South Africa Holiday Destinations

South Africa

Taking a holiday in South Africa is transformational. It’s life changing. Travelling through South Africa’s top destinations on a road trip. To find out more about fabulous wilderness safaris, beach, mountain, and ocean regions on a dream holiday. A place of mesmerising landscapes, sublime sensory beauty, surreal seasons, impressive outdoor activities. A place of a culture and heritage so deep it grabs a hold of you and shakes you all about. 

Travelling through South Africa’s top destinations means dipping into 9 gorgeous provinces, each with a heart of gold and something unique to offer.   All you need to know about traveling through South Africa’s top destinations, right here.

Geared for your needs, South Africa is the adventure centre for pleasure seekers, adrenaline junkies, sports pros, safari enthusiasts, beach addicts, mountain maniacs and river babies. Food and wine connoisseurs dive into the Western Cape wine routes and nature lovers save African penguins, Great White sharks, White rhinos and the African wild dog. Geared for tourism thanks to its excellent infrastructure and superb facilities, this whole world in one country should be on everyone’s to-visit list. Welcome to the rainbow nation!

Highlights

  • Table Mountain, Cape Town’s premier landmark, is one of the oldest mountains in the world, now a World Heritage Site.
  • South Africa’s Western Cape Province is home to the longest stretching, scenically splendid wine route in the world, producing award-winning red and white wines.
  • Vilakazi Street in Soweto, Johannesburg, is the only street in the world to have had two Nobel peace winners reside there - Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
  • The highest commercial bungee jump in the world is found on the Garden Route – the Bloukans bridge is 216 m.
  • A wealth of endemic fauna and flora, and a rich culture of 11 different languages from complex tribal histories.

Did you know?

The spirit of Ubuntu permeates South African lives. So, every visitor feels part of the warmth of the land. Ubuntu is when individuals are recognised for being who they are as unique persons, and when individuals come together in a community, the power is effective: we are because you are, and since you are, definitely I am. South Africa has a deep ancestral pull to all who visit her shores – the cradle of humankind.

The Western Cape, South Africa

It’s called west, but it is in the deep south! It is not western or eastern in its philosophies or lifestyle – it is a cosmopolitan conglomeration of people, ideas, languages, cultures, history, plants, animals, and gorgeous vistas. Penguins, whales, sharks, fynbos, blue cranes, Cape Malay curries and Waterblommetjie Bredie. Find the Mother City, Cape Town, ranked the third greatest city on Earth by The Telegraph, and beating New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, and Venice to the post. 

Maybe this is because it bubbles with effervescent nightlife, fine dining, exciting hikes and scuba dives, penguins, action sports and simply devastating views. Yes, Cape Town has it all. But the Western Cape only starts in Cape Town – there is plenty of environmental and cultural beauty further afield in its 130 000 square km of land: take a drive to Hermanus to watch whales all year round or go a bit further to Gansbaai to dive with the Great Whites. 

The Western Cape is rimmed by mountains, edged by the cold Atlantic and warm Indian Oceans – which meet at Cape Agulhas, the true southern point of Africa. Hikers love the challenges and beauty in the Cederberg mountain range, and the Boland, Swartberge, Langeberge and Hottentots Holland peaks. Surfing, diving, kite surfing, hiking, trail running, biking, you name it the Western Capers do it. Meet people from different cultures and historical backgrounds: the Cape Malays, the Xhosa, relics of the Khoikhoi and San, the Afrikaners and the Europeans.  

Kruger Park

South Africa’s premier and very first national park in 1926 and now one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Find it in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga on Mozambique’s boundary, extending an enormous 20 000 square km, bigger than the whole of England. Packed with a high density of wild animals including the Big 5 (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos) plus hundreds of other mammals – Wild dog, hyena, hippo, giraffe, zebra, and huge herds of antelope. A plethora of birds of all shapes and sizes inhabit trees, wetlands, grasslands and river areas – vultures, eagles, hornbills, myriad colourful bushveld birds and storks. 

