South Africa Tourism

Wildlife in South Africa

A majority of South African tourism is for the wildlife opportunities the country provides. The Big 5 of South Africa in terms of wildlife are elephant, Cape buffalo, lion, leopard and black rhino. You will find them in enough numbers during safaris in parks like Kruger National Park, Addo Elephant National Park, Tsitsikamma National park and Pilanesberg Game Reserve. Africa is still ahead of all other continents when it comes to wildlife, and you will get to see a good share of critically endangered animals on your South Africa travel.

Beaches in South Africa

South African beaches are not as famous as its wildlife, but with two oceans on two sides, there are enough for you to make your South Africa trip a seaside vacation if you want to. The port cities of the country – Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town have quite a collection of long stretches of sand, azure blue water and cool hubs for hanging out along the shore, thus making the beaches of SA quite a haunt. Camps Bay Beach and Muizenberg Beach in Cape Town, Grotto Beach in Hermanus, Trafalgar Beach and Marina Beach in South Coast, Dolphin Beach in Jeffrey’s Bay and Humewood Beach in Port Elizabeth are some of the best ones you can try.

To help you make your vacation wholesome, here are the best cities in South Africa that you should visit.

1. Johannesburg

When you visit South Africa, the one city you have to visit is Johannesburg. It is the largest and most frequented city of the country, and the capital of Guateng Province. What began as a gold mining settlement has turned into a major tourism hub. Among major attractions, there are Nelson Mandela House Museum, Apartheid Museum, Cradle of Humankind archaeological site, Gold Reef City and Constitution Hill. If you are a cricket fan, take a tour of the famous Wanderers Stadium as well.

2. Cape Town

South Africa has three different seats for the three pillars of democracy, and Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa – seat of the Parliament. It is also the most important port city and home to the famous flat-top Table Mountain. It overlooks the cricket stadium of Cape Town, which you must have seen if you take interest in the sports. Do visit the prison museum at Robben Island, made famous for one holding the creator of modern SA – Nelson Mandela.

3. Port Elizabeth

Cradling the shore of Algoa Bay in Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth is known for its many beaches and trekking trails. Take the Donkin Heritage Trail to reach the Victorian landmarks of Old Hill. Other than spending time at the beach or trekking, one can go for safaris at Kragga Kamma Game Park or take boat trips into the sea for whale watching and bird spotting.

4. Durban

Yet another coastal city, Durban is located in the famous Kwazulu-Natal Province of South Africa. The city is a dynamic melting pot of Indian, African and European ethnicities. Refurbished completely for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Durban boasts a long seafront promenade that runs all the way from Ushaka Marine World to Moses Mabhida Stadium.

5. Pretoria

Dotted with thousands of Jacaranda trees, Pretoria is the administrative capital of the country, and houses the Presidency and the Cabinet. A place of great historical significance is the Union Building where Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as President. The Pretoria Zoo, Church Square and Voortrekker Monument are the other places to visit here.