The highlights of South Africa

South Africa is a multifaceted travel destination and is peppered with countless tourist highlights. This selection provides an overview of the country's most popular destinations. We will be happy to advise you on putting together your own individual tour.

Cape Town and Cape Peninsula "
Wine regions "
Whale Coast and Overberg "
Little Karoo & Karoo Semi-Desert "
Garden Route "
Tsitsikamma National Park and Addo Elephant Park "
Sunshine Coast "
Wild Coast "
Durban and surroundings "
Lesotho "
Drakensberg "
Zululand "
Eswatini "
Kruger Park and Panorama Route "
More game reserves and national parks in the northeast "
Johannesburg, Pretoria and Soweto "
Northern Cape "
West Coast "

Cape Town and Cape Peninsula

Cape Town, the "Mother City" and oldest city in South Africa, is the starting or ending point for most travelers to explore the Rainbow Nation. Cape Town is rightly considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world and offers many historic buildings, first-class restaurants, countless shopping opportunities, great beaches and varied landscapes.

The main attraction is the city's landmark: Table Mountain. A cable car or various hiking trails take you up the 1000 meters to the top, from where you can get the best overview of the city with a breathtaking view. The last cable car only descends after sunset, making Table Mountain the perfect place for an unforgettable sundowner. However, the mountain is often closed due to bad weather. Visitors to Cape Town should therefore take the first opportunity they get and not wait until the last day.

The tourist heart of the city beats on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Countless stores and restaurants invite you to linger and stroll around. The ferry to Robben Island, the former prison island during the apartheid era, also departs from here. The high-security camp, where Nelson Mandela also spent a long time, is now a museum and former prisoners bring visitors closer to the history of the struggle for freedom and independence.

A stroll through the center of Cape Town is also worthwhile. Sights such as the flea market on Green Market Square, the Castle of Good Hope, Cityhall and Company's Garden are within easy walking distance of the Waterfront. Most of the museums are also located around Company's Garden. The colorful Bo-Kaap district is a popular photo motif. Trendy people swear by the trendy De Waterkant district.

For sun-seekers, Cape Town offers a variety of beaches. The most famous Atlantic beaches can be found at Clifton, Camps Bay and in the suburbs of Bloubergstrand, Llandudno, Hout Bay and Noordhoek. However, the cold Atlantic current means that not everyone enjoys swimming. The water in the Indian Ocean at False Bay is somewhat warmer. There are beautiful beaches in Gordons Bay, Strand, Muizenberg, St. James, Fishhoek and Simons Town. The latter is also home to Boulders Beach, which has become famous for its penguin colony. Here you can watch the penguins on footbridges built through the dunes and even swim with them in one section.

You should also definitely visit the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve south of Cape Town with Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. As well as being the most south-westerly point in Africa, the Cape Peninsula is home to interesting flora and fauna.

Other highlights include Chapmans Peak Drive (one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world, connecting Noordhoek and Hout Bay), the old wine region of Constantia, the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens and the creative Woodstock district with its Saturday Old Biscuit Mill Market and some of the city's best restaurants. You should allow at least three days for the "Mother City", but even in two weeks Cape Town and its surroundings will never be boring.

Wine regions

The most famous South African wine regions of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are only around 50 km from Cape Town. While Paarl is only of interest to wine connoisseurs, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch in particular offer plenty of sights for those who are not quite so interested in wine. Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa and has a beautiful historic center in the Cape Dutch architectural style. Thanks to the local university, the town is very lively and offers many boutiques and cafés.

Countless wineries are lined up here. The regions have joined together in so-called wine routes. While the producers of fine wines tend to be small and cozy, other wineries offer a wide range of tourist attractions such as restaurants, parks and amusements. If you don't want to stay overnight in the wine regions, you can also experience the area on day trips from Cape Town.

There are also more and more up-and-coming wine-growing areas in many other regions of the Western Cape, e.g. in Robertson or near Hermanus. However, all wine regions have one thing in common: they are home to by far the best restaurants in the country, some of which are world-renowned.

