Things not to miss

#01 The Wild Coast

This part of the Eastern Cape offers peace and seclusion along a remote and spectacular subtropical coastline.

Eastern Cape, South Africa © Vincent van Oosten/Shutterstock

#02 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.

© 4uphoto_Valeria De Mattei/Shutterstock

#03 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.

© Gil.K/Shutterstock

#04 Indian culture

Durban, Africa’s busiest port, boasts a large Indian population, brightly coloured Hindu temples, buzzing markets and zinging curries. For more information, see the section on Durban.

Panorama Durban, South Africa © lcswart/Shutterstock

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#05 The Drakensberg

Hike in the “dragon mountains”, which harbour South Africa’s highest peaks, plus waterfalls, rock art and awesome panoramas.

© EcoPrint/Shutterstock

#06 Vernacular architecture

Beautifully decorative Basotho huts are characteristic of the eastern Free State’s Maloti Route.

© Ariadna22822/Shutterstock

#07 Addo Elephant National Park

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Encounter elephants and the rest of the Big Five at the end of the Garden Route.

© Hajakely/Shutterstock

#08 Traditional arts and crafts

Find traditional handicrafts in rural and urban areas alike, such as the Venda region of Limpopo.

© Jane Rix/Shutterstock

#09 Wine routes

The Cape’s wine estates combine stunning scenery, Cape Dutch architecture and some fine vintages.

Cape vineyard Buitenverwachting, South Africa © Gareth Weeks/Shutterstock

#10 The Sani Pass

The most precipitous pass in Southern Africa, connecting Lesotho to KwaZulu-Natal.

© Lukas Bischoff Photograph/Shutterstock

#11 Game trails

Spot wildlife on a guided hike in Kruger National Park.

© Andrzej Kubik/Shutterstock

#12 Cape Point

The rocky promontory south of Cape Town is one of the most dramatic coastal locations on the continent.

© HandmadePictures/Shutterstock

#13 Storms River Mouth

The Garden Route’s most spectacular coastline, where you can cross Storms River Mouth by footbridge.

#14 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

View cheetahs, meerkats and other desert dwellers amid the harsh beauty of the Kalahari.

© Danita Delmont/Shutterstock

#15 Wild flowers

Following the winter rains, Namaqualand’s normally bleak landscape explodes with colour.

© Irmelamela/Shutterstock

#16 The Bo-Kaap

Cape Town’s oldest residential area is filled with colourful Cape Dutch and Georgian architecture.

© MG Africa/Shutterstock

#17 Kruger National Park

Get spine-tinglingly close to lions and other big game at Southern Africa’s ultimate wildlife destination.

© PACO COMO/Shutterstock

#18 Richtersveld Transfrontier

Fierce, rugged and hot, the Richtersveld has some of the most dramatic mountainscape in the country, sparsely populated by science-fiction vegetation.

© Geoff Sperring/Shutterstock

#19 Live music

Johannesburg offers the best nightlife in South Africa, attracting top musical performers from around the country and abroad.

© wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock

#20 Table Mountain cableway

The most spectacular way to ascend Cape Town’s famous landmark is also the easiest – the revolving cable car.

© Daleen Loest/Shutterstock

#21 De Hoop Nature Reserve

Slide down mountainous dunes or watch whales from the high vantage point they provide.

De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa © Alessandro De Maddalena/Shutterstock

#22 Robben Island

Just half an hour from Cape Town is the notorious offshore jail where political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, were incarcerated.

Entrance Robben Island Prison where Nelson Mandela was held © DarenP/Shutterstock

#23 Whale-watching

Regularly visiting the southern Cape Coast, whales often approach surprisingly close to the shore.

© Ken C Moore/Shutterstock

Travel advice for South Africa

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