South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa, with a long coastline that stretches more than 2,500 km (1,553 mi) and along two oceans (the South Atlantic and the Indian).
The name "South Africa" is derived from the country's geographic location at the southern tip of Africa.
South Africa has 3 Capitals: Pretoria (Executive), Bloemfontein (Judicial) & Cape Town (Legislative).
Largest city in South Africa is Johannesburg.
South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution's recognition of 11 official languages, which is the fourth - highest number in the world.
South Africa has 11 official languages: Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Tswana, Southern Sotho, Tsonga, Swazi, Venda, and Southern Ndebele.
The culture of South Africa is known for its ethnic and cultural diversity. The South African majority still has a substantial number of rural inhabitants who lead largely impoverished lives. It is among these people, however, that cultural traditions survive most strongly.
South Africa has an estimated Population of 58,775,022 people living in the country.
South Africa Currency is widely recognized as South African Rands also known in short as ZAR.
South Africa contains some of the oldest archaeological and human-fossil sites in the world.
Time Zone is UTC +2 (SAST)
With airlines connection like Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, Air Seychelles, Rwanda Air, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Air Mauritius, etc.
South Africa is a popular tourist destination, and a substantial amount of revenue comes from tourism.
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Port Elizabeth. The second largest province in the country after Northern Cape.
The landscape is extremely diverse. The western interior is largely arid Karoo, while the east is well-watered and green. The Eastern Cape offers a wide array of attractions, including 800 kilometers of untouched and pristine coastline along with some particularly splendid beaches, and "big-five" viewing in a malaria-free environment.
Port Elizabeth - known as the Friendly City, a major seaport and tourist destination along the dazzling shores of Algoa Bay, with an unbeatable and diverse mix of eco-attractions and adventure holiday destination.
East London - your gateway to the wild coast and sunshine coast, with its unique blend of old-world charm and modern convenience. The only river port in South Africa, with a rich cultural heritage.
Tsitsikamma National Park - a region of startling beauty along South Africa's southern coastline, with the National Park encompassing its spectacular expanse. Various hiking trails like The Otter, the 216 m bungee jump at Bloukrans River and much more.
The Addo Elephant National Park, situated 73 kilometers from Port Elizabeth, was proclaimed in 1931. Its offers sanctuary to 170 elephants, 400 Cape Buffalo and 21 Black Rhino of the very scarce Kenyan sub-species.
The province is the location of Tiffin dell, South Africa's only snow skiing resort, which is situated near the hamlet of Rhodes in the Southern Drakensberg. It is on the slopes of Ben Macdhui, the highest mountain peak in the Eastern Cape (3001 meters).
The National Arts Festival, held annually in Grahamstown, is Africa's largest cultural event, offering a choice of the very best of both indigenous and imported talent. Every year for 11 days the town's population almost doubles, as over 50,000 people flock to the region for a feast of arts, crafts, music and sheer entertainment.
Jeffreys Bay is an area with some of the country's wildest coastline, which is backed by some of Africa's most spectacular sub-tropical rainforest. The waters here are noted for having "super tubes", good waves for surfing.
King Williams Town, Alice, Queenstown, Grahamstown, Cradock and Fort Beaufort offer some of the best colonial architecture of the 19th century in the province. One is spoilt to choose between two major cities lining the coast, East London and Port Elizabeth.
The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Boer republic called the Orange Free State and later Orange Free State Province.
The two main cities in the province are Bloemfontein, the capital, and Welkom. Bloemfontein is the economic and cultural Centre of the Free State. It is also called the City of Roses, a modern city and is seat of the South African Supreme Court.
The Free State is also rich in mineral wealth, gold representing 20% of the world's total gold production. Mining is the province's major employer. The province has 12 gold mines, producing 30% of South Africa's output and making it the fifth-largest producer of gold in the world. The Harmony Gold Refinery and Rand Refinery are the only two gold refineries in South Africa.
Gold mines in the Free State also supply a substantial portion of the total silver produced in the country, while considerable concentrations of uranium occurring in the gold-bearing conglomerates of the goldfields are extracted as a byproduct.
