South Africa Things to Do

 
by CatherineReichardt
 
  •   Museums / Historical Interest
    by CatherineReichardt
  • Rockpools at Umhlanga
      Rockpools at Umhlanga
    by CatherineReichardt
  • Beach at Umhlanga
      Beach at Umhlanga
    by CatherineReichardt
  • View from Boulders Beach at sunset
      View from Boulders Beach at sunset
    by CatherineReichardt
  •   Things to Do
    by MarioPortugal
 

Most Viewed Things to Do in South Africa

151.

Table Mountain   Cape Town

Table Mountain, Cape Town

 192 Reviews  Wherever you go in Cape Town, Table Mountain dominates the skyline, so what could be more natural than finding out what the city looks like from the top? The cablecar ride to the top of Table... 

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152.

Game Reserves   Johannesburg

Game Reserves, Johannesburg

 33 Reviews  De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre Besides 'normal' cheetahs, De Wildt has a number of King Cheetahs, distinguished by the different coat pattern. There is also a healthy population of African wild... 

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153.

Big 5   Kruger National Park

Big 5, Kruger National Park

 40 Reviews   The African Elephant is easily distinguished from Asian Elephants as they have larger ears. The fact that you are in Africa is also a give away. They guys are massive. They are the largest land... 

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154.

Penguins / Boulders Beach   Cape Town

Penguins / Boulders Beach, Cape Town

 82 Reviews  To some people it is a surprising fact that there are penguin colonies in Africa. That’s reason enough to see these sympathic animals. In the 1980s, the african penguin (or jackass penguin, because of... 

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155.

Gold Reef City   Johannesburg

Gold Reef City, Johannesburg

 22 Reviews  Gold Reef City is a Johannesburg institution and as my kids have been nagging me to go for months, I finally succumbed early in the New Year. I have to declare my bias: I hate theme parks, I dislike... 

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156.

Game Drives (at night)   Kruger National Park

Game Drives (at night), Kruger National Park

 19 Reviews  Although you can see plenty of game in Kruger during the day, a night safari gives you an entirely different perspective of the park. You can see some animals that are nocturnal, such as leopards and... 

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157.

Cape Point   Cape Town

Cape Point, Cape Town

 143 Reviews  Cape Point is a glorious location, especially if the weather is good. Actually it's probably even more impressive when the weather is foul and you get a real sense of what the first explorers had to... 

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158.

Sun City   Johannesburg

Sun City, Johannesburg

 17 Reviews  Hey guys Sun city the name which is almost known to most of the passionate tourists coming to South Africa the place where there is a heaven between the mountains far away from here when you approach... 

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159.

Game Drives (guided)   Kruger National Park

Game Drives (guided), Kruger National Park

 13 Reviews  One of the good reasons to have a guided tour sometimes is that they (the guides) can also communicate with each other live while on the game drive and tell each other where the exotic animals are.... 

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160.

V & A Waterfront   Cape Town

V & A Waterfront, Cape Town

 81 Reviews  I don't know whether I love or hate this, but it's certainly an eye catching addition to the landscape of the V& Waterfront. Apparently the crates symbolise the saving in plastic usage resulting from... 

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161.

Downtown Architecture and Tours   Johannesburg

Downtown Architecture and Tours, Johannesburg

 42 Reviews  Oh my, was this an eyeopener on the rarified world of contemporary art! I have been meaning to visit the Standard Bank Gallery forever, but only managed to get there this morning when other plans... 

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162.

Game Drives (Self-Driving)   Kruger National Park

Game Drives (Self-Driving), Kruger National Park

 31 Reviews  The Vervet Monkeys are rather common and you might see them in many places, on the road, on the trees and also at the camps, they are much smaller then the baboons and seems very friendly and sweet,... 

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163.

