South Africa Favorites

  the lit part on the top is desitnation
by kenHuocj
 
  • the lit part on the top is desitnation
      the lit part on the top is desitnation
    by kenHuocj
  •   Favorites
    by CatherineReichardt
  • Table Mountain
      Table Mountain
    by tim07
  •   Favorites
    by CatherineReichardt
  • Wawes
      Wawes
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Most Viewed Favorites in South Africa

1.

Cape Point   Cape Town

Cape Point, Cape Town

 20 Reviews  This one day trip around the Cape Peninsula was the best day of our visit to Cape Town. We are grateful to our wonderful guide and great companion for the day - a VT member Mariana known as Mvtouring.... 

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2.

wildlife   Kruger National Park

wildlife, Kruger National Park

 52 Reviews  To help you spot more animals try looking for what should NOT be there. For example, is that solitary dark tuft of grass in the distance really a tuft of grass or a lion lying low? Is that grey object... 

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3.

Table Mountain   Cape Town

Table Mountain, Cape Town

 26 Reviews  The decision was made: we are walking down. Today I am not sure if it was the right thing to do - we didn't know the way, we had no map or guide, we had no idea what to expect. By the way, one... 

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4.

facts   Kruger National Park

facts, Kruger National Park

 9 Reviews  People who travel over borders via KNP will require to overnight in the park, not just drive through, proof of overnight stay will be required at borders.Please check with KNP or on their website for... 

 See All 89 Favorites in Kruger National Park

5.

V & A Waterfront   Cape Town

V & A Waterfront, Cape Town

 11 Reviews   There are several good spots to go shopping. Whether you choose to stroll through a fleamarket or around a modern department store, there are many possibilities to satisfy your need. The Victoria... 

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6.

landscape   Kruger National Park

landscape, Kruger National Park

 9 Reviews  An advantage of game viewing in October, at the end of the dry winter season, is that the waterholes and rivers are all parched. This has the effect of bunching the game up for much easier viewing.... 

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7.

Beaches   Cape Town

Beaches, Cape Town

 27 Reviews  Fishoek is a small little town on False Bay and is also on the way to Simon's Town and Boulders Beach. It doesnt seem like there is much happening in this beautiful spot other than people Fishing or... 

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8.

history   Kruger National Park

history, Kruger National Park

 3 Reviews  The Kruger National Park itself has been in existence since 1926, effectively, in its present form. It is virtually unrivalled in species diversity (both animal and plant), and is a world leader in... 

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9.

Tours   Cape Town

Tours, Cape Town

 9 Reviews  It's not often that you need a tour guide in cities that you know well, but on my last trip to Cape Town, I came across Allan Korsman of Blue Monkey Tours, who lead the tour that I joined at Groote... 

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10.

Kirstenbosch Gardens   Cape Town

Kirstenbosch Gardens, Cape Town

 10 Reviews  One of the spectacular features of Kirstenbosch Garden is its location. Cape Town's Table Top Mountain creates a magnificent background for the beautiful garden of colorful flowers. Hikers can... 

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11.

Wine Route / Stellenbosch   Cape Town

Wine Route / Stellenbosch, Cape Town

 5 Reviews  Unique landscapes - wine tasting - mountains - nice people - black or white! Different generations ! Democracy is the objective - they will get their target !! What are you looking for !! This is SA !... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Safety in South Africa

by canuck68

The only time in four visits that I worried about my personal safety was when a very large male elephant was coming after us in Kruger. My companion was fortunately very adept at backing up very quickly.I am from Canada and had no trouble using my debit card at Bank Machines (ATMs). Perhaps asking at your own bank in England will insure that it is okay.About the safety issue, just good common sense always comes into play. Don't drive at night and don't have anything of value in sight in your car. Ladies should kep their purses out of sight instead of on the seat where we usually keep them. I miss the people and the scenery.

Excellent web-based maps for planning purposes

by CatherineReichardt

When you are first planning a trip, it can be hard to get good maps that are detailed enough to give you good information, but not so high resolution that the detail is obscured. Maps in guide books are usually too small, or if they are large enough to read, they are so localised that it can be hard to work out how the different regions covered fit together. And particularly if you're not going to a mainstream destination, it can be hard to buy maps of far off countries in your home town.I recently stumbled across the maps page on the sa-venues.com website whilst doing some research for a trip that we hope to do later in the year, and was pleasantly impressed.The website provides a whole variety of maps, from straight road maps to those which display topography and others which are thematic (for example, tourist attractions, malarial zones game game reserves). As well as the national...

great people, good nightlife

by ktm640

My favorite thing about South Africa are its people, the most kind people you could ever meet.The country is really special for its wild life and beaches. Its probably the best value destination in the world.The best city is Cape Town with its relaxed vibe. The people are very freindly and its a great destination if you like motorcycle adventures

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COUNTRY INFORMATION

by georeiser

COUNTRY INFORMATION:Visa: No visa for stay up to 90 days. No money to pay.Mobil phone: Very good roaming.ATM: Yes, all over the country. It works very good and gives normal rate.Recommended language: English.Infrastructure: Very good.Friendliness by the people: Still suspiciousness/racism between black & white people. Very proud to be the host of Football World Cup in 2010.Attention by Police/military: No bad experience.Crime: Very high.Rainy period: Central parts: November, December, January and February.Price level: Cheaper than Europe. Safari and tourist activities are cheaper, but else a bit more expensive than other African countries.Airport departure tax: Nothing from JNB.

