South Africa Destination Guide

There are some amazing experiences to be had on any visit to South Africa but it is a big country and you will need to travel to get to them. Some of the distances are vast, so will almost certainly involve some internal flights. Car hire is recommended for more local sightseeing in Cape Town and the Garden Route - driving is on the left and roads are generally good, so this is a great way to see the country.

The culture

The "rainbow nation" has 11 official languages, boasts a kaleidoscope of different cultures, religions and traditions and is a visual showpiece for the international tourist. South Africa's history of Apartheid has been well documented and even though democracy was only achieved in 1994, the people show a new spirit of pride in their multi-ethnic roots. Friendly, smiling faces welcome visitors with open arms and they are proud to show off their colourful and varied heritage.

The shopping

In the cities, shopping malls selling mainstream goods can be found, but many of the more interesting stores have moved into side streets, so don’t neglect them. The main attraction is a fine range of handcrafted goods, including authentic African art and beautiful jewellery made from locally mined gold.

The nightlife

Try the typical South African "farmhouse" cooking. Seafood and curries are staples and the barbecue, known locally as a "braai", is a South African way of life. Meat is big! South African wines have gained a worldwide reputation and should, of course, be appreciated in their homeland! Eating out is amazing value for money. In the cities, theatre and cinemas are excellent value. Outside the cities, nightlife is limited and indeed, the rigours of touring and early starts (especially for game drives) mean that most are quite happy to relax at their hotel at the end of a tiring, but rewarding day.

In a nutshell...

“For lovers of wildlife and the great outdoors, you will find your home in South Africa. The game parks are some of the best in the world, the scenery is spectacular, the people are delightful and the value for money is exceptional. Although some concerns about crime have been expressed, in reality, incidents in tourist areas are infrequent and if you take proper care, it is no more risky than other destinations. With the time difference jetlag is also not an issue. All in all, a fantastic country!”

The options

Southern Africa offers you everything that you could possibly wish for in a holiday. After a strenuous touring holiday, the beach must beckon. Whilst there are beautiful beaches in South Africa, an alternative is to spend a few days on a "get away from it all" island such as Mauritius or in the Seychelles.

The facts

Geography - a vast country, five times the size of Great Britain with a population of 41 million. The scenery ranges from bush lands, arid flat lands, mountains, forests and magnificent seascapes.
Language - English, Afrikaans and nine "majority languages"!
Passports - you will need a full British passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond your date of return. Two empty pages are required.
Visas - Visas are not required for full British passport holders. Non-British passport holders should check with the relevant embassy for documentation requirements.
Vaccinations - Vaccinations are recommended. For further information, please consult your doctor. Some of the game parks are malarial and a course of malaria tablets is highly recommended.
Travelling time - Johannesburg is approximately 11 hours and Cape Town is 12 hours by non-stop flight from the UK
Local time - GMT + 2 hours
Currency - South African Rand

Cape Town is rated one of the world’s most beautiful cities and is a popular starting point to any South Africa holiday. Its vibrant atmosphere, cosmopolitan feel and eclectic mix of people, attractions and activities make it a must to see. You can explore the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront – browse one of the many shops, eat in one of the restaurants or bars and enjoy the buzzing atmosphere; take a cable car ride up Table Mountain and enjoy panoramic views of the city and peninsula; drink tea at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens; take a ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned or soak up the rays on one of Cape Town’s magnificent beaches - Clifton, Camps Bay and Llandudno to name just a few.

Venture out of the city and you will be enchanted by the surrounding areas – not only is the scenery stunningly beautiful, you can spot whales just metres from the shore during the whale season June-November in Hermanus, sip fine wines in one of the Western Cape’s striking wine estates or come face to face with the Great White Shark in a never-to-be-forgotten cage diving experience off Gansbaai.

The nightlife

Seafood and curries are staples and the barbecue, known locally as a "braai", is a South African way of life. Meat is big! Eating, the theatre and cinemas are all excellent value.

The shopping

Shopping malls selling mainstream goods can be found, but many of the more interesting stores have moved into side streets. The main attraction is a fine range of handcrafted goods and beautiful jewellery made from locally mined gold.

The sights

Table Mountain - Cape Town’s most famous landmark is the unmistakable Table Mountain. Ascend to the top via the 360 degree rotating cable car. At the top, there are a number of walks affording fabulous views of Cape Town and the ocean below. Wear sensible shoes as some of the paths are hewn from rock and involve some steep steps. Cloud cover often affects visibility, so if it’s fine, grasp the opportunity and head for the mountain. To avoid the queues, go first thing in the morning.