Bituminous coal is also mined and converted to petrochemicals at Sasolburg. The Free State also produces high-quality diamonds from its kimberlite pipes and fissures, and the country's largest deposit of bentonite is found in the Koppies district.
The Free State's major appeal is its natural beauty, open farmlands, and uninterrupted sky, quirky, idiosyncratic towns and villages, interesting road routes, and the vast rocky mountain area of the East Highlands.
The Free State with its rolling hills, wide golden plains, impressive sandstone mountains and almost 340 days of sunshine per year, is a haven for the outdoor enthusiast.
Clarens - The beautiful town lies just west of the Maluti mountain range and is the perfect country retreat. Known as the `jewel of the Free State', Clarens is very popular with the artistic community.
Harrismith is a small, charming country town and discovered by tourists only recently. It is the ideal destination to break a long trip, hold a conference or escape from the stresses of city living.
The Basotho Cultural Village nestles in the heart of the Qwaqwa National Park, close to the world-renowned Golden Gate area. The Cultural Village takes you for a walk down the pathway of time.
Gariep-Dam, (the youngest town in South Africa), is situated alongside the N1 and is perhaps better known to most for the man-made Gariep Dam (the largest dam in South Africa).
Golden Gate Highlands National Park - The park derives its name from the brilliant shades of gold cast by the sun on the park's sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag rock.
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name in Sotho-Tswana means "Place of Gold."
In the heart of the country's northern reaches, the tiny province of Gauteng is South Africa's economic dynamo. Home to the bustling metropolis of Johannesburg as well as Pretoria, the country's trim and tidy administrative capital, Gauteng is the smallest province in the country, but its population is the largest. Gauteng means "place of gold" in the Sotho language, but today instead of gold, the province lures travelers primarily with its urban attractions, including poignant historical monuments and impressive museums and botanical gardens. Away from the cities, sightseers can explore the fossil-rich caves of the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa. It straddles the Apies River and has spread eastwards into the foothills of the Magaliesberg mountains. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the administrative branch of government, and of foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria has a reputation for being an academic city with three universities, the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of Pretoria (UP), and the University of South Africa (UNISA), also home to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Human Sciences Research Council.
Johannesburg has not traditionally been known as a tourist destination, but the city is a transit point for connecting flights to Cape Town, Durban, and the Kruger National Park. Consequently, most international visitors to South Africa pass through Johannesburg at least once, which has led to the development of several attractions for tourists. Recent additions have centered on history museums, such as the Apartheid Museum (with related visits to Constitution Hill) and the Hector Pieterson Museum. There is also a large industry around visiting former townships, such as Soweto and Alexandra. Most visitors to Soweto see the Mandela Museum, which is located in the former home of Nelson Mandela.
Cradle of Humankind Caves About 44 kilometers from Johannesburg lies the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with one of the richest concentrations of early human fossils in the world. The site is also home to the impressive Sterkfontein Caves with six connected underground caverns where many of the fossils were found. Among the finds here is the skull of a humanoid creature known as Australopithecus africanus, estimated to be two million years old, as well as a skeleton thought to be about 3.5 million years old. To learn more about the site and its remarkable fossil stories, stop by the Maropeng Visitor Center. This fascinating journey back in time is a popular day trip from Johannesburg.
KwaZulu-Natal, a coastal South African province, is known for its beaches, mountains and savannah populated by big game. The safari destination Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, in the northeast, is home to black and white rhinos, lions and giraffes. Durban is an Indian-influenced harbor city and a popular surfing spot. Cultural villages around the town of Eshowe showcase the traditions of the indigenous Zulu people.
Absolutely out of this world. A multi-cultural showpiece global destination. The Zulu Kingdom, or the Province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has a devout following throughout continental Africa. And it is right up there on "must-see, must- do" lists of discerning travelers around the world. These are all just some of the reasons why KZN remains a firm leader in the South African tourism space. The truth is; there IS just no comparison. Nowhere else in the world will you find such a unique fusion of raw natural beauty, modern sophistication, cultural diversity and pulsating energy - all in the most breathtaking natural setting.
