The most southerly portion of the African continent is also one of the most scenic parts of that vast continent. South Africa was settled by Europeans in the 1500s, displacing the indigenous population. It developed into an industrial, urbanized society by WW2, but has had a troubled modern history. It is touristically attractive, with two main ports of entry – Johannesburg and Cape Town. It is easy to rent a car and drive around the country (NB: they drive on the wrong side of the road!) or enjoy a luxurious train trip between the two main cities. The Garden Route, along the south shore, passes through vintage vineyards and enables one to explore off-the-beaten-path towns like Knysna, or explore the Transkei, or visit land-locked Lesotho. The game parks of South Africa are rightly famous. Kruger is the most famous, but my favourite is Addo, an elephant sanctuary north of Port Elizabeth. Farther north is Swaziland, which has recently changed its name to Eswazi, and further west are Botswana and Namibia, portions of which are included on the map. Finally, there is the arid Northern Cape and the Great Karoo to discover.