Robben Island – clearly visible off-shore from Cape Town lies Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and many others were imprisoned for their political beliefs. A visit is a moving experience, as the guides are all former prisoners of the island and tell first-hand stories of their time in captivity. Many of them still live there.  Tours do book up early, so either book before you leave home or ensure you do so as soon as you arrive.

Camps Bay – Cape Town’s main beach resort lies just 15 minutes drive from the city and is a bustling seaside resort with the stunning backdrop of the Twelve Apostles – an extension of the Table Mountain range.

Victoria and Alfred Waterfront – Cape Town’s newest attraction is this development around the original working port. The shops, restaurants and bars overlook the spectacular harbour and marina. This is most certainly the place to be seen in Cape Town.

Cape Peninsula – Take time to tour around the Cape Peninsula. Stop at the pretty harbour at Hout Bay and take a trip out to Seal Island. Call in at the Cape of Good Hope and climb up to Cape Point (Africa’s second most southerly point) for spectacular views before continuing round to Boulders Beach to see the huge penguin colony just south of the naval port of Simon’s Town.

The options

Cape Town can be twinned with anywhere in South Africa and is a perfect compliment to a safari, but with so much to see and do, it is also becoming increasingly popular as a single centre destination. To make the most of your visit, you will need at least 5 nights, ideally longer and even though it is tempting to stay in the city – there really is so much to explore. Choose from a simple city break or extend your trip to the Winelands or Hermanus.

The garden route is a scenically stunning drive along South Africa’s south coast and there are plenty of stopping points along the way.  The journey can be as long as short as you make it – it just depends what you want to see.

The sights

Mossel Bay – a popular holiday resort which marks the start of the Garden Route.

Oudtshoorn – the Little Karoo’s main town is set on the banks of the Grobbelaars River and is the centre of the South African ostrich industry. A visit to an ostrich farm is a must as is a stop at the Cango Caves – considered to be one of South Africa’s most remarkable natural wonders with a labyrinth of caves containing stalagmites and stalagtites.

George – the largest of the towns along the Garden Route, George nestles at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains. The George Museum is worth a visit and the town is a good spot for sightseeing around the area.

Knysna – a pretty little resort town built around a beautiful lagoon, which is guarded by two cliffs known as the Heads. Trips out in the lagoon from the busy waterfront harbour are recommended as is a visit to the Featherbed Nature Reserve.  Knysna is a great spot to break your journey along the Garden Route.

Plettenberg Bay – known affectionately as “Plett”, this is a fashionable resort town on a stunning stretch of coastline.

Tsitsikamma National Park – the National Park takes up a 50 mile strip along the coast (toll charges apply on the road through). The park is rich in plant life, birds and whales and dolphins can often be seen out to sea. Storms River Mouth is a popular stopping point on this stretch.

Port Elizabeth – located in the Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth is South Africa’s fifth largest town. It is a popular tourist centre with beautiful beaches, historic buildings, sophisticated shopping centres and excellent restaurants. A visit to Oceanarium to see the dolphins performing with the Cape fur seals and penguins is not to be missed.

Game Reserves – The Garden Route has a wide range of private games (mostly malaria-free) which offer opportunities for “Big Five” game viewing, but save the travelling time necessary to get to Kruger.

Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest city, situated on an interior plateau known as the Highveld. The centre is high rise, modern, congested and vibrant, but the new place to be is the chic and smart suburb of Sandton. Many businesses, shops and restaurants have now moved out of town to this up and coming area. The city was literally built on gold, as it grew up around the Witwatersrand Main Reef. Just four miles out of town lies Gold Reef City, developed on the old Crown Mines site - a reconstruction of Jo’burg when gold mining was at its peak.

The sights

For the visitor to Johannesburg the difficulty lies not in finding something to do, but in choosing between all the exciting options. There's something for everyone - museums that examine the country's apartheid past, the city's exciting new Constitutional Court, a look at the city's gold mining beginnings, traditional African medicine or muti, and plenty of animals and outdoor fun.

SoWeTo – A tour of South Africa’s infamous township is an experience not to be missed. There is an enormous sense of community spirit and you can visit the street which was once home to two Nobel Prize winners, Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

The Apartheid Museum – will give you more of an insight  and is a very moving experience.

Victorian Parktown - one of the oldest suburbs of Johannesburg, home to the mining magnates since the 19th century.  

