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South Africa Top Tourist Attractions

As one of the world's leading safari destinations, South Africa appeals to a myriad of travellers, family holiday makers and Africa adventure seekers. South Africa combines wildlife safaris, with beach vacations and African cultural inspirations.

Cape Town | Kruger National Park | Garden Route | Johannesburg | UNESCO Sites | Cape Winelands | Golden Beaches | Drakensberg | Wild Coast | West Coast Meander

1. CAPE TOWN

Few cities completely fulfil even the most wildly optimistic expectations of a visitor as Cape Town does. World-class attractions abound: whizz up the cable car to Table Mountain’s plateau for a breath-taking view of the city, visit Robben Island for a humbling glimpse into Nelson Mandela’s 27-year incarceration, admire penguins at Boulders Beach, enjoy the nightlife of Long Street, the shopping at the V&A Waterfront, go whale watching in Hout Bay and take a lazy drive via Chapman’s Peak Drive to Cape Point. Best of all, Cape Town is a charming city replete with eccentricities and friendly locals – making Cape Town a year-round delight to visit.

When to visit?

Cape Town’s weather is Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and mild but rainy winters. Although delightful to visit all year-round the perfect time is March and April when the heat of summer gives way to warm, balmy autumn days. It is often said Cape Town experiences all four seasons in a day!

2. KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

An authentic Africa bush experience awaits in South Africa’s superb game reserves. The Kruger National Park attracts over 750 000 visitors annually, the majority of whom explore the southern half of the 350km long park. Visitors typically explore the Kruger Park in their own vehicle on a self-drive safari, or join an escorted safari tour in search of the Big 5. The borders of Kruger are padded with private game parks offering luxury hotels & safari lodges, 5-star cuisine, and private game rangers. Fly-in safaris are very popular and if you have only a few days to experience an African wildlife safari, this is way to do it!

When to visit?

The best time to visit Kruger National Park and its surrounding safari parks is from May to September when temperatures

are cooler (between 20-26 degrees Celsius), risk of malaria is reduced and animals are concentrated around the waterholes (hidden riverbeds having dried up in the winter months).

3. GARDEN ROUTE

Self-drive visitors will be richly rewarded by spending a week or so exploring the varied sights and splendid scenery along South Africa's famous Garden Route, stretching from Storms River Mouth in the north to Mossel Bay, 200km down the coast. Highlights include Knysna for its forests and great restaurants, Nature’s Valley and Wilderness for its laid-back natural splendour. Plettenberg Bay is a seasonal magnet for the South Africa’s beautiful people; and Oudtshoorn’s nostalgic feather boom era has mapped this bustling town as the world’s Ostrich capital.

When to visit?

The Garden Route gets extremely busy in the peak festive season and around Easter – book Accommodation well in advance. Winter (June to August) is rainy season, with the annual Knysna Oyster Festival held in July.

4. JOHANNESBURG, CITY of GOLD

There is much to see and experience in Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest and most economically important urban centre. The Apartheid Museum is an essential experience, providing a fascinating overview of South Africa’s tortured history. Nearby Gold Reef City provides an interactive insight into its gold mining history with its guided tours down original mineshafts, traditional African gumboot dancers, theme bars and the opportunity to lift a 1kg solid gold ingot. A tour of fascinating SOWETO (home to 2 million predominantly black South Africans), affords visitors the experience and glimpse into ‘township-life’.

When to visit?

At 2000m above sea level the highveld enjoys pleasant summers (maximum temperatures between 26-29 degrees Celsius). Gauteng winters are characterised by cold mornings (4 degrees Celsius, reaching a midday high of 18-21 degrees Celsius). Thus effectively making Johannesburg a year-round destination.

5. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES 
 

South Africa is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a featured highlight complimenting any safari. These include the Cradle of Humankind (on the outskirts of Johannesburg), where the oldest hominid fossils were discovered; Robben Island in Cape Town, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned; Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park in KwaZulu Natal, world renowned for its sensitive biodiversity; the Cape Floral Kingdom surrounding Cape Town, is the smallest area containing the greatest variety of unique indigenous plant life; uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park in KwaZulu Natal, gallery to the world’s richest collection of rock art paintings; Mapungubwe in the South Africa’s northern boundary located on the Limpopo River, is legendary for the gold artefacts unearthed in the remains of this ancient African kingdom dating between 970 to 1290 AD; and Vredefort Dome (an hour’s drive south of Johannesburg), noted for being the world’s greatest meteorite impact site.

When to visit?

