Often referred to as “a world in one country,” South Africa is arguably the most diversified vacation spot in Africa. Jagged mountains, verdant savannahs, lush forests, and bleak deserts make up the nation’s breathtaking landscapes. A vast array of species is protected by hundreds of reserves and more than 20 national parks.

A world-class tourism destination is created when you combine sophisticated cities, breathtaking beaches, award-winning wines, and an intriguing mingling of cultures. A shortlist of the top South African tourist destinations is provided below, while it is impossible to include all of the nation’s gems.

1. Kruger National Park

The most visited safari destination in South Africa is Kruger. The nation’s most famous park is a fantastic option for a Big Five adventure, whether you’re on a tour or a self-drive safari. Aside from the highly sought-after shortlist of lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, and elephant, it is home to a vast array of creatures and is the size of a small country. Over the course of a few days, you can compile a substantial list of the more than 500 species of birds that have been identified.

2. The Sand Game Reserve of Sabi

Sabi Sands, a private game reserve with open borders to Kruger, is a fascinating but more expensive option to the national park. There are several chic lodges with excellent service and exquisite cuisine scattered around the 650km²/250mi² wilderness area. Expert guides lead game drives in open safari vehicles and will venture off-road to provide up-close views of all five of the Big Five, including the infamously elusive leopard.

3. The city of Cape Town

The oldest and most stunning city in South Africa is Cape Town. Cape Town, surrounded by picturesque Table Mountain and the sea, is well-known for its white sand beaches, old buildings, beautiful views, and quaint vineyards.

4. Canyon of the Blyde River

After the Grand Canyon in Arizona and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia, the Blyde River Canyon is the third greatest riverine gorge in the world. It is the largest “green canyon” and is well-known for its lush greenery and breathtaking beauty.

Drive along the picturesque Panorama Route, stopping at popular vantage sites like the Three Rondavels and Pinnacle Rock, to get a sense of the huge scope of this natural phenomena from above. Another option is to explore the geologically intriguing Bourke’s Luck Potholes, which offer an alternative viewpoint from inside the canyon.

5. The Garden Road

Because of its exceptional natural beauty, the 200 km/125 mi coastline that runs between Mossel Bay and Tsitsikamma is known as the Garden Route. It boasts stunning beaches, forests straight out of a fairy tale, towering mountains, winding rivers, and lagoons teeming with wildlife. It is understandable why it is among the most visited tourist destinations in South Africa.

6. Winelands of Cape

Hundreds of distinct wineries may be found in the Cape Winelands, which is conveniently close to Cape Town, the most popular city in South Africa. Anticipate breathtaking mountain vistas, award-winning dining options, historic colonial Cape Dutch architecture on exquisite estates, and the chance to sample and purchase some of the finest wines in the nation.

7. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Kgalagadi is a transfrontier park in the Kalahari desert that spans the boundary between South Africa and Botswana. Two old dry riverbeds that cut across an endless sea of red dunes are the park’s lifelines. Big cats are drawn to migratory herds of springbok, wildebeest, and gemsbok at an exceptionally high concentration. The Kalahari lions, distinguished by their striking black manes, are the most notable.

8. Wetland Park in iSimangaliso

The KwaZulu-Natal coast is home to a patchwork of protected areas called iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Lake St. Lucia, a sizable estuary teeming with hippos, crocodiles, and water-associated species like flamingos and pelicans, is the focal point of this varied area. South Africa’s diving destination is Sodwana Bay, which boasts stunning coral reefs, and uMkhuze Game Reserve is a perennial favorite among photographers looking for exceptional photographic hides.

9. The Drakensberg

Some of the most striking scenery in South Africa are found in the Drakensberg. This is the highest mountain range in Africa south of Kilimanjaro, with several dozen peaks rising beyond 3,000 meters (9,800 feet). Some of the best hiking paths in the nation may be found in the expansive wilderness area, which is home to craggy peaks, deep canyons, undulating plateaus, and secret valleys. Aside from its scenic value, the region has been designated a World Heritage Site due to the large number of San rock drawings found in hidden caverns.

10. Elephant National Park in Addo

Addo is the ideal addition to a Garden Route self-drive road vacation starting in Cape Town. An exciting chance to see these giants up close is provided by the park’s extremely acclimated elephants. Lions, black rhinos, buffalo, and the magnificent spiral-horned greater kudu antelope are among the other animals. The balls of dung in which the indigenous flightless dung beetles lay their eggs are frequently observed rolling.

11. The Human Cradle

More than half of the world’s early hominid fossils have been discovered in the Cradle of Humankind, a paleoanthropological site and a Unesco World Heritage Site. The creative Maropeng Visitors Centre is the starting point for kid-friendly self-guided excursions. A visit to the neighboring Sterkfontein Caves takes one to a cavern where, in 1936, the 2.5 million-year-old “Mrs. Ples,” the most complete Australopithecus africanus skull ever found, was found.

12. National Park Mapungubwe

Mapungubwe is located where South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe converge at the meeting point of two powerful rivers. The park is a stunning location for both day and nighttime wildlife drives because of its sandstone formations, striking baobab trees, and riverine forests.

However, the park has been designated a World Heritage Site due to the significance of the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape. A tour of the well-known Iron Age site known as the “Hill of the Jackals,” which contains the remnants of South Africa’s earliest kingdom and dates from 900 to 1,300 AD, is a must-do while visiting this area.

13. Game Reserve at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi

The bustle of Durban, the country’s second-largest city, is less than three hours’ drive from Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, one of the country’s oldest game reserves. It was first created as a sanctuary for the last southern white rhino population in the nation. Due to the initiative’s remarkable success, it is currently among the best locations in Africa to witness this endangered heavyweight. Giraffes, elephants, lions, and various antelope, including the elegant nyala, are among the other creatures you may see here.

14. Namaqualand

Namaqualand is a semi-desert located in the Northern Cape, a remote coastal region of South Africa. Most of the time, the area doesn’t appear all that striking to the untrained eye, despite being a hot point for biodiversity with the highest concentration of succulent plants in the world. But every year from August to September, the otherwise monochromatic terrain is transformed into a breathtaking wildflower display with carpets of daisies, violets, aloes, and other flowers in a variety of colors.

15. The Coast of Wildness

Some of the most breathtaking Indian Ocean beaches in the nation may be found along the Wild Coast, as the name suggests. Outdoor enthusiasts will be more drawn to this outdoor paradise with its rocky cliffs, protected beaches, enigmatic shipwrecks, and thick coastal forests than those seeking a traditional beach vacation. The local Xhosa people, many of whom continue to lead very traditional lives, own the majority of the land collectively.