Top South Africa Outdoor Activities

Get more out of your time at the Atlantis sand dunes by combining two experiences in a day—an all-terrain vehicle ride and a bumper ball activity. First, jump on an ATV and enjoy the thrill of riding over sand dunes. Later, have the unusual experience of using a bumper ball—a large ball filled with air that you climb inside and roll around in—the perfect laughter-filled activity to enjoy with friends.

Make the most of your time in South Africa on this expertly planned, small-group safari experience. This two-day package takes you from Johannesburg deep into Kruger National Park—one of Africa's largest game reserves—for multiple game drives in search of the Big Five. With transport, accommodation, meals, and a knowledgeable guide all arranged for you.

Make sure you don't waste a moment, or miss an animal, during your visit to Kruger National Park by embarking on this full-day open-vehicle safari. Your ranger will spend the day taking you to places where you are most likely to see the Big Five (elephant, leopard, lion, buffalo, and rhino) and more.

The Pilanesberg National Park is home to Africa’s Big Five—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. On this full-day tour, increase your chance of wildlife sightings with two guided game drives in an open safari vehicle, tuck into a delicious lunch looking out over a popular waterhole, and perhaps spot giraffe, hippos, zebras, and antelope in their natural environment.

Saint Lucia Estuary is renowned for its wildlife, including hippos, crocodiles, and birds. Set sail on a 2-hour cruise around the lake and maximize your chances of wildlife sightings as you sail around the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park. Relax onboard with hot drinks and snacks, admire the views, and look out for herons, crakes, and hippopotamus along the way.

The vast size of Wilderness National Park can make it time-consuming to explore on foot, so make the most of your vacation and see more with this riverboat cruise option. The route showcases a variety of landscapes in a short space of time including wetlands, forests, villages, and places where luxury homes have been built. Along the way, look out for an abundance of wildlife; including kingfishers, baboons, and otters.

If you’re a shark enthusiast eager to see them up close, this tour is perfect for you. With all diving gear provided, you can travel light, and a guide will be with you every step of the way. After visiting a dive center, embark on a boat and enjoy an unforgettable cage diving experience, with the chance to spot Great White sharks, Bronze Whaler sharks, and Sevengill sharks.

Spotting the Big Five—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo—is a priority for many visitors to South Africa and this tour is ideal for those with limited time. Travel from Cape Town by upmarket air-conditioned vehicle, enjoying views of the Breede River, Hex River Wine Valley, and Table Mountain along the way, then join a group safari drive at a private game reserve and enjoy some incredible wildlife-watching opportunities.

Ride a quad bike through the wild landscape of Tsitsikamma on this excursion along the Garden Route. With a guide in the lead, you won't have to worry about navigation, and even beginners can participate. You'll get full instruction and supervision on maneuvering the quad bike, then set off to take in views of the surrounding flora and fauna while listening to insightful commentary.

This Lion and Safari Park trip is a great pick for travelers visiting Johannesburg or Pretoria. Only a short 45-minute drive away, the vast 1,000-hectare (2,471-acre) landscape is home to an abundance of wildlife—including cheetahs, giraffes, hyenas, lions, and zebras. Once inside the grounds, a guide takes you on a ride around the grassy plains to spot the magnificent creatures safely from your vehicle.

Lion’s Head—located in Table Mountain National Park—is known for being a top hiking location that offers incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Hottentots Holland Mountains. With this guided hike, you can safely explore this landscape without the worry of getting lost. Choose from a sunrise or a sunset hike, and enjoy plenty of photo stops along the way. This hike requires a good fitness level and comfort with heights.

Skip the stress of self-driving Johannesburg in the early hours, and enjoy wide-angle views from an open safari vehicle on this full-day tour to Pilanesberg National Park. This compact reserve is home to all of the Big Five—lions, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, and elephants—and your dedicated safari guides will help you spot them. Your day includes lunch, hotel pickup, entrance fees, and a bottle of water: breakfast is at your own expense.

