As you're going to be spending quite a bit of time in the saddle here, I thought you might like to know some of the things that make South Africa, South Africa! There is a great deal to learn about this beautiful and vibrant country.

Click here to read a short history of South Africa and it's people.

General facts and statistics:

The Republic of South Africa covers 1 228 376 square kilometres (763 276 square miles) in area. This makes South Africa larger than the surface area of the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France, and Germany combined. The country is divided into 9 provinces:

· Gauteng (Central administrative region, incorporating Johannesburg and Tshwane, formerly known as Pretoria)
· Mpumalanga
· North-west Province (Bordering Namibia)
· Limpopo Province (Bordering Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique)
· Northern Cape (Most arid and remote of the provinces; bordering Namibia)
· Free State Province (Incorporating Bloemfontein.)
· Western Cape (Home to some of the world’s most beautiful locations. It incorporates Cape Town, landing place of the first Dutch settlers.)
· Eastern Cape (Incorporating Port Elizabeth and East London.)
· Kwazulu-Natal (Incorporating Durban.)

The country's population of 45 000 000 comprise an ethnic blend as fantastic as it is diverse. African, Caucasian, Indian, Cape Malay and many others blend nearly seamlessly together to form a united culture unlike any other in the world.

Situated at the southern tip of Africa, South Africa contains a wide diversity of climatic regions that contribute to its renowned beauty. Cape Town (at 35 degrees South) lies on a similar latitude to Sydney and Buenos Aires. Off the West Coast, the cold Benguela current of the Atlantic Ocean produces arid scrubland conditions in the Northern Cape, changing to a summer rainfall, grassland type region in the central highlands. A series of mountain ranges divides the country from North to South. Along the Eastern sides of these ranges, the climate ranges from sub-tropical to Mediterranean. The warm Indian ocean provides for high rainfall which sustains our forests, lakes and rivers. The Cape areas experience rain in winter.

All this results in one of the most pleasant countries on the planet to ride a motorcycle and indulge in a new voyage of self-discovery every day:

- The countryside offers truly magnificent, unspoiled scenery, ranging from desert wilderness to tropical rain forests.
- Our favourable weather conditions are unmatched almost anywhere. Relatively low rainfall compared to the Americas and Europe, combined with our high latitude means that our summer season is very long, and our winters far more agreeable than the European variety. This makes South Africa an ideal year-round retreat.
- Competitive exchange rates allow us to offer excellent hotelry and other services at value for money that cannot be matched elsewhere.
- Local touring is inexpensive. South Africa has not been as badly affected by oil price increases as most of Europe; thus you will find petrol (gasoline) and food at prices that compare quite favourably to European tourist destinations.
- The majority of our tarred roads are high quality and well-maintained with relatively little traffic.

Possible destinations for stop-overs include:
- Ostrich and crocodile farms.
- Surfing beaches.
- A variety of spelunking sites, including the famous Cango Caves.
- White-water rafting.
- Mountain biking.
- Bungee jumping.
- A plethora of wine farms, with their own dedicated tours.

Hospitality is an in-bred part of the South African way of life, and the majority of South Africans will do anything they can to assist you.