Top 10 Best Places To Visit In South Africa | Travel Guide

With more landscapes and terrain than just about any other country on earth, South Africa takes the lead when it comes to diversity with its golden savannas, great gaping gorges, amazing wildlife, and hauntingly beautiful deserts. South Africa has all the features that travelers look for in a vacation destination. There are sublime beaches, incredible safari experiences, epic road trips, great hiking, and mountain kingdoms. So, here's a look at the best places to visit in South Africa. Number 1. Johannesburg Johannesburg, the city of gold, is the financial and industrial metropolis of South Africa built on a rich history of gold mining. History buffs will find plenty to see here, from museums like the South African National Museum of Military History and the Apartheid Museum to historic properties like Constitution Hill and the Mandela House. Overlooking the city of Johannesburg, Constitution Hill is a former prison which provides fascinating insight into South Africa's history. At the site, you can explore provocative exhibits at the No. 4 Museum, the Women's Jail Museum, and the Old Fort Museum. Only a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Johannesburg, Heilensburg National Park is one of the most popular game reserves in South Africa. You will see lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, and rhino here, and the park is known for its extraordinarily rich ecosystems thanks to its location in a transition zone between the lush loveled vegetation and the parched Kalahari Desert. If you want to immerse yourself in nature, the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens offer a serene slice of wilderness on the edge of the city. Managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the garden is one of nine national botanical gardens in South Africa, and this particular location offers plenty of space and beautiful views of red rock cliffs. Moving on to number two, Cape Town. Cape Town is one of the most iconic cities on Earth. The city has a thrilling blend of African, European, and Malay influences that come together in one of the great capital cities, all backed by a famous mountain that makes everything just that little bit more picturesque. Rising 1,087 meters south of the city center, Table Mountain is the most photographed landmark in South Africa and a constant reminder that nature is queen in this stunning seaside city. Created from massive beds of sandstone and slate, the mountain forms the northern end of the Cape Peninsula and lies within Table Mountain National Park. In a beautiful setting on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, be sure to visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with more than 20,000 native South African plant species which are collected, grown, and studied in the hilly 5.2-square-kilometer nature reserve. History buffs can visit two notable historic buildings within a five-minute walk of each other in central Cape Town. Built in 1905, Cape Town City Hall is a striking mix of Italian neo-Renaissance and British colonial style, and the Castle of Good Hope, the oldest surviving stone building in South Africa which was built in 1666 as the residence of the governor and for the protection of the early settlers. 3. Durban Durban is South Africa's third-largest city and one of its leading vacation destinations. A good starting point to explore Durban is the Golden Mile. This bustling beachfront promenade is lined with high-rise hotels, entertainment complexes, shops, and restaurants. The broad golden beaches are a magnet for watersports enthusiasts who come here to surf, swim, fish, or just enjoy the sun. Other highlights along this coastal stretch include Ushaka Marine World, the Moses Mbita Stadium and Minitown, a pint-sized replica of Durban, complete with a miniature rail network, airport, and harbor scene. The Durban Botanic Gardens is the oldest surviving botanic garden in Africa. Set on the slopes of Berea Hill, the gardens were established in 1849 for the trial of agricultural crops. Today, visitors can stroll among the indigenous and exotic subtropical plantings, including majestic heritage trees, some of which are more than 100 years old. 4. Pretoria Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, lies about 55 kilometers from Johannesburg. In the fertile valley of the Epes River at the foot of the Magellisberg Range, Pretoria is known as the Jacaranda City thanks to the blaze of purple blooms that brighten its many parks and gardens in the spring. Set in beautiful gardens, the Union Buildings command the highest point of the city on Meentjeskop Hill near historic Church Square. This impressive range of sandstone buildings mixes Italian Renaissance, English Renaissance, and Cape Dutch styles. It's the seat of government and also houses the offices of the president and the state archives. 