A Photographer's Guide to South Africa

James Stapley

South Africa is a vast, diverse country in people, places, cultures, climate, terrain, and wildlife. The former tourist slogan of "a world in one country" was remarkably accurate! With so many subjects, the photographic possibilities are endless; whatever your photographic passions, you should be able to fulfill them here, but landscapes and wildlife photography offer the greatest opportunities.

[Editor's note: If you're rich and lazy and want to take great photos without doing any work or planning, contact James Weis at www.eyesonafrica.net and let him book the trip for you.]

Landscape in general

James Stapley

The northwest and northern central parts of the country range from semi-desert to desert. However, for truly stunning desert scenery, head for the Namib in Namibia. The Cape region has numerous little bays and cliffs, as well as the beautiful Table Mountain. Heading east along the so called "Garden Route" are numerous little towns. Knysna is a nice spot to get off the main road; the lagoon is scenically beautiful, and the Heads through with the sea is reached are also nice; well worth a bit of exploration. The lagoon hides the world's rarest species of seahorse, known only from one other estuary. This section of coastline consists of fynbos, which is quite interesting if you take a closer look.

As you head into the Eastern Cape, it gets drier and a different type of more scrubby bush taknes over. Tsitsikamma National Park is unmissable; little trails wander through awesome coastal forest while you hear the calls of insects, birds and frogs all around you, while the sea is just a few hundred meters away. Every so often you can see it through a gap in the trees. The Storms River Gorge is quite impressive. The Otter Trail is supposedly excellent, but is often booked literally months or years in advance.

Once into the former homeland regions of Ciskei and Transkei, you will notice an increase in poverty, soil erosion, and overgrazing. Heading further North, we get into the lush subtropical regions in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Sugarcane crops everywhere, interspersed with other tropical fruits. There are palm trees and all sorts of other subtropical plants. Lake St. Lucia is a world heritage wetland, filled with waterbirds, crocs and hippos being plentiful. A boat ride is highly recommended.

James Stapley

Inland in the Cape, you will find numerous wineries to the north of Cape Town. Some of the old houses on the farms are in the gabled "cape dutch" style, a distinctive big of South African architecture. Further east is the arid sheep-farming region of Karoo, very brown and dry. Try the Karoo Lamb! Town of Oudtshoorn was built up by Ostrich Barons in the 1920s. They made their fortune with a fad for ostrich feathers and left ostentatious palaces behind, many of which are crumbling.

The most mountainous part of South Africa surrounds the country of Lesotho. The Drakensberg Range is particularly impressive in Kwa-Zulu Natal park. Also check out the area around Hogsback in the Eastern Cape. The region called Mpumalanga between Gauteng (where JNB is) and Kwa-Zulu Natal is spectacular, with lovely waterfalls and the Blyde River Canyon. The Ndebele people paint their houses in vibrantly coloured geometric patterns that are particularly photogenic (north and west of JNB).

Cape Town

James Stapley

Cape Town, sandwiched between mountains and the sea, is often said to be the most beautiful city in the world. There are many nice old buildings nestled in amongst the more modern skyscrapers (small by NYC standards!). Highlights within the city include the V and A Waterfront area, an unashamed tourist attraction made from a formerly rundown dockside area filled with shops and restaurants, an IMAX cinema and a nice aquarium (Two Oceans). Bustling at the right time of day, it's good for those that like street life photography, and also shots of the harbour and boats. There are harbour tour boats which can be nice to go on. Table Mountain is basically a must see and do. Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens is also fantastic. For some really neat plants, head over to the display of succulent plants from the west of the country. A trip down to the Cape Penninsula is practically obligatory, although the actual southernmost point of the continent is Cape Agulhas. I haven't spent much time in the city, but is is certainly a lovely place, and a more experienced Capetonian could do wonders by adding a more comprehensive section to this! You could spend a lot of time in Cape Town and the surrounding towns; the coastline is pretty dramatic, and there are some nice mountains (about 1,000m) around the place. Look on a map for long and winding roads; these are likely to have interesting scenes. Don't forget the other towns surrounding Cape Town itself which have slowly been swallowed up as Cape Town has expanded. Inland (Stellenbosch and environs) you come across some nice vineyards and their associated Cape Dutch style houses.

[Editor's recommended hotels in Cape Town:

• Business hotel with a very competent staff: Cape Grace ($500+/night); in the waterfront area so that you can walk around at night
• Table Bay Hotel, same area as the Cape Grace, much larger, with convention facilities, much better views of the water.
• Breakwater Lodge, same location as the preceding at a fraction of the price.
• Radisson Cape Town, right on the ocean front with great views, but a substantially longer walk to the waterfront mall than the preceding.
• Twelve Apostles, probably the nicest experience, but not near downtown.
• Ellerman House, favorite of many sophisticated travel agents.

]

Johannesburg and environs

Johannesburg is the economic powerhouse of Africa, a busy city filled with millions of people. However, it is quite a strange one in many ways. There is an omnipresent fear of crime, such that the central business district is slowly turning into a no-mans land, and the business district seems to be migrating north, now into a northern suburb known as Sandton. For those that wish to photograph, or at the very least experience poverty close-up, there are organised tours of Soweto, the largest former township, southwest of the city. A visit to a former township, (AKA "squatter camp", "informal settlement" or "location") will leave one with an impression of the other side of life in South Africa, those poor who live in conditions ranging from basic to appalling. Some of these shacks and huts are surprisingly well furnished inside, with the furniture typically purchased on ruinous credit terms.

Within the townships, you will come across some very nice houses, owned by professionals who were forced to live there by the old apartheid regime; it's quite a contrast.

For the other side of the coin, visit the northern suburbs. Here you can see the white enclaves, living behind towering walls topped with razor wire and electric fences with armed response placards on the side and usually, several massive guard dogs. The gardens are generally large and beautiful, even in what is ostensibly a rather central position in the city. It's a huge city; with these houses with large gardens, the housing is much less dense than in typical cities, and the city is crossed by large highways and roads which go from one part of the city to another; it is quite common to drive for an hour or so (not even in rush hour!) to visit a friend or go to work.

