South Africa is an extraordinary country for travelers in general, and especially so for gay travelers. It was the first country in the world (and one of only three today) to constitutionally prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and while homophobia has not been eradicated, South Africa’s established but low-key gay community has emerged with world-class energy. Combine the gay activities and comfort level with a broad range of natural and cultural attractions, a very strong U.S. dollar and a first-world travel infrastructure, and it’s easy to see why so many gay travelers come home from a trip and say you have just got to go there to believe how wonderful it really is. Add to this mix the proximity of Botswana, a peaceful, beautiful country with some of the best game viewing in the world, and Victoria Falls, a jaw-dropping one-mile-long by 300-foot-high waterfall on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and one of the seven wonders of the natural word, and you have the makings of an unforgettable, life-affirming and unexpectedly gay journey to southern Africa.
Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula
Like San Francisco and Sydney, Cape Town shares the magical combination of water, culture and geographic beauty that makes for an extraordinary visit. The city is the administrative capital of the Cape Province, and the sophisticated culture and style capital of the continent. The city spreads out in a semi-circle between the sea and the base of flat-topped Table Mountain, towering over the city at nearly 4,000 feet, an ever-changing tableau of sky, cliff and clouds. Cape Town’s attractions include the neighborhoods and activities in the city and its nearby suburbs, as well as the beguiling scenery and wildlife down to the tip of Cape Point. You can explore a lot of the city proper by foot and taxi. Numerous tour operators (see accompanying article) can take you on day tours of the Cape Peninsula and the wine lands.
To fully enjoy the beauty of the peninsula you really need your own transportation. You can see it all in one day, but for a more leisurely exploration, save Kirstenbosch, Groot Constantia and Simon’s Town for a separate visit. The Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is home to over 9,000 species of indigenous plants, best viewed from mid-August to mid-October. Groot Constantia is the oldest vineyard and homestead on the Cape, featuring beautiful examples of Cape-Dutch architecture. A nature reserve now protects the southern tip of the Cape. The windswept landscape is one of the visual gems of South Africa. At the end of the road, walk another half mile uphill (or take the funicular) to get a view of Cape Point. Here, hundreds of feet below you, the cold Atlantic meets the warmer Indian Ocean.
Johannesburg: Tarnished Capital Still Shines
Johannesburg (or Jo’burg) has become a city of suburbs surrounding a downtown that has become irrelevant to most tourists. The crime and decay of the central business district has exacerbated the situation, to the point where no tourist should consider staying downtown. Businesses, nightlife, restaurants and hotels have mostly moved to the circle of surrounding suburbs. Many tourists stay in Sandton, which has become a small metropolis of its own, whose primary raison d’être seems to be shopping. For gay tourists, the Braamfontein suburb offers the most convenient location, with several vibrant gay nightlife spots and a restaurant in the Heartland, the queer center of the city. It’s easy to spend two or three nights in Johannesburg on your way into or out of the country, and there are some nearby sights worth seeing. Pretoria’s historic government buildings are of interest to architecture buffs, but the city itself is rather downtrodden.
Soweto: South Africa’s Beating Heart
An absolute must, touring Soweto is a great way to learn about the history and legacy of apartheid. Soweto stands for South Western Township, and it was built by the previous government to effect a segregation of the races. Today, it is the largest black city in Africa, home to four million residents in a wide range of living conditions, from squatter camps to 22-room mansions in a section called Beverly Hills. In Soweto, you’ll find the current home of the controversial former wife of Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and the modest (bullet-hole-marked) home she shared with former-president Mandela, packed with homey mementos, photographs of relatives and supportive awards, proclamations and honorary degrees earned during and after Mandela’s 27-year incarceration.
The Garden Route
The Garden Route is most of the southeast coastline from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. The verdant narrow strip of land between the Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean is a popular holiday center for South Africans. Stretching 150 miles from Mossel Bay to Jeffrey’s Bay, the Garden Route is filled with forests, lagoons and white-sand beaches, and is most crowded in summer, when its beaches are the prime attraction.
The Wine Country
A short 50 miles to the northeast of Cape Town is South Africa’s premiere wine country similar to California’s Napa Valley. The historic town of Stellenbosch, second oldest in South Africa, was founded in 1679 and is still extremely well preserved. Gabled buildings and stately oaks line the streets and the University of Stellenbosch’s student population adds an element of youth to this old city. The wine lands of the Stellenbosch Valley, together with Paarl Valley and the French Huguenot-settled Franschhoek Valley, offer great vineyards and spectacular surrounding scenery.
Mpumalanga: A View Through God’s Window
Some of the world’s most breathtaking farmland and canyon scenery can be found in Mpumalanga, located in the mountainous Northeast region between Lydenburg and Kruger National Reserve. Astounding green banana plantations are offset by red and purple flowered trees and lots of bird life. The waterfalls, rock formations and scenic vistas of the Blyde River Canyon area are stunning, and worth a day’s driving. Two or three days in the area will afford you plenty of time to explore the sights, and relax in the serene surroundings.
Game Viewing
Game viewing is one of South Africa’s most popular highlights. There are a number of game areas in the country, but Kruger National Park, and the surrounding private reserves offer the most diverse opportunities. The animals roam freely between the public land in the national park and the private reserves abutting it. Your odds at seeing game and vantage points are significantly better at any of the private reserves than from your car on the public grounds of the national park. In Botswana, an easy flight from Jo’burg, the Mashatu Lodge (+27-31/765-2900; www.mashatu.com) provides a lost-in-time, heart-of-Africa experience that is impossible to forget. Lions, leopards, impala, herds of elephants and wildebeest are just a few of the different species wandering Mashatu’s vast terrain.
Victoria Falls
Many travelers add on two to three days to explore Victoria Falls. You can choose to stay on either the Zimbabwean or Zambian side of the falls. If you have the means to splurge, we highly recommend two nights at the beautifully-appointed and recently opened Royal Livingstone (Livingstone, Zambia; 800/990-8299 or 954/713-2637; www.suninternational.com; $400-420; suites: $760-800), within thundering range of the mighty Falls. Just don’t be surprised to awaken to elephants munching on the tree outside your (plush) rom or see hippos yawning in the wide river below.
