Fodor's Essential South Africa: with the Best Safari Destinations and Wine Regions
Whether you want to take in the views from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, explore Salt...
Everything about Africa that stirs the imagination is concentrated in its southernmost country. Lions freely roam vast game reserves such as Kruger National Park, vineyards stretch across the Cape Winelands, and mountains cascade into the sea along miles of beaches. In addition to dream safaris and romantic honeymoons, South Africa offers modern cities with thriving arts and dining scenes. South Africans are welcoming, and the country’s emergence from a turbulent past provides a dramatic history lesson and the promise of something new every time you visit.
Fodor's Essential South Africa: with the Best Safari Destinations and Wine Regions
Whether you want to take in the views from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, explore Salt...
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Top Destinations
Top Destinations
Cape Town
A favorite South African topic of debate is whether Cape Town really is part of Africa. That’s how different it is, both from the rest...
The Western Cape and Winelands
Anchored by Cape Town in the southwest, the Western Cape is an alluring province, a sweep of endless mountain ranges, empty beaches, and European history...
Johannesburg
Johannesburg, or Jo'burg, Egoli ("City of Gold"), or Jozi, as it is affectionately known by locals, is the commercial heart of South Africa and the...
Durban and KwaZulu-Natal
Durban isn't slick or sophisticated, but 320 days of sunshine a year entices visitors and locals alike to the vast stretches of beautiful beach that...
The Garden Route and the Little Karoo
This region is a study in contrasts. The forested mountain ranges of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma that shadow the coastline trap moist ocean breezes that...
The Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is South Africa's most diverse province and has some of its best vacation destinations, yet it is perhaps the most glossed over...
Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park
In many ways Mpumalanga ("where the sun rises") is South Africa's wildest and most exciting province. Its local history is action packed: local wars, international...
The Northern Cape
South Africa's largest province, the Northern Cape, is also its least populated. Covering almost a third of the country, its deserts and semi-deserts—the Karoo, Kalahari...
Durban
Durban has the pulse, the look, and the complex face of Africa. It may have something to do with the summer heat, a clinging sauna...
Cape Peninsula
The peninsula is a treat for any Cape Town visitor, and a round-trip drive that takes in both the False Bay coastline and the Atlantic...
Kimberly
Kimberley was born in the dust, dreams, and disappointments of a rudimentary mining camp that grew into a city of grace and sophistication in some...
Stellenbosch
You could easily while away a week in this small, sophisticated, beautiful, and absolutely delightful town. South Africa's second-oldest municipality, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch actually...
Paarl
Paarl takes its name from the granite domes of Paarl Mountain, which looms above the town—paarl is Dutch for "pearl." The first farmers settled here...
Plettenberg Bay
Plettenberg Bay is South Africa's premier beach resort, as the empty houses on Beachy Head Road (known as Millionaires' Mile) during the 11 months when...
Franschhoek
Franschhoek (French Corner) takes its name from its first white settlers, French Huguenots who fled to the Cape to escape Catholic persecution in France in...
Sabi Sands
This is the most famous and exclusive of South Africa's private reserves. Collectively owned and managed, the 153,000-acre reserve near Kruger is home to dozens...
Kruger National Park
Visiting Kruger is likely to be one of the greatest experiences of your life, truly providing ultimate "Wow!" moments. You'll be amazed at the diversity...
East London
The gateway to both the Wild Coast and Amatole, East London was built around the mouth of the Buffalo River, which forms South Africa's only...
Knysna
Knysna (pronounced nize-nuh) is one of the most popular destinations on the Garden Route. The focus of the town is the beautiful Knysna Lagoon, ringed...
Umhlanga
Umhlanga's village charm and lovely beaches have entrenched it as one of the most sought-after vacation destinations for locals and foreigners, and it has many...
The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
Set amid the rolling green foothills of the Drakensberg, the Midlands encompass waterfalls, lakes, reservoirs, forests, fields, Zulu villages, game reserves, and battle sites. The...
Hermanus
Pristine beaches extend as far as the eye can see, and the Kleinriviersberg provides a breathtaking backdrop to this popular resort, the Overberg's major coastal...
Zululand and the Battlefields
Zululand stretches north from the Tugela River all the way to the border of Mozambique. It's a region of rolling grasslands, gorgeous beaches, and classic...
The Elephant Coast
The Elephant Coast is bordered in the northwest by the Ubombo Mountains, in the east by the Indian Ocean, and in the south by the...
Oudtshoorn
Oudtshoorn has been famous for its ostriches since around 1870, when farmers began raising them to satisfy the European demand for feathers to adorn women's...
Grahamstown
Although billed as a city, Grahamstown looks more like an English village than anything else—if you discount that alter ego of most South African towns...
George
About 11 km (7 miles) from the sea, George is the largest town and the de facto capital of the Garden Route. Although the surrounding...
Upington
Home to about 74,000 residents, Upington is a thriving agricultural center on the north bank of the Orange River. In the 1870s a Koranna (a...
Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay's main attractions are an excellent museum complex; several beautiful historic stone buildings (some of which are exceptionally well preserved); some of the best...
Addo Elephant National Park
...
Swellendam
Beautiful Swellendam lies in the shadow of the imposing Langeberg Range. in 1745, it is the third-oldest town in South Africa, and many of its...
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
If you're looking for true wilderness, remoteness, and stark, almost surreal landscapes and you're not averse to forgoing luxury and getting sand in your hair...
Clanwilliam
Although the town itself is uninspiring, it's no surprise that half the streets are named after trees or plants. Clanwilliam is at the edge of...
Pilgrim's Rest
The charming (although very touristy) village of Pilgrim's Rest—also a national monument—dates back to the 1870s gold-rush days when it was the first proper gold-mining...
Wilderness
Wilderness is a popular vacation resort for good reason. Backed by thickly forested hills and cliffs, the tiny town presides over a magical stretch of...
Springbok
The capital of Namaqualand is set in a bowl of rocky hills that form part of the Klipkoppe, a rocky escarpment that stretches from Steinkopf...
Tulbagh
Founded in 1743, the town of Tulbagh is nestled in a secluded valley bound by the Witzenberg and Groot Winterhoek mountains. A devastating earthquake in...
Kleinmond
The sleepy coastal town of Kleinmond (Small Mouth) presides over a magnificent stretch of shoreline, backed by the mountains of the Palmietberg. It's a favorite...
Darling
Darling is best known for three draws: its beautiful wildflowers; its sensational performer, Pieter-Dirk Uys, otherwise known as Evita Bezuidenhout; and the hugely popular rock...
Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
Also known as the Motlatse Canyon Nature Reserve, this breathtakingly beautiful 71,660 acres of red sandstone mountains, gorges, and grassland stretches 60 km (37 miles)...
Little Karoo
The landscape of the Little Karoo—austere, minimal, and dry—stands in stark contrast to the Garden Route. In summer it resembles a blast furnace, and winter...
Robertson
Robertson was founded primarily to service the surrounding farms, and it retains its agricultural and industrial character. The town largely lives up to its mantra...
Langebaan
Probably the most popular destination on the coast, Langebaan is a great base from which to explore the region, and the sheltered lagoon makes for...
Storms River
Although it's a small, isolated village, Storms River absolutely buzzes with activity. A hotel, a couple of guesthouses, and a few backpackers' lodges all cater...
Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel
Drive through the small agricultural town of Malmesbury and over the Bothman's Kloof Pass to these twin towns named after Jan van Riebeeck, the 17th-century...
The Drakensberg
Afrikaners call them the Drakensberg: the Dragon Mountains. To Zulus they are uKhahlamba (pronounced Ooka-hlamba)—"Barrier of Spears." Both are apt descriptions for this wall of...
Somerset West
Somerset West, nestled at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains, is just 30 minutes from the center of Cape Town and close to Gordon's Bay...
Augrabies Falls National Park
The Khoi, early pastoralists who lived in this area for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, called these falls Aukoerabis (Place of Great...
Paternoster
Paternoster is a mostly unspoiled village of whitewashed thatch cottages perched on a deserted stretch of coastline. The population here consists mainly of fisherfolk, who...
Richards Bay
Founded in the 1880s during the Anglo-Zulu colonial wars, Richards Bay was named after British Rear Admiral Sir Frederick William Richards, who landed a naval...
Montagu
Montagu bills itself as "the Gateway to the Little Karoo," and its picturesque streets lined with Cape Victorian architecture lend this some credence. Today the...
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth, or PE, may not have the range of attractions found in Cape Town or on the Garden Route, but it's a pleasant town...
Bredasdorp
This sleepy agricultural town has a certain charm, as long as you don't catch it on a Sunday afternoon, when everything's closed and an air...
Phinda Private Game Reserve
Where Phinda excels is in the superb quality of its rangers, who can provide fascinating commentary on everything from local birds to frogs. It's amazing...
Pilanesberg Game Reserve
The 150,000-acre Pilanesberg Game Reserve is often called the Pilanesberg National Park. It isn’t actually a South African national park these days, though it was...
Table Mountain National Park
Nowhere else in the world does an area of such spectacular beauty and rich biodiversity exist almost entirely within a metropolitan area. Large swaths of...
Madikwe Game Reserve
Just as leopards and Sabi Sand Game Reserve are synonymous, think of Madikwe Game Reserve and wild dogs in the same way. This is probably...
Dolphin Coast
About an hour north of Durban, the Dolphin Coast (North Coast) lies along the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, with lifeguards and shark-netted beaches...
Ladysmith
Ladysmith, dating back to the middle of the 19th century, became famous around the world during the South African War, when it outlasted a Boer...
Sabie
As you descend Long Tom Pass, the town of Sabie (sah-bee) comes into view far below, in a bowl formed by the surrounding mountains. It's...