All around the center of the town are the mine dumps from the gold mining which was the original reason for the establishment of the city; some of these are being carted away to be reprocessed as modern techniques can extract gold that was previously unrecoverable from them, but apparently, some are being preserved to keep some of Johannesburg's mining heritage. Tours of working mines are pretty much impossible, but a rather cheesy amusment park (Gold Reef City) has an abandoned mine in its grounds which they have tours of which I found quite interesting; they also have a "reconstruction" of "old time" houses and shops.

Near the central business district is Museum Africa, which includes a large collection of old cameras. The city seems to be constantly being redeveloped; the Northern Suburbs and former green belt areas particularly; huge new office developments seem to be going up seemingly overnight, as well as shopping malls. Sun City should not be missed due to its kitschiness. The concept is that you have stumbled on an ancient lost african city in the middle of a forest in an extinct volcano, it was actually built not all that long ago out of concrete. It's well done, and the landscaping and buildings are very impressive and a lot of thought went into it. Kids will love the Valley of the Waves, a watery amusement park. If it all gets too much for you, the Pilanesberg Game Reserve is right next door.

One or two days should be enough to see everything in Johannesburg itself.

North of Johannesburg, you can find the area now dubbed the "cradle of mankind" the world heritage site of Kromdraai (read more). The center of this is the Sterkfontein caves, where the first hominid fossils found in South Africa were uncovered. Several other sites have been discovered since this and yielded more interesting fossils. There is a tour of the cave system there which I found interesting, but photographic opportunities are perhaps a little limited. One of the first caves is so large they used to hold classical concerts and plays for hundreds of people in it.

The whole "highveldt" region has very impressive lightning storms during the late spring and summer: Sheets of lightning cross the whole sky, while bolts of lighting strike the ground in every visible direction.

Pretoria

Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa, with most embassies and consulates located here. Pretoria is characterised by wide jacaranda-lined streets. The jacaranda tree, which is native to Brazil, but was planted extensively all over South Africa, blooms beautifully in October. The Voortrekker monument is a very impressive monument to commemorate the acheivements of the Boers in their treks across the country, particularly the battle of Blood River on 16th December, 1838, where 470 Boers held off 12,000 Zulus; 3 Voortrekkers were injured and 3,000 Zulus killed. The impressive Union Buildings might also be worth a visit. Pretoria is a much more relaxed place; the high fences and other security measures so typical of much of Jo'burg are much less obvious here.

Durban

Durban is South Africa's playground, as are the other coastal towns along this stretch of coastline. During the December holidays, unbelievable numbers of "vaalies" (people from the Transvaal - now Gauteng - somehow, "gauties" just doesn't sound right!) descend on the city and flock to the beaches, covering almost every square inch of sand on the beachfront. The beachfront is supposed to be fairly safe, but recently at a conference I attended, two of the delegates were mugged and their cameras taken. The water itself isn't necessarily safe either; shark attacks along this stretch of coastline led to the establishment of the Natal Sharks Board, which is responsible for netting the beaches all along the coast; find out if your bit of beach is netted! To avoid the land and sea sharks, head down to the local airport and rent a Cessna to take an aerial photograph of the packed beaches.

Durban has an interesting mix of cultures, starting with a very large Indian community. There are large Hindu temples, Mosques, and the largest Hare Krishna temple in the Southern Hemisphere! Durban has one of the busiest harbours in the world, filled with large container ships and tankers. Avoid the downtown area after dark.

Grahamstown

James Stapley

One of South Africa's oldest cities, Grahamstown has both a cathedral and a university. English Settlers were sent to this region in the 1820s to farm, but found the land very unproductive and went back to the trades theyd knew from home. The high street has stores that don't seem to have changed in the last 50 years. The Cathedral itself won't impress a European, but there are a lot of quaint smaller churches as well. Rhodes University has both fine art photography and photojournalism programs. The National Arts Festival is held annually here for 10 days towards the end of June and is great for people photography.

The JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology, "home" of the coelacanth (although the East London Museum might dispute that!), has several specimens on display in the foyer museum, as well as displays on the other fishes of the region. If you ask nicely at the reception, they'll take you on a tour of the collection in the basement, and give you a talk on the history of the coelacanth. For an unusual photo, ask to see some cleared and stained specimens, which are transparent with red bones and blue cartilage. They also have large sharks and all sorts of neat deep sea fishes. Don't miss the camera obscura in the Observatory Museum on Bathurst Street. If you're using film, save it for processing in a larger city; the shops here have not been reliable.

The Transkei

James Stapley

The Transkei, now a part of the Eastern Cape was one of the apartheid government's puppet states, complete with its own capital city, international airport and government, albeit unrecognized by any country other than South Africa. These regions had almost no economic growth throughout the apartheid era and today remain overcrowded, overgrazed and economically neglected. The Transkei is perhaps the most beautiful of the former puppet states.

Cliffs and rolling green hills dotted with strelitzias and aloes plunge into the sea. The coastline is so rugged that a trip from one town to the next is either a multi-day day hike along the coast, or a drive of several hundred kilometers inland, along the N2, and then back to the coast along another road. The hiking trails along this stretch of the coast are awe-inspiring, and the region is well-served by backpacker hostels. The little round mud huts with thatch roofs (painted a lurid green in this part of the world) are also photo worthy. The roads are also frequently inhabited by goats, cows, the unique black transkei pigs, and very unusual dogs.

Watch out for potholes, especially off the main road.

James Stapley

National Parks and private game reserves

South Africa offers hundreds of national parks and private game reserves. If your guidebook isn't sufficient in sorting these out, look at the back pages of Getaway magazine for useful advertisements. Kruger National Park is the crown jewel of the system and contains examples of most of the country's large species. The southern winter (May-October) is the best time to view game, as the bush is not as thick, and the shortage of water draws animals towards permanent waterholes, making them easier to find.

For birdwatchers: www.fatbirder.com's South Africa guide.

