South Africa is an alluring destination for a diverse tourism experience comprising modern cities, wild life, beaches, deserts, and great food. Plan your tour, packing the best places to visit in South Africa in consultation with the best travel company, and unleash superb experiences that you can preserve in your albums and minds.
To optimize the South Africa experience without any congested feeling, spring or autumn will be the ideal time for pleasant weather with fewer crowds. Know the famous destination and its exotic places after you have kicked off the visa planning with the assistance of a top travel company in the UAE.
South Africa is not an expensive destination. The climate is predominantly dry and sunny. The Cape Town City tour is the main activity after arrival in South Africa.
The Cape Peninsula Tour is a way to enjoy the beauty of the Fairest Cape. Traveling from Cape Town to Sun City is like a journey to the entertainment oasis. Sun City to Johannesburg is like a step back in time at Gold Reef City.
As for the best things to do in South Africa, a standard itinerary will contain so many unmissable places, such as Cape Town, Boulders Beach, Sun City, and the Gold Reef City in Johannesburg. Now let us look at some of the super attractions in different parts of South Africa for a deeper understanding of the beautiful destination.
South Africa has a diverse platter of attractions—exotic safaris, picturesque deserts, beautiful cities, or sunny beaches. Many call it the World in One Country, indicating its profound geographical diversity. The landscape blends rich wildlife, breathtaking deserts, and excellent museums.The cities like Cape Town and Durban are melting pots of cultures and cuisines.
Any visit to South Africa cannot be complete without Cape Town on the list, as it is admired for the richness of experience it offers and is the second most popular city where tradition and modernity coexist. False Bay is an important city of high natural beauty. It has botanical wonders, high peak mountains, and a turquoise-colored sea.
You can visit Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, a UNESCO heritage site, etc. You will come across African penguins at Boulder’s Beach Penguin colony. Stroll from the city center to Bo Kaap, a suburb with a colorfully painted neighborhood.
Cape Town is best from late September to April, the spring and summer months. The warm temperatures help for perfect outdoor activities and beach visits. The December to February window is the peak tourist season with larger crowds.
To explore nightlife, you may try out malls like Canal Walk and Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre and a series of exquisite restaurants. Other interesting places in Cape Town are Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Two Oceans Aquarium, and Lion’s Head.
Known as the “City of Gold,” Johannesburg started off as a gold-mining settlement. Some of the top attractions are the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill, and Gold Reef City. The Collector’s Treasury in Johannesburg is an eight-story building full of rare books. Head to the neighborhood markets for shopping and a vibrant environment.
A visit to the township of Soweto, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, will be educative. It is home to two Orlando Towers used for bungee jumping since 2009. Satyagraha House, where Mahatma Gandhi spent his days in South Africa, is now a guest house.
This multipurpose destination suitable for a luxury holiday, family weekend, or romantic honeymoon is a privately owned resort close to cities Johannesburg and Pilanesberg.
Offering a premium stay and the attractions around make it ideal for vacation. This one-stop destination opens for maximum leisure in terms of casinos, theaters, shopping malls, and cafes.
Add the adventure activities, including safari drives and game drives, for an exciting wildlife experience, and the stay turns doubly exciting. It is good to dedicate a day or two to explore the imperial estate of Sun City. It is good to explore the place from the months of May to September.
Valley of Waves Water Park is best for water sports. You can do shopping, dine, and enjoy nightlife at the casino in Sun City. Prominent adventures include kayaking, jet skiing, parasailing, and quad biking; a cultural tour at Motseng Cultural Village.
The alternate name is “City of Jacarandas” and is the administrative capital brimming with an eventful history. The streets are beautifully lined by jacarandas. There are some good museums that hold a flashlight into the apartheid regime. Historically, the multicultural city has been the epicenter of struggle and fight for rights and justice.
Regarding the best things to do in South Africa, there are attractions to explore, including Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Hazel Food Market, Hennops Hiking Trail, Voortrekker Monument, and Union Buildings.