Walküste and Overberg

From June to November, there are good to very good whale watching opportunities along the entire coast of South Africa, even from land. In the area from Hermanus (around 100 km east of Cape Town) to De Hoop National Park, there are particularly large numbers of whales very close to the coast. This is why this section is often referred to as the Whale Coast.

Hermanus is a very touristy place and offers countless hotels, guest houses, restaurants, cafés and stores. In the whale season, the town is bursting at the seams. Despite all the hustle and bustle, the whale sightings from the countless cliffs of the steep coast are breathtaking. Nowhere else in South Africa do the impressive marine mammals come so close to the coast. But Hermanus has much more to offer, so a visit outside the whale season makes perfect sense. The Hemel-En-Aarde Valley is the country's most up-and-coming wine region. The Fernkloof Nature Reserve offers beautiful walks through the fynbos vegetation with magnificent sea views. Grotto Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the region.

Things are much quieter in the small coastal town of Arniston, which is one of the visual highlights of the area and offers two unique attractions: the traditional fishing village of Kassiesbaai and the Waenhuiskrans Cave. The white sandy beaches are endless and whale watching (seasonal) from the dunes is wonderful. Highlights of the area are the De Hoop and De Mond nature reserves. Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point in Africa with its striking lighthouse, is also nearby.

But the hinterland of the Whale Coast, the Overberg district, is also interesting. If you have some time, you should use the local regional roads instead of the N2 between Swellendam and Somerset West. There are endless farms, up-and-coming wineries, cozy little villages, secluded nature reserves, mighty mountain ranges and unique curiosities such as the last hand-operated floating pontoon over the Breede River near Malgas.

Little Karoo and Karoo semi-desert

Much more exciting than driving along the coast on the N2 is the route via the famous Route 62, the old connecting road between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, which exudes a Wild West atmosphere. The similarity in name to the American Route 66 is therefore not entirely coincidental. The most beautiful part of Route 62 is between Montagu and Oudtshoorn. The route is well developed and actually always empty. You won't get much faster on the busy N2, but Route 62 is significantly more beautiful.

Oudtshoorn is the "ostrich capital" of South Africa and the jewel of the Little Karoo semi-desert. There are many ostrich farms here in the dry interior and, more recently, some interesting wineries. The Cango Caves, a huge stalactite cave landscape, are definitely worth a visit. Oudtshoorn itself offers plenty of restaurants and stores.

The Karoo National Park is located near Beaufort West. This unique landscape is home to antelopes, mountain zebras, rhinos and around 200 different bird species.

Graaff-Reinet is the heart of the Karoo. The fourth oldest town in South Africa is a living museum and architecturally more than interesting. Over 200 buildings are listed as historical monuments. The Valley Of Desolation in the nearby Camdeboo Nature Reserve is also famous for its bizarre rock formations - a paradise for hikers.

The Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock is one of the most scenic parks in the region and is home to the rare Cape mountain zebra as well as lions, buffalo and various species of antelope.

Garden Route

The Garden Route is certainly one of South Africa's best-known attractions. However, nobody knows exactly where it actually starts or ends and who gave it its name. In any case, you will look in vain for flowering gardens or anything similar. Nevertheless, nature has clearly left its mark on this area. Fynbos vegetation alternates with dense pristine forests, river and lake landscapes and beautiful stretches of coastline. The most beautiful part of the Garden Route lies between Wilderness and the Tsitsikamma National Park.

Wilderness, with the national park of the same name, does not really live up to its name. Even at the height of summer, it is unusually green here and seldom scorching hot. The beaches are endless and mostly deserted. The national park invites you to go hiking. The flora and fauna are unique. In short: the ideal place to relax and linger.

Segdefield is the big unknown on the Garden Route for tourists from overseas. South Africans tend to spend their vacations here. The large Wild Oats Farmers Market is held on Saturday mornings, where many local products from the surrounding farms and galleries are sold. The beaches are unique. The hinterland is characterized by large lake landscapes and dense forests.