Flora

Within the Cape region, you will find one of the six great floral kingdoms of the world, the fynbos. Magnificent Proteas and Ericas are the most obvious, but there is a stunning bright red terrestrial orchid, Disa, which can apparently be found in damp places on table mountain. A surprising number of garden plants grown around the world are originally South African. The succulents of the Namaqualand and Richtersveldt regions and northwards are amazing; a visit to the Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden will let you see them if you can't escape the city. Namaqualand is world famous for its awesome displays of flowers, which germinate, grow, bloom, set seed and die within a few weeks after heavy rains. Flowers carpet the ground in a multitude of colours as far as the eye can see. This usually occurs in August.

Underwater

James Stapley

South Africa is an incredibly diverse region aquatically. Two major currents flow along its coast; the cold Benguela current along the west coast (which causes upwellings and very rich waters) and the warm Agulhas current which sweeps warm water down the east coast, bringing tropical fishes and corals.

Much of the West Coast is either prohibited due to diamond deposits or unexplored.

Around Cape Town, the diver will find cold water, Kelp Forests, Seals and Penguins. A little further east, you will find Great White Shark cage diving operators, mainly in Gansbaai, although there are also a few in Cape Town and other towns. Hermanus is famous for its whales, mainly Southern Right. June to November is the peak season, with a whale festival held in the first week of October. Humpback whales are also sometimes seen. Remember that cold water is conducive to decompression illness and that you can greatly reduce your risk by using Nitrox.

The Eastern Cape has some stunningly colourful reefs covered in soft corals and other sessile invertebrates; unfortunately, the vis is usually poor (5m is considered good; 10m excellent!). There are charter operators in Port Elizabeth, Port Alfred and East London who will be happy to show you the sights.

The Transkei coast is relatively undived. The sardine run here is one of the greatest natural history spectacles on earth. An unusual set of oceanic conditions mean that a finger of cold water pokes up into warmer water along the eastern coast of South Africa, and millions of sardines ("pilchards", or Sardinops sagax) migrate up through this cold water. Hundreds of sharks, dolphins, whales, seabirds and predatory fishes come from great distances to follow these schools of sardines. It's not just the wildlife that goes nuts for the sardines - "sardine fever" grips people whenever the shoals come inshore to be caught by the hundreds of thousands in seine nets from the beach — there is a lot of excitement around a haul with people setting and pulling in nets, packaging, pilfering and even fighting over these greasy little fish.

James Stapley

Warm water diving starts in Kwa-Zulu Natal. At Margate, charters launch for the awesome Protea Banks. These are usually midwater drift dives, the object of which is to watch sharks and other large game fish. Zambezi and Raggedtooth (sandtiger) sharks are virtually guaranteed, with tiger, great white and several carcharinid sharks (including hammerheads) making rarer appearances. This is for advanced, confident divers only! (I had the most hectic dive of my life there, where I was on a deep dive (39.9m), had a long deco stop and managed to get stung by a lionfish. A gale also appeared out of nowhere just to top it all off. Oh, and no buoyline, so the boat had little idea where we were.).

Some 60km further north, the first few corals start to appear at Aliwal Shoal, a fantastic dive site with an awesome array of fish. Charters are based at Umkomaas. In October, there are usually lots of raggies hanging around. Some of the operators offer (no cage) tiger shark dives, where chum and bait are deployed to attract these awesome beasts. AfriCam (http://www.africam.com/) occasionally has live webcams from this part of the world.

Further north at Sodwana Bay, one finds true coral reefs, an even greater diversity of fish, better visibility, and warmer waters. I love the life up at Sodwana; far removed from city life- I have so far spent time in tented accomodation, complete with occasional ant invasions, huge spiders, lizards and snakes (this is a national park!). Accomodation can be booked either through the KZN Nature Conservation Service, or through the dive charter operator; the larger operators have their own semipermanent camps. Mongoose and vervet monkeys often come through the camps. Hippos and Crocs can be seen at Lake Sibaya, and walks through the forest will give you sightings of birds and probably some pretty cool critters and plants. In December, turtles come here to lay their eggs. Whale Sharks are occasionally seen. There are lots of opportunities for photographs all around the coast, both above and below water!

Major dive shops are in the major cities; Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. The East Coast Fish-Watch Project is trying to discover all the fish species occurring in the region with the help of amateur divers, and particularly photographers. Their underwater worksheets may be of interest to keen fishwatchers, or those just wanting to know what fish they have seen.

Suggested itineraries

1 day: If you're just passing through an international airport, e.g., Cape Town or Johannesburg, tape a city tour (guided, especially if in Jo'burg).

3 days: From Johannesburg, you can sign up for an organized tour through Kruger Park, traveling through Mpumalanga (formerly the Eastern Transvaal), with spectacular gorges, some rather interesting large potholes (Bourke's Luck potholes) and several nice waterfalls.

7 days: Choose Johannesburg as a gateway for a longer wildlife experience or Cape Town for city life and coastal scenery.

14 days: Johannesburg/Kruger and the Cape Town region. Arrange your international flights so that you fly into one city and fly out of the other.

21 days: In 21 days, you can do a serious road trip around the country or venture into neighboring nations such as Namibia or Zambia/Zimbabwe for Victoria Falls.

When to go

The winter is best for viewing wildlife. The climate in much of the highveldt is nice year-round; it is a summer rainfall area (thunderstorms) with rain rarely falling in the winter. During the day in the winter, it is warm and sunny, but at night it can get bitterly cold. Cape Town is rainy during the winter and the social life of the city shuts down. Kwa-Zulu Natal is subtropical, so it's pretty warm most of the year, tending towards unpleasantly hot and humid in the summer.

Spring and fall are probably tbe best seasons overall. For forecasts, visit the South African Weather Bureau.

Traveling to South Africa

[Note: this section was written by Philip Greenspun, photo.net's editor.]

Most international flights stop first in Johannesburg and may proceed to Cape Town. It is possible to fly to Cape Town non-stop from London (British Airways) and Amsterdam (KLM).