Londolozi Game Reserve
Since its inception in 1974 (it was a family farm and retreat before that), Londolozi has become synonymous with South Africa's finest game lodges and...
Dundee
Once a busy coal-mining town, Dundee still has straight roads wide enough for the ox wagons of pioneer days to turn in, but today it's...
Valley of a Thousand Hills
In the early part of the 19th century, before cars were introduced, wagons traveled from the port of Durban up along the ridge of this...
Worcester
You're unlikely to linger in Worcester, by far the largest town in the Breede River valley. It's often termed the region's capital by locals, and...
The Crags
Although technically part of Plett, the Crags is very different. It's rural and forested and is home to a primate refuge as well as a...
Kamieskroon
Another base for exploring Namaqualand in spring, Kamieskroon is the only place to stay close to Namaqua National Park—unless you’re in the park itself. The...
Manyeleti Game Reserve
North of Sabi Sand, Manyeleti Private Game Reserve ("the place of the stars" in Shangaan) covers 59,280 acres that border Kruger, Sabi Sand, and Timbavati...
Hazyview
Named for the heat haze that drifts up from the fruit plantations and bush in the surrounding area, Hazyview is a bustling little town. Situated...
South Coast
Vacation towns like Scottburgh, Margate, Ramsgate, Trafalgar, and Palm Beach dot KwaZulu-Natal's southern coast, which stretches for more than 200 km (125 miles) from Durban...
Greyton
The charming village of Greyton, filled with white thatch cottages and quiet lanes, is a popular weekend retreat for Capetonians as well as a permanent...
Hogsback
This peaceful and picturesque village is the perfect place from which to embark on some of South Africa’s best hiking trails and experience a number...
Rorke's Drift
From the British perspective the Battle of Rorke’s Drift was the most glorious battle of the Anglo-Zulu War, all the more so because it took...
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
...
Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve
Founded in 1978 at the southern end of Sabi Sand, the multi-award-winning Sabi Sabi Game Reserve was one of the first reserves to offer photo...
Betty's Bay
Betty's Bay, or Betty's, as the hamlet is fondly known, is worth visiting for its penguins and botanical garden. The village is made up of...
Djuma Private Game Reserve
This 17,297-acre reserve sits right up against Kruger in the northeast corner of the world-famous Sabi Sand Reserve. Expect classic bushveld terrain—dams, rivers, ancient riverine...
Mthatha
Mthatha is largely poor and overcrowded, and a little dilapidated, though it’s certainly not boring. Most people don't stay here beyond making a travel connection...
Timbavati Game Reserve
The 185,000-acre Timbavati, the northernmost of the private reserves, is collectively owned and managed by the Timbavati Association, a nonprofit organization that strives to conserve...
White River
This pleasant little town is set amid nut and tropical-fruit plantations and is one of the gateways to the escarpment's major sights. Settled by retired...
Barkly West
The town of Barkly West, on the Vaal River, was the site of some of the earliest alluvial diamond diggings in South Africa...
Tsitsikamma
Administered as its own park, the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park is a narrow belt of coastline extending for 80 km (50...
MalaMala Game Reserve
This legendary game reserve (designated as such in 1929) is tops in its field. The first and only community-owned game reserve in Sabi Sand, it...
Cape St Francis
Weaving its way between beautiful nature reserves, indigenous fynbos, wetlands, plush marinas, and rolling sand dunes, Cape St Francis is a pretty beachfront eco-village at...
Sanbona Wildlife Reserve
Roughly the size of Singapore, this enormous private wildlife reserve supports a free-roaming population of wild animals that were indigenous to the Western Cape before...
Coffee Bay
The village of Coffee Bay is a bit run-down, but the beaches and the scenery are great. (The surf is fantastic, but don't head out...
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Near the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is the malaria-free Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, at 1,000 square km (386 square miles) the largest privately owned game reserve in...
McGregor
Saved from development as a result of a planned mountain pass that never materialized, McGregor is the epitome of the sleepy country hollow, tucked away...
Citrusdal
As you might guess from the name, Citrusdal is a fruit-growing town. It sits by the Olifants River valley, surrounded by the peaks of the...
Thanda Private Game Reserve
One of KwaZulu-Natal’s newer game reserves, Thanda offers a more intimate nature experience than some. Game may sometimes be elusive, but the highly experienced and...
Kuruman
If you have a car while in the Kalahari region, it's worth stopping in Kuruman, the hub of a dairy, cattle, and game-farming area. With...
Lion Sands Private Game Reserve
Situated along the Sabie River, this reserve has one of the best locations in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. All of the lodges overlook the...
Cintsa
This lovely, quiet little seaside town a half-hour drive from East London is a winner. A nice long beach, pretty rock pools, and a beautiful...
Samara Private Game Reserve
...
Graskop
Graskop (translation: "grass head") was so named because of the abundance of grassveld and few trees. Like so many of the little towns in this...
Singita
Although Singita (Shangaan for "the miracle") offers much the same thrilling Sabi Sand bush and game experiences as other lodges, superb service really puts it...
