FiFa World cup costumes
The FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) World Cup, one of the world’s premier sporting events, will be held in South Africa from June 11-July 11, 2010. Approximately 450,000 football fans are anticipated to swamp South Africa to witness this event. If you plan to attend, it would be wise to visit some of South Africa’s gorgeous tourist destinations during your stay. Following is a guide to the Drakensberg mountain range, which is one of the most formidable tourist destinations in the nation.
The Drakensberg mountain range is the highest mountain range in South Africa. Its peaks are 3,482 meters. Situated in the eastern region of South Africa and extending for approximately 1,000 kilometers from south-west to north-east, its largest area is in KwaZulu-Natal Province. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) declared this mountainous region, which is also referred to as the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, a World Heritage Site in 2000. It covers 243,000 hectares.
The basaltic mountains are known for their beautiful animals and plants. It is home to 299 recorded species of birds, according to Mary Alexander’s “Drakensberg: Barrier of Spears”. The rare Southern white rhino and the black wildebeest live at The Drakensberg, as do many other wild animals.
Many caves can be found in the Drakensberg in which the San people lived thousands of years ago. Famed for its intricate rock paintings that show the day-to-day life and religion of the Bushmen, it is home to the largest collection of rock paintings in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Drakensberg provides you with a variety of interesting things to do during your visit. Those with an adventurous streak may be interested in rock-climbing or abseiling, or maybe even white-water rafting. However if hiking is more your speed, there are plenty of hiking trails in the Drakensberg to satisfy the most avid of hikers – from the highest peak of Thabana Ntlenyana, to the lower peaks like Cathedral’s Peak. Riding horses and watching birds are other activities.
When searching for places to stay in the Drakensberg, there are a lot of luxurious 5-star hotels, game lodges and guesthouses to pick from. There is no doubt that you will find affordable accommodations there, with choices like the grass-thatched Antbear Guesthouse, the Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse in the Kamberg Valley, the tree-houses of Sycamore Avenue, etc.
It would certainly be an excellent time to pay a visit to the Drakensberg to take in its magnificence, since South Africa’s dry winter season occurs in June and July. Seeing the magnificent range of mountains will make the memory of your football pilgrimage to South Africa last a lifetime.
