Things to do in South Africa

To do

Hogsback waterfalls

Hogsback, Eastern Cape

Forest walks to the Madonna and Child and Kettlespout falls.

To do

Supertubes

Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape

Watch or surf one of the world's best right-hand point breaks.

To do

Kowie River canoe trail

Port Alfred, Eastern Cape

Paddle up the Kowie River and camp overnight.

To do

Bloukrans Bridge bungee

Storms River, Eastern Cape

216-metre bungee jump from the Bloukrans Bridge.

To do

Tsitsikamma National Park

Storms River, Eastern Cape

Suspension bridge over the Storms River Mouth and the Otter Trail.

sanparks.org ↗

To do

Naval Hill

Bloemfontein, Free State

Game reserve in the city with a Nelson Mandela statue and views.

To do

Clarens art galleries

Clarens, Free State

Browse dozens of galleries and craft shops around the square.

To do

White-water rafting on the Vaal

Parys, Free State

Rafting and tubing through the Vredefort Dome.

To do

Johannesburg Zoo

Johannesburg, Gauteng

Zoo in Parkview with more than 2,000 animals.

To do

Maboneng Precinct

Johannesburg, Gauteng

Walk the galleries, cafés and street art of this inner-city neighbourhood.

To do

Hot-air ballooning over the Magaliesberg

Magaliesburg, Gauteng

Early-morning balloon flights over the Magaliesberg.

To do

Magaliesberg Canopy Tour

Magaliesburg, Gauteng

Zipline between platforms in a mountain gorge.

To do

Lion & Safari Park

Muldersdrift, Gauteng

Self-drive and guided tours to see lions, cheetahs and wild dogs.

To do

Sterkfontein Caves

Muldersdrift, Gauteng

Guided tours of the caves where 'Mrs Ples' and 'Little Foot' were found.

To do

National Zoological Garden

Pretoria, Gauteng

South Africa's national zoo.

To do

Orlando Towers

Soweto, Gauteng

Bungee jump or swing between the painted cooling towers.

To do

Vaal River

Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng

Boating, river cruises and riverside restaurants.

To do

Ballito tidal pools

Ballito, KwaZulu-Natal

Safe swimming in natural rock pools.

To do

Amphitheatre and Tugela Falls

Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal

Hike to the top of one of the world's highest waterfalls.

To do

Golden Mile

Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

Walk, cycle or swim along Durban's beachfront promenade.

To do

Victoria Street Market

Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

Market of spices and curios in the city centre.

To do

Midlands Meander

Nottingham Road, KwaZulu-Natal

Craft, food and country stays along the R103.

midlandsmeander.co.za ↗

To do

Oribi Gorge

Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal

Gorge with a swing, ziplines and hiking.

To do

Scuba diving at Sodwana Bay

Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal

Coral reef diving in the iSimangaliso marine reserve.

To do

Hippo and croc boat cruise

St Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal

Boat cruises on the St Lucia estuary.

To do

Umhlanga lighthouse and promenade

Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal

Walk the promenade past the lighthouse and tidal pools.

To do

Aliwal Shoal

Umkomaas, KwaZulu-Natal

Diving with ragged-tooth sharks on a fossilised dune reef.

To do

Sani Pass

Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal

4x4 trip up the pass to Lesotho.

To do

Game drives and birding on the Limpopo

Alldays, Limpopo

Lodges on the Limpopo and Mogalakwena rivers (e.g. Limpokwena) offer day and night game drives and riverine birding.

To do

Limpopo Wilderness Hiking Trail

Alldays, Limpopo

Guided 3-day, 35 km hike along the Limpopo River with swimming in river pools and good birding.