Experience awe-inspiring world heritage sites such as the coastal iSimangaliso (Greater St Lucia) Wetland Park and the mountainous 'Barrier of Spears' in uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. Follow in the footsteps of legendary Zulu kings, timeless Indian leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and icons of democracy. Witness the unforgettable Sardine Run, see dolphins and whales and glimmering golden beaches with getaway coves. Enjoy the biggest music, sport and arts festivals in an even bigger city life - overlooking the picture-postcard seaport of Durban. Yes, it is all true. KZN promises an inexhaustible quota of things to do and places to go to. We invite you to scroll through our suggestions below and allow us to inspire you.
Limpopo is a South African province bordering Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It's known for bushveld and wildlife reserves, including part of Kruger National Park. West of the Kruger are the craggy Blouberg mountains and Makgabeng Plateau with ancient rock art. Near the provincial capital Polokwane, the Arend Dieperink Museum and fossil-rich caves of Makapansgat explore history dating back to early hominids.
Limpopo Province is Africa undistilled. It is raw and wild and wonderfully enigmatic. With about half of the Kruger National Park and many other game reserves, it has miles and miles of untamed wilderness where the Big Five and other animals roam in a space so large it may almost be considered unfenced. This low-lying area, which is generally referred to as the Lowveld, is archetypical Africa - broad-leafed open forest interspersed with grassy plains dominated by huge bulbous baobab trees.
The Kruger National Park lies in the north-east of South Africa and runs along the border of Mozambique in the east, Zimbabwe in the north, and the southern border is the Crocodile River. The park covers 20,000 square kilometers and is divided in 14 different ecozones, each supporting different wildlife. It is one of the main attractions of South Africa and it is considered the flagship of South African National Parks. Seventy percent of the Kruger Park lies within the Limpopo Province. A sweeping expanse of indigenous bush, sub-tropical lowveld vegetation and terraced hills and the largest national park in South Africa, this unique wilderness area is one of the most famous wildlife sanctuaries in the world. The park was established in 1898 from south to north along the Mozambiquan border to where South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe meet. Covering an area of 20.000 km2, the park is roughly the size of Israel or Wales. Well known for its rich diversity of wildlife and habitat, Kruger offers visitors an excellent opportunity to experience close and exhilarating encounters with the 'Big Five' - elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard - in a natural environment. Wild dog, cheetah, zebra, giraffe and a variety of other species are also indigenous to the park - a veritable paradise for the wildlife enthusiast who can witness first-hand the conservation of its over 147 mammal species, 507 bird species, 116 species of reptile, 49 fish species, 34 amphibian species and 380 indigenous tree species.
Bela-Bela (previously called Warm baths) is renowned for its therapeutic hot springs. In fact, there is a whole string of hot springs all through the province, and the many private game lodges and boutique hotels have attached wellness centers, so it's a great venue for some pampering combined with game viewing.
Mpumalanga (Zulu name for "the place where the sun rises") is a province in eastern South Africa, bordering the nations of Swaziland and Mozambique. It embraces the southern half of Kruger National Park, a huge nature reserve with abundant wildlife including big game. The province's iconic Blyde River Canyon, among the world's largest, is known as a green canyon because of its subtropical foliage.
Mpumalanga lies in the east of South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. In the northeast, the land rises towards mountain peaks and then terminates in an immense escarpment. In some places this escarpment plunges hundreds of meters down to the low-lying area known as the Lowveld.
For more than four billion years the forces of nature have moulded this region and created some of the most breathtaking attractions in Africa. Here are the top ten natural attractions to visit in Mpumalanga:
The Blyde River Canyon is the largest green canyon in the world, thus making it one of the most visited attractions in South Africa. There are three ways in which you can visit the Canyon: from the viewpoints at the Three Rondavels, white river rafting, flying over it with a helicopter or in a microlight.
The Genesis of Life is located on the Makhonjwa Mountains, South of Barberton. The area has some of the oldest volcanic pieces on the earth with evidence such as Bacteria Microfossils and fossils of the first oxygen producing plant called the Collenia.
