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Home / Blog / 7 Best Places to visit in South Africa: National Parks to Ancient Castles

7 Best Places to visit in South Africa: National Parks to Ancient Castles

September 11, 2023
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One of the most gorgeous places on earth, Africa is described as a place with amazing natural beauty, animals in their natural habitat, and a culture by the tourists. This second largest continent includes multiple places to visit in Africa from Cape Town, Johannesburg, Cairo, to Casablanca, Lagos, and Addis Abeba. Each place to visit in South Africa has its own individual personality and culture, combining metropolitan cities, intriguing animals, rich history, and secluded wilderness.

Best time to visit South Africa

The South African winter, which lasts from June to August, delivers reduced costs (save for safaris) and fewer tourists. This is the rainy season in Cape Town and the Western Cape (with Cape Town restaurants frequently providing budget-friendly winter specials), yet there is still plenty of sunshine.

Top Places to visit in South Africa

1. Cape Town

One of South Africa's three capitals, Cape Town is one of the most breathtaking cities. This cosmopolitan city is surrounded by nature on all sides and is one of the famous landmarks in South Africa. This location boasts high peak rough mountains that lead to a turquoise colored sea.

Hiking to the flat-topped table mountains or visiting the UNESCO-listed Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden are both fun activities to do in South Africa with family. While wandering along the seaside promenade, you may see penguins waddling on the golden sands of False Bay and gigantic whales.

  • Best time to visit: October-April
  • Things to do: Hike Up Lion’s Head, Visit The Aquarium, Go Swinging At Sea Point Promenade, Visit Green Point Urban Park, Swing In Your Hammock At De Waal Park

2. Durban

Durban, South Africa's coastal metropolis, is one of the greatest destinations to visit due to its diverse cultural mix from all over the world. This city is influenced by Indian traditional African culture, with a European touch. This is a seaside city with golden beaches where you may do scuba diving or shark diving. There are several events held in this seaside city that you may attend to learn about the local culture. The cuisine here is delicious, and you can't go wrong with some local delicacies.

  • Best Time To Visit: June – August
  • Things To Do: Safari and PheZulu Village Day Tour, Full-Day Durban City Tour

3. Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park is not only one of the best locations to visit in South Africa, but it is also one of the world's most famous safari parks. It has become the world's largest natural reserve, including 7500 miles of mountains, tropical forests, and grasslands. As a result, they are certainly the most popular tourist destinations in this country. The park is home to a diverse range of plants and wildlife that are fascinating to see. Here you may observe the Big Five, which comprise elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos, and buffalo.

  • Location: Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces, South Africa
  • Things to do: Safari Drive

4. Garden Route

The Garden Route, one of the world's most beautiful drives, winds through seaside communities, wildlife reserves, forests, lagoons, and white sandy beaches, with the bright blues of the Indian Ocean right alongside you. This tourism trail draws the majority of international visitors to South Africa. Explore the picturesque community of Wilderness with its quiet coastline, bungee jump from Storms River's tallest commercial bridge bungee, and get up close and personal with African elephants at Knysna Elephant Park.

  • Location: Knysna, Western Cape
  • Things to do: Horse riding, mountain biking, fishing
  • Planning Tip: Pack appropriate hiking clothes, including layers and sturdy shoes, as weather conditions in the highlands can change quickly.

5. Jeffrey’s Bay

Jeffrey's Bay is one of South Africa's most tourist attraction. Jeffrey's Bay is the ultimate surfing destination for everyone out there. It is a well-known international location for surfing. Jeffery's Bay's underwater environment is home to coral reefs, dolphins, and other aquatic species. This is an exciting location for all water babies.

Although surfing is the main attraction here, you can also do scuba diving, snorkelling, zip lining, and riding water slides. This location offers everything that can pump you up with adrenaline and provide you with an experience of a lifetime. There are also local vendors providing mouth-watering local cuisine and drinks that are a treat.

  • Location: Eastern cape, South Africa
  • Things to do: Surfing, Scuba diving, Snorkeling, zip lining

Historical Attractions:

6. Castle of Hope

The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town is South Africa's oldest surviving colonial structure and the current seat of the Cape's military. Visitors can explore the Castle of Good Hope on their own or take one of the various tours that reveal the Castle's long history.

A variety of displays are also available, including the Castle Military Museum, which explores historical conflicts and wars, the William Ferh Collection of antique paintings and furnishings, and a reproduction of the old Castle Forge.

  • Location: Darling St & Buitenkant St, Foreshore, Cape Town
  • Things to do: Explore the castle grounds, Visit the Military Museum, Take a scenic walk

Nightlife in South Africa

7. Joe Cool’s, Durban

Joe Cool's, a bustling beach bar on Marine Parade, is one of the greatest venues to experience the nightlife in South Africa. Whether you're a wild party animal or prefer a more relaxed atmosphere, this place is amongst the best night club in South Africa.

  • Location: 137 Lower Marine Parade North Beach

Conclusion

You must be quite thrilled to view all of these places to visit in South Africa. Traveling alone or with family, this place has something for everyone, including fun places for kids and adults. This region offers everything a tourist might want, from heavily urbanized cities to idyllic beach communities, South African traditions or culture! So, what are you waiting for? Plan a trip to Africa today and visit all these places to have a better experience. To know more about such destinations, explore www.tboacademy.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the most visited place in South Africa?

A1. Some of the most visited places in South Africa are:

  1. Cape Town
  2. Durban
  3. Kruger National Park
  4. Garden Route
  5. Jeffrey’s Bay

Q2. What is best time to visit South Africa?

A2. The South African winter from June to August is the best time to visit South Africa. This is the rainy season in Cape Town and the Western Cape (with Cape Town restaurants frequently providing budget-friendly winter specials), yet there is still plenty of sunshine.

Q3. Why do tourists visit South Africa?

A3. South Africa is described as a place with amazing natural beauty, animals in their natural habitat, and culture by tourists. Visitors coming here can expect stunning coastlines, dramatic mountains capes, waterfall, plus Cape Town, undeniably one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Author
Anamika Chauhan
Anamika Chauhan is a Senior Content Writer at TBO Academy. Specializing in B2B content, she works closely with the marketing team to bring out the outlook about the industry in her write-ups. Connect with her on LinkedIn or write to her at anamika.chauhan@tbo.com