AFRAA to join Focus Africa initiative

Young travelers are hungry for adventure, and it’s taking them to Africa. 

South Africa – with its dramatic coastline, wildlife-filled parks, vibrant cultures and cosmopolitan cities – can be within reach for travelers of all budgets.

South Africa’s ministry of tourism and Airbnb have announced a partnership to regulate the country’s short-term rental industry.

Incredible wildlife, world-class beaches and cosmopolitan cities – South Africa has so much to offer that it's no wonder travelers flock there. But it's important to be aware of entry requirements to avoid disappointment upon arrival.

From dynamic Cape Town and cosmopolitan Johannesburg to wildlife-filled expanses of wilderness such as the Kalahari and the Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa is rich with adventures. The best time to visit will depend on where you want to go and what you want to do when you get there.

Most of the big travel companies — Priceline, Tripadvisor, Booking.com, and more — have released AI trip planning tools on their websites. 

South Africa offers some of the world’s most diverse landscapes, from sparkling oceans and stark deserts to snow-capped peaks and wildlife-dense savanna.

Let’s not beat about the bush: South Africa has a bit of a scary reputation. Much is said about the country’s unenviable crime rate, but so much more can be said about all the things that make this diverse destination so magnificent. You shouldn't let anxiety about possible dangers put you off visiting this amazing African country. 

South Africa is an excellent destination for family trips.

In October 2019, my husband and I booked a weekend getaway in the Pilanesberg, a Big Five game reserve in South Africa. Work had been really stressful, so we figured a trip to a nearby reserve for a few game drives (or safaris, as they’re commonly known) would be just what we needed.

WHY IT RATES: Pleasant Holidays and its luxury brand, Journese, has added new Egypt, Jordan and Nile river cruise itineraries that can be customized to include such iconic destinations as Cairo, Luxor, Amman, Petra and the Dead Sea. — Laurie Baratti, TravelPulse Associate Writer

It once contained one of the densest wildlife concentrations in Africa. But once the Mozambican Civil War broke out in 1977, the wildlife in Gorongosa National Park was one of the casualties; at one point, a count of zebras in the park was reduced from 3,500 to nine. Starting in 2004, though, American philanthropist Greg Carr working with the Mozambique government began the process of returning the wildlife population to this territory in what is regarded as the greatest restoration project on the continent. In a week long tour scheduled for September, 2024 and conducted by Natural World Safaris as part of the company’s Expeditions for Change program, those efforts will be on view in experiences that will resonate even to those on frequent safaris.