Scenic drives / Garden Route   Cape Town

Scenic drives / Garden Route, Cape Town

 51 Reviews  I know that many overseas visitors (particularly those from countries which drive on the right hand side of the road) are nervous of driving in South Africa, which is a tremendous pity, as potentially... 

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164.

MonteCasino   Johannesburg

MonteCasino, Johannesburg

 11 Reviews  Bright and cheerful entertainment is ongoing at Montecasino Montecasino has buskers, street performers, wandering around and entertaining people. Busking dates back through the ages to earliest... 

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165.

other wildlife   Kruger National Park

other wildlife, Kruger National Park

 54 Reviews  There is a colony of fruit bats that live underneath the thatched roofs of the outdoor dining pavilions at Skukuza Camp in Kruger. They hang upside down from the rafters and sleep during the day. The... 

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166.

Wine route / Stellenbosch   Cape Town

Wine route / Stellenbosch, Cape Town

 66 Reviews  This small town, situated about 40 km east of Cape Town, is worth visiting for a couple of reasons. Founded in 1679, it is the second oldest town in South Africa (the first one is Cape Town).... 

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167.

Apartheid Museum   Johannesburg

Apartheid Museum, Johannesburg

 17 Reviews  Jo'burg is sadly not a city blessed with as many great museums as other large cities worldwide, but the Apartheid Museum is truly world class and a moving testament to South Africa's troubled history.... 

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168.

Birds   Kruger National Park

Birds, Kruger National Park

 27 Reviews  In addition to its large game animals, Kruger is also the home to a lot of interesting and photogenic bird species. These include eagles, spoonbills, storks, rollers, owls, cormorants, haws, and... 

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169.

Museums / Historical Interest   Cape Town

Museums / Historical Interest, Cape Town

 91 Reviews  Although the game reserves of Kruger Park and the Bushveld are what usually spring to mind when tourists think of South African wildlife, one of the many unexpected delights of Cape Town is that you... 

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170.

Soweto   Johannesburg

Soweto, Johannesburg

 19 Reviews  The overly cautious have long (and incorrectly) maintained that it is not safe for visitors to venture into the townships, even as part of a tour - however, they probably never envisaged a scenario... 

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171.

Walking safari   Kruger National Park

Walking safari, Kruger National Park

 7 Reviews  I’ve been planning and waiting for the walking safari since I was booking the flights and, yes, it was just fantastic. You wake up before sunrise, have a quick warm drink and off to the savannah.... 

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172.

Robben Island / Museums   Cape Town

Robben Island / Museums, Cape Town

 66 Reviews  Making the pilgrimage to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for the majority of his 27 years in prison features close to the top of most tourist's South African To Do list, and with... 

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173.

Randburg Waterfront   Johannesburg

Randburg Waterfront, Johannesburg

 5 Reviews  Well the Randburg Waterfront has been revamped and is now called the Bright Water Commons. There is alot less water but is a 100 times nicer than before. Its a very nice to do a little shopping ,... 

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174.

picnic areas   Kruger National Park

picnic areas, Kruger National Park

 4 Reviews  One of the lesser known but probably nicest picnic sites in the Kruger is Nkuhlu, Tsonga for “Natal Mahogany" given that there are so many of the Natal Mahogany trees in the area. Situated on the Sabi... 

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175.

Beaches   Cape Town

Beaches, Cape Town

 92 Reviews  To my mind, Water's Edge beach in Seaforth in Simon's Town south of Cape Town is the perfect family beach in the peninsula area ... sheltered, with limited wave action and located on the warm(er)... 

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Johannesburg

by PierreZA

Johannesburg (Joburg, Jozi, Egoli) could be called the business capital of South Africa and is therefore also the richest city. The city developed after gold was discovered. It is also the biggest city in the country. Johannesburg is a city which move at a fast pace. Despite not being a major tourist attraction, it still has some very interesting things to do and see to offer.Oliver Thambo International Airport is most probably the port of entry for most tourists visiting SA. The airport is East of Johannesburg, and by 2010, we will have a rail system connecting the airport to the city of Johannesburg.Johannesburg, especially Sandton, is the place where you will find most International Hotels like the Hilton etc. Sandton is a business hub of Johannesburg, with Shopping Malls for the more affluent.Pretoria, the Capital, is only about 50km north of Johannesburg.

