South Africa

Overview

South Africa is rich in culture, fauna, flora and history. Africa 's southernmost country is a large country with widely varying landscapes, 12 official languages, and an equally diverse population and is often known as the "Rainbow Nation".

If you want to travel in southern Africa then South Africa is a good place to start. While you can fly into any country in southern Africa, most flights will route through South Africa anyway. South Africa is also a good place to get used to travelling in the region.

Places to explore

South Africa is a paradise for anyone interested in natural history. A wide range of species (some potentially dangerous and endangered) may be encountered in parks, farms, private reserves and even on the roads.

See African Flora and Fauna and South African National Parks for additional information. There are hiking trails available in almost all the parks and around geographical places of interest, Hiking in South Africa contains information on those.

Sights and landscapes

Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to South Africa every year to see the country's many natural and cultural attractions. From wild elephants to stunning landscapes, cave paintings, colonial heritage and bustling townships, South Africa is an enchanting land of contradictions and great beauty.

South Africa is the most popular safari destination in the world and for many visitors a glance at the "Big Five" and other wildlife is a must. The iconic Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga is surely the most famous place to have that glance, but Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape is another popular pick. The vast dry plains of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park with its migratory herds of wildebeast covers parts of both South Africa and Botswana. Along the border with Mozambique another transfrontier park, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park , offers very different landscapes and fauna. For scuba divers, South Africa's underwater wildlife has a lot to offer, with the annual sardine run being a highlight. The popular seaside town of Hermanus is probably the best place in the world to go whale watching , with cage diving opportunities with great white sharks for the truly adventurous.

South Africa's landscapes are grand and diverse, varying from flat desert scrublands to lush green coastal areas and high peaks. The view from the famous, flat-topped Table mountain is a classic Africa experience. Also in the Cape Town region, the beautiful beaches attract thousands of sun lovers. The green coastal Garden Route is a great natural experience, passing countless lagoons, several interesting towns and the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park . The Augrabies Falls National Park boasts a 60-m-high water fall. Close to the Kruger Park is God's Window and Blyde River Canyon , the largest green canyon in the world, not far from there are the high peaks of the Drakensberg mountain range. The Ukhahlamba Drakensberg Park is one of the country's 8 Unesco World Heritage sites for its exceptional natural beauty and the many cave paintings found there. The Namaqualand transformation from a dry monochromatic landscape into a colourful myriad of flowering during spring season, is a sight to behold, but there are many others including areas of the Kalahari desert, where stubborn endemic life forms defy the harsh environment and thrive.

Large numbers and some of the oldest hominid fossils have been found in South Africa, especially in the Cradle of Humankind , another World Heritage Site. Over 30 different caves held important fossils, but the caves of Sterkfontein are perhaps the most important one at the site. Far more recent, the 17th-century Castle of Good Hope in beautiful Cape Town is one of the cultural heritage sites from colonial times. Robben Island , where Nelson Mandela was famously imprisoned, has become a major destination. For more insight in the Apartheid times, visit the District Six Museum in Cape Town or the Apartheid museum in Johannesburg . Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites is a UNESCO World Heritage Site including 14 sites related to Mandela's life and career.

Culture and food

South African cuisine is just as diverse as its cultures, with influences from British , Dutch , German , Indian , Malay , Portuguese , Greek , Italian and of course the native African influences.

Local franchises worth mentioning are Black Steer , Spur and Steers for the best burgers and Nando's peri-peri chicken. Chicken Licken is also a very popular choice for the locals, especially for their hot wings.

If you want to keep to a budget and not bother with cooking, everywhere all supermarket chains have a deli, bakery and kitchen sections providing a wide range of ready to eat meals and sandwiches or you can choose yourself from the hot buffet or salad bar. These items are sold by weight at reasonable prices.

Planning your route

South Africa has a well-established domestic air travel infrastructure with links between all major centres. There are multiple daily flights to all the major airports within the country. Contact any of the airlines for details. It is worth comparing low cost airlines like Mango with the SAA rates as they usually have online specials which can be cheaper than the "low cost" carriers.

Driving can be a practical way of getting around in South Africa, for instance national parks are some of the country's foremost attractions but they are rarely served by public transport. Visitors hiring or buying a car is fairly common.

Major roads are in general in good condition, though South Africa still has a high rate of road accidents. Traffic rules including speed limits are not always respected, and in the countryside animals (wild and domestic) next to or on the road are not an uncommon sight.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.