15 of the best things to do in South Africa

08.09.2024 - 13:55 / lonelyplanet.com

Sep 7, 2024 • 14 min read

It’s no secret that South Africa is one of the world’s top Big 5 safari destinations.

You could come here only to go on safari and think South Africa was the best country ever. But wait – there’s so much more to this fascinating realm perched at Africa’s southernmost tip.

South Africa’s ethnic and cultural diversity influences its cuisine and art in exciting, unexpected ways. Its scenery is stunning, from wave-crashed shorelines and wildflower-carpeted deserts to wildlife-filled bushveld and tropical forests. The country has cosmopolitan cities, charming wine towns and important cultural traditions. Apartheid’s struggles are faced head-on at several important sights. 

You can hike, surf, kayak, fish, whale watch, horseback ride, dive with sharks and crocodiles and stargaze under some of the planet’s darkest skies. The only problem is how to even begin planning a visit to this immensely blessed, multifaceted land. Start planning your trip with this list of the top things to do in South Africa.

Most of the year, the remote region known as Little Namaqualand is parched, a seemingly sunbaked wasteland in South Africa’s Northern Cape. But for a short period in July, as winter rains begin to fall, the area bursts to life with billions of blooms. Endless carpets of flowers in every hue cover its diverse topography, from deserty plains to fertile valleys to towering mountains. 

But what truly sets this spectacle apart is the sheer variety of flowers; more than 3500 species grow here, more than half rare or endemic, meaning they live nowhere else on Earth. The most iconic is the Arctotis, commonly called the African daisy. Gazania glows with hot yellow and orange petals, and Carpobrotus, commonly known as pigface, creeps along the ground.

The best places to take in the ephemeral flowery show are Richtersveld, with a backdrop of yawning canyons and jagged mountains; Skilpad Wildflower Preserve west of Kamieskroon, part of the bigger Namaqua National Park, a fabulous spot to gaze at the famed Nama daisies; and the 14,973-hectare (37,000-acre) Goegap Nature Reserve outside Springbok, with some 600 indigenous plant species. 

Planning tip: Accommodations in the park (primarily campsites and chalets) are in high demand during this short blooming season. Either book reservations as soon as they open (usually 11 months in advance), or find places to stay in the nearby towns of Kamieskroon and Garies.

As the early morning sun rises over the bushveld, a herd of elephants thunders past, a leopard enjoys a snack up in a tree, and a lion stalks its prey. These are the joys of going on safari in South Africa, where you have an excellent chance of spotting the Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and