South Africa's Provinces / Regions

The beauty of South Africa is breathed through the smiles of friendly faces, the mosaic of cultures and cuisines, and the complex history that has shaped it. But, most of all, it is the natural splendor of this country that sets it apart. South Africa's landscapes are made up of valleys, mountains, forests, deserts, coastlines, and grassy savannahs that are breath-taking in their picturesque scale.

Some of the planet's most exciting wildlife species can be found here, so it is not surprising that South Africa is home to a collection of the most abundant and diverse game reserves on earth. This country truly is a masterpiece; the perfect portrayal of the magic that is the African continent...

Did you know? South Africa presents so many choices to the visitor that it is hard to know just when to do what, and so we’ve made it easier for you by compiling a list of best places to be month by month. See: Guide to the Best Places in South Africa for every month of the year.

South Africa's 9 Provinces

Western Cape

Overnight? Cape Town, Western Cape Accommodation
If the Western Cape were a woman, she would turn heads. As a province of South Africa, the Western Cape draws millions of visitors each year to a seemingly small area if compared with other provinces in South...

Eastern Cape

Overnight? Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape Accommodation
Scenic diversity is one of the most striking characteristics of the Eastern Cape, ranging from the lush, evergreen Tsitsikamma Forest to the rugged Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area, the southern slopes of the Drakensberg...

KwaZulu Natal

Overnight? Durban, KwaZulu Natal Accommodation
KwaZulu Natal's leisure options provide a multitude of choices to keep you endlessly entertained. From the city of Durban you can catch a shuttle to Margate, at the hub of the South Coast Golf Circuit. When you're...

Gauteng

Overnight? Johannesburg, Gauteng Accommodation
Stretching all the way from Pretoria in the north to Vereeniging in the south, Gauteng (Sotho for place of gold) was created by the ANC in 1994 after the country’s first all-race elections, uniting six regions, including...

Mpumalanga

Overnight? Nelspruit, Mpumalanga Accommodation
Formerly known as the Eastern Transvaal, Mpumalanga is one of South Africa's top destinations. People are drawn to Mpumalanga by the magnificent scenery, by the fauna and flora and by the saga of...

Limpopo

Overnight? Hoedspruit, Limpopo Accommodation
South Africa’s northernmost province, Limpopo, borders onto Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana, making it the ideal entrance to Africa. Named after the great Limpopo River that flows along its...

North West Province

Overnight? Rustenburg, North West Accommodation
Apart from its enviable setting in the western Magaliesberg, there's always plenty to see and do in the popular holiday resort of Rustenburg. From there, less than half an hour's drive takes you to the glamorous...

The Free State

Overnight? Bloemfontein, Free State Accommodation
With its wealth of historical and cultural attractions and excellent facilities, Bloemfontein is the ideal place to start a tour of the Free State. North of Winburg, the Willem Pretorius Game Reserve is the...

Northern Cape

Overnight? Kimberley, Northern Cape Accommodation
Vast expanses of space and silence, drought and blazing summer sunshine. Across the arid landscape, the Orange River flows, at places in a sluggish tide, at others in a powerful explosion of sound and fury...

Cities & Noteworthy Destinations

Popular Tourist Routes

The Garden Route

Overnight? Garden Route Accommodation
The Garden Route includes one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline, the starting point of which is constantly contested as towns such as Witsand, Stilbaai and Albertinia join the route that winds its way for some 200 km via George, Wilderness...

Cape Wine Routes

Overnight? Cape Winelands Accommodation
When one reflects on the splendours of the Cape - lush green valleys, rugged mountains, azure seas and sky - then the Cape Winelands are usually top of the list. Visitors pour into the Western Cape to experience our viticulture, restored Cape Dutch...

The Panorama Route

Overnight? Panorama Route Accommodation
One of the country's most scenic self-drives, the Panorama Route, explores the Mpumalanga highlands, or the north-eastern section of the Great Escarpment of the Drakensberg. In these rugged mountains the plateau comes to an abrupt and drama...

The Midlands Meander

Overnight? Natal Midlands Accommodation
Situated in KwaZulu Natal, the Midlands Meander is just north of Pietermaritzburg and extends from Rietvlei and Currys Post in the east, to Dargle Valley and Fort Nottingham in the west. This stunning stretch is about 80km’s long and brimming...

The Drakensberg

Overnight? Drakensberg Accommodation
An awe-inspiring and truly magnificent range of mountains, the majority of which lie in the KwaZulu Natal Province and stretch well over 200 kilometres forming a natural border between Lesotho and KwaZulu Natal, are known simply as 'the dragon mountain'...

Battlefields Route

Overnight? Battlefields Accommodation
Not only the place of some of the most picturesque landscapes in the country, the sweeping hills and knotty rock formations that pepper the rolling plains and valleys of northern and central KwaZulu Natal are also the site of a concentration of historical...

Route 62

Overnight? Route 62 Accommodation
Travelers headed for the Garden Route will find that Route 62 offers a better alternative to the dull N2 motorway between Cape Town and George, being more scenic and slightly shorter. This well-maintained blacktop highway meanders from Worcester...

The Flower Route

Overnight? Namaqualand Accommodation
What at first glance appears to be a wilderness of semi-desert - arid, dusty plains that stretch before one, dramatic mountains in the background, with little by way of colour or animation - is suddenly transformed, as if by a painter with...

The Penguin Route

Overnight? Cape Town Accommodation
What we know is that the main reason for Africa's penguins' presence today is the Benguela Current. Not only does it provide the penguins with a source of food, but it would have swept its ancestors up the African coast in a current-aided dispersal...

A few highlights of a holiday in South Africa

South Africa's Attractions

South Africa is a heady mix of third and first world cultures - along with the best and least crowded beaches in the world. Throw in wildlife parks such as the The Kruger National Park, ten World Heritage Sites, beautiful natural scenery, a great...

South Africa's World Heritage Sites

Overnight? South Africa Hotels
South Africa is home to no fewer than eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, testifying to its wonderful variety across the boards of cultural, historical and natural treasures. The aim of the World Heritage Site accreditation is to recognise the many...

Whale Watching in South Africa

Overnight? Hermanus Accommodation
Nothing prepares you for your first whale and the impact that seeing it has upon you. Perhaps it is their immensity. Definitely it is the whales' authenticity and the absolute trust they show towards us. But mostly it is the overwhelming sense of awe...

Game and Natures Reserves

Overnight? South Africa Game Lodges
South Africa boasts a huge collection of wildlife regions and game parks - both public and private - encompassing every possible landscape from deserts to forests, mountains to coast, teeming with wildlife species - including Africa's Big 5: Leopard, Lion...

National Botanical Gardens

Overnight? Newlands Accommodation
South Africa has ten National Botanical Gardens which are managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. The focus of the National Botanical Gardens is growing and conserving South Africa’s indigenous plants, conserving over...

Languages and Culture

Overnight? Johannesburg Accommodation
South Africa is the Rainbow Nation, a title that captures the country's cultural and ethnic diversity. The population of South Africa is one of the most complex and diverse in the world. Of the 51.7 million South Africans, over 41 million are black...

Additional Reading

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