South Africa

by Gili_S

I cannot explain or describe South Africa in general. It is probably one of the most amazing countries I have visited and no matter how long my visit could be you will always leave with the feeling that these is still so much more to see. I surely wish to go and visit again and if I could have a job there I would have pack my stuff and be there in matter of few days :)))

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Go during South African winter season

by BE001903

We went to SA mid august til mid september; low season as it is winter. Ok it is often a bit on the chilly side (especially when you go out for morning and evening game drives) but apat from that it's great! As hotels were often almost empty apart from us, we sometimes got upgraded (without even asking) and got all the attention from our hosts (be it in restaurants or hotels). In Franschhoek we even got into Reubens without reservation, had excellent food and waiters were great (this doesn't seem to be the case in high season). On the game drives in the parks the range rovers are half full, sometimes you are the only person on it! Another advantage is that the vegetation is dry during winter, so it's easier to spot the animals). So if you don't mind not being able to go for a swim in the hotel swimming pool (they are not heated so ...) this time of year has a lot of advantages!

The uniquesness of Johannesburg.

by canuck68

I think you sell Jo'burg short. For those of us who aren't South African, it is a very interesting city and very different (for me at least) from anything I had ever experienced before. The busyness, the cosmopolitan atmosphere, and just the street scenes were something I would not have missed and will be seeing again in December. Yes, it can be dangerous but it's important to know where is is unsafe to go and what is unsafe to do.There is much to do. The Rhino and Lion park is a great place to view animals. Pilanesburg is close. The shopping centers are modern and have a wonderful variety of stores. My fondest memory of South Africa is the people. Thanks to my friends who live there, I had the opportunity to meet a variety of interesting people... from the children in the townships, to the folks who operate the soup kitchens who are so poor themselves, to the seniors who live in a...

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Food in South Africa.

by canuck68

I don't know what you are used to eating but I found with the exception of a few special dishes that the food was the same as in Canada. However, they have magnificent fruits and vegetables which are fresh and twice as good as here in Canada. They also eat a lot of yogurt...at least my friends did.Also, the braai (bbq) is very popular in South Africa.

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Game drive; drive yourself or organized drives?

by BE001903

Do both! We took our rental car and drove ourselves through Kruger NP. As we did this during winter, vegetation was not very dense so animals were easy to spot. However sitting in a car does limit your sight. And the person driving sometimes misses out. But I found it to be a fun experience doing the actual spotting yourself.We also visited 2 private reserves where we went on the drives organized by the lodges. As their vehicles are without a top and you are positioned higher than any normal car or jeep, views are much better. Also seen the fact we were in low season we were with a limited number of people in the vehicle (we even had a private tour one time! ). These guides sometimes offer the opportunity to walk.Overall you see more on the guided tours but it is also fun to drive around by yourself.On one occasion an elephant came up to the vehicle and started scratching his head at the...

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One Month in South Africa

by satpacker

Hi. I'd suggest following itinerary to see the best of SA in four weeks (it may seem quite detailed, but I do this for a business!!!).It's also quite adventurous and includes a lot of driving (but the roads are good and the scenery is stunning). You could shorten it down by flying from Port Elizabeth or East London to Durban or from Nelspruit back to Johannesburg. I hope this helps. Happy to provide more info if required.Day 1: Arrive at Cape Town International Airport. Hire you car and drive through to Camps Bay. Spend morning relaxing on the beach and - in the late afternoon (if the weather is good) take the short cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain. Return to Camps Bay for sundowners and dinner.Days 2 & 3: Relax in this stunning city taking in the wide variety of activities that Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula has to offer; for example catching a ferry to Robben Island, lunch...

Top 3 Hotels in South Africa

Cape Grace Hotel  Cape Town

 5 Reviews and 368 Opinions  Rooms are very nice, and service is spendid. However, the hotel is simply too expensive. 

 Hotels in Cape Town

The Westcliff Hotel  Johannesburg

 5 Reviews and 203 Opinions  Being a local, I have never stayed here (and probably couldn't afford to!) - having visited business... 

 Hotels in Johannesburg

Skukuza Restcamp - Kruger National Park  Kruger National Park

 8 Reviews and 82 Opinions  This is the largest camp on the banks of the Sabie river, it is also the administrative centre of... 

 See all 33 Hotels in Kruger National Park

Questions and Answers

kate18 profile photo

Q:  Hi, My husband and I are travelling to South Africa this coming Januaray from Australia. We are coming for a month for a... 

CatherineReichardt profile photo

A: Hi Kate And welcome to VT! You've asked a lot of questions, so I'll split this answer into 'bite sized' chunks. Firstly, the timing. January is a reasonable time to... 

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