If you’ve only got limited time to explore the highlights of Cape Town, then this guided tour is a perfect choice. Rather than being stuck on a sightseeing bus with large tourist crowds, you can benefit from the luxury of a private tour for just your personal group. Check off Bo-Kaap, Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope, and plenty more sights, with transport included along the way.

An ideal way to tick off multiple nature spots and a wildlife attraction in a day—this tour includes stops at Gordon’s Bay, the Cheetah Outreach preservation center, and Strand Beach. To save you the hassle of finding a parking spot, the tour includes round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, making it the ultimate stress-free day with hotel pickup included.

Maximize your chances of spotting the “Big Five”, as well as wild dogs and cheetahs by visiting Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park with a game ranger. Board open-air safari vehicles directly from your St. Lucia hotel and set off as the sun rises and the bush begins to come alive. Snap photos of African wildlife from up close and learn about how this park brought back the rhino population in the 1960s.

Explore Cape Town at your own pace with a 1- or 2-day hop-on hop-off bus pass featuring free Wi-Fi. Journey around three bus routes with stops at more than 30 attractions including Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Table Mountain, Constantia Valley, and the V&A Waterfront. Spend as long as you wish at each, enjoy free walking tours, or upgrade to include a harbor cruise and sunset bus tour.

Elevate your Cape Town experience with a thrilling hike up Table Mountain. In a small group of no more than four, this guided hike takes you along the India Venster trail, the most challenging and rewarding route to the summit of Table Mountain. At the top, you'll be rewarded with magnificent views over Cape Town.

Lion’s Head offers glorious 360-degree views across Cape Town, particularly at sunrise and sunset, with steep terrain requiring a guide and headlamp for safe descent. This intimate small-group tour is limited to 6 people and includes hotel pickup and your choice of 2-way transfers, drop-off only, or no transfers at all. Coffee and/or tea are provided on the sunrise hike.

Bloukrans Bridge is famously the world’s highest bridge bungee jump, located close to Nature’s Valley, along South Africa’s Garden Route. On this tour, experience the ultimate adrenaline rush as you zipline to the platform and bungee jump from the top of the bridge, at a height of 709 feet (216 meters), over the stunning Bloukrans River Gorge.

One of the best times of day to see Cape Town from the water is during sunset and this perfectly timed boat trip offers spectacular views and a great party atmosphere. After setting off from the V&A Waterfront, you can enjoy included alcoholic and soft drinks. Soak up the views, enjoy a glass of sparkling wine, and capture great sunset views at the same time.

Johannesburg is known for being a gateway to fantastic wildlife encounters, and this option is perfect for time-tight travelers interested in seeing a variety of animal species in just half a day. Enjoy included hotel pickup and travel to the Safari Lion Park. Animals that reside at the park include rare white lions, brown lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, giraffes, zebra, and antelopes.

This is not just a ticket — it’s total freedom to experience one of the world’s most iconic landmarks at your own pace. The Table Mountain Cableway ticket is valid for 7 full days, giving you the flexibility to choose the perfect weather and time to ascend, with no fixed schedule and no rush. Ride in one of only three rotating cable cars in the world, with a smooth, scenic ascent that delivers 360-degree views before you even reach the top. Once on the summit, there is no time limit — stay as long as you wish. Walk the mountain paths, take breathtaking photos over Cape Town, the ocean and surrounding peaks, watch ships glide into the harbour, shop locally crafted art, enjoy a relaxed coffee, lunch or sunset drink, and truly soak it all in. Unlike rushed tours, this ticket offers freedom, flexibility, world-class engineering and unforgettable views — all in one extraordinary experience.

Dominated by Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, and the surging Atlantic, Cape Town looks spectacular when seen from the air. Get a taste of the city from above without breaking the bank when you book this affordable short helicopter tour. Live commentary helps you identify the beaches, the Twelve Apostles, and more, while the spectacular views make memories that could last a lifetime.