The Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies just an hour from Johannesburg, and the Origins Centre makes a great preview. The three-story museum, close to the city center, tells the tale of humanity’s African beginnings through interactive exhibits, video, tapestry, a spectacular collection of rock art, and more.
The Playground comes to life in Johannesburg’s Braamfontein district every Saturday. Located in the space of the former Neighbourgoods Market, The Playground is a weekly artisan marketplace and creative community space that combines food, fashion, art, music, and more, with vendors, pop-ups, and regular events.
Stretching from Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront to the tip of the Cape of Good Hope, the Cape Peninsula’s Atlantic Coast is lined with beaches, viewpoints, and towns. Choices in where and how to enjoy the coast range from the partygoer hubs of Green Point and Sea Point to the expansive beaches and resorts of Hout Bay and Camps Bay.
Spanning almost 750 acres (300 hectares, the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden centers on the 230-foot (70-meter Witpoortjie Falls. With a breeding pair of Verraux’s eagles plus areas devoted to bush veldt and wildflowers, the garden has a wild feel to it—but collections of ferns, succulents, birds, and butterflies impress.
At Exotic Animal World, zookeepers care for hundreds of rare and exotic animals that have been surrendered or seized by the authorities. Lemurs and colorful birds move freely through a pretty indoor tropical garden and the reptile house is home to plenty of tortoises and jewel-bright snakes.
Located in Johannesburg’s sprawling Montecasino complex, the bird gardens offer a sunny respite from the bustle of the city. As you wander the manicured grounds, you’ll spot colorful tropical birds, inquisitive red-ruffed lemurs, and sleepy lizards basking in the sun. Thanks to the reptile and bird shows hosted throughout the day, it's a favorite destination for families.
With a collection spanning the gamut from oxcarts, tandem bicycles, and horse-drawn trams to steam trains, retro buses, and fire engines, the James Hall Museum of Transport is the biggest land transport museum in South Africa. The museum houses more than 2,500 vehicles, historic photos, informative displays, and occasional temporary exhibitions.
The top performing arts venue in the Durban area, The Playhouse Company occupies two adjacent buildings in the heart of downtown Durban: one mock Tudor, one a former 1930s picture palace. The multi-venue complex houses three theaters that put on live shows ranging from opera and ballet to drama, live music, poetry, and community arts.
The family-owned Bufflefonstien Game and Nature Reserve comprises rolling grassland where zebras and rhinos roam and copses of trees where you can spot giraffes grazing peacefully. When dusk falls, visitors can bunk down in thatched cottages with rustic stone walls constructed from natural materials found on the grounds and hear lions roar outside.
An informal settlement, Imizamo Yethu sits above Hout Bay in Cape Town as a collection of colorful shacks, many built from scrap metal. Residents come from different South African cultures and most remain disadvantaged, with the site plagued by fires, but Imizamo Yethu has a positive energy that’s distinctly South African.
Immerse yourself in the culture and flavors of India—without leaving Durban—on a stroll through the city’s Indian Quarter. Home to the highest population of Indians outside of the subcontinent itself, Durban is known for its authentic Indian food and heritage. The Indian Quarter is where you can find cultural landmarks such as the Juma Mosque and Victoria Street Market.
A rugged, dry tableland in the Western Cape, the Little Karoo (Klein Karoo) offers caves, vineyards, meerkats, ostriches, and unspoiled wilderness—not to mention a scenic journey from the Cape Town area to the Garden Route. Highlights include the Cango Caves, the Swartberg Pass, and the ostrich-farming town of Oudtshoorn.
South Africa’s Swartland region is known for its wineries, yet it is far less visited than the more celebrated Cape Winelands. With its largely dry growing conditions, Swartland produces some of the best wines in the country and boasts stunning scenery dotted with golden wheat fields, olive groves, vineyards, and mountains.