South African Airways has instituted a radical affirmative action policy for black pilots, eliminating nearly all of the flight experience requirements for pilots of color. A copilot at South African Airways might have 50 hours of flight time, compared to 4000+ at a Western airline that operates jumbo jets. Black pilots at South African Airways have been arrested and convicted of bribing officials (also black) at South Africa's Civil Aviation Authority in order to pass the Airline Transport Pilot exam.

Getting Around

The easiest and best way for a photographer to get around is definitely via rental car. Public transport is very limited and walking around, especially alone or at night, can be dangerous. Air conditioning is a requirement, especially since it is not safe to drive through a city with the windows open. Rent a 4x4 if you're going to get serious about going into the countryside or game parks.

There is a well developed inter city/town coach network that you can use. Greyhound is the best company in my experience. Long journeys are not recommended, as it gets uncomforatable in the cramped seats. And photo opportunities are zero until you get to your destination and get off. Air travel is highly recommended if you can afford it and time is tight. An unusual alternative is the Baz Bus, which is usually for backpackers, but the nice thing is it is a hop on hop off service - as many times as you like in a circular route, so you can cover a lot of different places on one ticket, or just use it for a longer trip to get to and from a particular destination. Backpackers have often covered large areas of a country and can often recommend really unusual and interesting places to go; this is a great way to meet them. The drivers also know about a lot of interesting places.

Power and Internet

South African power is 220/230V (and 250V in Pretoria) A/C and 50hz with several styles of power outlets. The most common is a 3-pin arrangement with round pins, but they also have the english style square pin 3 pin plugs in some places. A lot of appliances run off of 2-pin european/shaver type plugs. Most notebook computers and digital cameras have switching power supplies and can handle all of these voltages, so you need only a mechanical adapter for the plug.

Internet connections from South Africa to the rest of the world are slow. Only the more upmarket hotels offer Internet access from the room. An internet cafe might have one or two ISDN lines (64kbps!).

Health and Safety

Malaria
Some parts of the country are malarial areas and the relevant prophylactics are strongly recommended, as are anti bite measures. The Kruger Park, parts of the Northern Province, and some of the northernmost eastern coast region (near Mozambique) are also affected.

Vaccinations
The usual vaccinations are recommended (standard childhood vaccinations e.g. TB, polio, tetanus; off the beaten track, hepatitis A and typhoid are recommended, as they are in most underdeveloped countries).

Others

• Bilharzia occurs in a few water bodies, particularly in more remote northern areas of the country.
  
• The sun can be rather strong down here, and with the ozone hole looming large avoiding overexposure and using sunscreen are highly recommended. In some areas, it does get hot enough for heat exhaustion or heatstroke to be a problem; stay in the shade, drink plenty of water and avoid heavy exersion.
• Tap water is as safe to drink as in most developed countries, but it often tastes terrible, particularly in Johannesburg.
• Despite claims to the contrary by the President, HIV does indeed cause AIDS and it is prevalent. Very prevalent, so take the usual precautions.
• Health insurance is a must. Some of the government funded hospitals are pretty shocking (the one in Grahamstown certainly is). If you can possibly manage it, get to a private hospital where the care will be better. Medic Alert bracelets can speak when you can't, and inform them of your medical plan.
• Equipment insurance, regrettably, is also a must.

Driving

South Africa has quite exciting roads. Although there are crazier drivers in other parts of the world, the typical person will be somewhat disconcerted by some of the behaviour of drivers and the state of some of the roads.

Hazards include the following:

• Other Drivers
  Long, straight roads encourage speed demons. Watch out for impatient, tailgating BMWs and Mercedes. It is traditional to move into the emergency lane to make the overtaking vehicle's life easier. It is not uncommon to see 3 vehicles abreast in one direction on what is theoretically a single lane in that direction...
• Unroadworthy vehicles
  Poor South Africans drive vehicles that would be embarrassing in most scrapyards. These vehicles have bald tyres, faulty brakes, body panels and exhausts held on with string or wire... Overtake as soon as possible! The drivers either don't have licenses or have bought their licenses without taking the test. It is also common to come across bicycles at night with no reflectors or lights.
• Animals
  Most roads are unfenced, and there are frequently animals on the road.
• Pedestrians
  As with animals, frequently seen in the middle of the road, especially kids.
• Taxis
  These are the informal public transport system relied on by millions of poor people. These are microbuses such as the Toyota HIACE, theoretically licensed to carry 15, often with 30 or more passengers. Not all taxis are this bad, but they are frequently unroadworthy (see above), particularly badly driven, both in speed and disregard for the rules of the road. Much of South Africa's staggering road death tolls comes from these often overloaded vehicles.
• Drunk Driving
  More common than in developed countries.
• Poorly maintained roads
  You may come across unexpected potholes literally big enough to wreck you car, sometimes without warning. Heed pothole warning signs. Roads in the old "homeland" regions, particularly the Transkei (now in the Eastern Cape) are particularly bad. Dirt roads should be treated with respect by all people not used to using them. Should you be tempted to hire a 4x4, invest in a 4x4 driving course before heading out to the backroads.

Crime

South Africa is the violent crime capital of the world, with a higher murder rate than Colombia and nine times the murder rate of the U.S. Rape, robbery, and carjacking are common, especially in Johannesburg. Theft is common all over the country, which makes it a difficult destination for camera-enthusiasts. Seek local advice, don't go out alone, don't go out at night.

Recommended Photo suppliers and developing

See these two threads:

• http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=000rRr
• http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=000NwG

Recommended books, magazines and links

Books

• Lonely Planet South Africa
• Time Out Cape Town; the locals' bible
• Lonely Planet Watching Wildlife: Southern Africa; useful for sorting out all of the choices among parks

Magazines

• Getaway is an excellent travel magazine published locally, full of glossy colour articles of places to go in Southern Africa.
• Africa Geographic; photographs of wildlife and viewing destinations, interesting articles with a regular feature on photography technique.
• Divestyle; covers mostly African diving, with an emphasis on South Africa.

Links

• southafrica.net; official South African tourism site.
• National Parks Board
• Natal Parks Board
• Digital Journalist story; photos from a black photojournalist and a white Fine Art photographer
• www.gov.za, the official government site.

