Recently in South Africa Category

If you're in Cape Town and in search of some local history, there are few better places to start than the Castle of Good Hope. In addition to its auspicious name, it's also the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa, dating back to the days when the Dutch East India Company used the area as a maritime replenishment station. Built between 1666 and 1679, the star-shaped fort quickly became the center of civilian, military, and administrative life on the Cape. Visitors today can marvel at the six-foot thick walls of this unique pentagonal fortification, along with its five bastions, perfectly situated to repel attacks by both land and sea. A national monument since 1936, the fort houses the regional headquarters of the South African Army in the Western Cape, the famous William Fehr Collection of historic artwork, the Castle Military Museum (filled with Cape-made furniture and ceramics) and ceremonial facilities for traditional Cape Regiments. Like most respectable European castles of its era, the Castle of Good Hope even has its own moat, portions of which were excavated and filled with water during recent renovations. No need to swim it, though, as guided and self-guided tours of the castle are available. The Castle of Good Hope is convenient to two Starwood hotels, the Westin Grand Cape Town Arabella Quays and the Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa.

South Africa is known around the world as an amazing place to view wildlife, and the southern coastal city of Cape Town is no exception. Teeming with flora and fauna from the ocean waters to its highest peaks, it contains a diverse sample of the continent's most fascinating creatures. Visitors hoping for an up-close view of some of the country's most beautiful birds need look no further than the World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest bird park in Africa. With over 3,000 birds and small animals contained in more than 100 spacious walk-through aviaries, there's no better place to encounter everything from lovebirds and lorikeets to peafowl and parrots (pictured) in their natural environments. Among the park's animal celebrities are the flamboyant crowned cranes, which love to show off their plumage to visitors, and the bald and scarlet ibis, which are making a big comeback thanks to the park's breeding program. Once you've seen all the birds you can handle, pay a visit to the monkey enclosure. There, you'll find a friendly community of squirrel monkeys who are as curious about you as you are about them. It's a wildlife experience to last a lifetime, and the best part is, you're back in the city in time for a gourmet dinner. The museum is located in the Hout Bay Valley, a short drive from the Westin Grand Cape Town Arabella Quays.

[Image via World of Birds]

Since some of the finest fossils in the world are regularly recovered in Africa, it makes sense that one of the finest archaeological museums should be located there. The Transvaal Museum of Natural History in Pretoria has one of the most extensive collections of Plio-Pleistocene fossils to be found anywhere, a group which includes the earliest hominids unearthed from the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. But in addition to saying hi to some distant relatives, you can also marvel at the painstakingly preserved remains of mammals, birds, reptiles, and other scary prehistoric creatures that inhabited Africa long before people came along. Those traveling with children should make an appointment with the Discovery Center, in which the little ones get a hands-on experience with some of the museum's more interesting fossils and the tools used to unearth them. The Transvaal Museum is a short jaunt from the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel.

There's a lot to see in South Africa's capital city of Pretoria. Whether you want to learn about the country's history and culture or experience its famed wildlife at close range, you can do it all just a few minutes away from the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel.

The National Cultural History Museum (pictured), for example, offers a fascinating window into the social history of the city and country. The collection begins with the early Stone Age and travels through the Iron Age and up to the present. A short drive away from the museum is the 100-year-old Pretoria Zoo, with a collection of animals that includes koalas, gorillas, and lions. The largest zoo in the country, it also features the Aquarium and Reptile Park, the country's largest inland marine aquarium. For those who want get out into actual bush, no less than six nature preserves can be found in and around the city. The Groenkloof Nature Reserve, located just five kilometers from the city center, is South Africa's oldest nature reserve. Stocks of animals were depleted in the years following its founding in 1894, but recent efforts have reintroduced zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, ostrich, kudu, and impala. Families with kids will enjoy Rietfontein Nature Reserve, which has special learning tours for children as well as plenty of small game such as duikers (small antelope), mountain reebok (a gazelle, not a shoe), and cat-like creatures called genets. After a long day of African adventure, repair to the Sheraton for a drink in Tiffens Bar and Lounge and toast your discoveries.

[image via National Cultural History Museum]