Best known as the ostrich capital of the world, Oudtshoorn has more to offer than just a chance to visit ostrich farms. Set in the Little Karoo—South Africa’s semi-desert—the town is the gateway to the Swartberg mountains, the Cango Caves, and innumerable nature reserves and trails. Visitors can also enjoy local restaurants and wineries.
Rising more than 2,000 feet (600 meters) above the Atlantic Ocean, Lion’s Head peak presides over Cape Town and can be spotted from nearly everywhere in the city, but the real treasure is the view from the peak. Hike the steep trail the top to be rewarded with views of the coastline, cityscape, and neighboring Table Mountain.
Twelve Apostles Mountain Range—with its rock buttresses and deep ravines—stretches majestically south from Cape Town along the rugged Atlantic Coast. You can explore the mountains up close on numerous hiking trails, or you can view the scenic formations from the coastal road that runs between the base of the bluffs and ocean.
Trails, waterfalls, and wildlife draw visitors to lush Tsitsikamma National Park. Set along South Africa’s scenic Garden Route and spanning 50 miles (80 kilometers) of coastline, the park stretches from the mouth of the Storms River to Nature’s Valley. Embark on various adventures here, from a multi-day hike along the Otter Trail to one of the world’s highest bungee jumps.
Rising high above Cape Town, Table Mountain is a symbol of the city and arguably its most famous natural landmark. From the flat-topped summit—reached by cable car—visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the city and ocean. On clear days, you can see Robben Island, Camps Bay, and the Atlantic Seaboard. Hiking fans also love this area, as well as adrenaline seekers who come for rappelling.
Originally a jetty built in 1654 to provide fresh water and produce to the sailors of the Dutch East India Company, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is now one of the most-visited attractions in South Africa. The area is a development consisting of two harbors, retail shops and museums, seascapes and mountain views, and plenty of places to bed down, drink up, and eat away.
The Delaire Graff Estate is a luxurious winery at the base of the Cape Fold Mountains, filled with art collected by owner Laurence Graff. With a particular focus on works from African artists, you’ll be surrounded by the beauty of both nature and humans. The winery is noted for its Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties.
Step into Cape Town’s dynamic history by visiting the oldest remaining colonial-era building in the country. Built by Dutch colonists at the end of the 1600s, the Castle of Good Hope once served as a maritime resupply point and military hub. Its historic architecture and displays make it a popular attraction on tours of the city.
District Six Museum was founded in 1994 to honor those who were forcibly removed from their homes in the area. In the mid-1960s the South African government began relocating some 60,000 nonwhite residents to a slum-like township miles away and destroyed their homes in order to make the neighborhood whites-only.
While a robust wine culture and picturesque vineyards are now synonymous with the Western Cape of South Africa, it all started with Groot Constantia. The oldest wine estate in the country, Groot Constantia offers visitors opportunities to tour the winemaking facilities, historic manor house and museum, and surrounding grounds. Plus, you can enjoy tasting their famous dessert wines.
The Cango Caves are made up of a diverse array of underground formations. ranging from massive caverns to narrow passageways barely wide enough to squeeze through. Spacious, well-lit corridors reveal floor to ceiling stalagmites and stalactites. In contrast, the cave’s tunnels are dark and cramped, offering a bona fide caving experience.
Cape Town’s Two Oceans Aquarium celebrates the unique marine animals that live off South Africa's coasts, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Travelers can get a glimpse of life below the surface of the ocean surrounding southern Africa, including microscopic creatures, magnificent fish, penguins, turtles, sharks, stingrays, rare seahorses, and colorful clownfish.
The Stony Point promontory, in the small town of Betty's Bay near Cape Town, is home to a colony of African penguins. The colony is not as well-known as the bigger one at Boulders Beach, but you’ll still find thousands of the little penguins and, usually, fewer tourists.
The misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is South Africa’s southernmost point has made it a bustling tourist hot spot, with throngs of visitors queuing for the perfect photo. Buck the trend and make your way to the true southern tip of South Africa–Cape Agulhas in Agulhas National Park. Apart from its geographical significance, the park offers hiking, fishing, and accommodation.
When the Dutch East India Company arrived in what would become known as Cape Town in 1652, one of the first things they did was plant a garden to help feed the settlers. The Company's Garden still exists, today as a public park. A green oasis in the center of the city, the garden is a favorite of both locals and visitors.
