Big game in Kruger, Table Mountain and the Cape, vineyards, mountains, whales and two oceans, all in one country.
Few countries pack in as much variety as the Republic of South Africa. In two weeks you can go on safari in the bush, drive the coast between two oceans, taste wine in the Cape and hike in the Drakensberg mountains. Distances are long, so most visitors fly between Johannesburg and Cape Town and drive from there.
Sources: SANParks Kruger rates, ETA (VisasNews, August 2026) and the official Table Mountain Cableway prices, checked 12 October 2026. Confirm before you pay.
One of Africa's largest game reserves, with lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhino. You can drive yourself on its roads and stay in park rest camps, or stay in a private reserve along its western edge for guided drives.
Book rest camps months ahead for the dry season
Blyde River Canyon, God's Window viewpoint and a string of waterfalls on the escarpment above Kruger. Easy to combine with a safari.
Best done as a day drive from Graskop
Table Mountain above the city, Robben Island, the Cape of Good Hope, the penguins at Boulders Beach and Chapman's Peak Drive along the coast.
Allow four or five days
Our Table Mountain guide →Cape Town Tourism ↗
Table Mountain, gardens & sunset cruise →Partner link
Cape Peninsula full-day tour →Partner link
Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, with old Cape Dutch farms and vineyards under the mountains, an hour's drive from Cape Town.
Many estates offer tastings without booking on weekdays
Southern right whales come close to shore to calve, and can often be seen from the cliff path in Hermanus. Further east, Cape Agulhas is Africa's southernmost point.
Whale season runs roughly June to November
A coastal drive from Mossel Bay to the Tsitsikamma forest, past lagoons, beaches and the town of Knysna. Addo Elephant National Park lies at the eastern end.
Plan at least five days to drive it slowly
High basalt mountains in KwaZulu-Natal with some of the best hiking in Southern Africa, waterfalls and ancient San rock paintings. Cooler than the coast all year.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Warm-water beaches around Durban, and to the north the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, with hippos and crocodiles in its lakes and turtles nesting on its beaches in summer.
Warm enough to swim most of the year
South Africa is a year-round destination, but the best time depends on where you are going. The seasons are the reverse of Europe's.
Pack for cold safari mornings, hot afternoons and Cape Town wind.
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