South Africa is blessed with such a rich heritage of beautiful spaces that hold generations of culture. According to UNESCO who is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, South Africa holds eight of the world’s official heritage sites.
Let’s have a tour, shall we?
Robben Island (Western Cape). Known for the incarceration of political prisoners, including president Nelson Mandela who was the first democratically elected President of South Africa. Madiba was imprisoned here for 18 of his 27 years in jail.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park (KwaZulu-Natal). Formerly known as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, this heritage spot has one of the largest estuary systems in Africa and plays to the continent’s beautiful southernmost coral reefs.
Cradle of Humankind.(Gauteng) The origin of human existence, anyone? This ancient spot includes fascinating hominid fossil sites and explorable (with professional guides) cave tunnels at Swartkrans, Sterkfontein and Kromdraai.
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Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg Park (KwaZulu-Natal). This park boasts phenomenal natural beauty. Known as Africa’s highest mountain range south of Kilimanjaro, this spot is rich with the continent’s most concentrated series of rock art paintings.
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Cape Floral Kingdom (Western Cape). This place may seem small but remarkably, this patch of land (0.04% of the earth’s total land area) is one of the most concentrated spots of plant life in the world, containing 3% of all known plant species. This spot is known for being one of the world’s 18 biodiversity hotspots.
Conservation.org
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical LandscapeThis is giving you wild wild west with rolling mountainous desert stretching across the north-western parts of Africa. Get your cowboy hats on for a visit atRichtersveld National Park.
Vredefort Dome (Free State). Two billions years ago a meteorite (stretching 10km wide) struck this spot located about 100km south-west of Johannesburg. The impact was enormous, so much so that today, the site is visited by tourists across the globe.
ALSO SEE:
Airbnb introduces new ways to celebrate SA culture this Heritage Day
Featured Image: Unsplash