The lake district in South Africa, near Chrissies Meer is a group of majestic lakes that are home to 20 000 flamingos and were in ancient time inhabited by the Tlou-tle people who lived on the larger lakes, on rafts.
The Kruger National Park, which is one of the largest national parks in Africa is home to the Big Five animals and the Big Six Birds. The Park is a must visit attraction in South Africa.
God's Window has no frame, no glass and no handles; it is simply a view so magnificent. God's Window has a panoramic view of the Lowveld, over Mountains, River and Waterfalls.
The Kadishi Tufa Waterfall is the second tallest tufa waterfall in world, and it drops into the elegant Blydepoort Dam. Tufa waterfalls are formed from water that runs over dolomite rock, which absorbs calcium. Due to water running over this rock formation it erodes faster than the rocks surrounding it. The erosion gives the waterfall and the rock a look of a crying face. This is the very reason that it is known as “the weeping face of nature”.
Visit the natural wonder called “Bourke’s Luck Potholes”. These Potholes have been formed over decades, due to the water that swirls over the rock formations that meet at the Treur River and the Blyde River.
Visit the Sudawala Caves, which are regarded as the oldest caves in the world. Go see the PR Owen Hall known as the Amphitheatre, which has its own natural cooling system.
North West is an inland South African province that borders Botswana. Its landscape is defined by mountains in the northeast and bushveld scattered with trees and shrubs. The province is home to Sun City, an upscale resort with hotels, a casino, and a water park with a massive wave pool. Nearby is Pilanesberg National Park, with an extinct volcano and more than 7,000 animals, including lions and elephants.
From untamed bushveld to the sophistication of 5-star resorts, the North West Province provides the complete tourism package. Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the province offers an escape route to the real Africa. Nature has blessed this province with breathtaking scenic beauty, rolling fields of maize, golden sunflowers and vast plains of African bushveld. The ideal backdrop for the enjoyment of our outdoor attractions: superb game parks - home to the Big Five - magnificent golf courses, water features, sporting facilities.
The North West Province - a blend of 20th century living and the mystique of ancient Africa.
The North West is a peaceful province with a year-round, sunny climate, exciting wildlife destinations free of malaria and various cultural and historical attractions.
Within the Province lies the famous Sun City leisure resort offering a host of activities ranging from world-class golfing, gambling, games, extravaganzas, a valley of waves with a beach, cinemas and restaurants.
Some two hours' drive northwest of Johannesburg, some 10 000 head of game graze, browse, hunt and scavenge on the rolling grasslands and in the dense bush and wooded riverine valleys of Pilanesberg Game Reserve.
Impodimo Game Lodge is set in Madikwe Game Reserve - a unique escape for those who seek to experience a dawn view of untamed Africa with an aura of almost mystical splendor.
There is a large variety of historical and cultural interests to be found in the area, such as the German community of Kroondal, the indigenous Bafokeng, Bakgatla and Botswana tribes with their totemic; and more.
The N12 Treasure Route open a wide range of wildlife, cultural, scenic, industrial and eco attractions. The route starts on the N12 near Fochville, travelling through the goldfields via the towns of Potchefstroom, Stilfontein and Klerksdorp.
For exciting and rare bird viewing opportunities, visit numerous birding venues like Opm Prozesky Aviary at Potchefstroom, Barbers pen near Delareyville as well as Pilanesberg Game Reserve and Madikwe Game Reserve.
Sun City Resort is a vast complex; an enormous, opulent extravaganza of luxurious hotels, glittering entertainment centers, restaurants, gaming rooms, shops, discos and extensive, beautifully landscaped grounds.
The Northern Cape is South Africa's largest province, with desert landscapes, wildlife and gemstones. With Botswana, it shares Kgalagadi Trans frontier Park, whose red sand dunes shelter lions and falcons. Wild daisies and other springtime flowers carpet the typically arid plains of Namaqualand, a region stretching into Namibia. In Kimberley, the provincial capital, The Big Hole mine recalls the 1870s diamond rush.
The Northern Cape boasts a colorful history and a variety of cultural tourist attractions and is particularly well known for its incredible annual floral display that takes place in Namaqualand. An utterly beautiful coastline and a number of unique national parks offer the tourist a very different experience of South Africa.
