Top Toursit Destinations in South Africa
South Africa's Must See Destinations
1. Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula & Robben Island
Through many tourism surveys, Cape Town has scored as the worlds most beautiful city, the worlds most favourite city and most desired city to visit in the world.
Table Mountain is a huge attraction but, the Mother City is surrounded by a host of attractions. It is also recognised as one of the food capitals of the world! The European settlements started here, Nelson Mandela made his freedom speech here. Some dream about visiting Cape Town, others tell you how much they enjoyed Cape Town.
2. The Winelands
Believe it or not, there is more than bush lodges, lions, giraffe and thorny bush!
The Cape Winelands, namely Stellenbosch and Fraanschhoek consist of beautiful old wine estates, homesteads and lovely shaded gardens, usually with their own restaurants show casing that mouth watering brand of South African contemporary cuisine, coupled with the wine you just tasted, you cannot go wrong - or anywhere else!
It is not the only wine producing area in South Africa. You will find old wine estates in Constantia suburb as well as in Noordhoek. In addition the R62 / Klein Karoo wine route and Hex River Valley, and Hemel en Aarde Valley outside Hermanus. Whichever route you take out of Cape Town, you can stop and sample excellent wines!
3. Tsonga Land & iSimangeliso Wetland Park
Tsonga Land, just south of the Mozambique border on the East is for diving, snorkling, wetland canoeing and Big 5 game reserves, lodges on the beach surrounded by African coastal sub tropical forest and wildlife. You literally feel like you are in a remote secluded part of South Africa. this is where the Tsonga people live, Tsonga Land.
Across the lagoons and estuaries is the iSimangeliso Wetland Park (1st UNESCO World Heritage Site in South Africa). this whole area offers a African bush n& beach experience completely different to the rest of the country.
4. The Garden Route
Other than beautiful, clean and remote beaches, the Garden Route takes you from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. The main N2 road travels over and between mountains and along the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Through farm land and evergreen indigenous rain forest. You are spoiled for choice with accommodation (ranging form budget/backpackers to 3,4 & 5 star) in charming picturesque towns.
Addo Elephant National Park, Knysna, Plettenbergbay, Natures Valely, Storms River Mouth, Tsitsikamma Forest and the worlds highest commercial bungi jump at the Bloukrans Bridge, Hermanus.
5. Johannesburg
eGoli - Sotho for "where the gold is". The financial hub of South Africa. Attractions are Soweto and the Apartheid Museum. There are plenty multi-culti socialising hang-outs, but you really need to know where and when to go!
6. Kruger National Park
The largest concentration of varied species in any national park world wide. In Kruger National park you get to see so many different animals, including Africa's Big 5. The park is 2 million hectares far and wide giving you plenty space to explore.
7. Drakensberg Mountains
"The Barrier of Spears" - so named by the Zulu's who found it difficult to pursue enemies over the mountain range. "Dragon Mountain" by European settlers because of its stormy nature. It is 200km long with peaks over 3000 metres high. There are beautiful landscape highlights, one being the Amphitheatre as seen above. The Drakensburg borders Lesotho and South Africa. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
8. The Panorama Route & Blyde River Canyon
The Blyde River Canyon is the southerly result of the East Africa's Great Rift Valley. It is the most tree'd and the greenest canyon in the world. The views are stupendous.
9. Wild Coast
Rugged, wild and rural, that is the Wild Coast. Characterised by beach, beach and beach, rivers, lagoons, dune forest, waterfalls and a seaside pace of life without the modern seaside resort ambience. Cheap seafood, Xhosa culture, and that feeling that you have stepped out of time into a coastal wilderness. The perfect escape. We spend 2 days here on the Epic South Africa Discovery Tour
Port St. Johns, Wild Coast
10. Swaziland
Swaziland is one of only 3 true monarchies left in Africa. The king pretty much has his hand on everything. The Swazi people have interesting collective history and are proud of their monarchy. Swaziland has so much to offer in terms of cultural experiences, bush lodges and adrenaline sports. It is a small country landlocked within South Africa. Easy and safe to explore. Definitely worth a visit!
Visit Swaziland on 3 of our tours: Epic South Africa; Experience South Africa; Walking South Africa
11. The Karoo
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To some, the Karoo is just a vast dry place with massive rock formations, a long geological record, loads of dinosoar fossils, farms with quaint guest cottages and historical towns with Victorian architecture and monuments to events that made South Africa. Not to mention the tales and folk lore of the Karoo you will only hear once you have gained the trust of an old local and a night sky that rivals any other in Africa! ... doesn't that sound like just the right place for a wonderluster?
The Karoo is the largest biome in South Africa and stretches across the interior of the country. It is divided into the Great Karoo and the Klein Karoo and further ecological sub divisions.
Book your seat with Move Tours and Safaris and we will take you to all these beautiful locations in South Africa. The Epic South Africa Tour is designed to give the best multi-day tour experience available in South Africa while still getting to all of the countries highlights. See the tour programme here Epic South Africa Discovery Tour
A shorter version, Experience South Africa 17 Day
In the next blog we will show case South Africa's "off the beaten track" destinations for the young and adventurous traveller-explorer inside of you...
