We love South Africa and especially its diverse highlights and sights. This country captivated us on our very first trip and never let go. We feel a very special connection to this country and the entire continent. Whether it’s the colorful city of Cape Town, bustling Johannesburg, the breathtaking Garden Route, the Northern Cape, or the Panorama Route with Kruger National Park – you won’t get bored here easily.
Here, on the other side of the world, exciting adventures, wild and fascinating nature, and plenty of wildlife await you. South Africa simply combines everything: beaches, nature, culture, cities, and traditions. If you’re thinking about traveling to South Africa, you should add the following sights in South Africa to your list. We will continue to complete and expand this post. Because we already know: The next trip to South Africa is already in the starting blocks!
What else you should know
- Best time to travel to South Africa
- Currency in South Africa
- Entry & Visa
- Krüger National Park South Africa
- What else you should know
- Sights in South Africa
- The Kruger National Park
- Trendy metropolis of Cape Town
- The majestic Drakensberg Mountains
- The Panorama Route
- The popular Garden Route
- The West Coast National Park
- Multicultural Johannesburg
- The Winelands in South Africa
- The Kalahari Desert in the north
- The iSimangaliso Wetland Park
- Tours in South Africa
- Our little South Africa FAQ
Sights in South Africa
We’ve marked some sights in South Africa for you on the map below. There’s so much more to see, of course, so make sure you allow yourself enough time for this country. Whether it’s Cape Town, the Garden Route, the Panorama Route, the Kalahari Desert, the wild east coast, the exciting hinterland, the many national parks, hiking opportunities, and excursion destinations – South Africa has a lot to offer.
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The Kruger National Park
Most tourists come to South Africa to experience wild animals up close. And what better place to do that than in Kruger National Park? We also visited this park and are still absolutely thrilled. The park is as big as Israel and impresses above all with its diverse vegetation, cool safari atmosphere, and beautiful wild animals.
During our week in the park, we saw a wide variety of animals, such as lions, hyenas, elephants, giraffes, buffalo, rhinos, monkeys, antelopes, and countless colorful bird species. In Kruger National Park in South Africa, you have the chance to see the famous Big 5.
You can take various guided tours in the park or explore the area independently with your own car. We did both and found both options very good. On the guided tours, you don’t have to worry about anything and can enjoy the view from the back of your jeep.
By car, you’re more flexible, but you also have to drive yourself and stay focused at all times. If you want to drive through the park in your own car, it currently costs only €24 per day. That’s super cheap, isn’t it? You can find accommodation in the park or in the surrounding areas (Hazyview, Graskop, Marloth Park, etc.). More about this here: Our Kruger National Park Guide.
Trendy Metropolis Cape Town
Cape Town is, in our opinion, one of the coolest and most exciting cities in the world. This metropolis skillfully combines nature and city. Cape Town is colorful, beautiful, exciting, diverse, and varied. Be sure to climb Table Mountain, fly over the city in a helicopter, or go on a safari.
Watch the sunset from Signal Hill, stroll through the Neighbourgoods Market, relax on Camps Bay beach, order delicious food at Mama Africa Restaurant, or take a boat tour to see the seals. Learn more here: Outdoor Highlights in Cape Town. But so much more awaits you in Cape Town. You have to be there to understand.
The Majestic Drakensberg Mountains
If you’re planning a trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town or Durban (or vice versa), you should definitely stop in the Drakensberg Mountains. This mountain range is up to 3,480 meters high and is the highest mountain range in all of Africa. The highest peak is in Lesotho. There are many starting points for great hikes.
During our last trip in December 2025, we hiked in Golden Gate Highlands National Park and in the breathtaking Champagne Valley. We also highly recommend the Royal Natal National Park. The hiking trails in this nature reserve are truly next-level. More about this here: Round trip through Kwazulu Natal.
The Panorama Route
For us, the Panorama Route is definitely one of the most beautiful routes in the entire country. If you’re looking for sights in South Africa, you shouldn’t miss this area. It’s the counterpart to the Garden Route and is particularly impressive due to its diverse and, above all, lush nature.
But we’re not talking about “beautiful nature” here, but rather incredible nature. Really! We had tears in our eyes when we reached the Blyde River Canyon. We’ve probably never seen such beautiful scenery before. The Panorama Route awaits you with waterfalls, deep gorges, beautiful viewpoints, and numerous exciting activities.