Recommended operators

These are companies I have personally dealt with and was impressed with; bear in mind that I am young , quite happy to sleep in a tent, and can't afford the luxury trips.

Getting around:
The Baz Bus: Allows you to experience much of the country at low prices, amongst like-minded people. One ticket can get you to loads of towns with unlimited stops.

Wildlife Tours:
The Bundu Bus: Great guides and planning. They go in large well-maintained Mercedes microbuses, which offer a high vantage point that is useful in game reserves. You will almost always get the big five at the bare minimum. On my last trip (August '99) the most tense moment was when a lioness went sauntering past two half-grown cheetah cubs cowering under a small acacia - the lioness could evidently smell them, but didn't manage to find them. They have a slightly more upmarket version of the tour in a double cab 4x4, which would be better for a serious, affluent photographer. The upmarket tours stay in lodges rather than tents.

Diving Operators:
If you are serious about your underwater photography, Mark Addison (Blue Wilderness Dive Expeditions) is the best resource. He knows the reefs along the Aliwal Shoal area better than pretty much anyone else, and also organises safaris to pretty much anywhere along the coast; he does cover the Sardine Run. National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, David Doubilet, AfriCam and countless other local and international photographers and videographers have used him in the past. Hell of a nice guy too.

Readers' Comments

Add a comment

Allan Engelhardt , July 31, 2001; 03:17 P.M.

Hazards:

• Getting shot. The murder rate was always pretty astronomical in Jo'burg, but is now very high in Cape Town as well.
• Getting mugged. Do not stop the car unless you absolutely have to; do not stop at red lights in Cape Town if there is no other traffic. Probably redundant, but: do not accept the offers of the hookers at the street lights.
• Lock the doors of your car. If possible, do not drive at night.
• Remember: it is not paranoia if they are really out to get you :-)
• Read the next two links before you go!
• US Govenrnment Travel Advisory: South Africa
• UK Government Travel Advisory : South Africa

But is is a beautiful, beautiful country. It's so sad the way crime has made it difficult to go to.

Cape Town is my favourite - don't forget to see the penguins and dive in two (very different!!) oceans on the same day.

Graeme Wilson , July 31, 2001; 06:57 P.M.

I spend almost a month in South Africa last year. We flew into Cape Town and gradually worked our way up to the south end of the Kruger NP.

I must say this is the best travel experience of my life so far.

South Africa has a HUGE amount to offer. The whole country is very well geared to tourism and everywhere is well signposted, and the people in general are friendly.

As above noted pay attention in built up areas and generally apply the same street smarts you would in any large city you are not familiar with.

Don`t let the bad press the country has had scare you off - it really is worth the trip and then some.

Dylan Schwilk , August 01, 2001; 04:20 P.M.

South Africa is my top travel recommendation. I've spent about a year there total over three trips since 1994. Much of that time was spent in biological field work in the Western Cape but I've been nearly everywhere in the country. The biological and human diversity in this country is fantastic. Go and stay a while -- if you are coming from Europe or North America, the weak Rand makes your in-country travel very inexpensive. Bring a tent and cook stove, rent a car and stay in campgrounds. Although camping in South Africa is far too developed for my taste (were I in my own country), it is very easy for the foreign tourist since nearly all campgrounds have 'ablution blocks' (toilets, showers, baths!, hot water sometimes). You don't need to bring much. Buy a cheap cooler chest when you arrive and go explore. Go. be careful, but not too scared -- I picked up hitchikers religiously and am still alive.

Do watch out for the BMW drivers and the expectation that you'll move over to the shoulder to make way for oncoming traffic in your lane! But I would suggest that a 4X4 is unnecessary unless that is a goal in itself. I do a lot of 4-wheel driving, but in South Africa I was able to get anywhere I wanted in a 1973 VW bug or a toyota corolla. Although many roads are dirt they are very well maintained and some are easily 100k/hr gravel-tar roads (in the less populated areas of the northwest of course!). Be mindful of pedestrians in the more populated regions -- many of the fancy-car drivers are not.

James Stapley , August 03, 2001; 01:28 P.M.

Glad to see there are some other "South Africophiles" here! I can't really stress strongly enough how awesome this place is - I just wish I had more photos to show you! (well, there are a couple more, and I am uploading whenever I can).

While the crime etc. can be scary, don't let it put you off - outside of big cities, it's unlikely to affect you, and lets face it, you don't go to Africa to see cities (well not many people do). Once you get out, the scenery is fantastic, there's stacks of outdoor activities, wildlife and friendly people - most South Africans I have met have been pretty friendly people, quick to make new friends. In fact, as far as I can see it, the crime is the only reason this isn't one of the top 5, (if not top) travel destinations in the world - it certainly deserves more attention.

As I said in the text above, I plan to keep adding to this guide, uploading photos etc. Looks like I'm off to Cape Town on a course in a couple of weeks time - if I get any time off of that, I'll see what I can do! Quick access to my portfolio can be had through http://photos.jamesstapley.com/.

Hope you enjoyed the guide, and thanks for the comments above (and those still to come).

James.

Lee Turner , August 23, 2001; 04:19 A.M.

Just a quick note about processing. I disagree with the comments to have your processing done when you get back home. There are several pro labs for fuji, kodak and agfa and they cover everything from C41 to E6, 35mm to large format as well as a couple that are frontier equipped. Processing is very reasonably priced compared to film cost (see below). If you want to hand in your film at a drugstore type operation then it's no different than the rest of the world. One thing to bring is film, especially fuji. The markups over here are ridiculous. For example NPH sells at around R64 a roll ($7.64 at current exchange rate), and superia 400 XTRA is about R46 ($5.54). The shop I use gives 20% discount for 10 rolls or more but it's still expensive. You'll also pay through your nose for Velvia and Provia F. The kodak films have just been reduced in price but are still quite expensive when compared to the US and Europe. Camera equipment is also expensive new, but you can get a lot of bargain used equipment. e.g. A new Nikon F5 is R26000 ($3132.00), whilst you can get a minty used 'blad 500CM with A12 and 80mm 'T' lens for around $750. Don't expect to be able to hire equipment either. If you need a 600mm f4 then bring it. In the next couple of days I will post a list of the pro labs, frontier equipped labs and GOOD camera shops.

