Tourism

Tourism in the provinces

Western Cape

The Western Capecontinues to be one of the destinations most favoured by foreigners.

Some attractions in Cape Town are:

• the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
• the Company's Gardens
• the District Six Museum
• the houses of Parliament and the South African National Gallery
• a boat trip to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent most of his 27 years in jail.

Table Mountain is a popular site for visitors and provides a majestic backdrop to the vibrant and friendly "Mother City". The top of the mountain can be reached by an ultramodern cableway.

Newlands is home to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

Cape Point, part of the Table Mountain National Park, offers many drives, walks, picnic spots and a licensed restaurant. The park has a marine protected area encompassing almost 1 000 km².

Hout Bay is well known for its colourful working harbour, seafood outlets, round-the-bay trips to the nearby seal island, and a harbour-front emporium that attracts many visitors.

The wine routes outside Cape Town offer the chance to taste first-class wines in arguably the most beautiful winelands in the world.

Superb accommodation is available in historic towns such as Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, as well as on many estates and farms.

Garden Route

The Garden Route has well-developed tourist infrastructure, spectacular scenery and a temperate climate, making the region popular all year round.

Not to be missed

• The city of George is at the heart of the Garden Route and the mecca of golf in the southern Cape. It is home to the renowned Fancourt Country Club and Golf Estate.
• Knysna, nestling on an estuary, is one of South Africa's favourite destinations, famous for its indigenous forests, lakes and beaches.
• Just 29 km from Oudtshoorn, the ostrich-feather capital of the world, at the start of the Cango Valley lie the Cango Caves, the only show caves in Africa that offer a choice of tours in various languages. The remarkable caves are a series of 30 spectacular subterranean limestone caverns. The cave system is 5,3 km long.

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Central Karoo

The Central Karoo forms part of one of the world's most interesting and unique arid zones. This ancient, fossil-rich land, with the richest desert flora in the world, also has the world's largest variety of succulents.

Key attractions

• Matjiesfontein, a tiny railway village in the Karoo, offers tourists a peek into the splendour of colonial Victorian South Africa.
• Prince Albert is a well-preserved town, which nestles at the foot of the Swartberg mountains. The Fransie Pienaar Museum offers interesting cultural-history displays, a fossil room and an exhibit of gold-mining activities in the 19th century.
• The museum in Beaufort West, birthplace of heart surgeon Prof. Chris Barnard, depicts the story of the world's first heart transplant. The Karoo National Park on the outskirts of the town is also worth a visit.

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Northern Cape

The Augrabies Falls National Park, with its magnificent falls pressing through a narrow rock ravine, remains the main attraction of the Northern Cape. Game drives reveal a variety of birdlife and animals such as klipspringer, steenbok, wild cats and otters.

Key attractions

• The Kimberley Mine Museum is South Africa's largest full-scale open-air museum. Underground mine tours are a big attraction. The Freddy Tate Golf Museum at the Kimberley Golf Club was the first golfing museum in Africa. The Kimberley Ghost Trail has become a popular tourist attraction.
• The Robert Sobukwe House in Galeshewe was once the residence of Robert Sobukwe, an important figure in South African history and a major role player in the rise of African political consciousness.
• The Orange River Wine Cellars Coop in Upington offers wine-tastings and cellar tours. The South African Dried Fruit Cooperative is the second-largest in the world.
• Moffat's Mission in Kuruman is a tranquil place, featuring the house of missionary Robert Moffat, whose son-in-law was explorer David Livingstone.
• Namaqualand, the land of the Nama and San people, puts on a spectacular show in spring when its floral splendour covers vast tracts of desert in a riot of colour.
• A cultural centre at Wildebeestkuil outside Kimberley features !Xun and Khwe artwork for sale and a tour of rock engravings by these indigenous people.
• The 100-m high, 9-km long and 2-km wide white sand dune at the Witsand Nature Reserve near Postmasburg should not be missed.

Read more on Northern Cape tourism.

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Free State

In the capital, Bloemfontein, the Eerste Raadsaal (First Parliament Building) was built in 1849 as a school and is the city's oldest surviving building that is still in its original condition. It is still used as the seat of the Provincial Legislature.

The National Women's Memorial is a sandstone obelisk, 36,5 m high, which commemorates the women and children who died in concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer/South African War.

Key attractions

• Clarens is surrounded by spectacular scenery and boasts many art galleries.
• The Golden Gate Highlands National Park outside Clarens has beautiful sandstone rock formations.
• The King's Park Rose Garden in Bloemfontein boasts more than 4 000 rose bushes.
• The Vredefort Dome, a world heritage site, is the oldest and largest meteorite impact site in the world. It was formed about two billion years ago when a giant meteorite hit Earth.

