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Known as the “Rainbow Nation”, South Africa enchants its visitors with its diversity of beauty: in your itinerary, you can include cosmopolitan cities, world-class wineries, mountains and safari reserves located in extravagantly diverse landscapes, beaches and sunsets that are worthy of a postcard… For travelers who love everything that makes life worthwhile, visiting a country shouldn’t be a matter of “if”; it should be a question of “when”.
The Garden Route stretches for 250km along the South African coast, from Mossel Bay in the west to the Stormsriver in the east. An excellent way to explore South Africa independently, the route offers paradisiacal natural settings – like the Tsitsikamma National Park, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay – and the opportunity for diverse adventure experiences, including bungee jumping, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling and walking trails.
Explore Garden Route
On one side, mountains and wineries. On the other, beaches and bewildering sunsets. Wherever your eyes rest, Cape Town will present you with an unforgettable scenery. Located in the Western Cape province, in South Africa, the so-called “Mother City” also enchants by the diversity of activities it offers. The most bohemians will be able to enjoy wine tasting, award-winning restaurants and boutique hotels. The more adventurous will be able to explore trails, dive with sharks and paraglide over the city.
Explore Cape Town
Considered the most famous national park in South Africa, the Kruger covers an area of 19,633 km2 in the northeast of the country, home to 147 species of mammals, including the “Big 5”, and a variety of other animals and birds. Travelers can explore the national park on independent safaris or guided by experts in 4×4 vehicles. The Kruger borders several private game reserves, in which high-luxury lodges transform the stay in the park into a true indulgence, with the right to do night safaris and other exclusive experiences away from the tourist crowds.
Explore Kruger National Park
An hour’s drive east of Cape Town is the South African Wine Route, a region full of beautiful mountains and lush valleys that includes the towns of Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and Paarl, fertile land for viticulture. Because it was one of the first areas colonized by Europeans in South Africa, the region is full of buildings of Cape Dutch architecture and the wineries are known worldwide not only for their award-winning wines, but also for the exclusive tasting experiences they offer.
Explore Cape Winelands
Johannesburg is the economic heart of southern Africa, offering a vibrant business environment and many tourist attractions, including a rainbow of ecological and cultural diversity. Gold was discovered in Gauteng in 1886, after which the population exploded to become Johannesburg, now the largest city in Africa. The province is the home to the Cradle of Mankind, an archeological legend of the world. Game reserves and recreation areas are dotted about the province, which also has a plentiful supply of museums, as well as having some of the finest shops in Africa.
Explore Johannesburg
South Africa’s fifth largest safari game reserve, Madikwe covers 75,000 hectares of untouched vegetation, in a setting defined by its open plains pastures, forests, rocky outcrops and mountains. It is home to about 66 species of mammals and 300 species of birds, situated just four hours’ drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria. Excellent for families with children for being in a malaria free area.
Explore Madikwe
Thirteen hundred million years ago, a cataclysmic volcano exploded in what is now known as Pilanesberg National Park, a malaria-free region situated just two and a half hour’s drive from Johannesburg. The result of the explosion? A crater and alkaline rings of mountains that bring a picturesque setting to unforgettable safaris that you can experience along with the “Big 5” and hundreds of bird species.
Explore Pilanesberg
A large resort located close to the Pilanesberg National Park, Sun City is the perfect destination for families looking for an equally fun itinerary for children and adults. The main attractions include parks and water sports, animal sanctuaries, golf courses, casinos, swimming pools and much more. It is located just twoand a half hours’ drive from Johannesburg.
Explore Sun City
Declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, Waterberg is a true collection of biodiversity, with lots of mountains, rock formations, savannah plains, riverside forests and river valleys. In addition to private game reserves, the region offers travelers the opportunity to go horse riding in nature, immersive experiences like visiting traditional communities and caves.
Explore Waterberg
Lying on the southeastern South African coast, the Eastern Cape is a region of great natural beauty. Rugged cliffs, rough seas and dense green bush make up the stretch known as the Wild Coast, whilst the diverse landscapes range from dry desert to lush forests, fertile farmland and the magnificent Drakensberg Mountains.
This province hosts some gorgeous private safari reserves that are malaria free.
Northern Cape lies to the south of the mighty Orange River, which provides the basis for a healthy agricultural industry. Away from the Orange, the landscape is characterised by vast arid plains with outcroppings of haphazard rock piles. The province is renowned for its spectacular display of spring flowers, which, for a short period every year, attracts thousands of tourists. The cold Atlantic Ocean forms the western boundary. The province has a wealth of national parks and conservation areas. Cities scattered throughout this province stand out as oases amid the warm weather. The unique animals which have adapted to this harsh expanse have many spectacular survival techniques to be discovered by the visitor.
Explore Northern Cape
KwaZulu Natal consists of the lowland Indian Ocean coastal region, the central Natal Midlands and the mountainous areas of the Drakensberg and Lebombo Mountains.Nature lovers will appreciate the many game parks and nature reserves in KwaZulu Natal, a province to linger over and enjoy at leisure. The garden province of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal is a subtropical region of lush and well-watered valleys, washed by the warm Indian Ocean. The far northeast of KwaZulu-Natal is home to one of the world’s greatest wetland reserves, as well as other well-known game reserves that are home to the Big Five.
Explore Kwazulu-Natal
The views of Blyde River Canyon are most famous of all and, while you can’t drive into the canyon, there are some fabulous hiking and river-rafting opportunities in this area. Considered one of the most beautiful routes in South includes the God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and Three Rondavels, are along the lip of the Escarpment, which can be seen on a one-day 156 km drive from Sabie.
Long sweeps of undulating grasslands change abruptly into thickly forested ravines and thundering waterfalls of the escarpment, only to change again into the subtropical wildlife splendour of the Lowveld. Mpumalanga is a province of endless bushveld plains filled with wildlife, spectacular waterfalls and of seemingly endless stretches of lush green forest.