One of the best South African beaches attracting visitors for water sports, skydiving, and shark cage dives while at Mossel Bay. Also visit the Bartholomeu Dias Museum and the Post Office Tree. Located at the museum complex, the Post Office Tree is an almost 600-year-old milkwood tree believed to be the first mailbox of South Africa. Cape St. Blaize Lighthouse Complex, Garden Route Casino, and Point of Human Origin are other favorite spots of tourists.
The place is just 45 minutes of driving from Cape Town. The small town on the crest of the Paarl Mountains wows with architecture of classic Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and Cape Dutch buildings throughout the town. A good number of inviting cafes and restaurants are also there in the city.
The Drakenstein Prison, where Nelson Mandela was jailed, is on the outskirts of the town.
Durban is a city with a rich cultural amalgamation and the melting pot of both Indigenous and European cultures. You can stroll around the Golden or visit the Shaka Marine World or the Durban Botanical Garden, where the world’s loneliest plant, Wood’s Cycad, is found. Also dig into local delicacies like Bunny Chow, Shisa Nyama, Bombay Crush, and other traditional African and Zulu dishes.
Port Elizabeth is a port city in the Eastern Cape Province on the banks of the Baakens River. The beaches are the tidiest, and go for a swim at the Wells Estate Bridge, Humewood Beach, or Kings Beach. Port Elizabeth is also famous for its parks like St. George’s Park. Donkin Reserve, Route 67, Storms River Bridge, and the Boardwalk are other noteworthy places to visit.
This is the southern tip of Africa and quite away from other landmarks. But its big highlight is here the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean meet and make you feel as if you have reached somewhere at a tripping point in the world. It is on the way from Cape Town to the Garden Route.
For a family-friendly safari experience in Africa, you can bank on Addo Elephant National Park as one of the best. It is the third-biggest national park in South Africa and is nearby Port Elizabeth and a few hours from the Garden Route. Addo Elephant NP shelters over 600 elephants along with many other African animals, including the Big 5.
The UNESCO Heritage Site Wetland Park has a lot to offer and makes for a nice trip. It has nice scenery, white-sand beaches, space for activities such as snorkelling and diving, and amazing wildlife such as rhinos, zebras, troop baboons, etc. People like to see hippos in the wild and their very natural living conditions. You can book an estuary boat tour exploring the park.
Franschhoek is another beautiful village situated in 1688 or the French Corner. Lined with beautiful streets, lovely street cafes, the Motor Museum, and the Franschhoek Wine Tram, it is best to relax for some days. Take a wine tram through wine estates to dine at in-village restaurants or delicious foods.
Kruger National Park is one of the oldest in South Africa and one of the biggest, covering over 2,000,000 ha of area. The wildlife safari experience at Kruger National Park is famous. Housing a diverse array of wild species, Kruger has the sought-after Big Five: leopard, lion, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo. With facilities for day and night safaris, tourists can look forward to an optimum experience as they engage in the exciting game drives.
The Golden Route runs along the southeast coast of South Africa. This beautiful route is about 200 km long and stretches between Mossel Bay and Storms River. Driving through the Golden Route will make you visit the beautiful town of Knysna and its surroundings, the ostrich farms of Oudtshoorn, Congo Caves, Plettenberg Bay, and the Great Route National Park.
If you want to spend some days in a peaceful and picture-perfect town, go to the city of Stellenbosch. The oak-lined streets and Cape Dutch houses are amazing. The vast array of wine estates makes wine tasting a fun activity, and there are so many restaurants, nightclubs, cafes, and art galleries to make a visit to. The university town is also the second oldest, with history dating back to the 17th century, and the Village Museum and Stellenyrk Museum will bear testimony to it.
