If you read this in search of Best Places in South Africa this probably indicates that you know South Africa as a great country and that you are considering traveling there. Get Going! South Africa is a beautiful place! South Africa is such unique that many people call it The World in a Country. And that's right! S-A is the perfect mix of the best in every corner of the globe. It is unlike any other place.
The country is rich in wildlife, beautiful and raw landscapes and everything you need for a relaxing and exciting holiday. List some good South African places to explore and this list will never disappoint you. South Africa consists of multiple ethnic groups. The area is rich in cultures, religious traditions and languages.
Besides the wine, the town is renowned here. The country currently produces the biggest amount of gold in the world. South Africa offers lots of attractions. One can explore breathtaking scenery on this picturesque desert, amazingly filled with nature and wildlife. Here are some excellent sights of South Africa to visit.
01. CAPE TOWN BEACHES
We don’t always have great beach scenes in the city center, however Cape Town has an important exception. The extensive stretch of Bloubergstrand is great for kitesurfing, while the beaches of Clifton's affluent region offer secluded escape under the protection of large rock. But the most popular section of beach is the white sands of Camp Bay.
Water has the same cool temperature as trendy cocktails served on beaches. It is a great place for sunsets and an amazing tourist destination for South Africa. Itinerary // We have 5-days in Capetown. It is an amazing place.
02. Stellenbosch, Western Cape
Stellenbosch is South Africa's most beautiful city. Featuring farms, old oak forests, and whitewash Cape Dutch houses the town is one of the best preserved cities of the Dutch East India Company era. Currently, they are an academic village with thriving character and spectacular surroundings.
Food lovers will enjoy it. Stellenbosch houses the best South African restaurants and several sidewalk cafés. History buffs can visit the Stellenbosch Village Museum for an ancient tour of four renovated houses dating back to 1709 to 1851.
03. Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces
The Kruger Nationalpark is arguably one of the best wildlife reserves in the world, and the earliest in South Africa. The famous Park is definitely worth visiting in any South African travel itinerary.
The park is about 3.5 or 4.5 hours drive from Joburg and offers visitors the opportunity to visit the Five Big Five: elephant lion, leopard and rhino. There are also ruins and San – Bushman rock paintings. You can visit the vast Kruger National Park by navigating a sealed road network.
04. Kgalagadi (Kalahari) Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape
Kgalagadis transfrontier park is a fusion of South Africas Kalahari Gemsbok NationalPark and Botswana Gemsbok National Park. Established in 2000, the site is Africas first officially declared Transfrontière park and the most visited destination in the Northern Cape.
Gnarled camel trees, red sands and goldgrassland create a striking backdrop for your photos. Amongst the vast variety of wildlife, this vast conservation area is home to the famed Black-Maned Kalahari Lion.
05. South Africa Wine Region: Stellenbosch and Franschhoek
South Africa has become a famous world-class wine region and is the ideal spot to visit the vineyard and sample some wines in the wonderful region between Stellenbosch Paarl and Fransch. It is very convenient to reach in a few short drives from Cape Town.
Stellenbosch and Paarl are large cities but I don't really know how worthwhile a trip would be. The nearby winesries and surrounding landscape are very worth seeing :) We love this charming little town that has white buildings, quaint hills and an intimate feel to it. This wonderful place is worth visiting in South Africa! TIPS: Avoid drinking and driving!
06. GARDEN ROUTE COASTLINE
A 200km stretch of coast formed by the Garden Route provides a journey that provides a staggering variety of scenery and activity. Coast cliffs lined with trails descend to lush virgin beaches and rushing sea waves.
The four-hour walk on the Robberg Peninsula is an incredible chance to see Seals, Dolphins and other wildlife. The gardens trail includes a short section of the Otter Path that takes you 42 kilometers to visit exotic seaside waterfalls and cool rock pools.
07. Cape Town, Western Cape
Cape Town is a stunning city. It is surrounded by the nature that nestles between mountains and the ocean. Table Mountain is a mountain with an elevated ridge which looms over the city's centre.
The views can be spectacular, hiking up the mountain or gliding down the cableways. The hike on Lion's Head offers a panoramic view of the city. The spectacular Botanic Garden Kirstenbosch is in UNESCO World Heritage status on its eastern edge Table Mountain. Cape Town is a great place to visit and the coast is bursting with beauty.
08. iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal
Isimagaliso is a Zulus language meaning miracle and wonder.Is an appropriate term for the World Heritage site. Formerly the Greater Saint Lucia Wetland Park, iSimangaliso lies on the northeastern coast of Kwazulu Natal and connects eight interwoven ecosystems, including coral reefs, croc-filled rivers, lakes, tower forests and s The region offers a vast array in terms of fauna, and birds.
Over 526 birds and crocodile species live in the reserve including leatherback turtles and black loggerheads, leopard rhinos and Africa's most prolific hippos and crocodile population.
