South Africa is the most atypical state on the black continent. Firstly, it is the most economically developed and, while traveling in South Africa, you often catch yourself thinking that you are somewhere in the Old World. Secondly, the sights of the republic are represented by national parks, and luxurious examples of colonial architecture, and ocean bays, and peninsulas, and not only by the desert landscapes of savannahs. When making a route and planning what to see in South Africa, do not forget about the beautiful beaches, where there will be a place for both fans of lazy rest and those who like to spend their vacations actively and richly.
TOP 15 attractions of South Africa
Table mountain
The silhouette of Table Mountain is depicted on the flag of Cape Town, and the mountain itself has long and firmly held the status of a visiting card not only of the city, but of the whole of South Africa. Table Mountain is officially listed as the Seven New Wonders of Nature, and it is she who is visible from all points of Cape Town and its environs.
The height of the plateau-like mountain is 1085 meters above sea level. There is a cable car on it, along which hundreds of people climb the famous Cape Town landmark every day.
Round-trip ticket price: 18 euros.
Opening hours of the lift: from 8.30 to 17 - in winter and from 8 to 19 - in summer.
Cape of Good Hope
At this point, a passage opens from the Atlantic towards the Indian Ocean, although geographically the Cape of Good Hope is not the southernmost point of Africa.
The Cape of Good Hope was discovered by Portuguese sailors in 1488, and a few years later Vasco da Gama paved the sea route here to the Indian shores.
The Cape Peninsula, on which the Cape of Good Hope is located, separates two oceans and on its eastern coast the water is always several degrees warmer than on the western one.
Kruger National Park
In the oldest national park in South Africa, you can look at the classic inhabitants of the African savannah - elephants and hippos, lions and rhinos, giraffes and leopards. Moreover, the territory of the Kruger Park has the highest concentration of wild animals in the world, and therefore you will definitely not be left without interesting photos.
In addition to a fascinating acquaintance with the fauna and flora in the Kruger National Park, you can spend time looking at rock art. Petroglyphs of South Africa appeared in the Stone and Iron Ages.
On the territory of the Kruger Park, there are about 30 parking lots and campgrounds.
Daily cost of stay: 18 euros.
Dragon mountains
The locals love to tell the legend that the haze over the tops of these mountains are clouds of steam released by a giant dragon. The ridge stretches for 1000 km, and its bowels are full of minerals, and the slopes are full of rare animals and plants. That is why part of the Drakensberg Mountains became a nature reserve and is protected at the UNESCO level.
If you happen to be in South Africa and decide to go to the Drakensberg Mountains, you can see:
- To the Tugela waterfall, which is 947 meters high. The stream rushes down in five cascades and seems even higher due to its relatively small (only 15 m) width.
- On the inhabitants of the Ukashlamba-Drakensberg National Park. The park has a well-developed tourist infrastructure, and guests can choose a camping, an inexpensive hostel or a comfortable lodge for recreation.
- On the rock paintings, which, according to historians, were made 100 thousand years ago. The results of the creative activity of ancient man in the Dragon Mountains number tens of thousands of copies.
Kirstenbosch
Almost all endemic plants growing in South Africa are represented in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden at the foot of Table Mountain. Here you can look at the typical representatives of the flora of such climatic zones as savannah, karoo and finbosh.
Along the perimeter of the garden on the side of the mountain, the Contour Trail is the most popular hiking trail in the vicinity of Cape Town. The Kirstenbosch Garden is included in the UNESCO lists. You can also enjoy the beautiful view from the hanging trail. The 427-meter track is set at a height of 12 meters.
Cape Peninsula
On the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula are two famous South African headlands - Good Hope and Cape Point. A lighthouse was built at Cape Point in 1857, which has survived to this day and is a local landmark.
On the northern edge of the Cape Peninsula, you'll find Cape Town and Table Mountain. Natural reserves are located in the center of the peninsula, and the coast is covered with sandy beaches.
The Cape Peninsula is home to many vineyards and the products of local wineries - the best souvenir worth bringing friends and family from South Africa.
Aquarium of two oceans
The largest aquarium in the Southern Hemisphere can be found in Cape Town. It was opened in 1995. The structure has more than three dozen pools in which various representatives of the underwater flora and fauna of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans feel comfortable.
