What to do in South Africa

As one of the world’s top wildlife-watching destinations, a safari is a must for any visitor.  At most lodges, the main game viewing activities are morning and afternoon game drives out into the park. The safaris are conducted in specially modified open-top 4×4 vehicles where your specially trained guide and tracker will take you out to explore the reserve. Some reserves will offer walking safaris where you can approach animals on foot and gain a whole new insight into safari.

The picturesque Cape Winelands, South Africa’s renowned wine region, is an hour’s drive from Cape Town. This is the country’s oldest wine route, featuring almost 150 wine farms along with historic Cape Dutch-style houses. Franschoek is the nation’s gastronomic capital, home to more than 50 outstanding wineries and countless eateries for pairing gourmet fare with wine straight out of the barrel. Please read our SA Wine Guide for more information.

The diverse population of South Africa has created a food culture that is incredibly varied. South Africa’s mouthwatering cuisine incorporates outside influences from all over the world including Southeast Asia and Europe. You’ll get a real flavour for the country by sampling everything from fresh seafood in upscale ocean view restaurants to street food like bunny chow, barbecue and roti with local craft brews. We recommend you book a guided food tour through Cape Town to really understand the food and culture of the region.

Meerkats are part of the so-called Shy 5 which also includes the bat-eared fox, the aardvark, porcupine and aardwolf. Near the town of Oudtshoorn, there is a family of meerkats who are wild but are habituated and are not scared of people. You can join a guide to go out in the morning to the burrow and watch them wake up and go about their lives.

Climbing Table Mountain, Cape Town’s most recognizable landmark is a bucket list item for many people. Ideal for active travellers who can be rewarded with a bird’s-eye view, there are dozens of routes up, each of which provides something unique. From the top you’ll be able to gaze out over the city, V&A Waterfront, Table Bay, Robben Island, the Cape Flats and the Cape Peninsula.

On the outskirts of Cape Town is Boulders Beach which is home to a large colony of African Penguins. The African Penguin is an engendered species and this colony of 2000 – 3000 penguins is protected. You will set off from the jetty in Simon’s Town and kayak out to the beach, on the way you will often encounter Cape Fur seals playing in the water. The penguins are very used to kayaks and they will swim right past you.

A hiker’s paradise, the Drakensberg Mountain Range is part of the Great Escarpment, separating the high plateaus of the interior from the lower coastal lands. There are miles and miles of trails, from easy to strenuous climbs, bringing magnificent scenery and wildlife watching opportunities, from Rainbow Gorge, one of the top day hikes to the challenging Chain Ladders trek in Northern Drakensberg.

Witness some of South Africa’s checkered past by visiting Robben Island, the country’s most well-known historic site and the former location of a remote prison that held Nelson Mandela for 18 years, although it was used by everyone from the 17th-century Dutch to the South African government in the 21st century. Today the historic landmark offers tours led by former political prisoners.