The Pilanesberg National Park is near Plianesberg city, and a drive of 2.5 hours from Johannesburg will take you there. Vast grasslands and the lake Mankwe Dam make an ideal eco system for wildlife inhabitation. In addition to the big five animals, you can spot zebras, wild dogs, antelopes, giraffes, and many species of birds in the national park.
Called the Whale Capital of South Africa, here tourists flock to see the whales and the dolphins. The whale watching boat tours are famous. The best time for whale watching is June to December. There is a whale festival every year in September. Beyond whale and dolphin watching, strolling along the cliffside walking path on a lousy evening can make a South Africa tour memorable.
This arid part of the Northern Cape has a spectacular wildflower season starting from July to September with a riot of colors as wildflowers erupt as a floral carpet. The visual wonder is complemented by quiver trees with inviting trails to hike and see the local wildlife, comprising leopards, caracals, springbok, and tortoises. View the wildflowers on a bright, sunny day when they bloom in full.
Head to South Africa’s largest mountain range for hiking and other outdoor activities at its rugged peaks, lush valleys and queer cliffs. You will also have a visual treat of the rock and cave art of Drakensberg dating back to many years. Among the hiking trails, the Tugela Gorge Trail is popular for moderate trails cutting through gorges and stretches along the riverbank uptill Tugela Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in the world. Do carry hiking gear, including warming layers and sturdy shoes.
Blyde River Canyon as one of the largest green canyons aptly complements the safari in Kruger National Park. For a wholesome view of the attraction, it is best to see the canyon from up above in a hot air balloon. The stunning scenery is a great combo of dramatic rock formations and impressive waterfalls and is ideal for spending a few days to indulge in its scenic charm. It is best to go for whitewater rafting; from the base, mountain biking and hiking through the lush forest are exciting. The Panorama route is most popular for trekking.
In the kaleidoscope of activities as the best things to do in South Africa, you can engage in a game drive at Pilanesberg Nature Reserve to see the Big 5, enjoy water sports at Sun City, explore local markets for crafts, or take scenic walks in the beautiful gardens of the Lost City.
Try some of the best foods on this incredible journey through South Africa; try local specialties like spiced meat dish Bobotie and hollowed-out loaf filled with curry called Bunny Chow; traditional braai or barbecue; as well as fresh seafood and dried cured meat known as biltong, which are hot favorites.
Immerse yourself in the beautiful landscapes, rich history, and exciting activities for a unique and very best South Africa experience filled with adventure and romance.
The thrilling journey through South Africa starts in the vibrant city of Cape Town. It is a gateway to discover iconic landmarks, including Table Mountain and the colorful Bo-Kaap. You will also explore the Cape Peninsula.
As the flight lands in Johannesburg, another phase of exciting experiences will start, with Prominent being the Sun City and updating the Gold Rush era at Gold Reef City.
Explore Johannesburg's rich culture. Head to Mandela House, the former home of Nelson Mandela, and learn about his legacy. Watch the Nelson Mandela Bridge, a striking symbol of the city’s history.
Visit Mary Fitzgerald Square, a space that reflects the local community spirit. Go to Lesedi Cultural Village for an immersive experience showcasing South Africa’s diverse culture. You can thrill at the rap-driven traditional dance performances there.
The key activities include the following ones:
Cape Town and Johannesburg are great cities in South Africa with stark contrasts. Cape Town, known as the "Mother City," is a modern, cosmopolitan city with a laid-back lifestyle.
Johannesburg is South Africa's financial hub, and attractions include the Apartheid Museum, Hillbrow Tower, Constitution Hill, the Market Theatre, Rembrandt Gallery, and the Worker's Museum. While Cape Town as a coastal region maintains milder temperatures, Johannesburg has a dry climate.
After you have punctuated the days and nights in myriad activities exhausting all the best things to do in South Africa, such as winning, dining, sight-seeing, shopping, trekking, hiking, safaris, and other fun moments, you will leave South Africa taking loads of memories to come back again.
