South Africa… exploring the rainbow nation

There’s something about South Africa that makes each experience worth the trip. The scenic beauty of its landscape, the ever-welcoming people, their rich cultural heritage and the variety of wines and cuisines… you can’t help but love the rainbow Nation.

South African Tourism in partnership with Infinix Nigeria recently hosted Nigerian singer, Adekunle Gold, Nigerian TV Presenter and Influencer, Stephanie Coker, Ghanaian Actor and Actresses, Joselyn Dumas and Jackie Appiah, Mawuli Gavor critically acclaimed Nigerian Filmmaker, Kemi Adetiba, Bloggers and OAPs from Nigeria and Ghana, Tosin Ajibade, Noble Ezeala, Ono Bello, Ameyaw Debrah, Osi, Kemi Smallz, Lexis Bill, Eugune, and Francis Doku and Media Guru, Colette Otusheso on a 10-day trip to explore the offerings of South Africa.

One thing you are sure to experience in South Africa is luxurious accommodation with views that just starts your day right. From the Drakensberg Sun Resort in Drakensberg with the mountain views to Protea Hotels in Clarens with the swimming pools and the Davinci Hotel in Nelson Mandela Square – J’Burg, which is perfect for shopping.  

In South Africa, there’s something for everyone; you can relax, stay in beautiful properties, as well as experience wines and cuisines that will leave you coming back again and again.

With only 6 hours away, the group arrived Johannesburg and set off on a road trip to ‘home’ for the next few days; Drakensberg Sun Resort. With fresh mountain air and awestruck views, the resort is situated high in the dramatic landscapes of Drakensberg also known as ‘the dragon mountain’.

After time spent on a plane and on a bus, rejuvenating spa sessions with complimentary drinks at the Champagne Sport Resorts was the perfect welcome to kick-start the tour. After the pampering, came the food; the in-house cuisine at the Drakensberg Sun Resort was absolutely amazing and quintessentially South African.  

There’s no better way to take in the awe-inspiring and truly magnificent landscape of Drakensberg than going on a horse ride. The group was definitely excited about the horse-back riding experience and was even more thrilled to go on a canoe ride on the Drakensberg’s lake.

Next stop for the group was the Cathedral Peak Wine Estate. A must do when in South Africa is wine tasting, and when in Drakensberg, a must visit is the Cathedral Peak Wine Estate. The vineyards of this wine estate are simply magnificent, and the view is even more magical. The group got to sample some of the best of South African wine served with cheese and grapes over happy talks and bonding. For Adekunle Gold and Stephanie Coker, the wine tasting was the highlight of their trip.

Being the Centenary of Nelson Mandela, the group took a long walk on the path to freedom as they visited the Nelson Mandela Capture Site. In 1952, Nelson Mandela was apprehended for his anti-Apartheid activism acts and a cultural and historical exhibition was set up at the site in his honor. The sculpture at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site comprises of 50 steel columns that were laser cut to form an image of Mandela when viewed at the correct angle. The walk to the capture site was a monumental moment for the group as they got a deeper insight on the fight of Mandela for the freedom of the people of South Africa.

Ready for another road trip, the group was back on the tour bus and it was goodbye Drakensberg and hello Clarens.  The small town of Clarens – just a 3 to 4 hours drive from Johannesburg- is situated at the foothill of the magnificent Maloti Mountian. Clarens welcomed the guests with beautiful sun kisses, and something to get the blood pumping – Quad Biking and Zip Lining at Clarens Xtreme.

The Basotho Cultural Village, located at the foot of huge sand stone mountains, would take you through time, highlighting the lifestyle of the people of South Sotho from the 16th century to the present. The group was welcomed into the khotla, the gathering place of men and had a sip of the traditional beer offered as a gesture of the Basotho hospitality.

Ready to explore more, the crew hit the beautiful streets of Soweto, where Adekunle Gold couldn’t help but beat box to the music of one of the locals. Like they say, music is a universal language.

Next stop was the Mandela House, also known as the Nelson Mandela National Museum. The Mandela family’s four-roomed Soweto home houses various memorabilia, artworks, awards and honorary doctorate conferred on Nelson Mandela and his family, as well as photographs of the family dating back to the 1950s.

Mandela had lived here from 1946 to 1962, and the now museum houses the history on the life of Mandela featuring his works on promoting human rights, democracy, reconciliation, mutual respect and tolerance amongst the people of South Africa. The group couldn’t help but feel the spirit of Mandela still lived on.

The year 2018 had been a long walk through history for the people of South Africa as it marked the 100th year of the birth of Nelson Mandela and to further honor his legacy, the Global Citizens Festival put together the Mandela 100 concert at the FNB Stadium, Johannesburg as part of one of the biggest campaigns to end extreme poverty across the world.

With Trevor Noah as the host and performance by A-list artists such as Beyoncé and Jay Z, Usher, Ed Sheeran, Pharrell, and Nigeria’s Wizkid, Femi Kuti, D’banj, Tiwa Savage andothers. The ever welcoming and hospitable people of South Africa hosted over 70,000 visitors from different parts of the world for the festival. The guests were thrilled to be a part of such historical event.

No better way to end a fun filled trip than a time out shopping at the beautiful Sandton Mall. The moments and memories made on the trip were also captured on the Infinix Zero 6.