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South Africa travel guide

There is much to draw travelers to South Africa - including the stunning coast, incredible wildlife, and diverse cultures. But perhaps its enduring appeal is also down to how easy it is to travel in a country whose attractions are so wild - with superb roads, fantastic cuisine and comfortable lodging at all budget levels. Read our South Africa travel guide to find out how to plan your vacation, whether its your first time here - or your fifth.

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South Africa travel guide

2 minute summary

With its stylish cities, fantastic roads, enticing cuisine and accessible national parks, South Africa is like a little slice of Europe tacked onto the tip of Africa. Along with Namibia it’s one of Africa’s only self-drive destinations, and it’s largely malaria-free.

Even its notorious crime rate is unlikely to affect sensible tourists, making a South Africa vacation a superb choice for those who just want to dip their toes into the continent. For the same reason, however,if paved roads and tourist crowds aren’t your thing then Botswana or East Africa offer a much truer sense of the wilderness.

They can explore its varied wildlife, fascinating culture and gorgeous landscapes without leaving their creature comforts behind. Although its tourist infrastructure is superb, it remains rough enough around the edges to give a real sense of adventure. But this all reinforces South Africa’s motto: “Unity in Diversity”, and visitors will find that this is a destination that extends far beyond the traditional African clichés, into something much more complex, fascinating and enriching.

South Africa is...

a taste of amicable, accessible Africa

South Africa isn't...

a voyage into the wilderness. Head north for your feral fix

What we rate & what we don't

Our guide to the best & worst of South Africa

Underrated

Johannesburg ▼

Real culture ▼

iSimangaliso Wetland Park ▼

The Karoo ▼

Rated

Township tours ▼

Winelands ▼

Cape Town ▼

Anglo-Zulu Battlefields ▼

Overrated

Being “touched by an elephant” ▼

Playing with lion cubs ▼

Big Five ▼

Cape Town Waterfront ▼

Underrated

Johannesburg

Few visitors do more than pass through South Africa’s largest city, missing out on the throbbing pulse of the nation in which all its cultures can be found. Joburg offers excellent museums (particularly the Apartheid and Hector Pieterson Museums), contemporary African art centres, botanical gardens with endangered eagles, and Africa’s tallest building… all removed from the tourist throng.

Real culture

South Africa may not offer the (often clichéd) “tribal” experiences of other nations, such as the Himba or the Maasai, but what it does have is far more real and accessible without the need for contrived tours. Superb street food, diverse local music, cultural festivals and art fairs are great ways to discover genuine culture on your South Africa vacation, from Xhosa and Zulu to Coloured and Afrikaans.

iSimangaliso Wetland Park

It’s not a name that springs to mind when planning a trip to South Africa, but iSimangaliso – meaning ‘miracle’ in Zulu – was listed as South Africa’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are 220km of beaches to explore, winding between coral reefs and the Lubombo Mountains, along with wetlands, lake networks, estuaries, over 500 bird species and mysterious swamp forests.

The Karoo

In the rush to see the cities, savannahs and sandy beaches, South Africa’s largest ecosystem is sadly overlooked. The Karoo is wild and arid, yet astonishingly diverse, with succulent plants, mountain zebras and lions living amongst its plains, ravines and flat topped mountains which stretch out to endless horizons. Base yourself in the pretty, Dutch-style Graaff-Reinet or ostrich farming Oudtshoorn for easy excursions while on vacation in South Africa.

Rated

Township tours

Crime, poverty and poor infrastructure have deterred many a visitor from the townships. But they are changing – and rapidly turning into one of South Africa’s biggest cultural draws. Soweto and Khayelitsha host well-managed walking and cycling tours, with opportunities to meet local residents, learn about the resettlements, visit Mandela’s house, sip a cold beer in a shebeen – and provide much-needed income for local residents.

Winelands

The majestic scenery and Mediterranean climate make this one of the most picturesque South Africa vacation destinations. Wineries here date back to the 1700s, but for a contemporary twist on this traditional industry, visit one of the growing number of black-owned vineyards around Stellenbosch. Alternatively, ride Franschhoek’s open sided Wine Tram through the valley for a narrated tour with tastings.

Cape Town

The newly crowned 2014 World Design Capital may be thronging with tourists, but you can’t come all this way and miss Africa’s most vibrant, dramatically-situated city. A buzzing urban blend of bars, world-class restaurants, cultural festivals and museums sits comfortably side-by-side with sweeping bays, botanical gardens, bold baboons – and even penguins, on Africa’s southwesterly tip.

Anglo-Zulu Battlefields

In 1879, the British army invaded Zululand and found themselves face to face with thousands of Zulu warriors. Today, the battlefields at Rorke’s Drift (where 140 British troops held off up to 4,000 Zulus) and Isandwana (where 1800 British solders were killed) set the stage for mesmerising tours, led by knowledgeable storytellers who bring the scenes to life.

Overrated

Being “touched by an elephant”

Unlike Asia, Africa has no history of working with elephants. Captive elephants here work exclusively in the tourist trade – and to get them to “behave” around tourists, they are beaten and maltreated so that tourists can touch and even ride them. Knysna has a particularly awful example of this. If you want a genuinely magical elephant experience – go and see these incredible mammals in the wild. You’re in Africa!

Playing with lion cubs

A photo of yourself feeding a baby lion will wow friends back home – until you realise what might have happen to the cub once your South Africa vacation is over. Habituated animals can never be released into the wild, and when the cub gets too big to be safely handled it’s not cost-effective to keep. To put it bluntly – there’s a good chance it’ll end up on a canned hunting reserve. Read more about this issue here.