09. Cape Peninsula (Cape of Good Hope)
Explore with Rose. From Where Rose Goes When in Capetown, an unforgettable visit awaits. The Cape Peninsula, jutting below city, is surrounded by the Cape of Hope Natural Reserve and the Cape Pointe.
It is possible to travel on Cape Peninsula for several hours. This OpTion allows you the freedom of choice to make your own scheduling. Alternately you can take the Capepoint Explorer Bus. Some good stops to visit for a South Cape Peninsula holiday are Muizenberg Beach and Instagrammable beach houses, more of them located farther along at Saint James Beach.
10. Durban's Golden Mile, KwaZulu-Natal
The vast waterfront promenade named Golden Mile has become the most popular tourist attraction in Durban and is an excellent starting point for an interesting tour. Long blond beaches attract swimmers, surfers and anglers, and the lively promenade feels like Miami Beach.
You could wander the promenade or borrow bikes or Segways from this location. Aside from the beach scenes, the best spots along that stretch include UShaka Marine World, an amazing place with water-themed attractions.
11. WINELANDS & ROUTE 62
South African wines are among the world's most valuable foods Signature recipes created using locally grown ingredients in creative fashion decorate the dining room. The culinary quality of the area reaches its zenith in a combination of the hundreds of small South African wines and wine regions a half hour east from Cape Town.
Franschhoek is an excellent destination for wine tasting in the South Africa. Follow the R60 eastward through Robertson Valley to find obscure and less-visited wineries.
12. Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
Is there a need for more safaris in Africa? So for people visiting Durban and St. Lucia, I strongly recommend a day trip at Hluhluluwe iMfolozi park. Despite having less than 2,000 acres, Kruger National Park has a lot more wildlife to offer.
The Big Five of Africa reside there, and naturally, there are many more creatures. TIP: Visit the park on your own or on guided tours from Durban. You might also opt for the tour combining the HluHluwe or the iSi Mangaliso Wet.
13. Pilanesberg National Park
Pilanesberg National Park is probably the easiest and most accessible site for wildlife safaris in South Africa. Pilanesberg Game Reserve is located within an extinct volcanic crater and it’s rich grasses are perfect for animals.
A lake created by Mankwe Dam serves mainly to provide drinking water – an ideal place to view African wildlife. The fauna in these areas includes elephant and zebra. As it's relatively small it's quite easy to find animals, even if you only stay one hour.
14. uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site
The world-class Drakenberg Park, the world heritage site of Ukmhahlaamba, is one of South Africa's best scenic locations with high peaks and hidden valleys. Its 243,000 acres provide an enticing playground for outdoor enthusiasts.
Located just a couple hours away in Durban, Khlamba is at the top of many bucket list in South Africa. Visitors come to visit this place for horseback riding and mountain bike trips.
15. THE TOWNSHIPS
In order to understand Cape Town's population the township tour is an important experience in South Africa. The majority of those workers who built these popular hangout places have stayed in the towns still untouched by the Apartheid legacy.
Join township visits to learn about their developments and talk to residents about the changes to life over the past decade. It is a humbling experience for the people to know that they fight for the basic freedom we have. Read. Visit Cape Townships. VIEW POINTS OF THE CASTLE.
16. Robben Island, Western Cape
In Table Bay, the World Heritage-rated Robben Islands are haunting reminders of apartheid's horrendous crimes. Mandela and his fellow gangmates spent 18 years in the cell in the prison. The most important feature of this experience is that ex-prisoners are usually a guide and share touching firsthand stories of their experiences.
On arrival the island is accompanied in its entirety by multimedia displays in the Nelson Mandela Gateway in Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Sightsmen board a boat at Robben Island, sometimes facing rough water during 30-45-minute rides. Be careful when booking early because it fills fast.
17. Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga
The beautiful Blyde River Canyon Natural Reserve, also known as the Motlatse River Canyon, is a favorite stop along the route between Johannesburg and Kruger National Park. It is the second largest canyon in Africa with many wildlife and plants abound.
Lush, subtropical foliage, waterfall and flowing river lichens create contrasting colors and textures. Game viewing can be surprisingly enjoyable and offers a wide variety of different species of South African primates as well as numerous hippocampals and crocodile endemic species. The best way to visit these stunning parks is via scenic road trips or hikes along the wide paths.
18. Jeffrey's Bay
Jeffreys Bay is an adventurous place to visit south africa. For any surfer in your area, Jeffreys Bay will be your dream destination. The area is internationally renowned where surfing is possible. Jeffery's Bay contains coral reefs, dolphins, and other marine life.
It is going to be exciting for the waterbabies everywhere. Though surfing is the main attraction here you can take in diving, snorkelling, zip-lining and swimming. There's something for everyone here.
19. HLUHLUWE-IMFOLOZI GAME RESERVE
Hluhawe - The Isflozi Game Reserve is often overlooked because it is a bigger neighbor. It's unfortunate, because it provides incredibly good habitat viewing year-long.
