in the Edwardian style.