South Africa is a vibrant country, the Rainbow Nation is a place of incredible diversity and contrast in every way, both good and bad. The ever changing landscape and distinctive cultures make South Africa one of the most amazingly varied countries on earth. The gulf in living standards is the harsher side of South Africa that shouldn’t be forgotten.

For climbers, South Africa is nothing short of world class. There is everything from spectacular multi pitch sandstone and superb tufas to immaculate granite slabs and bullet hard quartzite walls. The locations, environment and quality of the climbing is absolutely stunning. Despite all this, South Africa doesn’t seem that popular with international climbers any more. We only met one other pair of foreign climbers on our whole trip, and that was in Rocklands, the country’s most famous venue.

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