South Africa

Discover the beauty of South Africa with our comprehensive travel guide. Learn about the weather patterns and the best seasons to plan your visit. Find out how to navigate the country efficiently, whether by car, bus, or domestic flights. Explore top cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg, along with must-see destinations such as Kruger National Park and the Garden Route. Get recommendations on local dishes to try and uncover hidden gems that most tourists miss.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

The Cape Town & Western Cape region is best visited between September and April when warm, dry conditions create the ideal environment for enjoying beaches and wineries. The period from December to February offers the hottest temperatures but also brings the largest crowds.

The Garden Route remains a year-round destination with its mild climate. For warmer beach experiences, plan your visit between October and April, while May through August provides pleasant temperatures perfect for hiking activities.

When visiting Johannesburg & the Highveld, aim for May through September to enjoy sunny, dry days with refreshingly cool evenings. The summer months (November-February) typically feature afternoon thunderstorms.

Kruger National Park & Lowveld are best experienced during the dry winter season (May-September), which offers optimal wildlife viewing opportunities as animals gather around water sources and vegetation thins out.

KwaZulu-Natal is most pleasant from April through September when the weather is mild and dry. While coastal areas maintain warm temperatures year-round, the summer months (November-February) bring increased humidity and occasional heavy rainfall.

The Northern Cape showcases spectacular wildflower blooms from August to October. For comfortable desert exploration with cooler temperatures, plan your visit between April and September.

How to Get to South Africa

South Africa has several key airports that serve as entry points to the country. O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg is the largest, handling over 21 million passengers annually. This major hub connects South Africa to international destinations and serves as a transfer point for many travelers.

Cape Town International Airport provides access to Cape Town and the surrounding Western Cape region, with views of Table Mountain visible from the airport. King Shaka International Airport serves the coastal city of Durban and the KwaZulu-Natal province.

For travelers seeking alternatives to O.R. Tambo, Lanseria International offers a smaller, less congested option near Johannesburg. Port Elizabeth International Airport serves Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) and the Eastern Cape. 

Those heading to wildlife areas often use Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport near Nelspruit, which provides convenient access to Kruger National Park and surrounding game reserves.

How to Get Around

South Africa's roads tell their own stories as travelers make their way across this diverse country. Local minivans, which South Africans call combis, zip between towns carrying residents and travelers alike. While seats fill up quickly, the price makes them worth considering for budget-conscious journeys.

For longer journeys, companies like Greyhound and Intercape run buses connecting major destinations with reclining seats and air conditioning that make those long stretches more bearable.

Many visitors find that driving themselves opens up the real South Africa. A rental car lets you pull over when that perfect sunset appears over the savanna or when you spot elephants near the roadside. The freedom to follow unmarked dirt roads often leads to the day's best memories.

City travel works differently. In Johannesburg and Pretoria, the Gautrain whisks passengers between key points, including the airport, with efficiency that contrasts with the surrounding traffic. Urban centers have plenty of metered taxis, while Uber offers a familiar option for many international visitors.

For those wanting to experience daily South African life, local minibus taxis provide a window into how most residents travel. These vehicles follow loosely defined routes and use hand signals instead of bus stops. They're not designed for tourists, but they offer an authentic glimpse of daily life.

When reliability matters most, consider pre-booking transfers with services like Citi Shuttles or EZ Shuttle. Their drivers handle the navigation while you watch the landscape unfold outside your window.

Food Scene

When people eat in South Africa, they're tasting history, the meeting of native cooking with foods brought by Dutch settlers, Malaysian workers, and Indian families. 

In Cape Town, try bobotie, a dish where spiced meat hides under a golden egg layer. At weekend gatherings, friends pass around boerewors, sausages that sizzle on open flames during a braai, South Africa's answer to a cookout.

Markets tell food stories, too. Wander through Neighbourgoods Market in Johannesburg or step into V&A Food Market, where vendors sell what locals actually eat. Hungry travelers in Durban dive into bunny chow, not rabbit, but curry served inside a hollowed-out bread loaf that warms your hands and fills your stomach.