The Slave Lodge at theIziko Museums of South Africa is located in a building formerly owned by the Dutch East India Company; it housed hundreds of slaves between 1679 and 1811. Slaves labored in the adjacent Company’s Gardens and awaited auction on nearby Spin Street; as many as 20 percent of them died here.
The cobblestone plaza of Greenmarket Square is one of Cape Town’s liveliest public spaces. Originally home to a slave market and then a produce market, the square now fills up with vendors selling painted fabrics, handcrafted jewelry, and other trinkets while street performers keep shoppers entertained with music and dance.
There’s more to Africa’s wildlife scene than big game, and you don’t have to get far from Cape Town to discover it. Set in Hout Bay, the World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park provides dynamic habitats for 400 different species. The largest aviary in Africa, the sanctuary is home to 3000 birds and monkeys living in walk-through enclosures.
South Africa’s Stellenbosch region is filled with award-winning wineries and Jordan Wine Estate continues the legacy. As a relatively young winery founded in 1993, the estate is known for its bold use of traditional techniques to produce modern flavors. Surrounded by the mountains and lush farmland of Stellenbosch, Jordan Wine Estate is the perfect stop on any tour of South African wine country.
Khayelitsha is thought to be not only the largest township in South Africa but also the fastest growing. Established in 1985 as part of an apartheid-era law—black residents were forcibly moved to the new township, sometimes violently—Khayelitsha is known today for its entrepreneurial spirit and social-development projects.
A mountain pass in South Africa’s Western Cape, Sir Lowry’s Pass winds through the Hottentots Hollands Mountains on the N2 highway that links Cape Town and the Garden Route. It offers spectacular views back towards Cape Town, up towards paragliders (in season), and over into the lush landscapes of rural Elgin.
In West Coast National Park, fields of colorful wildflowers overlook the clear, turquoise water of the Atlantic Ocean. Egrets, ospreys, and sandpipers congregate, and whales and dolphins play in the sheltered lagoon from May to November. This idyllic spot is only one hour away from Cape Town by car and offers a peaceful getaway from the city.
Family-owned with a history of social responsibility, Delheim Wine Estate produces wine that not only tastes good but makes you feel good about buying it. The Stellenbosch region has become known for opulence and luxury, but Delheim’s garden restaurant and rustic tasting areas invite you to make yourself at home as you sip the winery’s popular Pinotage Rosé and Spatzendreck dessert wine.
About 5 miles (8 kilometers) off the coast of Gansbaai, a town in South Africa's Western Cape, Dyer Island is a bird sanctuary closed to the public. It was originally called Ilha de Fera, Portuguese for “Island of Wild Creatures,” which makes sense given that the island is home to hundreds of African penguins.
The Cape Dutch-style buildings at the Boschendal Wine Estate are painted a brilliant white, contrasting against the greenery of the Franschhoek valley. In the background, the rugged mountains elevate the scene from the basically bucolic. One of South Africa’s oldest wineries, this historic farm is the perfect place to bask in the peace of the Cape winelands.
Located on the Western Cape, the !Khwa ttu San Culture and Education Center celebrates the rich culture and history of the indigenous San, southern Africa’s first people and one of the world’s last hunter-gatherer societies. The center offers a heritage museum, interactive experiences, trails, a restaurant, a gift shop, and lodging options.
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) features 21st-century art from Africa and beyond, housed in historic grain silos on the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. Be part of an innovative viewing experience as you wander 100-plus galleries spread over nine floors of the 108-foot (33-meter) glass-topped cylinders.
A glorious expanse of mountain peaks and forested valleys scattered with lakes, beaches, and winding rivers, the Wilderness National Park is among the many highlights of South Africa’s Garden Route. Part of the Garden Route National Park, the Wilderness Section affords endless opportunities for hiking and wildlife watching.
Tenikwa Wildlife Centre sits along South Africa’s southern coast—the region known as the Garden Route is one of the country’s most beautiful areas. Scenic roads look over windswept beaches, with craggy hills rising in the background. At the center, learn about the area’s biodiversity as you watch big cats at play.
Under the canopy of an indigenous South African forest, more than 700 primates live in the world’s first free-range, multi-species primate sanctuary. Tours of Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary offer no species sighting guarantees, but you will see primates from around the world, while learning about their patterns, habitats, and threats.