Gordon Richardson , August 25, 2001; 01:21 A.M.

As a long time lurker and resident of Cape Town, I am pleased to see a well balanced and descriptive page appear on photo.net!

Gordon Richardson , August 26, 2001; 09:01 A.M.

Getting to South Africa is a minimum of 10 hours flying time from other continents, so plan accordingly. Neighbouring countries are worth visiting, but the situation in Zimbabwe is deteriorating rapidly. Internal air-fares are expensive by US standards. Remember that we drive on the left (mostly), and the seasons are the opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere. English is widely spoken, but the local vocabulary includes indigenous words. Crime is a real issue, but many of us have learned to deal with it by being careful. Due to the mostly dry climate the sun is harsh (with a very short "golden hour"), so plan your film and filters accordingly.

Cape Town and surrounds have no rain in summer. It can be very windy, with cloud on Table Mountain making the Cableway unpleasant. There are many historical and multi-cultural locations like Robben Island, and 300 year old wine farms. The mountains in the Western Cape range up to 2000m (the Drakensberg exceed 3000m). There is a half-day steam train route between George and Knysna on the Garden Route. There are few large wild animals in the Western Cape - the the major game reserves are in the Northern and Eastern half (summer rainfall areas).

Michael Higgins , August 27, 2001; 11:57 A.M.

I just got back from a short (three week) stay in South Africa. For what it's worth, we had no problems with crime, though heard some stories of muggings. Be careful, but don't worry too much. Carry a little bit of money with you so you have something to hand over if you get mugged, and try not to look too touristy or too rich (your shoes are often the giveaway). I wouldn't carry a camera in a camera bag through a large city, except parts of Cape Town.

I thought the Baz Bus was too expensive and awfully slow. Ask yourself: is the convenience of door-to-door service worth the extra expense and the loss of daylight time travelling? Sometimes you do better taking Intercape or Greyhound; if you feel comfortable driving, renting a car can be an excellent option (though I didn't do that). We did a couple of Intercape trips at night. It wasn't any less comfortable than Baz, and was faster, cheaper, and didn't use any daylight hours.

The Transkei is fabulous and you must go to Kruger. Cape Town is cold and rainy in August; most of the rest of the country is quite lovely and a welcome relief from the heat and humidity in a lot of North American cities. If you are on an organized tour of Soweto (as far as I know the only way to go), you can carry your camera and there are opportunities to capture the stark poverty. Though in desperate circumstances there are people with a lot of initiative and hope for the future there. Our guide felt it was important to take pictures so that people who live in better circumstances can gain an understanding of what life is like in Soweto.

James Stapley , September 06, 2001; 03:36 A.M.

I can certainly vouch for the cold and rainy August - spent two weeks there this August and it basically didn't stop raining for 2 weeks... It's still raining there... I think this is the wettest time they've had in the last 40 years though, complete with flooding! Actually, the day I arrived was very clear - I could clearly see the Hottentot-Holland mountains from Constatia, which must be at least 50-60km away - the view from the top of Table Mountain must have been fabulous. The next day the rain set in. It just goes to show, if you see good conditions, no matter how exhausted you are, go take pictures. It (the weather!) may suck the rest of the time you are there.

Cape Town and the surrounding areas are stunning on a good day (which long time residents assure me is most of the time, particularly in the summer)!

Definitely worth a trip in good weather, or for the highlights of big city life, just about any time.

Michael Meyer , September 25, 2001; 11:05 A.M.

before i begin, let me note that i did not read the article fully. i read some and skimmed the rest. whoever said that this page was well-balanced, you must be a white south african who liked the old regime. (alright, that might be harsh.) not that i think there are any lies in this article, only a few half truths that i think should be noted and a few omissions that i think should be filled in.

also, it should be noted that i am a white american student who studied in cape town for four months. that is my experience. anyone who wants to know what my program was like can go to sit's website to find out about the program and the ethos of the school and its genesis. anyone who wants to see some images i took can go to my website to see my work, though the south africa images were from a trio two years ago and note last spring while i was there as a student.

first off, south africa is safe. don't jump down my throat. i lived for three months in langa, a black township just outside cape town. i did carry a camera with me some of the time. i went to kayalitcha, at night. i was fine. i took pictures there of a ritual killing of a cow. i rode the horrid mini-bus taxis. i didn't die. i walked around cape town, alone, with my lieca on my shoulder, and was not mugged. i walked at night, down dark streets in small groups and had no problems. i hiked from hout bay to capetown alone without incident. i traveled in the early am alone by bus and had no problems.

on the other hand, i had several friends around me who did have problems. usually petty theft. usually doing things they shouldn'thave been doing

yes, there are dangers in south africa. jo-burg is the murder capitol of the world. cape town is the rape capitol of the world. there are problems. there are ways to avoid problems. common sense is a good thing to have. it is also a good thing to use in south africa.

as for omissions, i think that the article focused on the landscape and the land of south africa, which are beautiful. really nice. no arguments about that bit of the article. but i think that there is much to south africa that should be seen and looked at, especially those who want to see and know the country they are visiting. i think that going to see the townships, seeing how people live, talking to people on the street, all of this is important to see the country. the cities are a good reason to go to africa. cape town is amazing as a city.

there is an excellent tour company in cape town called "western cape action tours." essentially the group is a conglomerate of ex-umkhonte we sizwe soldiers who needed something to do, something to occupy their time, and something to help them cope with their experience in the liberation of south africa. their tours are emotionally intense and culturally insightful. they will tell you their stories, the stories of places, the histories of townships, and you will get a bit of the truth. (truth is something that is hard to pin down in south africa.) i apologize for having no web site or phone information.

many people might see such tours, also derogatorily called poverty tours, as being invasive or rude. but many of those in the communities toured will welcome visitors--they want people to see what is going on. information and knowledge by outsiders can only be good for them. and there are highlights that can be seen in the communities.

