View images

The Union Buildings in Pretoria

The monument at Isandlwana battlefield

The Kimberley Mine Museum.

Bushmen Painting

The Boschendal wine farm in Franschhoek.

The award-winning Vergelegen Wine Estate.

Watch video

National Geographic Documentary - Kalagadi

A photographer in the Kalagadi Trans-frontier Park

A magical safari in South Africa

Nothing beats a wildlife safari in South Africa

Top 10

Animal encounters

1. The Big 7, Addo Elephant Park, Eastern Cape
   

   First prize on your checklist is ticking off the big 7, which includes lion, rhino, buffalo, elephant, leopard as well as the southern right whale and the great white shark.

   
2. Ostrich Farms, Oudtshoorn, Western Cape
   

   Don’t miss our famous ostrich farms in Oudtshoorn – where you can ride an ostrich, stand on an ostrich egg (they can withstand 250kg!) and learn the history of the feather palaces. And, yes, it’s...

   
3. Meerkat Tours, Oudtshoorn, Western Cape
   

   Rise at dawn and wait for these wildlife celebrities (think Meerkat Manor) to come on set. Be entertained by a real-life suricate soap-opera – complete with tangled alliances, family dramas, food...

   
4. White Rhino in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, KwaZulu-Natal
   

   Look out for the white rhino at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi – rescued from the brink of extinction.

   
5. Cango Wildlife Ranch, Oudsthoorn, Western Cape
   

   Hug a pigmy hippo, tickle a white Bengal tiger and go cage-diving with Nile crocodiles. Sure it’s Afro-Disney, but there's a serious commitment to conservation here, and it’s loads of fun!

   
6. Turtle Tours, Maputaland, KwaZulu-Natal
   

   Between November and January, experience the privilege of watching leatherback turtles emerge from the ocean and lay their eggs, or between February and March, hold your breath as the hatchlings run...

   
7. Whale Watching, Hermanus, Western Cape
   

   Humbling, awe-inspiring and rewarding, no wonder it’s such a popular wildlife encounter. Watching the whales in Hermanus from June to November is a fantastic opportunity for those who love marine...

   
8. Shark Encounters, Western Cape
   

   Watch Great White Sharks hunting off Duiker and Seal Island, in False Bay. If your timing’s right, you’ll see one breach fully out of the water to snatch a seal meal in mid-air. Alternatively, meet a...

   
9. Penguins at Boulders Beach, Simonstown, Western Cape
   

   Don’t forget to take the camera along for this charming encounter. Check out nearly 3000 penguins at Boulders Beach at the world’s only urban penguin colony.

   
10. Wild Dogs, Madikwe, North West
    

    Admire these wild canines with their eye-catching Jackson Pollock-splashed pelts and playful antics – highly endangered, they are seldom seen.