De Rust
De Rust is a sleepy Little Karoo village. The main road is lined with crafts stores, coffee shops, restaurants, and wineshops...
Babanango
The tiny hamlet of Babanango is a major agricultural center...
Mbombela (Nelspruit)
Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit), the capital of Mpumalanga and home of the provincial government, is a modern, vibrant subtropical city of nearly 600,000 people. Known as...
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
Renowned for its conservation successes—most notably with white rhinos—this reserve is a wonderful place to view the Big Five and many other species. Until 1989...
Ithala Game Reserve
The topography of this reserve, from mountaintop to deep river valleys, incorporates varied terrain and plantlife, and makes for superior game-viewing in relation to its...
Port Nolloth
Port Nolloth—a lovely drive from Springbok, particularly during flower time—started life as a copper port, but it's better known today as a fishing and diamond...
Alicedale
A tiny settlement west of Grahamstown, Alicedale was once an important railway town. The demise of the steam train, however, sent Alicedale into decline, turning...
Shakaland
If you're interested in learning more about the fierce warrior Shaka Zulu or the Zulu people, this living history museum will give you a glimpse...
Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve
...
Isandlwana
The name of Isandlwana went down in British military history on January 22, 1879, when the then mighty British Empire suffered a resounding defeat at...
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans)
Although its official name is Waenhuiskrans, and that's what you'll see on maps, this lovely, isolated vacation village is almost always called Arniston—after a British...
Spioenkop
The Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902) (now called South African War) was the biggest, the longest, the costliest, the bloodiest, and the most humiliating war that...
Kapama Private Game Reserve
The 32,123-acre Kapama Private Game Reserve, the area's largest single-owned private reserve, here, and it boasts some high-end luxury lodges, but it lacks some of...
Amazulu Private Game Reserve and AmaKhosi Lodge
Amazulu Private Game Reserve incorporates mountains, wetlands, and savanna and in addition to the Big Five, many other mammals and hundreds of bird species make...
Maputaland Coastal Forest Reserve
Expect great swaths of pale, creamy sand stretching to far-off rocky headlands, a shimmering, undulating horizon where whales blow. Watch out for pods of dolphins...
uMkhuze KZN Park
Wildlife—and amazing birdlife—abounds in this 400-square-km (154-square-mile) reserve in the shadow of the Ubombo Mountains. Lying between the uMkhuze and Msunduzi rivers, it makes up...
Leopard Hills Private Game Reserve
...
Griquatown
If you are driving from Kimberley to Upington, make a stop in Griquatown. The town, locally known as Griekwastad, was the center of a 19th-century...
Bulungula
Bulungula is a tiny community near the mouth of the Bulungula River, about a 25-km (16-mile) walk from Coffee Bay's Hole-in-the-Wall. There are no shops...
Elands Bay
Mention eBay auctions here, and most people will stare at you blankly. But mention the E'bay left-hand break, and you'll get nods of approval and...
Thornybush Nature Reserve
Situated within 34,594 acres of pristine wilderness, adjacent to the Greater Kruger National Park in Limpopo, Thornybush Nature Reserve is set among classic bushveld scenery...
Garies
Garies is a one-horse town cradled amid sunbaked, granite-dominated hills, and one of the best flower routes runs just north of it for 100 km...
Exeter Private Game Reserve
Established in 1937, Exeter, at 160,600 acres, was an original part of Sabi Sands when it was incorporated in the 1960s. Its lodges are now...
Cape Town
A favorite South African topic of debate is whether Cape Town really is part of Africa. That’s how different it is, both from the rest...
Johannesburg
Johannesburg, or Jo'burg, Egoli ("City of Gold"), or Jozi, as it is affectionately known by locals, is the commercial heart of South Africa and the...
Durban
Durban has the pulse, the look, and the complex face of Africa. It may have something to do with the summer heat, a clinging sauna...
Kimberly
Kimberley was born in the dust, dreams, and disappointments of a rudimentary mining camp that grew into a city of grace and sophistication in some...
Stellenbosch
You could easily while away a week in this small, sophisticated, beautiful, and absolutely delightful town. South Africa's second-oldest municipality, after Cape Town, Stellenbosch actually...
Paarl
Paarl takes its name from the granite domes of Paarl Mountain, which looms above the town—paarl is Dutch for "pearl." The first farmers settled here...
Plettenberg Bay
Plettenberg Bay is South Africa's premier beach resort, as the empty houses on Beachy Head Road (known as Millionaires' Mile) during the 11 months when...
Franschhoek
Franschhoek (French Corner) takes its name from its first white settlers, French Huguenots who fled to the Cape to escape Catholic persecution in France in...
East London
The gateway to both the Wild Coast and Amatole, East London was built around the mouth of the Buffalo River, which forms South Africa's only...
Knysna
Knysna (pronounced nize-nuh) is one of the most popular destinations on the Garden Route. The focus of the town is the beautiful Knysna Lagoon, ringed...
