Things to do in South Africa

Arrive at dawn at the Olifants Camp lookout to see the sun rise over the Olifants River, painting the baobabs and acacias in golden light while hippos grunt below.

Sample fragrant, gently spiced dishes like bobotie and denningvleis in the technicolour Muslim quarter of Bo-Kaap, where the Cape Malay culinary tradition thrives.

Descend into dramatically lit caverns of stalactites and stalagmites, including the towering 'Cleopatra's Needle', on a guided tour through one of the world's great show caves.

A ferry from the V&A Waterfront takes you to the island where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years incarcerated; former political prisoners guide the tour, sharing stories of resilience and freedom.

The most direct route up the iconic flat-topped mountain rewards with breathtaking panoramas over Cape Town and the Atlantic Seaboard after a strenuous but rewarding ascent.

Sink your teeth into a hollowed-out quarter loaf of white bread filled with fiery Durban curry—a classic street food born from the city's Indian community, best enjoyed at the bustling market.

Cruise in your own vehicle through dense thicket and open plains to encounter hundreds of African elephants, plus lion, black rhino and buffalo, often at close range around waterholes.

Spread a blanket on the emerald lawns of this UNESCO World Heritage Site garden, set against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, surrounded by thousands of indigenous plants and birdsong.

The historic Victoria & Alfred Waterfront buzzes with al fresco dining, live music, and views of the harbour and Table Mountain—perfect for a breezy evening stroll and drinks.

Enter through separate 'white' and 'non-white' entrances and be immersed in film footage, photographs and artifacts that lay bare the brutality and ultimate triumph over apartheid.

Between June and November, whales come within metres of the rocky shore along this 12 km coastal walkway; the route is peppered with benches for effortless, magnificent land-based whale watching.

Stop at the panoramic viewpoint above one of the largest green canyons on Earth, where the round, hut-like Three Rondavels rise from the lush abyss of the Drakensberg escarpment.

Paddle out at one of the planet’s most perfect right-hand point breaks, where long, fast barrels draw surfers from across the globe and surf culture defines the town.

Explore the underground exhibition at Maropeng, where you can walk through the story of human evolution and see fossils that shaped our understanding of where we came from.

Board the hop-on hop-off wine tram to sample award-winning Sauvignon Blanc and Méthode Cap Classique while gazing at the dramatic Franschhoek mountains and manicured vineyards.

Walk along wooden boardwalks over the white sand and granite boulders to see hundreds of irresistibly comical penguins waddling, swimming and nesting just metres away from you.

Follow the river through a deep gorge, scrambling past boulders and stepping into chilly pools, until the towering wall of the Amphitheatre erupts before you—one of South Africa’s most dramatic hikes.

Stand at the exact spot where Mandela was arrested in 1962, now marked by a stunning sculpture of 50 steel columns that align to form his face from a specific angle.

Join locals at the only street in the world to have housed two Nobel Peace Prize winners; feast on grilled boerewors, pap and chakalaka while a lively jazz soundtrack fills the air.

Descend into the warm Indian Ocean at iSimangaliso Wetland Park's tropical reefs, known for abundant fish, rays, turtles and dramatic overhangs—an unexpected South African underwater paradise.

Retrace the golden age of travel aboard the mahogany-panelled 'Pride of Africa', departing from Pretoria's Capital Park station for a slow, opulent journey across the Highveld.

Pedal through the streets of Soweto with a local guide to the poignant memorial and museum dedicated to the 12-year-old boy killed in the 1976 uprising, a turning point in the anti-apartheid struggle.

Feel the spray as the Orange River plunges 56 metres into a rugged gorge at this Khoisan-named 'place of great noise', especially thundering after summer rains.

A short hike to this overhang reveals exquisite 3,000-year-old San paintings of the 'roan antelope' and trance scenes, known as the 'Rosetta Stone' of southern African rock art.

Join a night tour at the SAAO observatory to peer through telescopes under some of the clearest, darkest skies on Earth, with the Milky Way arcing brilliantly overhead.