Hiking trails
Over the past twenty years,
hiking has taken off in a big way in South Africa, which now has the most comprehensive system of footpaths in Africa (inspired by the US Appalachian Hiking Trail).
Wherever you are - even in the middle of Johannesburg - you won't be far from some sort of trail. The best ones are in wilderness areas, where you'll find waymarked paths that vary from half-hour strolls to major hiking expeditions of two to seven days that take you right into the heart of some of the most beautiful parts of the country.
Overnight hiking trails are normally well laid-out, with painted footprints or other markers to indicate the route and campsites or huts along the way (but you need to carry all your own equipment). Numbers are limited on most, and many trails are so popular that they become booked up many months in advance, so it's worth arranging these beforehand - although you can often find a place by just turning up and hoping for a cancellation.
If you want to do a fair amount of walking but don't want to launch out on a long expedition, consider basing yourself in one of the wilderness areas such as the Drakensberg , where you can stay in chalets and set off on a series of day-walks, returning each night.
Unique to Africa are guided wilderness trails , where you walk in game country (such as the Kruger National Park), accompanied by an armed guide. These walks should be regarded as a way to get a feel for the wild rather than actually see any wildlife, as you'll encounter far fewer animals on foot than from a vehicle. Specialist trails include mountain biking, canoeing, horseback trails and camel trails. A handful of trails have also been set up specifically for people with disabilities , mostly for the visually impaired or people confined to wheelchairs.
Watersports
Don't expect balmy Mediterranean seas in South Africa: of its 2500km of coastline, only the stretch along the Indian Ocean seaboard of KwaZulu-Natal and the northern section of the Eastern Cape can be considered tropical, and along the entire coast an energetic surf pounds the shore. In Cape Town , sea bathing is only comfortable between November and March. Generally, the further east you go from here, the warmer the water becomes and the longer the bathing season. Sea temperatures that rarely drop below 18ŪC make the KwaZulu-Natal coast warm enough for a dip at any time of year. A word of warning: dangerous undertows and riptides are present along the coast and you should try to bathe where lifeguards are present. Failing that (and guards aren't that common away from main resorts out of season) you should follow local advice, never swim alone, and always treat the ocean with respect.
The pumping surf is of course precisely what makes South Africa among the world's finest spots for surfing . The country's perfect wave at Jeffrey's Bay was immortalized on celluloid in the Sixties cult movie Endless Summer , but any surfer will tell you that there are equal, if not better, breaks all the way along the coast from the Namibian to the Mozambique border. Surfers can be a cliquey bunch, but the South African community has a reputation for being among the friendliest in the world and, provided you pay your dues, you should find yourself easily accepted. Some of the world's top shapers great fun. Windsurfing (or sailboarding) is another popular sport you'll find at many resorts, where you can rent gear.
Scuba diving is a recreation that's growing in popularity, and South Africa is one of the cheapest places in the world to get an internationally recognized open-water certificate, with courses at all the coastal cities as well as a number of other resorts. The most rewarding diving is along the St Lucia Marine Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal coast, where 100,000 dives go under every year for its coral reefs and fluorescent fish. You won't find corals and bright colours along the Cape coast, but the huge number of sunken vessels makes wreck-diving popular and you can encounter the swaying rhythms of giant kelp forests.
KwaZulu-Natal is also good for snorkelling and there are some underwater trails elsewhere in the country, most notable of which is in the Tsitsikamma National Park.
Fishing is another well-developed South African activity and the coasts yield 250 species caught through rock, bay or surf angling. The confluence of the warm Indian Ocean and cooler Atlantic east of the Cape Peninsula, brings one of the highest concentrations of game fish in the world, including longfin, tunny and marlin. Inland you'll find plenty of rivers and dams stocked with freshwater fish, while trout fishing is extremely well-established in Mpumalanga, the northern sections of the Eastern Cape and the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.
If you want to find out how bait feels, there are a couple of places along the southern Cape and Garden Route where you can go on shark-cage dives and come face to face with deadly great whites.
On inland waterways, South African holidaymakers are keen speedboaters , an activity that goes hand in hand with waterskiing. Kayaking and canoeing are also very popular, and you can often rent craft at resorts or national parks that lie along rivers. For the more adventurous, there's white-water rafting , with some decent trips along the Tugela River in KwaZulu-Natal and on the Orange River.
Other activities
There are ample opportunities for aerial activities in South Africa. In the Winelands you can go ballooning , while paragliding offers a thrilling way to see Cape Town, by diving off Lion's Head and riding the thermals. More down-to-earth options include mountaineering and rock climbing , both of which have a huge following in South Africa. If you decide to go skiing at one or two resorts in the Eastern and Western Cape, you'll be able to go home with a quirky experience of Africa. And finally, if you can't choose between being airborne or earthbound, you can always bounce between the two by bungee jumping off the Gouritz River Bridge near Mossel Bay - the world's highest commercial jump.
Horse-riding is a sport you'll find at virtually every resort, whether inland or along the coast, for two hours or two days. You can ride in the Drakensberg from the Natal parks, or go pony trekking for several days in Lesotho. Take your own hat, as not everyone provides them. Bird-watching is another activity you can do almost anywhere, either casually on your own, or as part of a guided trip with one of the several experts operating in South Africa. Among the very best bird-watching spots are Mkuzi and Ndumo game reserves in KwaZulu-Natal. Golf lovers will have a fabulous time in South Africa as courses are prolific and are frequently in stunningly beautiful locations.