In the late 1990s, the fences between the Kruger Park and several private game reserves on tis western boundary were dropped and incorporated into the Greater Kruger Park with 400,000 hectares added to the Reserve. In 2002, Kruger National Park, Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique were incorporated into a peace park, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. 

The park offers a wonderful range of accommodation from rustic budget huts and tented camps to seriously luxury camps and lodges in the greater Kruger areas. Most tourists like to self-drive, but the reserve is serviced with three airports: Northern Kruger Park: Phalaborwa Airport; Central Kruger Park: Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport; Southern Kruger Park: Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA).

What we love about South Africa

  • BLUE FLAG BEACHES: From the postcard-perfect Clifton Beaches in Cape Town to the pristine Dolphin Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, the Blue Flag has been awarded for efficient use of environmental education, good water quality, environmental management, safety and services.
  • WINE TASTING: South African wine farms spread across many provinces, not just the famous Western Cape winelands. Farmers have been growing grapes in the coastal regions, the Breede River Valley, Klein Karoo and Orange River areas for decades. Local earthy wine farmers invented the smoky red wine called Pinotage!
  • BIG FIVE HOLIDAYS: The country is exploding with big 5 experiences in every province, from Kruger in the northwest to Hluhluwe-Umfolozi in KZN, Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape, Samara Private Game Reserve in the Karoo, Pilanesberg outside Johannesburg. Lions, leopards, rhino, elephants, buffalo.
  • THE UKHAHLAMBA-DRAKENSBERG PARK: Statuesque mountains, well-maintained hiking trails, climbing routes, rock pools, and more. So much space, open grasslands, and jagged peaks. In winter, icy, sunburned golden and orange; in summer, emerald greens, with flowers everywhere. Learn about the San (Bushmen) and find authentic accommodation with warm fireplaces and hot water bottles.
  • THE MIDLANDS MEANDER: trawl the rolling green hills, indigenous forests and farmlands of the countryside outside Pietermaritzburg and Howick. Earthy paradise for horse farms, dairy cows, leopards, eagles and cranes. Go horse riding, visit all the wonderful bars and restaurants, bed and breakfasts, self-catering home and hotels in the Midlands. A beautiful romantic break from reality.
  • NAMAQUALAND: A semi-arid desert area famous for its vast blue skies and infinite deserts that stretch as far as the eye can see, witness nature’s great blooming phenomenon. Pick your time perfectly and you will be treated to an enchanting display of millions upon millions of wildflowers bursting into life.
  • PANORAMA ROUTE MPUMALANGA: just outside Kruger, scintillating views of the extended Drakensberg, Mpumalanga sights and incredible places of cultural, historical and environmental importance and interest. The route centres around Blyde Rive Canyon, the words third largest Canyon featuring several amazing waterfalls, and starts on Long Tom Pass, winding along to Echo Caves. Follow it and find out!
  • WILD COAST EASTERN CAPE: So much scenic beauty, rural huts, shepherds herding livestock, cliffs and waterfalls, cranes and geese. Indigenous forests, fabulous cottages, hotels and resorts, sandy coves, rugged beaches where eland and cows and cranes saunter, privacy and rustic beauty.

Family Holidays in South Africa

Take your family on a breath-taking holiday to magnificent game reserves, mountain camps, beach hotels, forest cabins and lavish resorts. Good roads, excellent facilities, wonderful smiling people. South Arica is the ultimate African getaway for families who love the great outdoors and appreciating nature in all her beauty. 

Kids will love the diving lodges, the hiking huts, the clear cold rivers and dams, the friendly farmers and the cool game rangers they meet when on a thrilling South African safari holiday. Choose lodges in all 9 provinces that are carefully planned to host children and to focus on their unique needs.

 Kids will feel in awe and want to run free in the huge open spaces of all our South African accommodation choices. Even city hotels have wonderful gyms, swimming pools, garden games and outings for the kids. Treat your family to this once in a lifetime experience in South Africa – a time to be active and to be quiet, a time to chat and a time to listen. Nature beckons.  