Umhlanga
Umhlanga's village charm and lovely beaches have entrenched it as one of the most sought-after vacation destinations for locals and foreigners, and it has many...
Hermanus
Pristine beaches extend as far as the eye can see, and the Kleinriviersberg provides a breathtaking backdrop to this popular resort, the Overberg's major coastal...
Oudtshoorn
Oudtshoorn has been famous for its ostriches since around 1870, when farmers began raising them to satisfy the European demand for feathers to adorn women's...
Grahamstown
Although billed as a city, Grahamstown looks more like an English village than anything else—if you discount that alter ego of most South African towns...
George
About 11 km (7 miles) from the sea, George is the largest town and the de facto capital of the Garden Route. Although the surrounding...
Upington
Home to about 74,000 residents, Upington is a thriving agricultural center on the north bank of the Orange River. In the 1870s a Koranna (a...
Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay's main attractions are an excellent museum complex; several beautiful historic stone buildings (some of which are exceptionally well preserved); some of the best...
Swellendam
Beautiful Swellendam lies in the shadow of the imposing Langeberg Range. in 1745, it is the third-oldest town in South Africa, and many of its...
Clanwilliam
Although the town itself is uninspiring, it's no surprise that half the streets are named after trees or plants. Clanwilliam is at the edge of...
Gqeberha
...
Wilderness
Wilderness is a popular vacation resort for good reason. Backed by thickly forested hills and cliffs, the tiny town presides over a magical stretch of...
Pilgrim's Rest
The charming (although very touristy) village of Pilgrim's Rest—also a national monument—dates back to the 1870s gold-rush days when it was the first proper gold-mining...
Springbok
The capital of Namaqualand is set in a bowl of rocky hills that form part of the Klipkoppe, a rocky escarpment that stretches from Steinkopf...
Tulbagh
Founded in 1743, the town of Tulbagh is nestled in a secluded valley bound by the Witzenberg and Groot Winterhoek mountains. A devastating earthquake in...
Darling
Darling is best known for three draws: its beautiful wildflowers; its sensational performer, Pieter-Dirk Uys, otherwise known as Evita Bezuidenhout; and the hugely popular rock...
Kleinmond
The sleepy coastal town of Kleinmond (Small Mouth) presides over a magnificent stretch of shoreline, backed by the mountains of the Palmietberg. It's a favorite...
Langebaan
Probably the most popular destination on the coast, Langebaan is a great base from which to explore the region, and the sheltered lagoon makes for...
Robertson
Robertson was founded primarily to service the surrounding farms, and it retains its agricultural and industrial character. The town largely lives up to its mantra...
Little Karoo
The landscape of the Little Karoo—austere, minimal, and dry—stands in stark contrast to the Garden Route. In summer it resembles a blast furnace, and winter...
Somerset West
Somerset West, nestled at the foot of the Helderberg Mountains, is just 30 minutes from the center of Cape Town and close to Gordon's Bay...
Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel
Drive through the small agricultural town of Malmesbury and over the Bothman's Kloof Pass to these twin towns named after Jan van Riebeeck, the 17th-century...
Storms River
Although it's a small, isolated village, Storms River absolutely buzzes with activity. A hotel, a couple of guesthouses, and a few backpackers' lodges all cater...
Paternoster
Paternoster is a mostly unspoiled village of whitewashed thatch cottages perched on a deserted stretch of coastline. The population here consists mainly of fisherfolk, who...
Richards Bay
Founded in the 1880s during the Anglo-Zulu colonial wars, Richards Bay was named after British Rear Admiral Sir Frederick William Richards, who landed a naval...
Montagu
Montagu bills itself as "the Gateway to the Little Karoo," and its picturesque streets lined with Cape Victorian architecture lend this some credence. Today the...
Port Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth, or PE, may not have the range of attractions found in Cape Town or on the Garden Route, but it's a pleasant town...
Bredasdorp
This sleepy agricultural town has a certain charm, as long as you don't catch it on a Sunday afternoon, when everything's closed and an air...
Dundee
Once a busy coal-mining town, Dundee still has straight roads wide enough for the ox wagons of pioneer days to turn in, but today it's...
Sabie
As you descend Long Tom Pass, the town of Sabie (sah-bee) comes into view far below, in a bowl formed by the surrounding mountains. It's...
Worcester
You're unlikely to linger in Worcester, by far the largest town in the Breede River valley. It's often termed the region's capital by locals, and...
Ladysmith
Ladysmith, dating back to the middle of the 19th century, became famous around the world during the South African War, when it outlasted a Boer...
Kamieskroon
Another base for exploring Namaqualand in spring, Kamieskroon is the only place to stay close to Namaqua National Park—unless you’re in the park itself. The...
Graaff-Reinet
...
Tsitsikamma
Administered as its own park, the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park is a narrow belt of coastline extending for 80 km (50...
Hogsback
This peaceful and picturesque village is the perfect place from which to embark on some of South Africa’s best hiking trails and experience a number...