Different regions offer their own plates:

• -Inland, Karoo lamb carries the flavor of wild herbs the animals grazed on
• -Coastal towns serve potjies, slow-cooked stews bubbling with just-caught seafood
• -Between meals, the Cape Winelands pour glasses that complement every bite

Hidden Gems

1. Oribi Gorge in KwaZulu-Nata

The Mzimkulwana River has spent countless years carving a 400m-deep canyon through the landscape. From the edge, you can see the river winding below, trees clinging to steep rock faces, and perhaps catch sight of the rare oribi antelope that gave this place its name. The gorge creates its own weather patterns, allowing unusual plants and animals to thrive where they otherwise couldn't.

People come here to feel their hearts race, whether from the views or from activities that take advantage of the dramatic drop.

Best Time: April-May brings gentle weather and green scenery after the rains have done their work. September reveals patches of wildflowers adding color to the landscape.

Getting There: Find it 25 km (15.5 miles) inland from Port Shepstone on the KZN South Coast. From Durban, it's a 120 km (74.5 mile) drive south on the N2, then follow R102 west. Regular cars manage fine, though some areas become easier with a 4x4.

2. Paternoster, Western Cape

White-painted houses stand against the blue Atlantic in this fishing village. Every morning, wooden boats (bakkies) painted in bright colors push into the waves. By afternoon, they return with catches that end up on dinner plates just hours later.

The village hasn't rushed to change with the times. It tells its story through simple buildings, fresh ocean air, and the rhythm of fishing life.

Best Time: In August-September, the nearby West Coast National Park explodes with wildflowers. March-May offers pleasant temperatures and more room to breathe without summer crowds.

Getting There: Head 150 km (93.2 miles) north from Cape Town on the R27, then turn west when you reach Vredenburg. The journey takes about 2 hours to reach Paternoster.

Scenic Routes

South Africa's countryside is connected by roads that wind from coast to mountain and city to wilderness. Five journeys stand out for travelers seeking to see the country beyond its cities:

• 
  

• Cape Town to Hermanus: The road hugs the coastline, where between September and November, southern right whales breach just offshore. Travelers stop at lookout points along the way, watching mothers and calves play in the protected bays. A car journey allows for spontaneous beach stops when a particularly empty stretch of sand calls out.

• 
  

• 
  

• Johannesburg to Durban: The landscape transforms as you descend from the highveld into the Valley of a Thousand Hills. The hills roll out in every direction, dotted with traditional homesteads. During the dry winter (May-September), the clear skies reveal every fold and contour of the land as you approach the warm Indian Ocean.

• 
  

• 
  

• Pretoria to Cape Town: From the train window, the vast Karoo unfolds. Sheep graze on seemingly endless plains while mountain passes frame the view. Between April and September, passengers wake to frost-covered landscapes that warm as the sun rises. The dining car serves local dishes as the country passes by outside.

• 
  

• 
  

• Clarens to Golden Gate: Sandstone cliffs catch the late afternoon sun, glowing warmly against the blue mountain shadows. During March to May, the grasslands turn amber and crimson. Hikers follow trails up to viewpoints where they can see for miles across the eastern Free State.

• 
  

• 
  

• Durban to Drakensberg: The road climbs steadily from sea level, through sugarcane fields, into the foothills of what the Zulu people call uKhahlamba, "barrier of spears." After the summer rains in April and May, waterfalls pour down the mountain faces. A car allows you to reach the amphitheaters where the mountains form natural cathedrals.

• 
  

Events, Festivals and Local Markets

On Saturdays, people gather at the Neighbourgoods Market in Johannesburg. Local bakers offer fresh bread while craftspeople sell handmade jewelry and clothing. You can spend hours walking between stalls, sampling biltong or grabbing a coffee while watching city life unfold around you.

When March arrives in Cape Town, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival turns the city into a concert venue. Musicians from across Africa and beyond perform on stages throughout town, and the music continues late into the night as people dance and celebrate together.

