Choose your country and language:

Africa

  • Global
  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • DRC
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
  • shotLeft

Americas

  • USA
  • Argentina
  • Brazil

Asia Pacific

  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia

Europe

  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • United Kingdom
Back

TTable Mountain National Park

There’s a reason Table Mountain is as famous as it is. Situated within the Table Mountain National Park, this rugged mountain chain stretches for 60km from Signal Hill to Cape Point. The view is considered to be one of the best in the world. Whether you hike to the top, or take the famous cable car, you’ll be one of 22 million people who have been awestruck by the views and sensational experience of standing on top of a flat mountain.

Cape Floral Kingdom

Embrace your inner royal and head to the Cape Floral Kingdom, a World Heritage Site that contains one of the most diverse and unique flora ecosystems on earth. Stretching from the Cape Peninsula to the Eastern Cape, the Kingdom is home to 3% of the world’s plant species. 69% of the flora and fauna here are endemic—you won’t see them anywhere else, the world over.

Whale Watching

You’ve seen them on TV and wondered just how big they are in real life. Seeing these massive creatures in their natural environment with your own eyes is an experience you will always cherish. Whales migrate past the Western Cape between June and October, so this is the best time to go. If you’re there in September, The Whale Festival happens in Hermanus, and is a particularly great way to join in.

Did You Know?
TThe Western Cape is the fourth largest of the nine provinces.

KKirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

If you love gardens, this place will leave you awestruck. With Table Mountain as the backdrop, forests to meander through, lawns to lie on, cycads to be wowed by, and a forest-walkway suspended bridge that takes you right into the tree canopy, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned all over the world. While there, head to the Peninsula Garden to see over 2500 plants entirely unique to the area.

CCape Point

Considered to be one of the most beautiful places in South Africa (which is quite a thing to say), Cape Point—part of the Cape Floral Kingdom—is covered in indigenous fynbos and is home to incredible birdlife. Most especially pelagic birds, which are birds that spend more time at sea than on land, but must take a break every now and then to lay and hatch their eggs. There is also a big baboon population, so keep your eyes out for these locals.

Boulders Beach

Penguins. Yes, in Africa. The best place to hang out with them is at Boulders Beach. Home to around 3000 African penguins, Boulders Beach is in Simon’s Town (a gorgeous naval port just outside Cape Town) and is protected by massive granite boulders. This outing is your Instagram dream come true. It’s also relatively wind-free, so you can go any time of the year.

The Garden Route

Drive the N2 from the Southern Cape to the Tsitsikamma Forest, and you’ll be flanked by massive mountain ranges and an ever-changing ocean. One moment you’ll be climbing a mountain pass overlooking beaches with ample dolphins, and the next moment you’re inside an ancient and mysterious forest. Roll down your window and let the fresh air in—this is a drive you will remember for the rest of your life.

CCango Caves

4500 million years ago, this cave was making itself into a stalactite masterpiece. Over the millennia, strange formations have been created: a Madonna and Child; a 9m stalactite called Cleopatra’s Needle; a cluster nicknamed the Dried Tobacco Leaves; a section known as the Pulpit of the Cathedral; and even The Leaning Tower of Pisa. The tunnel and ladder at the end are not for the claustrophobic.

Karoo National Park

A desert that is so full of life you can even see lions, rhino and buffalo. From the quirky small towns to the resplendent lunch tables at working-farm guesthouses, you could travel for months here and have a completely unique experience in each and every town. Known for its colourful people, the Karoo also contains the largest ecosystem in South Africa and boasts unique plants and creatures, unlike any you will see anywhere else in the world. 

Storms River Mouth

Drama, drama and more drama, Storms River Mouth is a spectacular gorge that thrashes out into the Indian Ocean. Whether you’re white-water rafting in the rapids, chilling on a lilo in the cola-coloured pools, or wave jumping out at sea, Storms River is a top favourite outing for locals, travellers and adventure seekers. Hike across steep kloofs, swim under waterfalls, snorkel or dive in the protected marine area, and you’ll see why this National Park is one of South Africa’s most-loved destinations.

How to get there

Related articles

  • Breathtaking scenery

    Cape Town Competition

    Breathtaking scenery
    Cape Town Competition
    Turn up the vibe! Good food on the braai, drinks flowing, good music playing, and surrounded by friendly people. This is how we Rugby. South Africa is hosting the British and Lions Rugby Series, Star FM & Zi FM listeners stand to win big. Up for grabs are Rugby Hampers and an all-expenses-paid trip for two (2) to the Lions Series host city, Cape Town. Enter on Facebook. Follow @southafricantourismzimbabwe. Competition closes 7th August 2021. Terms and Conditions apply. Come Journey with us. There's always more to see.
  • Active adventure

    10 great restaurants in South Africa

    Active adventure
    10 great restaurants in South Africa
    South Africa’s streets, shores and vineyards are lined with so many incredible restaurants, it’s a hard task narrowing them down into a short bucket list.
  • Active adventure

    Gin: SA’s trendy drink

    Active adventure
    Gin: SA’s trendy drink
    Gin is the buzzword on everyone’s lips in Cape Town at the moment.
  • Breathtaking scenery

    The delight and complexity of South African architecture

    Breathtaking scenery
    The delight and complexity of South African architecture
    If calamity were to strike humanity, and archaeologists of a distant future were to enquire about how we lived, they would draw upon our architecture to paint a picture of who we were.
  • Active adventure

    South African wines

    Active adventure
    South African wines
    South African wines are simply an infusion of the old winemaking methods combined with new ones to create modern bottled poetry for you.
  • Active adventure

    Great small-town foodie stops

    Active adventure
    Great small-town foodie stops
    It’s often worth it leaving behind the big lights and taking a road tip to explore small-town cuisine, or even making a trip of it and spending a night or two and exploring what else is on offer.
  • Vibrant culture

    Traditional African food in South Africa

    Vibrant culture
    Traditional African food in South Africa
    The food story of South Africa.
  • Active adventure

    Shisa nyama: the vibe, the food, the spirit

    Active adventure
    Shisa nyama: the vibe, the food, the spirit
    South Africa is a country that’s diverse in its culture and language, and if there’s one thing that brings South Africans together it’s food.

South Africa on social media

Copyright © 2024 South African Tourism
|Terms and conditions|Disclaimer|Privacy policy