Read more on the Free State tourism.

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Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape is the only province in South Africa, and one of the few places on Earth, where all seven biomes (major vegetation types) converge.

What to see and do

• The rugged beauty of the Wild Coast, including Hole-inthe-Wall.
• Port Elizabeth, the sunshine capital of the Eastern Cape, with its friendly people and excellent beaches.
• The Red Location Museum of the People's Struggle in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth – winner of several international awards.
• The Tsitsikamma National Park (now part of the Garden Route Park), and forests and rivers in the area.
• East London, South Africa's only river port, originally established as a supply port to serve the British military headquarters at King William's Town.
• The village of Qunu, where former President Mandela grew up and which now features the Nelson Mandela Museum.
• The world's highest bungee jump (216 m) at the Bloukrans Bridge over the Storms River.
• Varied game reserves, including:
  • Addo Elephant Park
  • Mountain Zebra Park
  • Mkambati Park.

Read more on Eastern Cape Tourism and Eastern Cape parks.

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Limpopo

Limpopo is well endowed with cultural diversity, historical sites and tourist attractions, and is an excellent destination for get-away-from-it-all luxury holidays in the bush.

Not to be missed

• The Mokopane vicinity has several nature reserves. The Arend Dieperink Museum offers a fine cultural-historical collection, while the Makapan caves are famous for their fossils. The Makapan Valley is the only cultural-heritage site of its kind. It reflects the history of the Ndebele people and resistance wars dating back 151 years. The fossil hominid sites of Sterkfontein include Makapan Valley.
• With its outstanding game reserves, the Thabazimbi district is one of the fastest-growing ecotourism areas in South Africa.
• Bela-Bela is well known among South Africans, and increasingly foreigners, for its hot-water springs, fun water slides and scenery.
• The Waterberg mountain range is rich in indigenous trees, streams, springs, wetlands, birdlife and dramatic vistas.
• The Modjadji Nature Reserve, north of Tzaneen, is named after the legendary Rain Queen, Modjadji, who inspired Rider Haggard's She.
• Phalaborwa has one of the country's top-rated golf courses – just watch out for animals on the fairways.
• The Schoemansdal Voortrekker Town and Museum, a short drive west of Makhado, are built on the site of an original Voortrekker village and depict their lifestyle in the mid-18th century.
• The Big Tree in the Mutale district is one of the largest known baobabs in southern Africa.

Read more on Limpopo tourism and parks.

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North West

The province abounds with attractions, including wild animals and fun nights at the famous Sun City and Lost City resorts, which offer, among other things, gambling, golf and an artificial sea.

Key attractions

• The Historic Route of Mafikeng includes the town of Mafikeng, which was besieged by the Boers during the Anglo-Boer/South African War.
• The Groot Marico region, mampoer (moonshine) country, is associated with author Herman Charles Bosman.
• The Hartbeespoort Dam and surrounds are popular for weekend outings, yachting and golf.
• The Pilanesberg National Park supports over 7 000 head of game, including the Big Five, and 350 bird species.
• The Taung Skull Fossil Site is an extension of the Sterkfontein hominid sites. The site marks the place where the celebrated Taung skull – a specimen of the species Australopithecus africanus – was found in 1924.
• Madikwe Game Reserve, one of South Africa's largest game reserves, is home to 66 large mammal species, including the Big Five, and about 300 resident and migrant bird species.

More on North West tourism.

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Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga – the place where the sun rises – lies in the north-eastern part of South Africa, bordered by Mozambique to the east and the Kingdom of Swaziland to the south-east. Scenic beauty and wildlife are abundant.

Tourist attractions

• Historical sites and villages, old wagon routes and monuments mark the lives of the characters who came to Mpumalanga seeking their fortune. The town of Pilgrim's Rest is a living monument reflecting the region's gold-fever period.
• The Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve near Graskop has striking rock formations and a rich diversity of plants.
• Within the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, the Bourke's Luck potholes were formed by river erosion and the action of flood water. The spectacular Blyde River Canyon is a 26-km long gorge carved out of the face of the escarpment. It is the world's third-largest canyon and the only green canyon.
• The region includes the southern section of the Kruger National Park, which draws a million visitors yearly.
• An annual frog-watching festival is held at Chrissiesmeer, South Africa's largest freshwater lake.
• Dullstroom is popular with trout- and fly-fishing enthusiasts.

Read more on Mpumalanga tourism.