During autumn, the small town of Oudtshoorn comes alive with the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival. Theater performances happen in converted warehouses, painters display work in pop-up galleries, and Afrikaans culture takes center stage with poetry readings and musical performances.

The Durban July in Durban isn't just a horse race — it's a social event where people dress in their boldest outfits and place bets on horses with friends. The atmosphere buzzes with excitement as race day approaches, and whether you care about racing or not, the energy is contagious.

Best Places to Visit

1. Cape Town

Between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean sits Cape Town, where nature meets history at every corner. Walk through the narrow streets of Bo-Kaap, where houses painted in bright blues, pinks, and yellows tell stories of the Cape Malay community. Then drive just minutes away to find yourself at Camps Bay, where locals relax at beachside restaurants as waves crash nearby.

November through March brings sunshine and warm breezes, perfect weather for morning hikes up Lion's Head and afternoon swims at Clifton's beaches. Winter visitors find quieter attractions and can watch storms roll in over the ocean from cozy coffee shops.

Every first Thursday of the month, art galleries stay open late while people wander between them, wine glasses in hand. Weekends come alive at the Old Biscuit Mill, where food vendors set up stalls selling everything from local biltong to handmade chocolates. Summer evenings belong to Kirstenbosch, where families spread blankets on the lawn for concerts with Table Mountain as the backdrop.

How to get to Cape Town

• -International flights to Cape Town International Airport
• -Domestic flights connecting from Johannesburg
• -Scenic drive along the Garden Route from Port Elizabeth

2. Johannesburg

Johannesburg never stops moving. Once a gold mining camp, today it's where money, art, and history collide. In Maboneng, old warehouses now house bookstores, coffee roasters, and weekend markets. Braamfontein fills with university students discussing politics over craft beers.

The weather stays reasonable most of the year, but spring brings warm days without summer's afternoon thunderstorms. October transforms certain streets into purple tunnels as jacaranda trees bloom overhead.

Jazz notes float from The Marabi Club on Friday nights, continuing a musical tradition born in the city's townships. The Market Theatre's plays make audiences think about South Africa's past and future. On Sundays at Zoo Lake, families gather for impromptu concerts where anyone might start playing drums or dancing.

How to get to Johannesburg

• -Direct international flights to O.R. Tambo International Airport
• -Extensive domestic flight connections from all major South African cities
• -Gautrain rapid rail connection from Pretoria

3. Pretoria

Pretoria moves at its own pace. Government workers walk between colonial-era buildings while students from the university study under trees in wide open parks. The city remembers its complicated history while making space for what comes next.

October turns Pretoria into something from a painting. Jacaranda trees line street after street with purple flowers that carpet the ground below. During spring and fall, the mild temperatures make walking through the city's gardens and monuments particularly pleasant.

Once a month, the lights at the Voortrekker Monument stay on late into the evening as visitors explore its massive stone halls. Weekend mornings start at the Botanical Gardens market, where farmers sell fresh produce and homemade preserves. When polo season arrives, players on horseback charge across green fields at Inanda Club while spectators watch from the sidelines.

• How to get to Pretoria
• -Domestic flights to Wonderboom Airport
• -Gautrain rail service from Johannesburg (30-45 minutes)
• -Bus services from major South African cities

Tips for Traveling to South Africa

VISA & ENTRY

• US, UK, and EU citizens: Visa-free for 90 days
• Other countries: Apply online via eVisa or at the embassy
• Passport must be valid 30+ days beyond stay, with two blank pages

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

• Greetings are important; handshakes are common
• "Ubuntu" spirit values community respect
• Tipping: 10-15% in restaurants

MONEY MATTERS

• South African Rand (ZAR)
• Major cards are widely accepted in cities
• Keep cash for rural areas and markets

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Emergency: 10111 (police), 10177 (ambulance)
• Vaccines: Hepatitis A and Typhoid are recommended
• Travel insurance essential
• Stay alert in major cities

TRANSPORTATION

• Uber in cities
• Rental cars for exploring (drive on the left side)
• Avoid minibus taxis at night
•