Things to see in South Africa

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South Africa Attractions

South Africa is a sightseer's paradise, with plenty to see and do no matter what your interests, time frame, age, or inclination.

There is natural splendour in abundance from the iconic Table Mountain, magnificent Drakensberg, and Blyde River canyon to gorgeous beaches and beautifully scenic drives. South Africa as its share of history, too. Boer War battlefields and Apartheid attractions draw equal numbers of visitors, while heritage towns like Franschoek have much to offer.

The country is easy to get around with competitive low-cost carriers, long distance buses, good value car hire and the best roads in Africa (although some of the worst drivers are on them.) The country is ideal to visit all year round, although summer holidays over December and January are when locals tend to flock to the coastal towns and hence accommodation can be scarce.

South Africa is one of the few global destination that can offer the complete holiday experience, with a huge variety of world class attractions and compelling experiences, and incredible value to boot.

Kruger National Park

The Kruger National Park is South Africa's oldest, largest and best-known wildlife conservation area, home to a huge variety of wildlife and most famous for its 'Big Five' viewing opportunities. Visitors have an excellent chance of seeing lion, elephant, leopard, buffalo and rhino among... see full details

Table Mountain

Cape Town's most popular tourist attraction is also its most famous physical feature is the flat-topped mountain that stands sentinel over the city. Table Mountain has been proclaimed a nature reserve, protecting its diverse floral species, some unique to its slopes. The views from... see full details

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Five miles (eight km) south of the city centre lies the magnificent Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, covering a huge expanse of the rugged south-western slopes of the Table Mountain range. Kirstenbosch was bequeathed to the nation by mining magnate Cecil Rhodes in 1895, and today... see full details

Beaches

Cape Town has some great beaches, but the most easily accessible are on the Atlantic Ocean where the water is unbelievably cold; the locals rarely venture in beyond knee-high depths. The most popular is Camps Bay beach; a long, wide stretch of golden... see full details

Robben Island

South Africa’s most widely known tourist attraction is probably Robben Island, seven miles (11km) from Cape Town in the centre of Table Bay. For nearly 400 years this tiny rocky island outcrop was utilised as a place of banishment, exile, isolation and imprisonment for numerous categories of people... see full details

$Chapman\'s Peak Drive lookout$

Chapman's Peak

Chapman's Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular coastal roads in South Africa, linking the seaside community of Hout Bay to the Noordhoek Valley along the Atlantic Coast, with breathtaking views from along the narrow, winding road blasted into the cliffs. Constructed in... see full details

Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront

This working harbour, historical site and shopping and entertainment development has become one of Cape Town's most visited tourist attractions. The waterfront offers everything from shopping malls, and arts and crafts markets, to live music, cinemas, buskers and a variety of festivals throughout the... see full details

Cape Point

Most visitors to Cape Town are keen to make a day trip 40 miles (65km) from the city to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, not only to take in its floral diversity in what at first sight appears to be a... see full details

Addo Elephant Park

The most popular game reserve in the Port Elizabeth area is the Addo Elephant Park, just a 45-minute drive from the city. There are currently about 500 celephants in residence in the park, which was recently enlarged. Addo was proclaimed in 1931 in... see full details

$Jeffrey\'s Bay$

Jeffrey’s Bay

A short drive to the west of Port Elizabeth is the surfing Mecca of Jeffrey's Bay (known colloquially as 'J-Bay'). The seaside town plays host to the world Billabong Professional surfing contest every July, and is famed for its 'supertubes', South Africa's perfect wave.... see full details

Zululand Battlefields

Zululand, ancestral home of the Zulu people and site of many a bloody battle between the British, the Boers and the Zulus during the 19th century, is best explored as a self-drive adventure, although many tours are available from Durban. Every town in... see full details

Drakensberg Mountains

The jagged peaks of the Drakensberg (Dragon Mountains) tower over the eastern border of Kwa-Zulu Natal with Lesotho, providing a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. The mountains abound with hiking trails, climbing routes, 4x4 trails, pony treks and adventure pursuits, all accessible from numerous resorts... see full details

Newtown Cultural Precinct

This complex of buildings in the city centre has been upgraded and restored as part of the city fathers' urban renewal policy and provides several attractions. The Market Theatre and Museum Africa, for instance are housed in a Victorian building in Bree Street... see full details

Palace of the Lost City

Situated in the Bojanala region of the North West Province, the 'Las Vegas' of South Africa is one of the largest adult entertainment centres in the world, with casinos, golf, live shows, and the architectural wonder of the Lost City. The vast resort complex... see full details

Blyde River Canyon

The spectacular vista of the Blyde River Canyon, with its sheer cliffs dropping into a bush-covered valley, is part of the scenically breathtaking Panorama Route, worth doing as a self-drive trip from Nelspruit, or on a bus tour. Other sights on the route include... see full details

Tsitsikamma National Park

Tsitsikamma is the word of the indigenous Khoi-San people meaning ‘place of many waters’, which accurately describes the naturally beautiful thin 50-mile (80km) stretch of coastline that makes up the Tsitsikamma National Park, Africa’s oldest and largest marine reserve. The park boasts many attractions, including... see full details

Franschhoek

Fleeing religious persecution in France in the 1700s, more than 200 French Huguenots arrived in the Cape and were settled in the valley that soon became known as Franschhoek (French Corner), which is today situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands region.... see full details

The Apartheid Museum

South Africa's history of black oppression is chronicled in this building, situated near Gold Reef City. Relics of the Apartheid system, which banned non-whites from certain areas and from receiving an education, as well as forbidding interracial relationships, can be found here, right down... see full details

Hermanus

Locals and international visitors alike make the pilgrimage south of Cape Town to Hermanus, just a few hours' drive down the coast. The town is known for its whale watching, as Southern Right Whales migrate through the area to nearby Walker Bay. There... see full details

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