Mthatha
Mthatha is largely poor and overcrowded, and a little dilapidated, though it’s certainly not boring. Most people don't stay here beyond making a travel connection...
Betty's Bay
Betty's Bay, or Betty's, as the hamlet is fondly known, is worth visiting for its penguins and botanical garden. The village is made up of...
White River
This pleasant little town is set amid nut and tropical-fruit plantations and is one of the gateways to the escarpment's major sights. Settled by retired...
Rorke's Drift
From the British perspective the Battle of Rorke’s Drift was the most glorious battle of the Anglo-Zulu War, all the more so because it took...
Barkly West
The town of Barkly West, on the Vaal River, was the site of some of the earliest alluvial diamond diggings in South Africa...
Hazyview
Named for the heat haze that drifts up from the fruit plantations and bush in the surrounding area, Hazyview is a bustling little town. Situated...
Greyton
The charming village of Greyton, filled with white thatch cottages and quiet lanes, is a popular weekend retreat for Capetonians as well as a permanent...
Cape St Francis
Weaving its way between beautiful nature reserves, indigenous fynbos, wetlands, plush marinas, and rolling sand dunes, Cape St Francis is a pretty beachfront eco-village at...
Citrusdal
As you might guess from the name, Citrusdal is a fruit-growing town. It sits by the Olifants River valley, surrounded by the peaks of the...
McGregor
Saved from development as a result of a planned mountain pass that never materialized, McGregor is the epitome of the sleepy country hollow, tucked away...
Coffee Bay
The village of Coffee Bay is a bit run-down, but the beaches and the scenery are great. (The surf is fantastic, but don't head out...
Babanango
The tiny hamlet of Babanango is a major agricultural center...
De Rust
De Rust is a sleepy Little Karoo village. The main road is lined with crafts stores, coffee shops, restaurants, and wineshops...
Kuruman
If you have a car while in the Kalahari region, it's worth stopping in Kuruman, the hub of a dairy, cattle, and game-farming area. With...
Graskop
Graskop (translation: "grass head") was so named because of the abundance of grassveld and few trees. Like so many of the little towns in this...
Cintsa
This lovely, quiet little seaside town a half-hour drive from East London is a winner. A nice long beach, pretty rock pools, and a beautiful...
Shakaland
If you're interested in learning more about the fierce warrior Shaka Zulu or the Zulu people, this living history museum will give you a glimpse...
Spioenkop
The Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902) (now called South African War) was the biggest, the longest, the costliest, the bloodiest, and the most humiliating war that...
Nieu Bethesda
...
Mbombela (Nelspruit)
Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit), the capital of Mpumalanga and home of the provincial government, is a modern, vibrant subtropical city of nearly 600,000 people. Known as...
Arniston (Waenhuiskrans)
Although its official name is Waenhuiskrans, and that's what you'll see on maps, this lovely, isolated vacation village is almost always called Arniston—after a British...
Alicedale
A tiny settlement west of Grahamstown, Alicedale was once an important railway town. The demise of the steam train, however, sent Alicedale into decline, turning...
Bot River
...
Isandlwana
The name of Isandlwana went down in British military history on January 22, 1879, when the then mighty British Empire suffered a resounding defeat at...
Port Nolloth
Port Nolloth—a lovely drive from Springbok, particularly during flower time—started life as a copper port, but it's better known today as a fishing and diamond...
Griquatown
If you are driving from Kimberley to Upington, make a stop in Griquatown. The town, locally known as Griekwastad, was the center of a 19th-century...
Bulungula
Bulungula is a tiny community near the mouth of the Bulungula River, about a 25-km (16-mile) walk from Coffee Bay's Hole-in-the-Wall. There are no shops...
Gordon's Bay
...
Garies
Garies is a one-horse town cradled amid sunbaked, granite-dominated hills, and one of the best flower routes runs just north of it for 100 km...
Elands Bay
Mention eBay auctions here, and most people will stare at you blankly. But mention the E'bay left-hand break, and you'll get nods of approval and...
The Western Cape and Winelands
Anchored by Cape Town in the southwest, the Western Cape is an alluring province, a sweep of endless mountain ranges, empty beaches, and European history...
Durban and KwaZulu-Natal
Durban isn't slick or sophisticated, but 320 days of sunshine a year entices visitors and locals alike to the vast stretches of beautiful beach that...
The Garden Route and the Little Karoo
This region is a study in contrasts. The forested mountain ranges of the Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma that shadow the coastline trap moist ocean breezes that...
The Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is South Africa's most diverse province and has some of its best vacation destinations, yet it is perhaps the most glossed over...
Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park
In many ways Mpumalanga ("where the sun rises") is South Africa's wildest and most exciting province. Its local history is action packed: local wars, international...
The Northern Cape
South Africa's largest province, the Northern Cape, is also its least populated. Covering almost a third of the country, its deserts and semi-deserts—the Karoo, Kalahari...