Say the name Kimberley, and nine times out of ten the phrase evoked by the name will be ‘big hole’. And indeed, Kimberley, the capital of the Northern Cape that is a perfect detour on the N12, just off the N1, that functions as an alternative route between Cape Town and Johannesburg, is ‘the’ place for diamond mining. It not only has a history immersed in diamonds but the Big Hole - a huge circular pit right in the middle of town - is a huge crater dug almost entirely with picks and shovels in an effort to reach the stones. At times, there were as many as 30 000 diggers laboring all day and far into the night. Although the name Kimberley evokes images of glamour and romance, the diamond heyday was an era of blood, sweat and tears, high stakes and ruthless power struggles. Kimberley developed around the huge hole in the ground, formerly a small hill known as Colesberg Koppie, where diamonds were discovered early in 1871. An observation platform provides a good view of the Big Hole, about 365 m deep and covering an area close on 15,5 ha. Between 1871 and 1914, men toiled to remove some 25 million tons of earth from the site. It yielded about 14,5 million carats of diamonds.
The portion of the great Kalahari Desert that lies in the Northern Cape Province is but part of a large arid to semi-arid sandy area known as the Kalahari Basin, covering 2.5 million square kilometers that stretch from the Orange River to cover most of Botswana and parts of Namibia. The Kalahari evokes a picture of never-ending red sand dunes, big, blue skies and a scorching sun that shimmers unrelentingly on ancient dry riverbeds, known as omuramba.
The Green Kalahari is a world full of wonders and contrasts. Here is where the lush green vineyards stand proud in the valley bearing magical fruits not far from where the shimmering Orange River thunders into a deep granite gorge to create the mighty Augrabies Falls. The Green Kalahari is a land of genuine natural beauty where the lions and the leopard, cheetah, gemsbok, springbok, and hyena roam free through beckoning bushman grass, camel thorn and shepherd trees. As you enter this land, you will soon understand and come to appreciate the land we call the Green Kalahari.
Namaqualand extends from the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast, to the little town of Pofadder in the east, to the Orange River in the north, south to Garies, and includes the Hantam Karoo, along the southern border of the Northern Cape. Namaqualand is indeed a thirsty earth, but one that is fascinating to travel. For visitors the explosion of wildflowers along the flower route from Springbok’s Goegap Nature Reserve to Kamieskroon’s Skilpad Wildflower Reserve, is a phenomenon that combines incredible landscapes through remote little towns, like Pofadder, the Richtersveld National Park, the Hester Malan Wildflower Garden, and the Namaqua National Park.
The Upper Karoo is famous for its wide-open spaces and healthy climate. The seemingly arid soil of the Karoo bursts into life after rains, which totally transform the landscape.
In the Upper Karoo region hardy succulents are complemented by grasses on which the region’s cattle graze. Seemingly countless wind pumps are indicative of the countless streams that flow between cracks and fissures that lie beneath the dry but fertile soil.
The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces, and the third most populous, with an estimated 6.6 million inhabitants in 2018. About two-thirds of these inhabitants live in the metropolitan area of Cape Town, which is also the provincial capital of South Africa. Western Cape region is considered as one of the most beautiful regions and also hub for most of the adventure sports in South Africa. Western Cape region stretches from Atlantic Ocean to the North west and Southern Indian Ocean towards South East. It is also some to the Southern-most tip of African Continent and also meeting point of Indian and Atlantic Ocean.
With popular tourist places like Cape Town, George, Mossel Bay, Wilderness, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay, Hermanus, Oudtshoorn it has immensely diverse regions to offer. Western Cape has one of the longest Wine Routes in South Africa, Klein Karoo Region, Beautiful White Sand Beaches, Glorious Mountains providing various beautiful climatic conditions in the region. The Western Cape (with Cape Town as its capital) boasts a heady mix of mountains, vineyards, and oceans that appeal to millions of visitors annually. More than any other province its attractions border on iconic and, as a result, the province is the most popular for foreign visitors.