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πŸ‡ΏπŸ‡¦ South Africa

Big Five safaris, stunning Cape Town beneath Table Mountain, the scenic Garden Route and world-class wine β€” South Africa delivers incredible variety and value.

Visa-free πŸ“… Best: May–Sep (safari) πŸ’΅ $90/day avg
πŸ™οΈ
Capital
Pretoria / Cape Town
πŸ’±
Currency
South African Rand (R)
πŸ—£οΈ
Language
English +10
πŸ“…
Best time
May–Sep (safari)
πŸ›‚
Visa
Visa-free (many)
πŸ’΅
Avg daily budget
$40 – $300
πŸ›‘οΈ
Safety
Use normal caution
✈️
Main airport
Johannesburg (JNB) / Cape Town (CPT)
Overview

Why travellers love South Africa

Spot the Big Five in Kruger, ride up Table Mountain, drive the Garden Route and taste wine in Stellenbosch β€” all in one trip.

It's excellent value for a long-haul destination, with great food, scenery and adventure.

Where to go

Top places in South Africa

The destinations worth building your trip around.

Cape Town

Cape Town

πŸ—“ 3–4 days

Table Mountain, beaches and the Cape.

CityBeachNature
Kruger area

Kruger area

πŸ—“ 2–3 days

Big Five safaris in world-famous parks.

AdventureFamily
Garden Route

Garden Route

πŸ—“ 3 days

Scenic coastal drive of beaches and forests.

NatureRoad trip
Winelands

Winelands

πŸ—“ 1–2 days

Stellenbosch and Franschhoek vineyards.

FoodRelax
Plan day by day

South Africa itineraries

Ready-made routes β€” tap a duration to see the plan.

Route
Cape Town β†’ Kruger area β†’ Garden Route
Trip length
5 days
Est. budget
$200 – $1,500
1–2

Cape Town

Table Mountain, beaches and the Cape.

πŸ—“ 2 days✨ City Β· Beach Β· Nature
3–4

Kruger area

Big Five safaris in world-famous parks.

πŸ—“ 2 days✨ Adventure Β· Family
5

Garden Route

Scenic coastal drive of beaches and forests.

πŸ—“ 1 day✨ Nature Β· Road trip
Route
Cape Town β†’ Kruger area β†’ Garden Route β†’ Winelands
Trip length
7 days
Est. budget
$280 – $2,100
1–2

Cape Town

Table Mountain, beaches and the Cape.

πŸ—“ 2 days✨ City Β· Beach Β· Nature
3–4

Kruger area

Big Five safaris in world-famous parks.

πŸ—“ 2 days✨ Adventure Β· Family
5–6

Garden Route

Scenic coastal drive of beaches and forests.

πŸ—“ 2 days✨ Nature Β· Road trip
7

Winelands

Stellenbosch and Franschhoek vineyards.

πŸ—“ 1 day✨ Food Β· Relax
Route
Cape Town β†’ Kruger area β†’ Garden Route β†’ Winelands
Trip length
10 days
Est. budget
$400 – $3,000
1–3

Cape Town

Table Mountain, beaches and the Cape.

πŸ—“ 3 days✨ City Β· Beach Β· Nature
4–6

Kruger area

Big Five safaris in world-famous parks.

πŸ—“ 3 days✨ Adventure Β· Family
7–8

Garden Route

Scenic coastal drive of beaches and forests.

πŸ—“ 2 days✨ Nature Β· Road trip
9–10

Winelands

Stellenbosch and Franschhoek vineyards.

πŸ—“ 2 days✨ Food Β· Relax
✨ Build a custom South Africa itinerary β†’
Visa & entry

South Africa visa requirements

Visa required?
Visa-free for many
Allowed stay
Up to 90 days
Visa on arrival
No
eVisa
eVisa for some nationalities
Passport validity
30 days beyond stay, 2 blank pages
Visa type
Visa-free
⚠️

Visa rules change frequently. Many nationalities enter visa-free for 90 days; some need an eVisa β€” check your nationality. Always verify with the official South Africa immigration / e-visa website before travelling.

Full South Africa visa guide β†’Use the visa checker β†’
Money

South Africa budget guide

Budget

$40/day
  • Hostels & guesthouses
  • Local food & markets
  • Public transport
  • Free sights & nature

Luxury

$300+/day
  • 4–5β˜… hotels & resorts
  • Fine dining
  • Private transfers
  • Premium experiences
Full South Africa budget guide β†’
Things to do

Top attractions in South Africa

🦁

Kruger safari

See lions, elephants and the Big Five.

πŸ”οΈ

Table Mountain

Cable car above Cape Town.

🐧

Cape Peninsula

Penguins, Cape Point and Chapman's Peak.

🍷

Cape Winelands

Tastings in dramatic mountain settings.

πŸš—

Garden Route

Coastal road trip of beaches and bungee.

Get outside

Nature in South Africa

All nature
Table Mountain
⛰️ Mountains

Table Mountain

Cape Town's flat-topped sandstone wall β€” accessible by cable car or a 2-hour Platteklip Gorge hike to a…

πŸ“ Cape Town
Kruger National Park
🌳 National Parks

Kruger National Park

Africa's flagship self-drive safari β€” Big Five in 20,000 kmΒ² of bushveld with lodges from budget rest camps…

πŸ“ Skukuza / Nelspruit
Cape Point
πŸŒ… Scenic Viewpoints

Cape Point

Dramatic cliffs and an 1860 lighthouse at the south-western corner of Africa β€” easy funicular to the viewpoint.

πŸ“ Cape Town
Lion’s Head
πŸŒ… Scenic Viewpoints

Lion’s Head

Cape Town's 669 m corkscrew climb β€” 360Β° view to Table Mountain, Camps Bay and Robben Island, doable…

πŸ“ Cape Town
Drakensberg Amphitheatre
πŸŒ… Scenic Viewpoints

Drakensberg Amphitheatre

A 5-km basalt cliff wall in the High Drakensberg β€” chain-ladder hike to the top of Tugela Falls…

πŸ“ Royal Natal NP
Drakensberg Camping
β›Ί Camping Spots

Drakensberg Camping

Camp under the basalt amphitheatres of southern Africa's highest range β€” Royal Natal and Giant's Castle are the…

πŸ“ Underberg / Bergville
Cango Caves
πŸ•³οΈ Caves

Cango Caves

South Africa's most-visited natural attraction β€” 4 km of limestone chambers with Cathedral Hall, the Crystal Forest and…

πŸ“ Oudtshoorn
Sterkfontein Caves
πŸ•³οΈ Caves

Sterkfontein Caves

The Cradle of Humankind β€” limestone caves outside Johannesburg where the 2.3-million-year-old Australopithecus "Mrs Ples" was found.

πŸ“ Krugersdorp
Tugela Falls
πŸ’¦ Waterfalls

Tugela Falls

Africa's tallest waterfall β€” five free-leaping drops totalling 948 m down the Amphitheatre cliff in the Drakensberg.

πŸ“ Royal Natal NP
Knysna Forest
🌲 Forests

Knysna Forest

Africa's largest indigenous forest β€” towering yellowwoods on the Garden Route with the easy Big Tree walk and…

πŸ“ Knysna
Orange River
🏞️ Rivers

Orange River

South Africa's longest river β€” multi-day rafting trips through the Richtersveld's Martian desert canyons.

πŸ“ Augrabies / Vioolsdrif
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