The Best of the Best Safaris in South Africa

Plan a South Africa tour and safari with Voyage2Africa, the African travel experts, and enjoy signature experiences to premier wildlife destinations south of the equator. We bring you thrilling adventures in the heart of several game reserves in the 9 provinces of South Africa. We offer you the best of the best safari accommodation in and around Kruger, KZN, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Northwest Province and Gauteng. Choose to stay in lavish lodges, family resorts, modern hotels, eco villas and rustic wild campsites in nature.

Do a road trip and stop along the way to try all kinds of accommodation types, including backpackers and tiny wooden huts in forests! Come alive in South Africa, a country like no other! From the rugged bushveld of the Lowveld to the lush forests and rolling grasslands of the Highveld, from the rugged cliff s and waterfalls of the Wild Coast to the modern hotels of Durban, South African beckons.  Book with the travel experts and enjoy signature experiences on your top dream African holiday.

flag of south africa

OUR SELECTION: THE BEST DESTINATIONS TO VISIT IN South Africa

A woman going on a guided safari walk through the bush with a game ranger

Explore the famous Kruger National park where world class game viewing and learning more about fascinating habitats is the way to go. You simply have to experience South Africa’s best and oldest park which also offers visitors like you a quality infrastructure of roads, water holes, hides, picnic sites, shops and restaurants.

The harbour at V&A Waterfront

Welcome to the large and charismatic Western Cape Province, bordered on either side by an ocean. Discover its magnificent mountains and beaches, preserved Fynbos and cultivated wheat fields.Start your holiday in Cape Town: climb Table Mountain, explore Cape Point, walk the beautiful beaches, run mountain trails and watch whales at play.

samara private game reserve; eastern cape

Discover a unique province of immense natural splendour. Be amazed at the rugged cliffs, rough seas, pristine beaches and dense green bush of the awesome Wild Coast, unmatched anywhere else in South Africa.

south-africa-destinations-journey-in-style-madikwe-game-reserve

The best way to see and explore Madikwe, near the Kruger National Park in South Africa, is to embark on one of many safaris or tours offered by this private game reserve. You can stay in this huge, top class conservation area, or you can combine your Madikwe safari with tours to other game reserves where you can then stay overnight – nothing is impossible.

sun-city-south-africa-destinations-journey-in-style-cascades-aerial-view

Sun City Resort is South Africa’s own mini version of Las Vegas. Discover a luxury casino and hotelin the country between the Elands River and Pilanesberg. Visit this world-renowned Kingdom of Pleasure, famous for its luxury hotels, entertainment centers, shops, gaming rooms, restaurants, discos and neatlandscaped grounds.

Black Rhino Game Lodge - Pilansberg National Park - Voyage2Africa

Discover Pilanesberg Game Reserve in an ancient volcanic crater in the North West Province. Fall in love with diverse habitats and ecosystems in this fourth largest national park in South Africa. Explore the fascinating biodiversity of a park situated in an ecologically rich transition zone between the dry Kalahari and the moister Lowveld.

Outdoor swimming pool with the sunset in the back at The Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga Durban

Visit the province with the huge heart. KwaZulu-Natal has something of everything to offer tourists. From the rich visual beauty of its mountains, game reserves and beaches, to its enormous life-giving rivers and fascinating history and culture, this small province is worth every day spent exploring its treasures.

johannesburg-south-africa-destinations-journey-in-style-palazzo-pool-fountain

One of Africa’s premium shopping destinations, Johannesburg promises shoppers a choice of locally produced items to designer label pieces. Get out there and find a mall where you can shop ‘til you drop! Explore the huge city on walking and bus tours. Enjoy the thrill of being close to game reserves and wildlife with exclusive safari accommodation.

south-africa-destinations-journey-in-style-garden-route

Garden Route, South Africa is a famous stretch of forested coastline situated on the south-east of the country. Stretching less than 300km from Mossel Bay in the west to just beyond Plettenberg Bay, this itinerary is a sight for sore eyes with its beautiful scenery and an eclectic variety of quaint and awe-inspiring resorts in its side roads.

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