Cruising South Africa

By Chris Robinson

The country is a bucket-list destination that does not disappoint, but it’s a vast, sprawling country that is not the easiest to explore independently. For anyone looking for a way to experience the best of South Africa while travelling in style and with local guides, cruising is the answer.

Over the years, South Africa has become a successful cruise destination, offering a different twist on the usual, land-based vacations. A cruise is luxurious, often all-inclusive and safe. It allows you to hit all the essential South African experiences — cities, safari, local culture and incredible landscapes — easily. I chose the Azamara Quest and its Indian Ocean Adventure itinerary, departing Cape Town in February 2020.

AZAMARA QUEST © CHRIS ROBINSON

CAPE TOWN

I went from the depths of the Canadian winter to the soothing warmth of summer in the Southern Hemisphere with just one 15-hour flight. The final glide into Cape Town International Airport was a reminder of why the city is ranked among the world’s most spectacular for its physical setting. It subsides into the Southern Ocean with Table Mountain shredding the clouds and makes a picturesque entry point for the Rainbow Nation. Most South African cruises depart Cape Town, which provides an opportunity for pre-departure sightseeing in the area. I stayed in the seaside community of Simon’s Town on False Bay, about an hour from the city. As we arrived, my driver said, “Mind the penguin!” and sure enough, a diminutive fellow waddled by us to reach its evening burrow. South Africa abounds in such remarkable moments.

VIEW FROM THE CABLE CAR OVER LION’S HEAD, CAPE TOWN

Over the next few days, I immersed myself in penguin encounters. The African penguin colony here is 3,000 strong, and it is possible to get up close and personal to these delightful creatures simply by strolling along the coastal trails. At the Boulders Beach African Penguin Colony, I hiked the boardwalks intersecting the main colony on the beach and watched various stages of penguin life, from courting and mating to egg sitting and young rearing. It was riveting.

One more reason for spending time on False Bay was to tick off another item from my bucket list — a shark cage dive. The steel cage hung over the side of the small boat seemed insubstantial as I entered in dive gear through a trap door on top. This is prime feeding territory for great white sharks, which congregate in the cold waters surrounding an offshore rock called Seal Island. Ominous shapes prowled through the murky waters, sending the Cape fur seals scattering. It was astonishing how quickly these huge sharks appeared from the depths and vanished just as fast.

GREAT WHITE SHARK SWIMMING VERY CLOSE TO A DIVING CAGE

I also took a few days to explore life in Cape Town, which has evolved from a port at the end of the earth to a cosmopolitan city with an intriguing cultural mélange. Sightseeing highlights include the gorgeous Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, the high-energy Townships, the former penal colony, Robben Island, and taking a cable car to Table Mountain. For me, the standout was a tour of the colourful streets of Bo-Kaap, the old Malay quarter, and the Iziko Museums, which explain how different cultures came together in this remarkable place. But South Africa is much more than just Cape Town. I was keen to see more as I boarded the Azamara Quest and set sail to explore other parts of the country as I watched the sun set behind Table Mountain while sipping a sundowner in the ship’s bar.

STREET VIEW OF COLOURFUL BO-KAAP HOUSES

© SOUTH AFRICA TOURISM

PORT ELIZABETH

Rounding the southern tip of Africa, Port Elizabeth was our first stop on the coast of the Indian Ocean. The city has now been renamed Gqeberha (pronounced kabear-ha) and boasts a Napoleonic fortress and the elegant St. Mary’s Cathedral. It is also the terminus of the famed Garden Route and is known for its urban beaches.

FLOWERING ALOES IN THE KIRSTENBOSCH GARDEN

Like many passengers onboard, my sights were set on the seamless safari excursions available from our luxury liner. A full-day safari to Addo Elephant National Park, just a half-hour from the port, offered wildlife encounters of every kind. True to its name, elephants had a starring role here. We gazed in awe as single adults with mighty tusks crossed the track beside us. We spent time watching a family group nearby enjoying the cooling waters of a waterhole, the adults squirting water over the cute calves. Warthogs, ostriches, kudu, buffalo, zebra, baboons, exotic bird species and even the endemic flightless dung beetle provided more memorable encounters.

ELEPHANTS COOLING DOWN IN A POOL OF WATER IN ADDO ELEPHANT NATIONAL PARK

DURBAN

As South Africa’s third-largest city and the biggest in the KwaZulu-Natal province, visitors appreciate Durban’s rich cultural flavours, as seen in its various markets, such as the Herb Market, Bead Market and Victoria Street Market. Zulu rickshaw pullers in traditional dress parade along the Golden Mile beachfront.

THE SANI PASS INTO SOUTH AFRICA

I met with my local guide, Sotiris, on the quayside for an expedition through the Zulu countryside to the highest mountains in South Africa — the Drakensberg — and then up and over the highest drivable (a term used loosely) pass into Lesotho, a country surrounded by South Africa. The power of our Land Rover came into play as we negotiated along the boulder-strewn gravel road with several washedout sections and hairpin bends until we reached the summit of Sani Pass (2,876 metres).

A COUPLE PRACTICING DRUMMING IN THE KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCE

© SOUTH AFRICA TOURISM

Driving into Lesotho, the road continued to rise to 3,240 metres in the midst of mountain peaks and high, dry mountain moorlands, punctuated by Basotho conical thatched villages where we received a warm welcome. When heading back, we paused at the Sani Mountain Lodge and visited what is billed as “Africa’s Highest Pub.”

RICHARDS BAY

The subtropical town of Richards Bay was founded during the Zulu Wars of the 19th century. It’s the deepest harbour in Africa, making it a natural port of call for cruise ships. From here, trips fanned out to the Shakaland Cultural Village for an immersive Zulu cultural experience; to iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its hippos and crocodiles; and to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, where I decided to continue my safari adventures. Here, at Africa’s first established wilderness area, we were in search of the rare white rhino. Our guide, Bheki, found animals and birds in abundance among the rolling savannah hills, including a baby giraffe and its mother. Then, towards the end of the day, we saw her — a massive rhinoceros grazing on grasses. She sensed our presence and peered myopically through the bush at us as we returned her gaze. After our final South African port, we sailed for Madagascar. But it was March 2020, and the world was abruptly closing its ports to cruise ships — a story for another time.