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Jeffrey’s Bay

by PierreZA

Jeffrey’s Bay (J-Bay) is an extremely popular holiday destination for South Africans. It is also home to an International Surfing Competition every year. This seaside town also hosts the “Shell Festival” yearly.If you want to spend time during December/January, you will have to book accommodation about a year ahead.Being a town popular with surfers, there are many surf shops, including ‘factory shops’ (Billabong etc).On the food side, there is an interesting restaurant called ‘Die Walskipper’. The setting and decor of this restaurant I think is more of a draw card than the food. The seafood though is very fresh and tasty. You will have to make reservations during peak season.There is also an outstanding bakery/eatery called ‘In Food’ with very good food.

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Port Elizabeth

by PierreZA

Port Elizabeth is also known as the Friendly City or the Windy City. The city has a strong British Heritage, as it was British Settlers who founded the city in 1820.It is in the Eastern Cape, and is one of the major Port (Harbour) cities of SA. It is also my hometown where I grew up.The city is very relaxed and has a small town atmosphere. It has some great beaches. If you would like more info on PE, do have a look at my VT page on Port Elizabeth.Things to do:Enjoy the great beachesTake a historical walking tour (Central)A day-trip to Addo National ParkStart you road trip of the Garden Route here

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Addo Elephant National Park

by PierreZA

Addo Elephant Park is less than an hour’s drive from Port Elizabeth. This can make a great daytrip from Port Elizabeth, but I suggest you do stay over at the Park.Although the name suggests it is an elephant park, it is home to a large variety of game. The Park has expanded a lot recently and is still being developed in some areas.If it is elephants you want to see, this is the place to go.For more information, you can visit my VT page on the Addo Elephant Park.

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Tsitiskamma

by PierreZA

The Tsitsikamma National Park is one of my favourite places in South Africa. I know this area since childhood and visited here many times. Part of the Park is the Storms River Mouth. The beach area is quite small, but there are many things to do and explore. There are different hiking trails, al vary in distance. It is a great experience hiking through the indigenous forests with beautiful plants and waterfalls.It is also a popular area fro scuba and snorkelling. The Park offers a variety of accommodation, but you will have to book well in advance, especially during peak season (November/December/January).Tsitsikamma National Park is about 180km from Port Elizabeth.See my Tsistikamma VT Page for more details.

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The Garden Route

by PierreZA

The Garden Route is called that, because of its natural beauty. The area is found between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, more specifically between Mosselbay and PE. Places to visit here, include Knysna, George and the amazingly beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park.The Garden Route is best explored by driving through this wonderful area. You might take a flight to George (from Cape Town or Johannesburg) and rent a car at the airport. Another option would be to fly to Port Elizabeth and rent a car there, and drive to Cape Town (or George).The Garden Route is home to indigenous rain forests and beautiful fynbos, (proteas, restios, etc).You will find a variety of accommodation in this area, anything from camping to five star boutique hotels.

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Franschhoek

by PierreZA

This beautiful little town, which means French Quarter, is worth visiting, and even to stay overnight. The town has a strong French heritage. It has some of the best restaurants in the country and a variety of boutique hotels. The famous Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais, is a restaurant voted one of the top 50 in the world. For more detail, you can visit my page on Franschhoek.

