South Africa in its westernized form is a young country compared to Europe. If we look at older civilizations then South Africa ranks amongst one of the oldest sites of human occupation. The famous “cradle of humankind” has signs that humans lived in this region tens of thousands of years ago. African civilizations grew and decayed in Southern Africa, leaving behind only their beautiful rock art and shattered personal belongings.
It is really only the arrogance of Western thought that leads to the misconception that Africa was uncivilized before being colonized. In truth, African civilizations created impressive cities and used advanced trade routes to barter goods a long time before European ships arrived on her shores. A few stone remnants are all that remain of these cities and their residents left no written records as to where they went.
Exploring South Africa gives you the unique chance to dig into the roots of humankind itself and to discover your own origins.