South Africa became the envy of every “footy”-loving nation when it was dubbed host city for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Come summer, nine locations scattered around the country, including the three capitals, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria, will host the extremely popular football tournament (soccer, to us North Americans), each with its own unique and impressive stadiums. “South Africa is known to pull rabbits out of its hat… I think [it’s] going to pull out all the stops,” says Moira Smith, general manager for Africa at Goway travel and a South African herself. “It being the largest sporting event in the world, there is no doubt that they are going to put on their absolute shiniest faces.”

The country itself has a long-time relationship with the sport, which can be traced back to Pietermaritzburg County, which, in 1879, was the first recognized team. In the 15 years since the South African football team became integrated, the country’s national side, Bafana Bafana (The Boys), have qualified for two FIFA World Cup finals and also won the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1996.

For soccer fans, June/July 2010 is the perfect time to explore what South Africa has to offer, the variety of which is staggering. After taking in a match or two, visitors can explore on safari or sightsee at a variety of breathtaking locations. “It is also a peak time for game viewing because the grasses are low and the animals are moving,” says Smith. “If they go up to Victoria Falls the water is in full flood, so you’re seeing the region at its best.”

For those hoping to avoid the rowdy football crowds altogether, the hospitality and improved services the World Cup brings will remain long after the last pint is chugged and the final hooligan has settled down. One way to see the region is through Expo Cruises and Tours, on the travel company’s South Africa, Victoria Falls and Golf Safari trip, on board the Rovos Rail Pride of Africa luxury train. The tour, offered in Spring 2011, provides a thorough southern Africa experience for animal, golf, wine and history buffs, with stops in some of the most picturesque places in the region.

JOHANNESBURG
Jo’burg is a city steeped in cultural and political history. Home to Constitution Hill, the location of South Africa’s Constitutional Court, and the site of Johannesburg’s Old Fort Prison complex (where thousands of ordinary people and notable political activists were jailed), it’s a cosmopolitan city with traditional roots on its doorstep.

Johannesburg’s Soweto area has one of the most influential and violent histories of the apartheid era. It began as one of the largest informal settlements in South Africa and is now a sprawling metropolis of 3.5 million people. Soweto was the location of the 1976 Student Uprising and is also where you’ll find Vilakazi Street (see sidebar on next page). The local apartheid museum is a popular attraction that puts your whole trip into context. “It really is an uplifting experience,” says Smith. “You come out feeling, [like] ‘Wow this is fantastic — what was before and what is now.’”

Just outside of Johannesburg is historical Lesedi Village. On the tour, you will travel back into South Africa’s colourful past, which maintains a place in the present. Enjoy a song-and-dance performance and a traditional African feast after visiting Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi and Sotho villages.

GOLFING AND GAME VIEWING
When one thinks about African travel, 18 holes don’t immediately come to mind. But one of the things setting this tour apart from others is its focus on South Africa’s spectacular golf opportunities. “As a happy hacker myself, I like to play golf erratically in every respect of the word,” says Smith. “There are a number of championship golf courses. The weather is perfect and there is space, so it is ideally suited for golfing.” And being carried from course to course by train is pure luxury — the tour stops at five different high-end golf courses in places like Durban and Sun City.

This region is also great for game-viewing. “If you speak to anyone who has been to Africa, a highlight is always going on safari,” says Smith. One of the most well-known places to do so is Kruger National Park. The expert rangers whisk you off on game drives, tracking wildlife in their natural habitat. No surprise, the area also has historical significance. Near the Champagne Sports Resort are the Anglo-Boer war battlefields. After all that sightseeing and physical exertion — no matter if the source was golf, game or war tourism — it is a comfort to know that your fully restored train car awaits to lull you to sleep.