Big Five

Ok, we’re not going to argue that the Big Five are not worth seeing. No-one is ever disappointed by a rhino. But we do think there is much, much more to a South Africa vacation than just seeing these species, and to miss the landscapes, cultures, birdlife, cities, and lesser-known species in your bid to tick off this list would be a terrible waste of a trip.

Cape Town Waterfront

The V&A Waterfront attracts more foreigners than anywhere else in South Africa – and with 24 million visitors a year, international hotel chains, shopping malls, overpriced restaurants and characterless cafes are jostling for a piece of the tourist dollar. Come for the views and free family entertainment at the amphitheatre, but be sure to dig deeper into the city to experience more than just the tourist façade.

Food, shopping & people

Travel like a local with our South Africa travel guide

Eating & drinking in South Africa

Inventive Durbanites created the ultimate takeaway food: Bunny chow. “Bunnies” are curry served inside a hollowed-out loaf of bread.

The intensely full-bodied Pinotage is a wine unique to South Africa, and it’s the perfect accompaniment to a meaty braai. Try and buy Fair Trade labels if possible.

Bobotie is a typical South African dish of curried, minced meat, dried fruit and an egg topping.

Finish off with a koeksister – a plaited, donut-style sweet. It’s deep fried, dipped in sugar and flavoured with ginger, cinnamon or cardamom.

One capital city was not enough for this considerable country; it has three: Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial) and Cape Town (legislative).

People & culture

South Africa’s many ethnic groups are emphatically unique, yet proudly South African. Explore this country through its culture, including gaudy Cape Malay houses, Afrikaner Braais, Zulu beadwork, Kwaito and Cape Jazz, and Khoisan rock art.

Robots are on every street corner - ‘robots’ are traffic lights.

Confusingly ‘just now’ doesn’t mean immediately, it means sometime soon. ‘Now-now’ means slightly sooner.

Bring your umbrella if you get told it’s a ‘monkey’s wedding’ – this Zulu expression means it’s sunny and raining.

Gifts & shopping

Many craft cooperatives provide an income for disadvantaged people. Look out for skilled metalwork from recycled wire, cans and bottle tops – and even functioning recycled radios!

Naturally dyed indigo cloth – known as ‘shweshwe’ - has been adopted by Xhosa women as part of their traditional dress – as well as by fashion designers worldwide. Authentic shweshwe is still produced here – look out for trademark stamps.

Over half of the world’s mohair comes from South Africa – and you’ll find deliciously soft blankets, jumpers and rugs, dyed in the most beautiful colours from burnt orange (a Xhosa favourite) to deep plum.

Fast facts

The ‘Rainbow Nation’ has 11 official languages – more than any other country in the world.

How much does it cost?

Large glass of Pinotage: £2.70

Litre of petrol: 82p

Boerewors for your braai: £2.65

Cup of rooibos tea: 95p

Pack of Koeksister: £1.20

A brief history of South Africa

This story of South Africa is a notorious one, and we can’t as yet say whether or not it is one which has an entirely happy ending – everyone involved will have a very different experience. It’s paradoxical that Africa’s superpower houses some of the world’s most impoverished people; that exciting, modern cities sit a stone’s throw from unspoiled wildernesses; that its wildlife is free to roam the continent’s largest game reserve, while the people who campaigned for freedom became political prisoners. But great steps have been taken towards the democracy, freedom and unification of this wonderfully diverse Rainbow Nation, and every passing year brings new developments.Read more ▼

The apartheid regime – meaning ‘apartness’ – was established in 1948. Originally a way to designate independent “homelands” for tribes across the country, it was even welcomed by tribal leaders who sought greater autonomy.

However, the system descended into racial classification and segregation, enforced “resettlements” for millions of residents, and the gradual removal of rights for the majority black and coloured population. Education and medical care became segregated, with blacks receiving inferior treatment, non-white political representation was abolished, and public areas such as beaches were also separated, sparking violent uprisings during which hundreds of protesters were killed.

The international community responded with trade embargos and banned South Africa from sporting events, including the Olympic Games. However, it’s important to remember that apartheid was not welcome by large swathes of the white community; in 1992, almost three quarters of the white population voted to abolish the system. This demonstrated what a truly minority government it really was – across all sectors.

In 1989, FW de Klerk became president and Nelson Mandela, who had been in prison since 1964, was released the following year. His political party, ANC, was no longer banned, and multi-party talks began. In 1994, after 46 years of apartheid, ANC won South Africa’s first democratic election, Mandela became president and international sanctions were lifted.

Today, South Africa stands on shaky ground. ANC remains in power, yet inequality persists, and First World cities stand in stark contrast to Third World informal settlements and remote rural communities; even today, many people live without running water or electricity. Land reforms, too, have been sluggish, and there are periodic revolts over living conditions in the townships. However, investment continues into basic infrastructure, public transport, education and reducing unemployment, and what we are seeing is a country still very much in transition. South Africans from all backgrounds are opinionated on the changes that have taken place, and engaging your hosts and guides in conversation is the best way to really get a snapshot of South Africa today. Just be prepared for a long – and very enlightening – discussion.

Photo credits: [Real culture: Steve Slater] [iSimangaliso: Vaiz Ha] [Winelands: John Hickey-Fry] [Battlefields: Rob] [Cape Town waterfront: Malcolm Manners] [Bunny Chow: Jay del Corro] [Being “touched by an elephant”: TravelingOtter] [People & culture - Cape Malay: Brian Snelson]

Written by Vicki Brown

When to go ►