From the field
Stories, comparisons and seasonal updates from across South Africa and its neighbours.
Our 2026 honest best-of South Africa list
Top 10 destinations, top 10 experiences, five things to skip, and five mistakes first-timers make. An unfiltered 2026 editorial on South Africa.
The shark-net debate flares again on the KZN coast
The KZN Sharks Board's beach protection programme faces renewed pressure in 2026. The bycatch data, the alternatives tested elsewhere, and the visitor context.
Lens kit for an RSA photographic safari
What lens kit works in a Kruger or Sabi Sands vehicle in 2025 — telephoto realities and what most safari photography guides get wrong.
The new South African e-Visa — what changed
South Africa's e-Visa system expanded substantially in 2025. New eligible nationalities, revised processing times, and the practical steps for applications.
A heritage week — Soweto, Constitution Hill, Robben Island
A week tracing apartheid history through Soweto, Constitution Hill, and Robben Island — what moved us, what was difficult, and the right order to do it.
The two-day Tugela Falls hike
We hiked to the top of Tugela Falls in April 2025 — the chain ladders, the summit plateau, and what we wish we had known before starting.
Should you base in Cape Town or the Winelands
Basing in Stellenbosch or Franschhoek versus Cape Town for a week — the real tradeoffs in access, cost, and how you spend your time.
Our 2025 vetted list of ethical safari operators
Operators vetted against conservation credentials, community benefit structures, and a strict exclusion list. Who made it, who didn't, and why.
Namaqualand 2024 — best week we've ever seen
September 2024 in Namaqualand was exceptional — early rains, peak bloom, and three days chasing wildflowers along the N7. What we saw and the exact timing.
Whales arrived late in Hermanus this year
The 2024 southern right whale season at Hermanus started three to four weeks later than the long-term average. What happened and what it means for planning.
Mountain biking with zebras in Mlilwane
Riding Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary's trails in Eswatini — within metres of zebra, warthog, and hippos, no guide required, no fences between you and the game.
Five days in Kgalagadi — sand, lions, no fences
The Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is the most remote self-drive in South Africa. Five days in the red dunes in September 2023, including what went wrong.
A Cape Malay cooking class in Bo-Kaap
A Saturday morning in Bo-Kaap learning Cape Malay cooking with a family whose great-grandmother cooked from the same recipes. What it was and what it wasn't.
We rebooked Kruger for Addo because of the kids
We switched from Kruger to Addo Elephant Park because of the kids. The malaria question made the decision, and Addo exceeded everything we hoped for.
Vic Falls 2023 — Zim vs Zam after the floods
The 2022–23 season brought record Zambezi flows to Victoria Falls, and the two sides of the Falls offered very different experiences. A post-flood comparison.
The Panorama Route as a day from Kruger
Can you do the Panorama Route as a day trip from a Kruger base? Yes — if you plan the direction, sequence, and timing. Here's the exact route.
Self-driving after dark in South Africa: the honest answer
Every South Africa travel brief says 'don't drive at night.' Here's the detailed breakdown of why, where the real risks are, and what the exceptions are.
A week overlanding through Eswatini
Seven days crossing Eswatini by road — Mbabane to Hlane to Mlilwane to Mkhaya — what the smallest African kingdom looks like from inside.
Cape Town summer vs winter — which is 'better'
Cape Town in December and Cape Town in July are two different cities. A comparison that actually takes a position rather than listing pros and cons.
Three days on a Basotho pony
Three days of pony trekking from Malealea Lodge through Lesotho's highland villages — honest about the physical difficulty, the scenery, and the culture.
A week in Madikwe vs Sabi Sands
Three nights in Madikwe and four in Sabi Sands, back to back, July 2021. An honest comparative account of two premium safari destinations.
Sani Pass with a borrowed Fortuner
The Sani Pass 4x4 climb into Lesotho — what the road is actually like, where most day-trippers turn around, and what's at the top worth the effort.
What an empty Kruger looked like in 2020
Kruger reopened in September 2020 after five months empty. A documentary account of what the near-empty park revealed about wildlife behaviour.
Walking through Xhosa villages on the Wild Coast
Three days walking between Xhosa homesteads on the Wild Coast in January 2020 — what the walking trail economy looks like from the inside.
Whale season in Hermanus, day by day
October 2019 in Hermanus: what we saw each day, how the weather affected sightings, and the honest difference between boat trips and the cliffs.
12 self-drive tips for the Garden Route
The Garden Route self-drive is South Africa's most popular road trip. These 12 tips cover what the brochures get wrong about distance, timing, and what to skip.
Joburg is changing — but the conversation isn't
Johannesburg's safety narrative is stuck in 2005. The city has changed substantially. The briefings most travel sites give visitors have not.
Cycling between vineyards in Stellenbosch
A February morning on an e-bike in the Stellenbosch winelands — what worked, what ached, and which estates were worth the detour.
Our first self-drive Kruger week — what we'd do differently
Our first Kruger self-drive had the wrong gate, wrong pace, and wrong tyres. Seven honest lessons from a trip that was still extraordinary.
Why we stopped recommending lion walks at Vic Falls
We used to list lion walks in our Victoria Falls itineraries. We don't anymore. Here's the supply chain logic that changed our minds.