South Africa’s top ten tourist attractions

Starting in Cape Town with what is arguably one of South Africa’s best known attractions, Table Mountain. This imposing landmark rises above the city creating what is known as the “bowl of the city” and from above offers views of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the CBD and the peninsula. The cable car costs R180 round trip for adults and R90 round trip for children between 4 and 17 years old. There are several hiking trails to the top and then a one-way ticket can be purchased, most of these trails take most of the day. . The cable car ride lasts 4-5 minutes and the cable car goes up and down the mountain every ten to fifteen minutes.

Staying in Cape Town, another natural wonder that is a must-see is Cape Point, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans are said to meet. This is also the unofficial southern tip of Africa, unofficial because the geographic southern tip of Africa is at Cape Agulhus, although few tourists realize this. The tip of the Cape Peninsula is a national reserve and there is a small entrance fee. The park is open from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm every day of the week and the funicular that will take you uphill to the tip of the peninsula runs from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. However, it is possible to walk to the tip and if the weather allows it, it is quite a pleasant walk. The only real danger you’ll find here are baboons. They are not ferocious animals, but they are opportunistic and cheeky and have been known to take food off the hands of visitors.

Just outside of Cape Town are the world famous wine routes. International award-winning wines come from this region. The Spier wine estate is perhaps one of the best known, however there are dozens more and one can easily spend a whole day tasting wines at the different estates. Brandy distillers are worth visiting, brandy has become something of a national drink in South Africa with 57 million liters of brandy produced each year. Brandy accounts for 65% of all spirits produced in South Africa.

Visiting Robben Island in Table Bay is an experience that no Cape Town tourist should leave without. The islands’ history as a place of imprisonment for political prisoners during apartheid makes the tour an incredibly moving experience. The history of the island, however, dates back to long before the days of Apartheid, having always been used as a place of isolation, the stories you will hear are full of facts and interesting. Possibly the most special aspect of the tours is the fact that they are conducted by former political prisoners who served time on Robben Island. They provide first-hand accounts of what life was like in prison.

North of Cape Town, in the Northern Cape Province, is an area known as Namaqualand. Every year during spring in this region, nature puts on a display like you will only see elsewhere on Guy Fawkes Day. In spring, this dusty, arid and semi-desert plane is transformed, like a painter’s brush, into a riot of color. More than 400 different species of flowers bloom here each year and attract thousands of visitors. This astonishing display of nature is one of South Africa’s best kept secrets and rarely seems to attract large crowds of foreign visitors; however, it is very popular with the locals, so accommodation must be booked in advance. The route begins about 5 hours outside of Cape Town once you reach Namaqualand, but evidence of the desert’s transformation can be seen as soon as one leaves the city limits and begins to climb the N7.

The Augrabie Falls in the Northern Cape Province are the spectacular landing point for the Orange River. The falls are almost 60 meters high and during the 2006 floods there was a flow of 6,800 cubic meters of water per second. The name derives from the word Khoi San Ankoerebi, which means “place of great noise” when you visit this incredible place, you will see, or rather, you will hear how the falls received this name. The falls are managed by the South African park board and there is a variety of accommodations available, from campsites to luxury guesthouses.

The 16-mile-long Blyde River Canyon is an important natural wonder in South Africa and is the third largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon and Fish River Canyon. It is also the largest green canyon in the world, covered in trees and foliage, part of the reason for this is that the Blyde River still runs through the canyon. At an average depth of 800m, it cuts a huge scar in the landscape and provides some of the most incredible views available anywhere in South Africa.

The 47,000ha site in Gauteng, known as the Cradle of Humankind, contains what could possibly be the key to the theory of evolution in its fossil-filled caves. The area is mainly located in the Gauteng province, but extends to the North West province. This area has produced some of the oldest hominin fossils ever found, some of which date back 3.5 million years. Vast tracts of land are privately owned, yet the Sterkfontein Caves, an hour’s drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, offer a spectacular glimpse into humanity’s past and present.

At nearly 19,000 square kilometers, the Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa and is the premier destination for visitors to South Africa seeking a game viewing experience. Located in the Limpopo province, the Kruger has become part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, incorporating national reserves in both Zimbabwe and Mozabique. The Kruger is a 6 hour drive from Johannesburg and the roads are well maintained; otherwise, the park has three runways, one of which handles commercial SAA flights from Johannesburg International Airport. The game viewing in this park is second to none.

The V&A Waterfront is perhaps South Africa’s premier shopping destination for the rich and famous. Built alongside Cape Town’s working docks, the mall is home to big designer brands like Hugo Boss and the Adidas Concept Store. With Table Mountain as a backdrop, it is one of Cape Town’s most beautiful settings for a day of shopping or enjoying a beer in the sun.