Knysna, on the other hand, is much busier. The tourist town is inviting with many restaurants, cafes, boutiques and stores. Boat trips to the famous lagoon and the Featherbed Nature Reserve depart from the waterfront, and in the whale season also to the open sea. Knysna is the "Oyster Capital" of South Africa, famous for its excellent oysters. Nearby Buffalo Bay is ideal for a day at the beach. The dense forests of the hinterland are ideal for hiking.

Plettenberg Bay is one of the wealthiest places in the country. Many wealthy Johannesburgers have built their vacation villas on the beach here. There are great swimming opportunities at the mouth of the Keurbooms River. The river also offers good leisure activities such as fishing, canoeing and more.

The Crags is home to some very interesting animal sanctuaries. In Monkeyland you can walk through the jungle with various free-roaming primates. Birds Of Eden is the largest free-flight aviary in the southern hemisphere. Tenikwa and Jukani are breeding stations for big cats.

Tsitsikamma National Park and Addo Elephant Park

The Tsitsikamma National Park marks the beginning of the Eastern Cape province. In the western part of the park, Nature's Valley, there are many excellent hiking trails along the secluded beaches and through the pristine forests. To best enjoy the beauty of these surroundings, you should leave the N2 and drive through the valley on the old R102. The Natures Valley is one of the highlights of the region.

The eastern part of Tsitsikamma is much more touristy. There are also many hiking trails in the Storms River Restcamp. The Suspension Bridge, a large suspension bridge over the Storms River, is a popular photo motif. Boat trips can be booked on the river into the pristine forests. The Tsitsikamma National Park is the largest contiguous primeval forest in South Africa. It is home to some of the so-called Big Trees, yellowwood trees that are over 800 years old and over 40 meters high.

Addo Elephant Park is the westernmost of the state national parks and is home to the "Big Five", i.e. lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard. However, the big cats are only found in small numbers. The entire Eastern Cape is malaria-free, which is particularly interesting for families with children. The park now extends to the coast, making it the only "Big Seven" national park in South Africa where you can also spot whales (seasonally) and great white sharks.

There are some interesting private game reserves at Addo and further east, some of which are home to the Big Five. The accommodation prices here are expensive to very expensive, but you have a much more exclusive bush experience than in the state-run and rather overcrowded Addo. Some of the private reserves also offer day safaris at quite affordable rates.

Sunshine Coast

Jeffreys Bay and St. Francis Bay with its many thatched cottages are popular seaside resorts on the Sunshine Coast, which stretches from Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) to East London.

Port Elizabeth is the fifth largest city in South Africa and oscillates between busy industrial city and sunny vacation paradise. It is said to have the most hours of sunshine per year in the whole country. PE, as the locals call their city, has some good shopping opportunities and beautiful city beaches along Algoa Bay. There are also some interesting historical buildings to visit.

Grahamstown is a pretty town with many old buildings from the Victorian and Georgian era. Several interesting museums can be visited here.

Hogsback in the Amatola Mountains is still an absolute insider tip. The mountain world and the pristine forests are breathtaking. Hiking trails lead to various waterfalls. You feel like you've been transported to Middle-earth, which is why it was long rumored that JRR Tolkien was born here. It is now known that he was born in Bloemfontein, but this does not detract from the beauty of the area.

East London marks the end point of the Sunshine Coast, which is well developed for tourism. The harbor town on the Buffalo River has an interesting old town center and some beautiful city beaches. Nearby Cintsa, the gateway to the Wild Coast, offers pure beach life.

Wild Coast

On the "wild coast" between East London and Durban, you can experience an authentic South Africa. The security situation is much better than you might read in some older travel guides. The people are friendly, the landscape is unique and the secluded beaches are among the most beautiful in the whole of South Africa.

This is why the Wild Coast is one of the highlights of the country, even though - or perhaps because - the tourist infrastructure here is still in its infancy. There are only a few and generally very basic accommodations and the coast is usually only accessible via cul-de-sacs. For this reason, the area of the Xhosa tribe, to which Nelson Mandela also belonged, was long reserved for adventurers. Nevertheless, the main traffic arteries of the Wild Coast, the N2 and R61, are now in relatively good condition. However, they wind their way over many hills and through many villages. You should allow considerably more time for this route than for overland journeys in other areas of South Africa.