if in cape town, be sure to head to langa (with a member of the community or a guide of some sort) to see guga s'thebe, the community arts center. while still trying to sort itself out, the center is an excellent step forward for the community and worth seeing. on a side note, i ran a photo workshop here with four high-school teenagers from langa high-school; they were amazing. the community response to their work was not steller, but we didn't hype it or advertise it much. down the street from guga s'thebe is the tsoga, the community environmental center. if in langa, get your tour guide to bring you there also. worthwhile programs are being done.

if you go to south africa, get the whole story.

when viewing such "impressive monuments" such as the voertrekker monuments, look at what it is saying. look at the monument. it is huge. it is on a hill overlooking everything. it is nationalistic art. what is it saying? how is it saying it? being photographers, i hope that everyone who is reading this is able to look in a critical (i don't mean negative by that word) way at the monuments and culture they are in.

that having been said, i loved south africa and am looking for a way to go back that won't cost me an arm and a leg, though i might be willing to pay with my nose and upper right earlobe.

talk to people, take pictures, learn something and think about what is going on. south africa is a country with lots to offer and lots of problems. its is a great place to visit, just don't get so caught up in watching your camera bag that you don't take any pictures or see anything.

-m

James Stapley , September 26, 2001; 11:04 A.M.

Friendly South Africans; I was taking a photo of my sister and her friend and a whole bunch of guys just jumped in the shot. I'm the ghostly guy with the orange jacket (30 sec exposure with 2nd curtain flash sync).

Mike; thanks for your contribution!

If you had searched out my biography on the site, you would find out I am not a South African, and never experienced the "old regime" (not quite true, I was here in 1986, but for two weeks, and I was 6 or 7 years old)... However, yes, it is quite possible that I am (biased/racist, call it what you like) - if you are around "white" South Africans for any length of time, you get a touch of their "paranoia"; and having had your family experience the crime problems of JNB on several occasions as well as your close friends, well, you know there are problems...

I am well aware that the likelyhood of this affecting a visitor (tourist) are very unlikely (but it happens!), and I think I said so quite explicitly, and asked for the same caution and common sense you do; please reread the article in full, when you have time and if your comments still stand, well, I apologise if it causes offense! (and please tell me =0)).

Also, I have lived here for over two years now; 6 months in JNB, and a year and a half in GHT. Before that I visited the country numerous times, a total of nearly another year. Make no mistake about it - I love this country more than any other I have visited (and lived in) and that prompted me to write the article. The people (all of them bar the criminals...) are great - black, white, gray, whatever. Friendly, open... however, it is the small minority that ruin it for everyone. My perceptions were similar to yours when I arrived here - I came here expecting all white south africans to be racist bigots, and in some cases was right, but many are just as much victims of Apartheid (in terms of being brainwashed by propaganda) as the "other" citizens of the country.

And I believe I also pointed out that I had made glaring omissions from the article - notably urban and people photography, neither of which particularly appeal to me, but I fully appreciate that many people will be interested in that - and not just the almost disneyesque show villages and "traditional" dances for tourist benefit; the real lives of people on the street. I just suspect that most people would come here to see the scenic beauty of the country and its wildlife.

Please, view this piece as tongue in cheek; "disparaging" comments about anything except crime can be taken as being said by someone smiling/winking! I ommitted my usual smileys all over the place writing style, because it looks daft in a "formal" article.

Cape Town is a MUCH safer place than JNB; I'd like to see how different your experience and impressions were had you done the same in JNB; I can guess they would be somewhat changed. Again, it is a minority that spoil it for everyone. I guess I envy you for your bravery to jump into the fray and go where few (white south africans) would dare. I felt much safer walking around in CT than JNB - I wouldn't contemplate downtown JNB, but cape town - I enjoyed the freedom of being able to walk, and not get shot in the head/knifed/mugged.

And yes, there are amazing things happening in "formerly disadvantaged" communities all over South Africa - and I would encourage anyone who wants to see them to go ahead and do them - as Mike suggests, with a guide or trusted member of the local community, not on your own!

Perhaps you might like to contribute a (long) page outlining your experiences - with your photographs - I'd be happy to see it included here, as it gives a totally different photographic viewpoint (I like nature - landscapes and animals; I'm not much of a people photographer). - and anyone else who would like to contribute, please do - I want this to grow and "evolve" - it's more interesting!

Mike, thanks once again for your comments. =)

James.

Michael Meyer , September 28, 2001; 11:27 A.M.

i would love to post some material. please drop me an e-mail in about a month or so when my life has normalized and i have a few moments to write coherently and scan in the images i have and edit the video.

-m

Neil van Rensburg , February 17, 2002; 12:08 P.M.

Hi. First off, I'm a South-African now living in the US (been here almost 2 years). I am glad to see that there are people just as excited about my country as I am. I really enjoyed the article and comments and it was interesting to see SA from a traveler’s point of view.

As far as the politics are concerned, I'm glad that there are lots of different opinions about SA - that's what SA is all about: Diversity. Our vast number of cultures and languages (11 official languages) is some indication of the diversity. I am sure that for a visitor some things in SA might seem strange and I can see how people want to blame politics for all this, but just remember that we have things to cope with in South Africa unimaginable to most westerners. Lucky to say, after my short holiday visit of December 2001/2, I have noticed a lot of improvement and stability in SA. I am very excited about SA's future.

Foreign visitors: GO! The recent exchange rate drop leaves you with no excuse not to go. It's practically for free if you have US$. A good (in my opinion) beer will cost you about $0.6 at a restaurant. It's NOT that dangerous if you use common sense (I have a bit of doubt weather western common sense applies to Africa: personally I would not walk around with a Leica in a township, but anyway.) Lots of SA's love to talk to foreigners and I hope that you will feel a genuine welcome in SA.

As for the development thing: Grahamstown is in the armpit of SA, I would not have expected a high-end photo lab there. I personally take pictures in the US and wait to go home (SA) before developing!! (I develop at Photo-labs in Pretoria, close to Brooklyn mall.) Grahamstown is nice to visit though!