5. Stellenbos Stellenbos, which is a 45-minute drive away from Cape Town, is the second-oldest town in South Africa and offers its visitors a great combination of beautiful wine estates, outdoor activities, fine restaurants, and breathtaking scenery. These days the town is centered around the university, one of the leading educational institutions in the country. There are also some of the most fantastic wine estates here. Stellenbos Botanical Gardens is the oldest university garden in South Africa and houses a wide range of exotic and indigenous plants. The gardens also include an exceptional bonsai nursery, koi ponds, and glasshouses. Now, before you plan your next trip to South Africa, make sure to check out the first link in the description where you can find the best deals for your flight, hotel, and car rentals in South Africa. 6. Kruger National Park Kruger National Park is home to an astounding volume and diversity of wildlife. Kruger is the largest and oldest national park in South Africa, with almost 20,000 square kilometers. The park primarily caters to nature and animal lovers and is home to 114 different species of reptiles, more than 500 species of birds, and 147 mammals including lions, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino. Other species include zebras, giraffes, impala, cheetah, and hippo to name a few. At natural landmarks like the Kruger Tablets and Hippo Pool, you will likely see lions lounging and hippos swimming. Meanwhile, game drives and bushwalks allow you to spot animals like now crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, and rhinos. 7. Port Elizabeth Port Elizabeth is South Africa's third-largest port with some of the country's cleanest city beaches. In the city's historic hub, the Art and Heritage Trail celebrates the fascinating and sometimes turbulent history of this friendly colonial city. Route 67 in the city's historical hub is an Art and Heritage Trail spotlighting 67 artworks created by Eastern Cape artists, one for every year Nelson Mandela devoted to public life. The trail weaves together the city's British heritage and African history and tells the story of the lead-up to the 1994 elections. South Africa's third-biggest national park, Addo Elephant National Park lies 72 kilometers north of Port Elizabeth and offers nature lovers the taste of a true African safari. The park covers more than 444,000 acres, extending from the Karoo in the north over the Zurburg Range to the coast. It also includes offshore islands which shelter important breeding populations of Cape Gannets and African penguins. 8. Pietermaritzburg This heritage city is located in the forests and rolling pastures of the Natal Midlands and is considered one of the best-preserved Victorian cities on Earth. A tour through town to look at the historic buildings will take you back to another age, and many of these grand buildings have been converted into museums. The city is made up of a large student population as well as a Zulu community which brings a lot of color to the place. Pietermaritzburg also makes the perfect base camp for exploring both the Midlands meander and KwaZulu-Natal. Howick Falls are located in Howick outside Pietermaritzburg and provide a spectacular view. The falls are about 95 meters in height and can be dated back to the time the first man wandered the KwaZulu-Natal Plains. For the lovers of flora, the Pietermaritzburg Botanical Gardens, established in 1870, present a selection of seasonal blooms and lush vegetations. The gardens are also famous for the bell tower, where a ship bell from the HMS Princess, the one that King George V used to cross the channel in 1918, can be found. 9. Blumfontein Blumfontein, the City of Roses, is the capital of the Free State and its economic and cultural heart. Opposite the Court of Appeal is the 4th Radsol, one of the city's most beautiful buildings. The foundation stone was laid in 1890 and the building was completed in 1893. The Renaissance-style red brick building flaunts a prominent dome and a portico of ionic columns. In a Cape Dutch mansion, the Ole Wenwees Art Gallery is named after the wild olive trees on the surrounding hills. The gallery is a satellite of the National Museum and its permanent collection focuses exclusively on South African art, ranging from the old masters to contemporary paintings and sculpture. Artists include Thomas Baines, Peter Wenning, and Willem Kutzer. Established in 1877, the National Museum is a great place for tourists to learn about the region's cultural, natural, and political history, as well as its artistic traditions. The museum has a large collection of fossils and archaeological material, including a chronological display of Stone Age and Iron Age tools. In the ethnological section, you can learn about the life of the Bushmen, Himba, Zulu, and other cultural groups, as well as see displays of African musical instruments. 10. Nisna As part of the famous Garden Route, Nisna is famous for the Oyster Festival and incredible views that stretch from Leisure Isle all the way to the Nisna Heads. The Heads are a set of two soaring cliffs separated by the Nisna Lagoon, which spills into the Indian Ocean. Both Heads offer equally fantastic views over the tranquil lagoon and raging sea below. Some other major landmarks in Nisna are the Featherbed Nature Reserve, as well as the incredible Nisna Elephant Park and Monkey Land Primate Sanctuary. Dolphin sightings are pretty regular in Nisna, and there are several dolphin-spotting boat trips that include a stop at Plettenberg Bay or Robberg Peninsula to see the noisy seal colonies.