10 Things To Do In South Africa For Your Next African Adventure!

Located on the Southern tip of Africa lies a country that is fast becoming the adventure capital of the world. Contrary to popular belief, there are so many adventures awaiting you in South Africa, that it has the propensity to attract travelers who crave culture, food, sightseeing, or history. A country famed for its wildlife safari and natural experiences has outgrown its reputation and become even more beautiful. A South Africa trip is now not just about catching a glimpse of the lions, giraffes, and zebras. Instead, the best things to do in South Africa have started to spread out towards extreme adventure sports, wine tasting, cultural tours, and urban sightseeing.

Best Time To Visit South Africa

Although South Africa is a year-round travel destination, many travellers prefer to visit during the most comfortable, warm, and travel-friendly climate. As a rough estimate, the best time to visit South Africa is during the summer months of December to March. With the South African weather cycle being opposite, Indians can plan a perfect escape into the sun from the cold, misty, foggy, and polluted winters back in the country.

Also Read: South Africa With Kids

Top things to do in South Africa

Here are some of the incredibly fun things to do in South Africa that travelers cannot afford to miss on their next African adventure:

1. Bungee Jumping and Insane Rope Swings

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Inject some adventure into your life and go for crazy sports like Bungee Jumping in South Africa. These days, it is rapidly becoming a very popular sport among the youth worldwide who love to wear their heart on their sleeve and live every moment as it comes by.

For Bungee Jumping, travelers need to visit the Bloukrans bridge, which is also the highest bridge bungee dive (208m). It is located at the Bloukrans beach, which is the diving point between the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape in the Tsitsikamma area.

Since rope swings (Tarzan swings) are available at multiple locations throughout South Africa, travelers will have to decide in advance where they would like to experience them most.

• Location: Bloukrans Bridge, Nature’s Valley, Western Cape, South Africa
• Best Time To Visit: during the dry season, from May to September

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2. Climbing Table Mountain

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One of the most striking views in South Africa is the stunning appearance of the Table Mountain in Cape Town. Probably the most famous landmark, a view from the top of the Table Mountain is what people describe as ‘heavenly’ and ‘out of this world’.

One of the popular activities in South Africa among locals and travelers, people can reach the top of Table Mountain via 350 different paths, wherein the shortest and the most direct path takes about 2 hours to reach the summit.

• Location: Tafelberg Road, Cape Town, South Africa
• Best Time To Visit: November

Related Post: Things To Do In Johannesburg

3. Hot Air Balloon Rides

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Some of the best things to do in South Africa bring forth a romantic tinge to an otherwise adventurous activity. One such activity all the romantics can try is going on a hot-air balloon ride with your better half.

Take a drive to the Magalies River Valley, which is only an hour from Johannesburg, to arrive at the Hot Air Balloon launch site. From there, soar up into the clouds and enjoy a surreal view of the valley, lush green fields, mountains, and an ever-so-charming horizon.

• Location: Bill Harrop’s Balloon Safari, R560 Skeerpoort, 2146, South Africa
• Best Time To Visit: September to March, during the spring and summer months

4. Swim with the Sharks

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One of the most intimidating creatures of the animal kingdom, sharks are often misunderstood as a bloodthirsty monster of the marine kingdom. As it has been shown many places around the world, most of the species of sharks don’t attack unless they are provoked or put under life-threatening scenarios

For added safety measures, travelers can choose to water cage dive among a pool of sharks off the coast of Cape Town. However, the more adventurous can choose to scuba dive without the cage with tiger and bull sharks without any threat to life!

• Location: Gansbaai, Overberg District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa
• Best Time To Visit: during the winter months, typically from May to August

Related Post: Places To Visit In South Africa

5. The All-famous South African Safari

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Yes, we know that the jungle safari is the most cliche tourist activity in South Africa, but it still remains as one of the best activities in South Africa. The wildlife found here is the more rarest and well preserved you will find anywhere in the world.

Pay a visit to the KwaZulu-Natal province and witness the mighty up close and personal as a jeep takes you into the wild grasslands for your date with the vibrant wildlife.

• Location: Kwazulu-Natal Nature Reserves, South Africa
• Best Time To Visit: May to October

6. Enjoy The Pristine Vineyards

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Not a very known fact among Indian travelers but South Africa produces some of the finest wine in the entire world. The wine produced in and around Cape Towns competes with produce from France, Italy, and Spain.

The major wine producing districts that are located in Cape Town are Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Worcester. Tourists can go on a day-tour from their hotel in Cape Town and see the magnificent vineyards and taste some of the finely made wine of South Africa.

• Location: Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Worcester
• Best Time To Visit: October to early January

Related Post: Honeymoon Destinations In South Africa

7. Ride the waves

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A lot of local interest in the coastal cities like Cape Town is towards things to do in South Africa like surfing. This country has some of the best surfing conditions in the world thanks to the predictability of the weather and tides around the Southern coastline.

One popular routine for surfing lovers is to hire a self-drive car from Cape Town and drive along the coastline all the way to Durban and stopping in the middle to enjoy some of the sweetest surf spots on the planet.

• Location: Surfing spots include Jeffreys Bay, Muizenberg, Durban, and Cape Town
• Best Time To Visit: March to September

8. Capture the wildflower bloom

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Another activity that hasn’t garnered much attention from the foreign tourists visiting this gorgeous country, but one of the most beautiful activities in South Africa is to catch the wildflower boom in the Cape Floral Region, which is home to approximately 9,000 plant species, out of which two-thirds are found exclusively in South Africa.

If you happen to be here during the first half of August, you will be able to catch the arrival of the spring season, which turns the Northern Cape into a magical bed of flowers.

• Location: Greater Cape Floristic Region, Western Cape.
• Best Time To Visit: late August to mid-September

Related Post: Safari Honeymoon In South Africa

9. Put your golfing shoes on!

Image Credit: South African Tourism for Wikimedia Commons

With abundant natural beauty, the golf courses in South Africa are blessed with some of the most serene views in the world, you will find while playing golf with your peers. Some of the most world-renowned golf courses are the Links at Luxury Hotel (located in George, Western Cape), and Leopard Creek, built near Kruger National Park.

• Location: Golfing courses at Fancourt, Pinnacle Point, Arabella
• Best Time To Visit: between September and April

10. Get to know the tribal culture

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Being in Africa gives travelers a chance to familiarize themselves with the tribal population of the place that is visiting. Any country you visit in Africa, and they will have a significant tribal population and history that is worth learning and knowing about.

The South African tourism department promotes and encourages tourists to pay a visit to one of their six tribal villages namely- Zulu, Xhosa, Basotho, Tswana, Shangaan and Ndebele cultural villages. Learn everything there is to know about these tribes ranging from crushing maize, attire, rituals, languages, to their dance rituals that have been passed on for thousands of years.

• Location: Various tribal villages
• Best Time To Visit: any time of the year

You May Also Like To Read: National Parks In Africa

We’d probably run out of fingers if we start counting on fingers all the beautiful things to do in South Africa and why it makes this country such a diverse and unique place to visit. Book a trip to South Africa with TravelTriangle to live all these fantastic activities in person on an unforgettable African adventure.

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Pranav Gulati

Pranav combines his love for languages, storytelling, and traveling to make a life out of it. A travel writer by profession, he believes in traveling with a purpose and sharing unheard stories through the perspective of the people and places he encounters along his way. When he’s not traveling, he likes to spend time watching sports, and binging on Netflix.