Cape Peninsula
The peninsula is a treat for any Cape Town visitor, and a round-trip drive that takes in both the False Bay coastline and the Atlantic...
The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
Set amid the rolling green foothills of the Drakensberg, the Midlands encompass waterfalls, lakes, reservoirs, forests, fields, Zulu villages, game reserves, and battle sites. The...
Zululand and the Battlefields
Zululand stretches north from the Tugela River all the way to the border of Mozambique. It's a region of rolling grasslands, gorgeous beaches, and classic...
The Elephant Coast
The Elephant Coast is bordered in the northwest by the Ubombo Mountains, in the east by the Indian Ocean, and in the south by the...
The Drakensberg
Afrikaners call them the Drakensberg: the Dragon Mountains. To Zulus they are uKhahlamba (pronounced Ooka-hlamba)—"Barrier of Spears." Both are apt descriptions for this wall of...
The Crags
Although technically part of Plett, the Crags is very different. It's rural and forested and is home to a primate refuge as well as a...
Valley of a Thousand Hills
In the early part of the 19th century, before cars were introduced, wagons traveled from the port of Durban up along the ridge of this...
Dolphin Coast
About an hour north of Durban, the Dolphin Coast (North Coast) lies along the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, with lifeguards and shark-netted beaches...
South Coast
Vacation towns like Scottburgh, Margate, Ramsgate, Trafalgar, and Palm Beach dot KwaZulu-Natal's southern coast, which stretches for more than 200 km (125 miles) from Durban...
Sabi Sands
This is the most famous and exclusive of South Africa's private reserves. Collectively owned and managed, the 153,000-acre reserve near Kruger is home to dozens...
Kruger National Park
Visiting Kruger is likely to be one of the greatest experiences of your life, truly providing ultimate "Wow!" moments. You'll be amazed at the diversity...
Addo Elephant National Park
...
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
If you're looking for true wilderness, remoteness, and stark, almost surreal landscapes and you're not averse to forgoing luxury and getting sand in your hair...
Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
Also known as the Motlatse Canyon Nature Reserve, this breathtakingly beautiful 71,660 acres of red sandstone mountains, gorges, and grassland stretches 60 km (37 miles)...
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
...
Augrabies Falls National Park
The Khoi, early pastoralists who lived in this area for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, called these falls Aukoerabis (Place of Great...
Madikwe Game Reserve
Just as leopards and Sabi Sand Game Reserve are synonymous, think of Madikwe Game Reserve and wild dogs in the same way. This is probably...
Phinda Private Game Reserve
Where Phinda excels is in the superb quality of its rangers, who can provide fascinating commentary on everything from local birds to frogs. It's amazing...
Pilanesberg Game Reserve
The 150,000-acre Pilanesberg Game Reserve is often called the Pilanesberg National Park. It isn’t actually a South African national park these days, though it was...
Table Mountain National Park
Nowhere else in the world does an area of such spectacular beauty and rich biodiversity exist almost entirely within a metropolitan area. Large swaths of...
Londolozi Game Reserve
Since its inception in 1974 (it was a family farm and retreat before that), Londolozi has become synonymous with South Africa's finest game lodges and...
Timbavati Game Reserve
The 185,000-acre Timbavati, the northernmost of the private reserves, is collectively owned and managed by the Timbavati Association, a nonprofit organization that strives to conserve...
Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve
Founded in 1978 at the southern end of Sabi Sand, the multi-award-winning Sabi Sabi Game Reserve was one of the first reserves to offer photo...
MalaMala Game Reserve
This legendary game reserve (designated as such in 1929) is tops in its field. The first and only community-owned game reserve in Sabi Sand, it...
Kwandwe Private Game Reserve
...
Manyeleti Game Reserve
North of Sabi Sand, Manyeleti Private Game Reserve ("the place of the stars" in Shangaan) covers 59,280 acres that border Kruger, Sabi Sand, and Timbavati...
Djuma Private Game Reserve
This 17,297-acre reserve sits right up against Kruger in the northeast corner of the world-famous Sabi Sand Reserve. Expect classic bushveld terrain—dams, rivers, ancient riverine...
Sanbona Wildlife Reserve
Roughly the size of Singapore, this enormous private wildlife reserve supports a free-roaming population of wild animals that were indigenous to the Western Cape before...
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Near the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is the malaria-free Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, at 1,000 square km (386 square miles) the largest privately owned game reserve in...
Lion Sands Private Game Reserve
Situated along the Sabie River, this reserve has one of the best locations in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. All of the lodges overlook the...
Thanda Private Game Reserve
One of KwaZulu-Natal’s newer game reserves, Thanda offers a more intimate nature experience than some. Game may sometimes be elusive, but the highly experienced and...
Samara Private Game Reserve
...
Singita
Although Singita (Shangaan for "the miracle") offers much the same thrilling Sabi Sand bush and game experiences as other lodges, superb service really puts it...
