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Located in the southern tip of Africa, South Africa is a destination with serene vistas, pulsating nightlife, and a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The majestic Table Mountain and the Atlantic frame Cape Town, its capital make it one of the world’s most beautiful destinations. Wineland and Garden Route tours, Kruger National Park, and Robben Island are some of the top tourist attractions in South Africa. Here, we put together 10 superb attractions to make your vacay memorable. So, scroll down and take a look at them.
Top Tourist Attractions In South Africa
Kruger National Park
This is the largest game reserve on the continent that boasts of varied species of wildlife including the Big Five. Kruger is a unique experience as it is a self-drive attraction, unlike most other safaris. The excellent infrastructure provides tented camps and luxury lodges for stay. This is one of the most famous tourist attractions in South Africa as you game drive to watch cheetahs, giraffes, varied bird-life, and more. This is Africa at its best.
Location: Northeast of South Africa
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is within the Table Mountain National Park in Cape Town. Devil’s Peak and Lion’s Head flank the superb tourist attraction in South Africa. The top of the mountain is a distinctive 3 km level plateau that was once the bottom of a valley. At a height of 1086 meters, you can reach the top in a cableway. Explore the scenic views as each Rotair car features revolving floors to give you 360-degree views of the location.
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Garden Route
South Africa’s Garden Route is one of the top tourist attractions as it has plenty of things to do and see. This is the ultimate road trip across a coastal road that stretches for 300 km. The road gets its name from the Garden Route National Park that it covers. Here you witness an abundance of vegetation, wildlife, lagoons, mountains, forests and more. There are activities to partake in such as hiking, whale watching and deserted sandy beach tours among other things to do. The journey starts from Port Elizabeth to Mossel Bay or vice versa.
Location: Start and endpoint Cape Town
Robben Island
This tourist spot is an island in Table Bay in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It translates to Seal Island from the Dutch name Robbeneiland. Plan a trip to learn about the history of South Africa on the island that is home to the Robben Island Museum. You get guided tours of the island prison where prisoners laboured and a view of Mandela’s cell. Also, witness the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront.
Location: Robben Island, Cape Town, 7400, South Africa
Two Oceans Aquarium
This superb tourist attraction in South Africa opened on the 13th November 1995. The Skretting Diversity Gallery showcases marine life from South Africa’s two major oceans. See the Knysna seahorses, sea stars, compass jellyfish and more. There is an I & J Children’s Play Centre, a Predator Exhibit with the ragged-tooth shark and I & J Ocean Exhibit that holds 1.6 million litres of seawater.
Location: Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8002, South Africa
Castle of Good Hope
They built this bastion fort in the 17th century in Cape Town. Due to land reclamation, the fort that was formerly on the Table Bay coastline is now inland. The attraction is the oldest colonial building in South Africa that was built by the Dutch. It is a pentagonal fortress and has a Dutch name “Kasteel de Goede Hoop”. We consider it the best-preserved example of a Dutch East India Company fort that is now a provincial heritage site. No wonder it is one of the greatest places to visit in South Africa,
Location: Darling Sy & Buitenkant St, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa
Kalahari Transfrontier Park
The attraction is the largest wilderness area in the world that is a merger of South Africa’s Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park. This is a top tourist attraction in the Northern Cape of South Africa with a tremendous diversity of wildlife. Watch the majestic Kalahari lion with its famous black mane, the stately gemsbok with their sharp horns and many birds. Hyenas, leopards and cheetahs are also found here.
Location: R360, Upington, 8800, South Africa
Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
This is a favourite attraction on a drive between Johannesburg and Kruger National Park. It is home to Africa’s second-largest canyon that boasts rich wildlife, glistening rivers, waterfalls, and subtropical foliage. The game viewing experience is the best way to explore the spectacular park filled with South African primates, hippos and crocs. There are extensive hiking trails and panoramic viewpoints aptly called God’s Window. Enjoy boat trips and white water rafting activities too.
Location: R543, Ehlanzeni, South Africa
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
This is a magnificent tourist attraction in South Africa and a popular UNESCO World Heritage Site. The gardens are located on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. The botanical garden in Cape Town covers South Africa’s six different biomes. You witness here the Colonel’s Birds Bath, wander the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway and the Conservatory housing plants. The attraction lays a strong emphasis on the cultivation and nurturing of indigenous plants. It was founded in 1913 to preserve the flora that is native to South Africa.
Location: Rhodes Dr, Newlands, Cape Town, 7735, South Africa
Pilanesberg National Park
One of the best places to visit in South Africa, the Pilanesberg National Park has a high concentration of game and lies in a transition zone between the Kalahari Desert and the rain-filled Lowveld. You get to see varied animals here from the Big Five to African wild dogs, roan antelope, zebras, giraffes and an abundance of bird species. You can take a day trip or a multi-day stay tour with self-catering units, permanent safari tents or luxury guest lodges to pick from. It is a great choice for a family safari tour on your next visit.
Location: Pilanesberg, Northwest Province
Want to know more about South Africa? Here is your guide to South Africa Safaris