Coffee Bay is one of the most beautiful places on the coast, about 80 km from the N2 and can be reached via a paved road. The bay is well sheltered, so swimming is possible without any problems even in heavy seas (caution: no shark nets). Nearby is the natural stone bridge "Hole In The Wall", an attraction in the region, which you can also hike to from Coffee Bay. By car, there is a 20 km drive on a dirt road, but this can be managed with a normal car.

Port St. Johns is the largest town on the coast and can be reached via the tarred R61. The harbor town in a spectacular location on the Mzimvubu River offers unique beaches as well as some restaurants and accommodation.

An insider tip is the Mkambati Nature Reserve, which is home to wildebeest, bucks, antelopes and some rare bird species. The beaches of nearby Port Grosvenor are a paradise. Both attractions can only be reached via unpaved roads, which are difficult to drive on in a normal car.

Durban and surroundings

Durban is the lively metropolis of the province of KwaZulu-Natal and a melting pot of cultures. A particularly large number of South Africans of Indian origin live here alongside Zulus and whites. The city center and the Golden Mile beach promenade have unfortunately left their best days behind them. You should move around with caution, especially in the evening. The uShaka Marine World on South Beach is an entertainment center with an aquarium, water slide park, restaurants and stores.

Things are quieter north and south of Durban on the coast. Here, one vacation resort follows another, some of which have grown enormously in recent years. Umhlanga Rocks is a safe and popular place for vacationers. There are many restaurants, a shopping center and accommodation here. The same applies to Ballito and Umdloti.

Lesotho

The Kingdom of Lesotho, which is completely surrounded by South Africa, is one of the highest countries in the world and is also known as the "Roof of Africa". The parts of the country lie at an altitude of between 1400 and 2000 meters, with some mountain peaks even exceeding 3000 meters. The high plateaus are criss-crossed by river valleys and inselbergs. Lesotho is a sovereign state with its own entry requirements.

The infrastructure is quite rudimentary. Only a few roads can be used by normal cars. The tourist offer is also manageable. However, those who embark on the Lesotho adventure will be rewarded with magnificent nature and plenty of unspoiled nature. In the South African winter from June to August, it can sometimes snow heavily. Lesotho therefore has the only ski area in southern Africa with cross-country ski trails, pistes, lifts and ski huts.

Drakensberg Mountains

The Drakensberg is an impressive mountain range along the eastern border between South Africa and Lesotho. Great nature reserves invite you to go hiking. The highlight of the southern Drakensberg is the Sani Pass, the only southern connection between the two countries. The pass can only be accessed by four-wheel drive vehicles, but there are guided day tours from Himeville and Underberg.

The northern Drakensberg Mountains are much more impressive and therefore preferable for a short stay. The Royal Natal National Park with its famous amphitheater is the highlight of this region, but Cathedral Peak and Champagne Castle are also worth a visit and offer many hiking trails. A good starting point for exploring the northern Drakensberg is the small town of Bergville.

Zululand

The region around the small towns of St. Lucia, Hluhluwe and Mkuze offers countless highlights. Zulu culture, Big Five game reserves, secluded beaches and endless lake landscapes offer a wealth of attractions. There is a slight risk of malaria here in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and stretches from the cozy tourist town of St. Lucia to the Mozambican border. On boat trips, you can experience hippos, crocodiles and the unique birdlife at the confluence of salt and fresh water. The beaches are endless and deserted.

The Eastern Shore Section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park offers a unique beach and bush experience. This unique evergreen sanctuary stretches from the small town of St. Lucia up to the unique beach of Cape Vidal and is home to hippos, elephants, rhinos, antelopes, leopards and impressive birdlife.

The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is the oldest wildlife park in South Africa and perhaps the most beautiful of all. The park is divided into the northern Hluhluwe section and the southern Imfolozi section. Thanks to the subtropical climate, it is always lush and green here, even in the dry season. The population of white and black rhino is particularly noteworthy, but you can also marvel at the rest of the Big Five here.