The popular Garden Route
One of the most popular sights in South Africa is certainly the Garden Route. It stretches between Mossel Bay and Port Elizabeth and awaits you with many great highlights. We’ve driven this route several times and know it quite well. You should definitely make a detour to the De Hoop Nature Reserve, to Hermanus (the whale capital), to the Tsitsikamma National Park, to Jeffreys Bay and to the Addo Elephant Park.
The Garden Route in South Africa is a stunningly beautiful route along the coast and ultimately takes you past Chapmans Peak, the Cape Peninsula, Muizenberg and Cape Agulhas. As you can see, there’s a lot to see here. It’s best to just go with the flow and enjoy the diversity of this region to the fullest. Allow at least 7 days for the one-way trip so you can see everything in peace.
The West Coast National Park
There are numerous national parks in South Africa. There are quite a few, and we haven’t seen them all yet. A truly beautiful park is the West Coast National Park. It is located just 80 kilometers north of Cape Town and is one of the largest nature reserves on the South African coast. We visited the park in November 2019 and January 2023, and it was simply beautiful! Click here for the article about our West Coast tour.
The park covers an area of 30,000 hectares and is home to around 250 different bird species. According to the park, many migratory birds from Northern Europe come to the region to overwinter. The Langebaan Lagoon, with its turquoise water, is particularly beautiful. Many visitors come between August and October, when you can see a sea of wildflowers. But even without this blooming season, we really enjoyed the park. More about this here: Our tips for the West Coast National Park.
Multicultural Johannesburg
Many people avoid Johannesburg or only use this city to pick up their rental car or fly on. But Johannesburg is an exciting and truly interesting city. We learned as much about the country in hardly any other city as we did here. Johannesburg is certainly not the most beautiful city, but the true treasures are also somewhat hidden. You have to look more closely to recognize the city’s uniqueness. We’ve done many tours through Johannesburg and witnessed the metropolis’ transformation over the past six years. Johannesburg is thriving!
The Winelands in South Africa
The Winelands in South Africa are home to arguably the best and most famous wine-growing regions in the country. Numerous wineries and many great sights await you in this region. The best way to do a wine tasting is directly at one of the many wineries. There are also various “wine routes,” for which brochures are available at the tourist information offices.
They show you the individual wineries and wine cellars in detail. Perhaps you’ve heard or read about Stellenbosch? It’s the second oldest town in the country and famous for its first-class wines. But there are many more places in the Winelands, such as Paarl, Franschoek, Somerset West, Tulbagh, Worcester, Robertson, and Montagu.
The Kalahari Desert in the North
In the very north of the country lies the Kalahari Desert. The journey through the Northern Cape was one of the most beautiful trips we have taken in South Africa. Vast red sand dunes, endless blue skies, dry riverbeds, and numerous nature reserves await you here. The southern part of the Kalahari dominates the entire Northern Cape of South Africa.
One of the highlights of the Kalahari is the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (3.6 million hectares). It extends directly across several countries and is located 260 kilometers from Upington. Not only did we see Kalahari lions here, but we also stayed overnight at the unique !Xaus Lodge.
The iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Have you ever heard of the wetlands near the small town of St. Lucia? Here on the east coast of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal is the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. This is a wetland and coastal area consisting of many small protected areas. The vegetation is mostly subtropical and tropical. The 200-kilometer-long coastline is home to the second-highest forested sand dunes in the world. Amazing, right?
The wetlands are home to crocodiles and hippos, among others. The savannas in the west of the park are home to vervet monkeys, rhinos, buffalo, leopards, and other wild animals. You can also spot pelicans, storks, and herons here. And if you’re in the area at the right time, you might even spot humpback whales in the sea. You can find a detailed article about the wetlands including great pictures here: The top highlights of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.
Tours in South Africa
Book a guided tour in South Africa here. Whether sightseeing in Johannesburg or Cape Town, hiking Table Mountain, or whale watching in Hermanus, you’ll find a huge selection of great excursions and adventures on the GetYourGuide website.
Our little South Africa FAQ
How safe is a trip to South Africa? When is the best time to travel to South Africa? How many days should I plan for my trip to South Africa? What currency can I use in South Africa? Do I need a visa to enter South Africa?