South Africa Guide
Things Not to Miss
1 The Drakensberg Hike in the mysterious "dragon mountains", which harbour South Africa's highest peaks, plus waterfalls, gorges, Bushman rock art and awesome panoramas.
2 Richtersveld Transfrontier Fierce, rugged and hot, the Richtersveld offers some of the most dramatic mountainscape in the country, sparsely populated by science-fiction vegetation.
3 Durban Durban, Africa's busiest port, boasts a large Indian population.
4 Wild flowers in Namaqualand Following the winter rains, Namaqualand's normally bleak landscape explodes with colour in one of nature's most brilliant floral displays.
5 Cape Point The rocky promontory south of Cape Town, angry seas crashing on either side, is one of the most dramatic coastal locations on the continent.
6 De Hoop Nature Reserve Slide down mountainous dunes or watch whales from the high vantage point they provide.
7 Whale-watching on the Whale Coast Regularly visiting the southern Cape Coast, whales often approach surprisingly close to the shore.
8 The Sani Pass The most precipitous pass in southern Africa, connecting Lesotho to neighbouring KwaZulu-Natal, is also the most thrilling to drive down.
9 Robben Island Just half an hour from Cape Town is the notorious offshore jail where political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, were incarcerated.
10 Madikwe Game Reserve This massive game park sees remarkably few visitors, yet boasts excellent lodges and superb wildlife-spotting opportunities, from wild dogs to lions and elephants.
11 The Bulungula Lodge At a beautiful river mouth on the Wild Coast, this backpacker lodge offers an all-too-rare opportunity to experience rural African life.
12 Soweto A tour around the vast, sprawling township – South Africa's largest – provides a graphic idea of how the majority of black South Africans live.
13 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park KwaZulu-Natal's finest game reserve offers an unsurpassed variety of wildlife-spotting activities, from night drives to self-guided walks and even donkey trails.
14 Basotho Cultural Village Beautifully decorative Basotho huts are characteristic of the eastern Free State's Highlands Route.
15 Addo Elephant National Park Encounter elephants and the rest of the Big Five at the eastern end of the Garden Route.
16 Storms River Mouth The Garden Route's most spectacular coastline, where you can cross the dramatic Storms River Mouth via a suspension footbridge.
17 The Wild Coast This part of the Eastern Cape offers peace and seclusion along a remote and spectacular subtropical coastline.
18 Kruger National Park Get spine-tinglingly close to lions and other big game at Southern Africa's ultimate wildlife destination.
19 Table Mountain cableway The most spectacular way to ascend Cape Town's famous landmark is also the easiest – the revolving cable car.
20 The Bo-Kaap The streets of Cape Town's oldest residential area are filled with colourful Cape Dutch and Georgian architecture.
21 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park View cheetahs and other desert dwellers amid the harsh beauty of the Kalahari.