Sodwana Bay is South Africa's diver's paradise and is easy to reach thanks to the paved road. Nevertheless, this sun-drenched gem has so far been spared mass tourism. The beaches here just before the Mozambican border are unique and even in winter it can get really hot here.

The other game reserves in the region are also worth a visit, e.g. the Mkuze or Ithala Game Reserve. The Ndumo Pan in the Mkuze Game Reserve is beautiful, a unique swamp and lake landscape with an abundance of birds. However, there is much less big game here. For a shorter stay, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park are preferable.

In Zululand, you can also visit some reconstructed traditional Zulu villages, so-called kraals. However, these are mostly nothing more than fairground events.

Eswatini

The Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) borders South Africa and Mozambique and offers an authentic African experience. To continue your journey between Zululand and the Kruger Park, you can also take the N2 south around Eswatini, but crossing the country offers an interesting facet to a trip to South Africa. The kingdom is a sovereign state with its own entry requirements.

The center of the small country is the Ezulwini Valley with the two towns of Mbabane and Manzini. The valley offers many hiking and other activities. It is also home to the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, which is home to antelopes, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles and hippos. The locals are gifted artisans and souvenirs are usually cheaper here than in South Africa. While the mountainous part in the south-west of the country is considered malaria-free, the north-eastern lowlands bordering Mozambique have a slight risk of malaria.

Kruger Park and Panorama Route

One of the largest and most famous national parks in South Africa is, of course, Kruger Park. It lies on the borders with Mozambique and Zimbabwe and covers an area roughly the size of the Netherlands. For a short stay, the southern part of the park is preferable due to its abundance of animals. There are paved and unpaved roads for self-drivers. However, everyone should take at least one guided game drive in an open off-road vehicle with a local ranger - a first-class safari experience. The best time of year for safaris is the South African winter between May and October, as this is the dry season. The grass is low, the trees have few leaves and the animals are forced to come to the waterholes to drink. Ideal observation opportunities. During the day it is pleasantly warm at 20°C to 25°C and almost always sunny. During this time, the risk of malaria is low. In the period from November to March it rains more often (mostly at night) and it is very warm to hot. The risk of malaria is higher during this time.

The Panorama Route leads through the most beautiful sections of the northern foothills of the Drakensberg and is one of the visual highlights of any visit to South Africa. The area around the Blyde River Canyon offers breathtaking views, countless waterfalls, bizarre rock formations and historic sites such as the former gold mining town of Pilgrim's Rest. Highlights such as God's Window, the Three Rondavels, Long Tom Pass, the Mac Mac Pools and no less than the end of the world (World's End) are very close to each other and can be admired on a round trip. Small towns such as Sabie or Hazyview invite you to linger. In the higher part of the Panorama Route (Highveld), where most of the sights are located, there is no risk of malaria.

Other game reserves and national parks in the northeast

On the western border of the Kruger Park are the so-called Private Game Reserves. In contrast to the state-run Kruger Park, only overnight guests have access here. You stay in luxurious lodges and experience the beautiful flora and fauna on guided game drives under expert guidance. In good weather, dinner is served in the open air around a campfire. The best known (and most expensive) private reserve in the Kruger Park is Sabi Sand, but there are also some cheaper alternatives of similar quality. Most reserves have the Big Five. The risk of malaria is similar to Kruger Park.

Other interesting game reserves and national parks in the north-east can be found in the region around the Waterberge in the province of Limpopo. The best known are the state-owned Marakele National Park and the private reserves Welgevonden and Entabeni. The Pilanesberg National Park on the site of a former volcanic crater is very beautiful and only about an hour and a half's drive from Johannesburg. The Madikwe Game Reserve is located on the border with Botswana. All of these reserves and national parks are home to the Big Five, are malaria-free and therefore ideal for families.