In a separate pavilion, you can watch stingrays and sharks, and seals and penguins have chosen a piece of the sandy beach.
Ticket price: 10 euros.
Constance
The governor of the Cape Colony, Simon van der Stela, laid the foundation stone for his estate beyond Table Mountain in 1685. The estate was named "Constance" and today it is the most famous winery in South Africa. During the excursion, you can not only look at the process of making grape wines, but also taste some of the products. The main varieties grown on the Constance Estate are Cabernet Sauvignon, Claret and Hermitage.
The vineyards offer magnificent views of Falls Bay.
Big hole
The territory of South Africa is a giant storehouse of various minerals. The most valuable among them are diamonds. The Big Hole kimberlite pipe is an abandoned diamond mine in Kimberley.
A huge quarry was dug without the use of technology. Miners dug it with picks and shovels from 1866 to 1914. During this time, some of the largest and most expensive diamonds in history were found - yellow "Tiffany", blue "Porter Rhodes" and the largest in the deposit - De Beers, whose weight exceeded 428 carats.
The working perimeter is 1.6 km, the width is almost half a kilometer. The bottom of the tube is flooded with water.
Sterkfontein Caves
Six underground halls, discovered at a depth of 40 meters near Johannesburg, are the famous Sterkfontein Caves. Scientists have unearthed in them the remains of an ancient man, whose age is dated two million years. In addition to the fossilized bones of Australopithecus, several thousand stone tools and animal remains were found in caves.
Birds of Eden
You will find the largest aviary on the planet (a huge aviary) in South Africa. In the Birds of Eden park, you can see 3,500 birds representing over 200 species. The aviary is set up on a forest area with an area of about 2.5 hectares. The forest is covered with a net, but the habitat of birds in the giant aviary is as close to natural as possible.
Hiking trails are laid through the park, some of which are equipped above ground level. So visitors to the "Birds of Eden" can observe the inhabitants from different heights.
Malay Quarter
The Bo Kaap area of Cape Town was formerly called the Malay Quarter. Immigrants from Malaysia lived here, and today this urban area is a historical monument of Malay culture.
The pavements in Bo Kaap are paved with stone and the houses are painted in different bright colors. A local celebrity is the museum, housed in a 1760 building. This is the oldest building in the area. The interior of the museum is designed in the style of the 19th century. The exposition presents furniture, interior and household items, clothes and working tools of shoemakers, tailors and carpenters who inhabited the Malay Quarter at that time.
Agulhas
Agulhas National Park is located 200 km southeast of Cape Town. It includes the southernmost point of the African continent at Cape Agulhas.
The cape serves as the beginning of the dividing line between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. Unlike the Cape of Good Hope, Agulhas almost does not stand out outwardly and, in order not to miss the southernmost point of Africa, be guided by the sign during the excursion.
The ancient lighthouse on the cape has shown the way for sailors for many decades, but despite this, the coastal waters have become the last resting place for dozens of ships. A museum and a small rural restaurant are now open in the premises of the lighthouse. From the observation deck, you can admire the beautiful ocean views.
Best time to visit: November to January when whale watching is possible in coastal waters.
Limpopo
A fabulous name familiar from childhood is a park in Africa. It is the largest in the world in terms of its territory and is located, in addition to South Africa, also in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Hundreds of animal species are protected in the park, including cheetahs and elephants, leopards and rhinos. The territory of the park remains home to African tribes who continue to live in full accordance with their own customs and laws.
The easiest way to get to Limpopo is from South Africa. The nearest settlements are Nelspruit and Beira.
Ticket price: about 10 euros.
Tsitsikamma
The National Park, which protects the seaside and its inhabitants, is located along the Garden Route, the garden road that runs from the Bay of Media to the Bay of St. Francis. The beach season here begins in September, and the main attractions for tourists are visiting the Elephant Park and the Ostrich Farm, surfing on Pletenberg Beach and walking through the Kengo Caves. Diving in the reserve is no less popular.
How to get there: Storms River, where the entrance to the park is located, can be reached from Cape Town on the N2 highway.
Ticket price: 11 euros.