I was starting to type out some of my travel tips, but this is not the place. The only thing that I would like to tell the world is GO, GO, GO and see my beautiful country!! We need foreign travelers if we want to make SA a great place.

To answer the question: 'what am I doing in the US if I like SA so much?' ... well, I can't wait to go back!

James Stapley , July 18, 2002; 06:00 A.M.

Neil - Although Grahamstown is in the Eastern Cape I wouldn't quite call it the "armpit of South Africa" - I'd find that a more apt description of Johannesburg. There are some pretty scaffy towns in the Eastern Cape, particularly as you drive through the Ciskei and Transkei (Idutywa and Butterworth are notable "scaffy holes of the Eastern Cape", redolent of the neglect "typical" of African towns). The region certainly has its charms despite being "underdeveloped". And Grahamstown is a far, far nicer place to live than JNB even if you can't get brilliant photo processing here. I can always wait until I go home or one of my friends goes back to JNB if necessary.

Anyway, readers may be interested to know that several proper certified Kodak Q labs are available in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and surprisingly enough, Stellenbosch. For a list, click here

Thanks for your comments on the article.

Richard Lord , January 03, 2003; 08:58 A.M.

I would just like to add a footnote from a South African perspective to this very interesting article.

Much of what has been written here regarding the crime situation is unfortunately true, but I do think that it is neccessary to point out that the picture is not quite as bleak as has perhaps been portrayed by the author and some of the other comments.

I have been living in London for the past 2 years and have recently returned home, and if living abroad has taught me one thing, it is that every country has it's problems and that every place you visit can be potentially hazardous to your well-being! Yes, South Africa has problems and the crime rate is higher than in most places, but as long as one takes sensible precautions, there is no reason why you cannot have a VERY safe and enjoyable holiday.

Just use your common sense...there are places in London and New York that you would not walk through alone, whethere at night or during the day, and as long as you stick to areas that are well populated, don't flash your cash or expensive equipement around, you will be fine.

I have seen comments from readers recommending that you don't stop at a red light if the road is clear...please don't listen to this advice. Not only is this illegal, potentially lumping you with a hefty fine, but it is also exremely reckless and stpuid and achieves nothing more than placing the lives of you, your passengers and other drivers at risk. Not every intersection in Johannesburg or Cape Town is teeming with evil doers waiting for you to come along. For the most part, South African cities are very safe and as long as you avoid the known trouble areas you will be absolutely fine!

I have seen a marked improvement in the situation here over during the 2 years that I have been in the UK. Crime levels are down, the police are being far more effective and visible policing on South African roads has improved immensely. South Africa is not the uncivilised third world country, fraught with danger around every corner that it is so often made out to be. I have lived in Johannesburg for well over 20 years and have never been the victim of a violent crime, nor even witnessed anything that I haven't seen happen in other countries around the world. In fact, the only people that I personally know that have been mugged, assaulted and robbed, have had these things happen whilst visiting so called "first" world countries such as the US and Europe!

South Africa is a fantastic country to visit. It has a rich and diverse culture, places of staggering beauty and photo opportunities galore that will keep everyone from wildlife and landscape to still life and people photographers snapping away for days! Not to mention that at the current exchange rates, you can afford a five star holiday for very little indeed!

Take the same precautions that you would take in your own country, be aware of what is going on around you and don't do anything stupid and you will have a safe, cheap and amazing holiday in a country that has got everything to offer!

Sawubona!

Jarryd Bekker , October 17, 2003; 04:45 P.M.

I am a South African and i am glad to hear such posotive comments about my country!! I recomend you come!!I have attached a pic of one of our renowned taxi drivers.

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Claudia Schulz , April 26, 2004; 05:03 A.M.

I spent 5 months in Cape Town in the year 2002 as an intern. South Africa is the most beautiful country I have ever seen (and I've travelled a lot in the past years..). This report about SA and the photos are excellent. In case anyone should visit SA I recommend a trip in September/October, especially when you want to visit the game parks (since it is not too hot the animals walk around and you have the chance to get gorgeous photos). Please, avoid the huge hotels, because SA offers cute little pensions and B&B for little money. A nice tour took take brilliant photos is the so-called "Garden Route" tour. It starts in Mossel Bay and ends in Grahamstown. Especially during the spring time you have the possibility to take fantastic pictures.

Liebe Grüße aus Deutschland - Claudia -

gordon munro , March 14, 2005; 07:59 P.M.

I have just spent 10 glorious days in Cape Town. Coming from a chilly Northern Hemisphere country like England the climate was heaven on earth for me and I had tanned up a treat by the time I came home. I took many digital pictures on my EOS 20D whilst there and will be going back later this year for more.

It really is a beautiful city - European and African style combined. Some areas look like they need a lick of paint but that is the same everywhere in the world. The food here is wonderful, the people are friendly (just watch for the beggars following you down the street), the views are delightful and take money because you can certainly find some interesting things to buy...........

I took mini cabs to get around the place and I found one Gentleman called Chris who would wait for us when he took us somewhere and not charge us for doing so. A pure breath of fresh air in the world of arrogant taxi drivers. He also advised us where to go and gave us his mobile number to call him whenever we needed a lift. A very decent man indeed. Thanks Chris.

I took many fine shots of the street performers who were not only talented but also colourful characters who were more than happy to chat and pose......

Cape Town - I will see you again very soon. Regards, GORDON MUNRO.

yj yan , June 10, 2007; 05:01 A.M.

worth travel place

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Rand Nickerson , June 08, 2008; 07:57 A.M.

Am in South Africa. Been in Zimbabwe and a jaunt to Egypt. It has been 3 months here. It is stunningly beautiful but definitely are dangers that you are constantly reminded of. The crime here is increasing and political situation in Zimbabwe is having large implications for South Africa. Traveling by car. Noticed no recent posts on SA and wondered if any other photographers are here from states. Wish i was shooting film here but just 2 expensive when shooting this much for this long. So many subjects.

1DS Mark 2 16-600mm 2.8 canon Ls Miller carbon Sticks miller 25 head, bogen grip head Canon XHA1, Canon HV20

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