Johannesburg, Pretoria and Soweto

Johannesburg is the country's business center and is usually the start or end point of a trip to South Africa for tourists. Unfortunately, the security situation in the city center and some suburbs is still not ideal, but there are some bright spots, such as the up-and-coming artists' district of Maboneng. The best way to experience the sights of the "City Of Gold" is on a guided tour. The northern suburbs around Rosebank and Sandton are quite quiet with many restaurants and shopping centers. There are several theme and amusement parks, such as Gold Reef City, a former gold mine with a funfair attached.

Pretoria (Tshwane) is the capital of the country and is steeped in history. There are some interesting buildings and monuments to visit here, for example the Union Buildings, Church Square or the Voortrekker Monument. There are also some good museums to visit. A highlight of the city is the Jakaranda blossom in October, when entire streets are transformed into purple flowering avenues.

About an hour from Johannesburg or Pretoria are the Sterkfontein Caves, known as the Cradle of Humankind. Fossils of the oldest human species that lived over two million years ago were discovered in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are among the oldest hominin finds in the world.

Soweto is the largest township in South Africa with over one million inhabitants. Even though there are now some up-and-coming and more affluent districts here, corrugated iron huts without electricity or running water still predominate. Culturally, Soweto is very much on the up. There are pubs, restaurants and nightclubs, and even some hotels and guesthouses have now opened here. However, tourists should only visit Soweto in the company of locals who know the area or on a guided tour. Then, however, a visit to the township is a real cultural experience.

Northern Cape

The Northern Cape on the border with Namibia and Botswana is South Africa's largest province in terms of area and part of the vast Kalahari Desert ecosystem. The region's best-known national park is the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, which was created by merging the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and the Gemsbok National Park in Botswana. The protected area, which is twice the size of Kruger Park, is very pristine and should only be explored with a four-wheel drive vehicle. Kgalagadi means "land of thirst". The sparse flora and fauna have adapted to the prevailing conditions. In addition to smaller mammals, it is mainly big cats such as lions, leopards or the rare African wild cats and antelopes such as elands and oryxes that can be observed.

The Augrabies Falls National Park, where the Orange River cascades over a width of 135 meters, is more easily accessible. In addition to a number of big cats and antelope species, the park is also home to giraffes and zebras. Another attraction is Moon Rock, a massive and impressive rock formation.

With a length of almost 2200 km, the mighty Orange River is the second longest river in southern Africa and transforms parts of the otherwise dry surroundings into a green paradise, so that even wine-growing is possible in Upington, for example.

The Namaqualand around the small town of Springbok is transformed into an endless sea of colorful flowers during the Wild Flower Season in the South African spring from August to September. For this travel time, the few accommodations should be booked as early as possible.

West Coast

About 300 km north of Cape Town lie the Cederberg Mountains, an area that is still relatively undeveloped for tourism. This natural paradise was named after an endemic species of cedar tree, which is now very rare. The small town of Clanwilliam is a good base from which to explore the region. However, there are also some remote luxury lodges in the middle of endless nature. The center is the Cederberg Wilderness Area with an area of over 70,000 hectares, a gem for hikers with a thirst for adventure. In the South African summer it is very hot, in winter snow can fall on the mountains, which are up to 2000m high. Incidentally, the famous rooibos tea, which only grows here, comes from the Cederberg.

The almost northern European-looking west coast offers some interesting fishing villages, which have so far only played a role for the locals in terms of tourism. Good food, with lots of seafood of course, is the main attraction here, along with all kinds of water sports. Small and interesting places are Lamberts Bay, Elands Bay and Yzerfontein, while Langebaan and Paternoster are somewhat busier. The latter is the gourmet stronghold of this coastal region; the Wolfgat Restaurant, which seats just 20 people, was named the best restaurant in the world in 2019.

One highlight is the easily accessible West Coast National Park, located around an hour and a half's drive northwest of Cape Town, which is one of the largest protected areas on South Africa's coasts with an area of over 30,000 hectares. White sandy beaches, crystal blue sea and lush fynbos vegetation are the visual eye-catcher, enhanced by the wildflower bloom in the months of August to September. In the South African winter months from June to November, whales are drawn to the shallow lagoons. Mammals such as various antelope species and zebras as well as impressive birdlife can also be observed.