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Gauteng

Gauteng, the economic heart of southern Africa, offers a vibrant business environment and many tourist attractions, including a rainbow of ecological and cultural diversity.

Key attractions

• The Vaal Dam covers some 300 km² and is a popular venue for water sport. Numerous resorts line the shore. The dam is also popular with birders and anglers.
• The Sterkfontein caves near Krugersdorp are the site of the discovery of the skull of the famous Mrs Ples, an estimated 2,5-million-year-old hominid fossil; and Little Foot, an almost complete hominid skeleton of more than 3,3 million years old.
• The Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden has a 70-m high waterfall, stunning indigenous plant displays and a breeding pair of black eagles.
• There is a ring of hills a kilometre in diameter and 100 m high just 40 km north of Pretoria. These hills are the walls of the Tswaing Meteorite Crater, left by an asteroid 200 000 years ago.
• The National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria is considered one of the 10 best in the world.
• The Constitution Hill Precinct is set to become one of South Africa's most popular landmarks.
• The old mining town of Cullinan is where the world's biggest diamond, the 3 106-carat Cullinan diamond, was found.
• A guided tour of Soweto leaves a lasting impression of this vast community's life and struggle against apartheid.
• The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg tells the story of the legacy of apartheid through photographs, film and artefacts.
• The Union Buildings in Pretoria was the venue for the inauguration of presidents Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma.

Read more on Gauteng tourism.

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KwaZulu-Natal

Also known as the Zulu Kingdom, KwaZulu-Natal is a combination of natural wonders, fascinating culture and ultramodern facilities.

Durban's Golden Mile skirts the main beaches of the Indian Ocean. Drawcards include an amusement centre, paddling pools, paved walkways and fountains.

Enticing attractions

• The uShaka Marine World theme park comprises an oceanarium, dolphinarium and oceanographic research institute situated on Durban's Point.
• Spot dolphins or laze the days away on the coastline between the Umdloti and Tugela rivers – the Dolphin Coast.
• The Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park, one of the largest game parks in South Africa, is home to the Big Five, as well as cheetah and wild dogs.
• The eMakhosini Valley, birthplace of King Shaka, and the Valley of Zulu Kings give visitors insight into the Zulu nation's history and culture.
• The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is one of the highest forested dunes in the world, and has an abundance of fish and birds.
• The Royal Natal National Park offers many scenic highlights, including the Amphitheatre, Mont-aux-Sources and the Tugela falls.
• The Battlefields Route in northern KwaZulu-Natal has the highest concentration of battlefields and related military sites in South Africa.
• Every year around June or July, millions of sardines leave their home on the Agulhas banks and move up to the coast of Mozambique. Thousands of dolphins, Cape gannets, sharks and game fish follow the "sardine run" northwards.

Read more about KwaZulu-Natal tourism.

Things to see and do in South Africa

Just a few of the attractions that make South Africa an exceptional destination:

• breathtaking Cape Town with its laid-back, welcoming attitude and vibrant nightlife, nestling at the foot of Table Mountain
• Cape Point
• the delights of Sun City and the Lost City, and many other first-rate casino resorts walking in the spectacular Drakensberg mountains
• the chance to learn how to say "hello" in the country's 11 official languages
• the country's Blue Flag beaches
• the variety of national parks and transfrontier conservation areas
• eight world heritage sites
• the lilac-breasted roller, the blue crane and the other 900 bird species to be spotted in southern Africa
• the Big Five and other wild animals found in the many parks and game reserves
• the strange halfmens (half-human) and the exotic baobab, just some of South Africa's many amazing trees and plants
• battlefields on which imperial Britain fought Zulus, Xhosas and Boers
• the dazzling floral displays which carpet Namaqualand every year
• the mountains, forests and beaches of the Garden Route
• the silence and solitude of the Karoo's wide-open spaces
• country hospitality (and home cooking) in hundreds of picturesque towns and villages across South Africa
• the endless golden beaches of the Eastern Cape
• fly-fishing in stunning scenery with first-class accommodation
• fabulous golf courses that produced the likes of Gary Player, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Louis Oosthuizen
• an array of cultural villages, arts festivals, rock paintings and museums
• the adrenaline rush of the many adventure-tourism opportunities available in the country.

World heritage sites

South Africa has eight world heritage sites, namely:

• Robben Island
• iSimangaliso Wetland Park
• uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park
• Mapungubwe
• Sterkfontein Cradle of Humankind
• Cape Floral Kingrom
• Vredefort Dome
• Richterveld culural and botanical landscape.

Source: South Africa Pocket Guide 2010/11
Editor: D Burger. Government Communication and Information System

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Last modified: 12 July 2011 12:44:03.