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The Cape Winelands

by PierreZA

The Winelands are the wine producing areas of the Western Cape. These are extremely beautiful areas of the country, not very far from Cape Town. There is a strong French Heritage in some of these areas (eg Franschhoek).Areas include Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek etc. There are many wine routes, which are very easy to negotiate and clearly marked. Most wineries can be visited without appointment.Typical wines from this area: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and red blends.The Cape Winelands also have some of the best restaurants in the country. Many of these can be found in the small town of Franschhoek (see tip on Franschhoek).Wineries like Spier offers 5 star accommodation, restaurants, wine-tasting and other entertainment – which makes it a great option to stay and explore the area from.It is best to explore the Winelands by car. There are organized...

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Kruger National Park: Practicalities

by PierreZA

It is essential to book ahead, as this is a very popular tourist attraction for both local and international tourists.You can fly to Skukuza from Johannesburg (OR Thambo International Airport)It is very hot during summer. Spring, autumn and winter might be better times to visit.Take Malaria prophylaxis during the rainy season (summer).The Southern Part of the Park is very popular. If you want to get away from the tourist buzz, try and visit the middle or Northern parts of the Park (Singwetsi, Pafuri, Punda etc)Website: www.sanparks.co.za

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Kruger National Park

by PierreZA

The Kruger Park (Wildtuin in Afrikaans), is another of South Africa’s major attractions. The Park is huge, and you will need several days if you want to visit the Park in its entirety. I have visited the Park on many occasions and will always return for more. We once took a trip for a week, driving from the North down to the South, staying at different Camps on the way.The Park gives the visitor the opportunity to watch animals in their natural environment, as there is minimal human intervention. Camps are safe and be aware that there are rules as to times gates open and close (differs according to seasons). You are not allowed outside the Camps during those times. My favourite camp to stay is the ‘Olifants Camp’. This camp has beautiful views of the Elephants River and very nice accommodation on offer.You would certainly want to see the Big Five during your visit, which are Lion,...

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Fun things to do in South Africa

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. 

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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... 

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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... 

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Things to Do: Cities in South Africa
  1. Cape Town Things to Do
  2. Johannesburg Things to Do
  3. Durban Things to Do
  4. Kruger National Park Things to Do
  5. Pretoria Things to Do
  6. Port Elizabeth Things to Do
  7. Sun City Things to Do
  8. Knysna Things to Do
  9. Oudtshoorn Things to Do
  10. Drakensberg Things to Do
  11. Stellenbosch Things to Do
  12. Soweto Things to Do
  13. Plettenberg Bay Things to Do
  14. Grahamstown Things to Do
  15. Port Alfred Things to Do
  16. Mossel Bay Things to Do
  17. Nelspruit Things to Do
  18. Pietermaritzburg Things to Do
  19. Hartbeespoort Things to Do
  20. Richards Bay Things to Do
  21. Franschhoek Things to Do
  22. Bloemfontein Things to Do
  23. Hoedspruit Things to Do
  24. Clarens Things to Do
  25. Hluhluwe Things to Do
  26. Umhlanga Rocks Things to Do
  27. Lake Saint Lucia Things to Do
  28. Hluhluwe Game Reserve Things to Do
  29. Kimberley Things to Do
  30. Graaff-Reinet Things to Do
  31. Pilgrim's Rest Things to Do
  32. Sandton Things to Do
  33. Hazyview Things to Do
  34. Addo Elephant National Park Things to Do
  35. East London Things to Do
  36. Pilanesberg Things to Do
  37. Amanzimtoti Things to Do
  38. Robben Island Things to Do
  39. George Things to Do
  40. Kalahari Gemsbok National Park Things to Do
  41. Hermanus Things to Do
  42. Swellendam Things to Do
  43. Benoni Things to Do
  44. Sodwana Bay National Park Things to Do
  45. Paarl Things to Do
  46. Stilbaai Things to Do
  47. Sabie Things to Do
  48. White River Things to Do
  49. Potchefstroom Things to Do

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Province of the Western Cape Things to Do  Gauteng Things to Do  Province of KwaZulu-Natal Things to Do  Free State Things to Do  Province of Eastern Cape Things to Do 

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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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