The city’s oldest market, Mai-Mai - transports the visitor into a fascinating world of indigenous African clothing and curios, but the real stars are the traditional healers with their “muti” or herbs. The Botanic Gardens –  one of South Africa’s finest collections while Monte Casino Bird Gardens have over 200 species of birds and 1500 species of small animals

Gold Reef City - This was one of the richest and deepest gold mines and even has a pub – a quarter of a mile down! Now transformed into a theme park, this popular attraction is a must for the whole family.

Kruger National Park is an hour’s flight from Jo’burg and where you can sample the big game experience. The Kruger is arguably one of the finest game parks in the world. Most lodges offer two game drives per day (one early in the morning and one in the evening) and your chances of seeing the “Big Five” - lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo - are excellent. This must be high on the list of "musts" for any visit to South Africa. You can either choose to stay outside the park in one of the towns outside the gates such as Hazyview or you can stay at one of the private reserves inside the park itself.

The sights

Game Drives – anyone visiting Kruger has one primary aim and that is to view the game. All of the “Big Five” (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros) can be seen in the national park. Many of the private camps include two game drives per day, whereas if you stay outside the park, you may choose to book and pay locally for full day drives in the park with a guide and tracker.

Panorama Route – most people visiting Kruger tend to concentrate on the game drives, but you really should take the time to explore some of the province of Mpumalanga, in which Kruger is located. This is a vast area of mountains, waterfalls and veld. The Blyde River Canyon red-sandstone gorge with a huge lake offers staggering views of the Three Rondavels. At God’s Window, you can take in one of the most breathtaking views of the whole Escarpment and Pilgrims Rest (an old gold mining town) is full of character.

Known as the Garden Province, KwaZulu Natal’s stunning 370 mile Indian Ocean coastline rises up inland to the dramatic heights of the Drakensberg Mountains. The beaches are glorious and benefit from the warmth of the Indian Ocean. The cosmopolitan city of Durban is South Africa’s most popular and certainly the busiest holiday resort. In the north of the province is historic Zululand and the Battlefields, which for lovers of history, is the place to see the sites of the Boer Wars and to learn about the Zulu homelands.

The sights

Durban – a popular coastal resort benefiting from year round sunshine and plenty of outdoor activities. Restaurants, bars, shops and live music venues line the Durban Waterfront providing a great vibe and a perfect place for a stroll on the promenade.

The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park – situated on the untamed Elephant Coast of the Zulu Kingdom and declared a World Heritage Site in 1999, the St Lucia Wetlands brings together five ecosystems and is home to the largest and southernmost population of hippos, approximately 1000 crocodiles, as well as a wealth of plant and animal life. It offers an abundance of activities for lovers of the great outdoors and you will be spoilt for choice of photo opportunities.

Local History Museum – a must for those wanting to learn more about the Zulu history.

The BAT centre - The cultural heartbeat of the city and a haven for artists and creative types. Botanical Gardens – boast an impressive tropical and exotic collection to view. 

Just an hour and a half’s drive from Jo’burg is South Africa’s playground comprising of a theme park, casinos, excellent sports facilities, pools and man-made beaches.

Although not an area rich in history and sightseeing attractions as such, the superb array of leisure facilities on offer will ensure you have plenty to see and do.  The Valley of the Waves has been described as one of the best aquatic playgrounds in the world. Sports enthusiasts have a choice of championship golf courses to play, tennis courts and spa treatments to indulge in. For a taste of the real Africa, the beautiful Pilanesberg National Park adjoins the resort and is sure to delight game viewers as it is a malaria free zone and home to the Big Five

Around 45 minutes drive from Cape Town are the winelands. Hire a car and spend a few days touring around admiring the scenery and visiting the wine estates around Franschhoek, Paarl, Stellenbosch and Constantia, the upmarket southern suburb of Cape Town. Stellenbosch is one of the most famous towns and the second oldest in South Africa – after Cape Town.

The sights

Stellenbosch - the capital of the Winelands and was the second town to be established by the Dutch settlers. An attractive town it is full of old thatched and whitewashed Cape Dutch buildings and historic national monuments. The reason most visitors come to Stellenbosch however, is to sample the wonderful wines of the area and with over 200 estates offering wine tastings there are no shortage of places to visit. The estates are impressive and ornate, with grand manor houses and beautiful grounds.

Franschhoek valley – hemmed in by mountains and has a rich French history which can be discovered at the Huguenot Memorial and Museum. Again, the main focus of the area is wine tasting but it’s also renowned as the gourmet capital of the Cape and the small town features a number of acclaimed restaurants. The bustling town of Paarl is the attractive headquarters of the largest wine co-operative in the world.