• Cradle of Mankind – all year round. Exhibitions are refreshed throughout the year.
• Robben Island – all year round. Advance bookings are essential to avoid disappointment.
• Cape Floral Kingdom – spring and summer are spectacular, from August – October.
  
• Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park – all year round. Combine with a scuba safari, or wildlife safari. 
• uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park – all year round. Rock art enthusiasts are able to view the ancient San rock art in caves and along hiking trails. Maps and guides are available at the Park gates and offices. Spring and summer (Aug-Feb) are popular for hikers, adventure enthusiasts and wild flower lovers.
• Mapungubwe – all year round. Combine with a Kruger Park safari.
• Vredefort Dome – all year round. Adventure enthusiasts and geologists will find this area fascinating. 

6. CAPE WINELANDS

Only a short drive from Cape Town you can explore numerous delightful wine farms clustered around the fascinating settlements of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl. Framed by rolling valleys and snow dusted mountain peaks, wine farms such as Spier, Delvera and Simonsberg prove irresistible to epicures and wine lovers alike. Franschhoek has laid claim to being South Africa’s cuisine capital with its abundance of award winning restaurants and boutique coffee shops. A day trip will leave you thirsting for more so plan to spend a few days here – exploring, eating and marvelling at your leisure.

When to visit?

The Winelands are best visited in the summer and spring months (November to April) when warm days permit open-air picnics and leisurely wine tasting sessions.

7. GOLDEN BEACHES

With 2500 km of coastline, South Africa has an abundance of fine beaches and glorious surf spots. Durban is the destination of choice for family holidaymakers enjoying miles of golden sand, shark net-protected swimming and the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. The latter quality will be appreciated by swimmers at Cape Town’s beaches where the water temperature can be numbingly cold, shaming even the most confident Speedo wearer. For unspoiled stretches of golden sand, head to the Wild Coast; while for scenic majesty and African sunset photo opportunities, Clifton and Camp’s Bay in Cape Town are hard to beat. Surfers should make a splash in Jeffrey’s Bay – a world-renowned surf spot with reliable and exhilarating breaks. Our Surf and Scuba Safaris, as well as Honeymoon Safaris are popular.

When to visit?

Spring and summer (November to April) are the best times to sprawl out on the beach.

8. DRAKENSBERG

This awe-inspiring wonderland of jagged peaks and pristine ecological splendour stretches in a 200km band between Lesotho and the western border of KwaZulu-Natal. It’s traditional Zulu name is uKhahlamba, meaning ‘Barrier of Spears’; later it was dubbed Drakensberg as a Boer settler and his son reported seeing a dragon flying above the peaks. It’s a place that inspires myth and poetic language, and endless photographs, too. Don’t miss the 850m high Tugela Falls – the world’s second highest waterfall, and the San rock art images, masterpieces of primordial art.

When to visit?

Each season has it’s own advantages: summer brings long days but can be extremely hot when hiking, while winter offers romantic log fires and the possibility of snowfall (a welcome novelty for local visitors).

 

9. WILD COAST of SOUTH AFRICA

Far away from the glitzy malls and 4-lane highways of South Africa’s cities is the bucolic, unspoiled expanse of rural splendour known as the Wild Coast. Stretching from Port St Johns in the north (KwaZulu Natal) to East London in the south (Eastern Cape), visitors here will experience a slice of timeless Africa. Perfect beaches, great seafood, and a warm Xhosa welcome combine to provide a nourishing and memorable antidote to the stressors of city life. Beware, you may never want to leave!

When to visit?

The Wild Coast is a year-round destination although peak summer (December to February) can be very hot and humid. Surfers and anglers are better off visiting in the winter (June to August) when big swells offer great waves and good fishing.

10. CAPE WEST COAST MEANDER

The West Coast of South Africa is perhaps the only seasonal attraction described here, best visited in the spring (August to September) when the wild flowers erupt in a floral display that will blossom in your memory long after your many photographs have faded. The early rains transform fields of bare scrubby bush into a kaleidoscope of exuberant colour. A month later and it’s all gone. Other Cape West Coast attractions include the charming fishing villages of Langebaan and Paternoster, the quirky village of Darling, and the magnificent Cederberg wilderness.

Out of flower season, the West Coast is quiet, possessing a stark beauty well worth exploring if you have time and wish to get away from the busier tourist attractions, or add to your list when Africa is revisited.

When to visit?

During spring (August – September) when wild flowers are in full bloom. The exact timing of the flower season is winter rainfall dependant. A “Flower Hotline” is available during flower season, enabling you to optimise your time and visit areas of great abundance. Prime time for flower photography is between 10:30 and 14:00 when the flowers lift their faces up to the sun.