What To Do If You Had 10 Days In South Africa

For the average Nigerian, South Africa is an aspirational place to visit and a home away from home. As paradoxical as it sounds, this is only so because South African tourism has made strategic plans in making Nigerians want to travel to South Africa and feel welcome in the Republic.

Before my first visit here, I knew of Johannesburg; I knew about Cape Town and I wanted to climb the mountain so bad and take pictures just like all the images I’ve seen on Instagram.

So what do you do when you have 10 days in South Africa and Johannesburg is just a stop in your trip and Capetown isn’t even on the list? I’d tell you, you do everything and anything!

Hello Pretoria!

Pretoria is to South Africa what Abuja is to Nigeria, it is calm and still has its hands on the pulse of things. When in Pretoria, you can visit the Union Buildings and high five with the Nelson Mandela statue if you get your angles right. For accommodation, The Regency Apartment Hotel is a cost-effective place to stay. To be candid, hotels are so last season, you want to eat what you want, do your laundry and still feel comfortable.

The Indaba media team at the Statue of Nelson Mandela in front of the Union Building, Pretoria, South Africa

Adventure Time!

If you want to really feel the thrill of adrenaline, then Adventure Cullinan has a sticker with your name on it. Just 30 minutes from Pretoria, you can jump into the array of activities from zip lining to quad biking and even archery. You could very well be your own character in Game of Thrones.

Make We Go Limpopo!

Raise your hand if you just thought Limpopo was the name of Kcee’s hit song? Well, Limpopo is a province in South Africa that offers the best of leisure and adventure.

From paddle boating and a sweet dive in the warm pool at ATKV Klein Kariba to the scary but scintillating experience of the Big 5 at Entabeni Game Reserve. Euphoria Golf & Lifestyle Estate is for the people who enjoy golf and want to detox. If you’re feeling up to it, take the cable car and dine at the top of the mountain.

Game drive at Entabeni Game Reserve | Photo: Chidera Muoka

Durban, my Durban!

The highlight of the journey was experiencing Durban, a melting pot of cultures and the perfect weather all year round to go. During my trip I was fortunate to experience INDABA 2019, take a train ride on one of the most luxurious trains in the world – Rovos Rail. The highlight for me was witnessing the flash mob of Zulu dancers and the teens who gave us the first-hand experience of the South African contemporary dance.

While in Durban if you arrive the city of lights on the first week of July, then you can experience the glitz and glamour of Durban July – a horse race held annually on the first Saturday of July since 1897 at Greyville Racecourse in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.