The Big Five can be seen in this park and the scenic drive through this forested Safari park gives the opportunity to see rhinos and buffalo in great numbers. Mountain grassland and savannah form a patchwork for lions and a forest vine artery provides an artery for baboons to escape.
20. Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape
Addo Elephant National Park is South Africas third biggest national park. The park was established in 1929 as a means of saving the last 12 bush elephants of the world a century ago. In Eastern Cape, about 72 kilometers north of Port Elizabeth, it houses over 600 elephants.
The ecosystems of the southeastern part of Karoo National Park are interesting too. Aside from elephant populations, the park also contains breeding populations of African penguin and Cape gannet birds.
21. Wild Coast, Eastern Cape
South Africa has one of the best coastlines between East London and Cape Town. The Wild Coast is a spectacular melange between rugged cliffs, blue waters, gold sand, green hills and subtropical rainforests.
The ancestral home of the xhosa people, the village of whom the hills remain covered, was part of Transkei at the end of apartheid and was among four regions at the time declared separate from South Africa. When Apartheid ceased the country joined the East Cap Province of the Cape Province.
22. Madikwe Game Reserve, North West Province
Less famous and crowded than some of South African's best parks, Madikwe Game Reserve is within North-West Province close to Botswana's border area. It is situated near the Kalahari Desert and offers stunning scenery. Besides this there is a large swarm of animal life.
South Africa's fifth biggest park lies four hours drive north of Johannesburg and can be reached by air or by bush planes. There are some safari lodges within the fence that range from high end like Jamal Mahawi. Five offers opportunities to experience rare animals, such as African wild dogs and Big 5s.
23. APARTHEID MUSEUM
Opening in 2001 the apartheid museum in Johannesburg contains an harrowing but moving history from apartheid. In a presentation of social implications based on race separation, the book utilizes a diverse array of audiovisual media to tell this tale. Most chilling and inspiring are the stories of apartheid victimry and the struggles to achieve democratic freedom.
Apart from its important message the museums also represent an achievement in architecture and use the interior and exterior spaces in a unique South African experience.
24. West Coast National Park
The West Coast National Park has become the favourite of local residents for more than two hours, so come into warm weather and it'll be busy. It has beautiful coastline, beautiful walks along beautiful trails, wildlife. Spring (August – September) is an ideal time to view flowers, and the park is likely more busy.
West Coast National Park can be described as an absolute jewel. This is no must-see for South Africa for short-term travelers, but if you're visiting Cape Town with just one full day left to spare, definitely go! TIP: The facilities don't really exist here, it's all a natural experience.
25. Cape Agulhas – Southernmost Tip Of Africa
Cape Agulha, South African country is so distant from any other landmarks in South African and major tourist routes that its importance has not been rewarded. What an amazing location! The place at which two oceans meet feels like the world ends.
The best way to visit Cape Agulhas is to visit it when you travel from Cape Town to Garden Route. We have done it one day and stopped here while driving from Knysna to Cape Town and it took us quite a bit of time. TIP: It is recommended to leave the car and spend one night at Cape Agulhas or in the vicinity of Hermanus or Gansbaai.
26. Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape
Surfers flock to Jeffrey's Bay from May to August to try and hang 10 on South Africa's biggest break: Supertube. Known as J- Bay is an excellent surfing destination and hosts several important competitions. In swells, the right-handed breaks may reach up to 300 meters.
In addition it is known for its length and rapid tube structure, and consistency in its construction. Jeffery's Bay is located in Eastern Cape, around 75 km northwest of Port Elizabeth. Generally, during the season between December and February the winds die down and the oceans warm and this shore can also be used for swimming or for body surfing.
27. Namaqua National Park & Namaqualand
Namaqualand National Park close to the border with Namibia, are far from most other tourist attractions of South Africa. This is really the hidden gem of South Africa. Springtime transforms dusty valleys to mystical wildflower oases.
The entire place covers a colorful flower carpet which attracts both locals and international tourists alike. If you want a trip out of town in August-September, you might want this unique country on your itinerary.
28. Royal Natal National Park
Enjoy a one or two-day hike to the Amphitheater and explore UKhahlamba Drakensberg Park and the Royal Natal National Park, home to Tugela Falls, the second-highest waterfall in the world.
Th National Park which shelters a beautiful amphitheater, a source of many Africa's main river. This place is home to a rich diversity of wildlife and over 800 species of flowers, adding more beauty to this place.
29. Botswana's Gemsbok National Park
This park was formed by merging two different parks which are the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and Botswana's Gemsbok National Park. Situated in the remote region of South Africa's Northern Cape, this park was established in the year 2000. This is also Africa's first officially declared Transfrontier Park.
30. Garden Route National Park
Garden Route National Park is a road trip with a staggering array of scenery and activities. The Garden Route Aloes blooming at the Garden Route National Park Along the country's southeast coast, the Garden Route runs for about 200 kilometers through some of South Africa's most breathtaking coastal scenery. Garden Route National Park is a road trip with a staggering array of scenery and activities.
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