Kapama Private Game Reserve
The 32,123-acre Kapama Private Game Reserve, the area's largest single-owned private reserve, here, and it boasts some high-end luxury lodges, but it lacks some of...
uMkhuze KZN Park
Wildlife—and amazing birdlife—abounds in this 400-square-km (154-square-mile) reserve in the shadow of the Ubombo Mountains. Lying between the uMkhuze and Msunduzi rivers, it makes up...
Amazulu Private Game Reserve and AmaKhosi Lodge
Amazulu Private Game Reserve incorporates mountains, wetlands, and savanna and in addition to the Big Five, many other mammals and hundreds of bird species make...
Ithala Game Reserve
The topography of this reserve, from mountaintop to deep river valleys, incorporates varied terrain and plantlife, and makes for superior game-viewing in relation to its...
Maputaland Coastal Forest Reserve
Expect great swaths of pale, creamy sand stretching to far-off rocky headlands, a shimmering, undulating horizon where whales blow. Watch out for pods of dolphins...
Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve
...
Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
Renowned for its conservation successes—most notably with white rhinos—this reserve is a wonderful place to view the Big Five and many other species. Until 1989...
Manyoni Private Game Reserve
...
Leopard Hills Private Game Reserve
...
Dulini Private Game Reserve
...
Thornybush Nature Reserve
Situated within 34,594 acres of pristine wilderness, adjacent to the Greater Kruger National Park in Limpopo, Thornybush Nature Reserve is set among classic bushveld scenery...
Zimanga Private Game Reserve
...
Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve
...
Exeter Private Game Reserve
Established in 1937, Exeter, at 160,600 acres, was an original part of Sabi Sands when it was incorporated in the 1960s. Its lodges are now...
All Destinations
Expand All Collapse All
Durban and KwaZulu-Natal
- Dolphin Coast
- Dundee
- Durban
- Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
- Ithala Game Reserve
- Ladysmith
- Manyoni Private Game Reserve
- Phinda Private Game Reserve
- Rorke's Drift
- South Coast
- Spioenkop
- Thanda Private Game Reserve
- The Drakensberg
- The Elephant Coast
- The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
- Umhlanga
- Valley of a Thousand Hills
- Zimanga Private Game Reserve
- Zululand and the Battlefields
- iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Johannesburg
- City Center
- Cradle of Humankind
- Johannesburg's Northern Suburbs
- Madikwe Game Reserve
- Melrose and Illovo
- Melville and Emmarentia
- Near OR Tambo International Airport
- Oaklands
- Parkhurst and Parktown North
- Parktown, Parkview, Saxonwold, and Westcliff
- Pilanesberg Game Reserve
- Pretoria
- Rosebank and Houghton
- Sandton
- Soweto and the South
- Sun City
- The Magaliesberg
Johannesburg
- City Center
- Cradle of Humankind
- Johannesburg's Northern Suburbs
- Madikwe Game Reserve
- Melrose and Illovo
- Melville and Emmarentia
- Near OR Tambo International Airport
- Oaklands
- Parkhurst and Parktown North
- Parktown, Parkview, Saxonwold, and Westcliff
- Pilanesberg Game Reserve
- Pretoria
- Rosebank and Houghton
- Sandton
- Soweto and the South
- Sun City
- The Magaliesberg
Durban and KwaZulu-Natal
- Dolphin Coast
- Dundee
- Durban
- Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
- Ithala Game Reserve
- Ladysmith
- Manyoni Private Game Reserve
- Phinda Private Game Reserve
- Rorke's Drift
- South Coast
- Spioenkop
- Thanda Private Game Reserve
- The Drakensberg
- The Elephant Coast
- The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
- Umhlanga
- Valley of a Thousand Hills
- Zimanga Private Game Reserve
- Zululand and the Battlefields
- iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Durban and KwaZulu-Natal
- Dolphin Coast
- Dundee
- Durban
- Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
- Ithala Game Reserve
- Ladysmith
- Manyoni Private Game Reserve
- Phinda Private Game Reserve
- Rorke's Drift
- South Coast
- Spioenkop
- Thanda Private Game Reserve
- The Drakensberg
- The Elephant Coast
- The KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
- Umhlanga
- Valley of a Thousand Hills
- Zimanga Private Game Reserve
- Zululand and the Battlefields
- iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Johannesburg
- City Center
- Cradle of Humankind
- Johannesburg's Northern Suburbs
- Madikwe Game Reserve
- Melrose and Illovo
- Melville and Emmarentia
- Near OR Tambo International Airport
- Oaklands
- Parkhurst and Parktown North
- Parktown, Parkview, Saxonwold, and Westcliff
- Pilanesberg Game Reserve
- Pretoria
- Rosebank and Houghton
- Sandton
- Soweto and the South
- Sun City
- The Magaliesberg
Top Experiences
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Shop NowFodor's Essential South Africa: with the Best Safari Destinations and Wine Regions
Whether you want to take in the views from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, explore Salt...
Fodor's Essential South Africa
Written by local experts, Fodor's travel guides have been offering advice and...
