South Africa

Image via Adobe Stock

Top five places to get out and about in South Africa

With our borders closed to international travel, overseas holidays are off the cards for now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t travel in our own beautiful country, South Africa.

South Africa

Image via Adobe Stock

South Africa may have its problems, but it cannot be argued that has some magical landscapes and places to visit. So why not escape the madness, hit the road, and explore some of these incredible places in the land we call home.

Breathtaking natural beauty and wildlife, world-class facilities, exhilarating adventure, diverse experiences, a melting pot of cultures, and fantastic weather – South Africa has it all. Whether you are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience, a beautiful beachside break, or an international shopping holiday, South Africa will leave you with lasting memories.

While the country is packed with things to see and do, here are five of the top attractions that shouldn’t be missed.

The top five places to visit in South Africa

South Africa’s Mother City

Cape Town
Image via Adobe Stock

Boasting beautiful Blue Flag beaches, world-class wineries, majestic mountains, and vibrantly rich culture and history, Cape Town, aka The Mother City, is unarguably one of the jewels in South Africa’s crown.

Defined by the iconic Table Mountain, which stands sentry over the city and is one of the Natural Wonders of the Modern World, Cape Town is ensconced by two oceans and pristine white sandy beaches other either side.

This fantastic city is all about the great outdoors and is jam-packed with an array of fun activities to enjoy. Head up Lion’s Head at dawn for a spectacular sunrise; spend the day on one of the stunning beaches of Clifton or Camps Bay, or take a ferry across Table Bay to the historic Robben Island.

Drive down the Cape Peninsula to the very tip at Cape Point and see the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet, or enjoy an unforgettable swim with tuxedo-ed penguins at Boulder’s Beach in Simon’s Town.

The Cape Winelands

Clouds cover mountains in Stellenbosch wine region, outside of Cape Town, South Africa

Although we can’t enjoy wine-tasting yet, the Cape Winelands is one of the top places in South Africa to visit even if it just for their spectacular natural scenery, magnificent mountainscapes, and orchard-filled valleys.

The Cape Winelands are made up of several regions, each of which has its distinct character and charm, from the haunting scenic beauty and deep viticulture and fruit-growing heritage of the Paarl Valley to the quaint Francophile village of Franschhoek, which has been hailed as the “Food and Wine Capital of the Cape”.

The pretty university town of Stellenbosch in the heart of the wine industry and its ancient oak-lined streets are well worth a visit, while further afield are lesser-known wine areas such as Elgin, Ceres, McGregor, and Montagu, who are also renowned for their award-winning wines and their quiet, laid-back ambiance.

The Garden Route

Robberg, Garden Route in South Africa

Stretching from Cape Town along the beautiful eastern coastline of South Africa past the oceanside towns of Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, and George towards Port Elizabeth, the glorious natural beauty of the Cape’s famous Garden Route seduces everyone.

Stunning white sandy beaches framed by rugged, rocky shorelines and indigo blue ocean, picturesque lagoons and tranquil lakes, undulating hills, and mist-covered mountains make up the spectacular scenery of this magnificent coastline.

Dense belts of ancient indigenous yellowwood forests line the coast from the Wilderness to Knysna, where one of several extremely rare Knysna elephants may be spotted, along with some of the world’s oldest yellowwood trees. 

Further along the coastal route, you’ll find pristine beaches, and secluded bays, such as Hermanus and Stilbaai, where Southern Right whales visit to calve and play at certain times of the year.

The densely wooded hillsides and lush, fertile valleys of the Outeniqua Mountains offer an array of outdoor adventure and recreation from hiking, mountain biking, kloofing, and camping to fishing, bird-watching, and more.

Slightly inland from the coast in a semi-arid valley lies the town of Oudtshoorn, which is home to the world-renowned Cango Caves, and thousands of ostriches that are farmed here for their feathers and meat on a grand scale. 

South Africa’s Kruger National Park

South Africa
Image via Adobe Stock

Sprawled across more than two million hectares in the northern part of the country, and home to over 1,000 different species of animals and birds, the Kruger National Park is the pride of South Africa. The world-renowned park has a rich conservation history and is unrivalled when it comes to wildlife.

Kruger is home to not only the Big Five – rhino, elephant, buffalo, lion, and leopard – but an array of herd animals, other big cats, and smaller mammals, along with a wealth of endemic flora.

There are many places to stay within the park ranging from luxury safari lodges to tented camps and lots of activities to enjoy like guided game drives and bush walks, ranger-led programs, and volunteer experiences for wildlife lovers.

The Drakensberg

South Africa
Image via Adobe Stock

Forming the boundary between South Africa and the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, the jagged, green panoramic sweep of the Drakensberg offers some of the country’s most awe-inspiring landscapes.

Aptly named uKhahlamba, meaning “Barrier of spears” in Zulu, the Drakensberg’s mist-enshrouded towering mountain peaks and sheer escarpment, verdant sloped hills, and dense yellowwood forests create an airbrushed beauty that has inspired a million picture-postcards and long attracted visitors from around the world to take in its spectacular scenery.

While the dramatic landscapes and striking natural scenery live up to their Zulu name, the Drakensberg’s ethereal and otherworldly atmosphere give light to the Afrikaans translation of the name, which means “Dragon mountains”. Dramatic mountain storms crash around the lofty peaks during summer, while in winter, the snowy peaks boast surreal beauty.

The World Heritage Site of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park features cascading waterfalls, tumbling mountain streams, and a myriad caves which overhang and protect a rich cultural legacy of ancient rock paintings done by Southern Africa’s earliest inhabitants, the San Bushmen.

Also read: Droolworthy local destinations almost too perfect for self-isolation

Travel South Africa

Latest South African Travel News

The South African Traveller

South Africa, a country of beauty and wonder, rich in diversity of people and places – a traveller’s dream. The nation’s multiplicity extends beyond the boundaries of culture into the very landscape itself.

It’s this intersection, at the tip of Africa, between earth’s everlasting lay and humanity’s cultural caldron, which adds to South Africa’s tangible allure. Indeed, the land itself has, through the ages, become a home to travellers of all denominations. Still today, the country embodies the essence of exploration as both a philosophical approach to understanding cultural differences and experiencing the splendour of this unique landscape.

If it’s true that unity is found in diversity, then South Africa is truly blessed.

South Africa is divided into nine separate provinces, each with their own major metropolitan hubs. The provincial variance in climate, geography and culture stands as a testament to the land’s inimitable stature. For every traveller and every mood, South Africa has an answer.
From the desolate, never-ending reaches of the Northern Cape Karoo to the country’s bustling financial hub in Gauteng. From the pristine beaches of the warm Western Cape to snow-covered Drakensberg mountains of KwaZulu-Natal. The vast orange hue of the Free State, to the green-blanketed Limpopo province. Safaris in the North West, traditional Ndabele villages in Mpumalanga to the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast. South Africa has it all.

Explore the country’s vivid and varied landscape. Experience its cultural enormity. Sleep under the great African sky. Eat local cuisine as varied as the land itself. Be the South African traveller.