Travel in South Africa

This getaway is an opportunity to truly unplug for the weekend with limited reception in the valley.

With a contemporary Scandinavian design, the hotels 138 rooms and suites provide a calming setting with natural materials, wooden details and rich, earthy colors that pay homage to its African surroundings.

If you have a particular outdoor or travel passion, be it hiking, biking, golf or skiing, there’s a Bucket List trip for you to experience this year. These are all topics I have specialized in for three decades, and I continuously try new outfitters and new destinations to find the best trips on earth, so I figured I’d kick off the New Year by sharing some of that expertise.

If 2022 travel trends were all about a return to travel, then 2023 was the year we went further than ever before. Travelers took to the skies, rails, roads, and seas to cross off goals on their bucket lists with Arctic adventures, luxury yacht cruises, and even the first tourist trip into space.

African countries are seeing a surge in international travel, fueled by luxury safari experiences with repeat visitors. Returning travelers remain excited by the continent’s iconic wildlife. However, they want to mix up their experiences beyond spotting game from the back of a Jeep.

As 2023 draws to a close, there is nothing more exciting than the prospect of planning an unforgettable trip for the coming year. If travel is on your bucket list for 2024, you're not alone. Get some inspiration with these 21 unique events happening across the globe that are worth traveling for. 

Whether you plan on spending the last few days of the year relaxing in front of the screen for some well-deserved rest, or plotting out your next travel adventure for 2024, there’s nothing like some armchair traveling to get you inspired. 

Where do you find spectacular and life-changing destinations that are without the hordes that have become commonplace in so many destinations worldwide, particularly in Europe? Last week in Forbes, I asked some travel experts about where people are going. This week, I asked the same gurus about their choices for where to go next. I was looking for off-the-radar destinations they love, places to go before they get discovered.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, December 22. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

More international travelers have been visiting South Africa this year, with visitors from the U.S. especially seeing significant growth. But crime fears might deter a full recovery. So leaders are deploying 2,300 tourism monitors during the peak holiday season to bolster the safety of visitors.

Safety is top of mind for many travelers as they plan out their trips for 2024 and beyond. But for those in the LGBTQ community, and their allies, knowing which countries are welcoming towards gay travelers is an important consideration. Part of measuring that sentiment is knowing where residents stand on rights, including same-sex marriage. The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about issues and attitudes shaping the world, released a new study showing which country’s residents support same-sex marriage the most, and which countries have the lowest level of support.

Trevor Noah has spent a lot of time on the road lately. Since wrapping up his tenure as host of The Daily Show last year, the comedian has been hopping between continents to perform standup in some of the world’s greatest and most fascinating cities, from Berlin and Tokyo to Glasgow and Paris. His travels have also, unsurprisingly, given him more material to work with—much of which he explores in his new Netflix special, Trevor Noah: Where Was I, released on December 19. Condé Nast Traveler recently caught up with Noah—who also has a new Spotify podcast, What Now? with Trevor Noah, in the pipeline and will be returning as host of the 66th annual Grammy Awards in February—to talk national anthems, South African curries, and why travel has the power to shift our perspectives.

Delta Air Lines' flagship aircraft is about to get a little bit more premium.

More women are traveling alone, and tour operators and travel companies are seeing a surge in older, married women embarking on these solo adventures. 

The allure of an African safari is unrivalled, offering the opprtunity to spend time in the natural habitat of animals many of us know only from children’s storybooks or television. But it can be hard to feel immersed in the wildness of your surroundings when you’re in a queue with dozens of other vehicles on a game drive.

In the chilly predawn hour of late July, the peak time for a winter safari in Botswana, I sink deeper into the seat of our electric Land Cruiser, bundled in layers of scarves, blankets, and jackets. We’re on the move. A predator, the elusive African leopard, was spotted near our lodge the night before. While tracking this large nocturnal cat will ultimately prove difficult, I have already witnessed a different rare sight on this trip: a crew of all-woman guides known as the Chobe Angels, the first in Africa and the only such team in Botswana, where women still represent less than 5% of all safari guides.

Founded as recently as 1886, Johannesburg went on to become the largest city in South Africa. It was the long-time home of the country’s first Black president and is now a burgeoning student hub with a progressive mindset. Nelson Mandela’s House and the Soweto township along with the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill are vital components of any Jo’burg itinerary before heading to Kruger and beyond.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Friday, December 15. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

“Last August, I spent two weeks in Africa with six of my best mates. I was at this point in my life when I didn't want to go chill on another beach or sit at a hotel or even party; I wanted to be out learning things and experiencing cultures. Africa had been on my mind—and I'd been to South Africa before—so we made our way across Namibia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda. In Serengeti National Park, in Tanzania, we missed the Great Migration but saw plenty of hippos and elephants. In Kenya, we visited the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary—a community-owned organization that takes in orphaned animals—where we got to feed baby giraffes. Another day, we flew to Mount Kenya in a helicopter. About three quarters of the way up, we hovered over one of its many beautiful volcanic lakes, and I jumped right in...like, straight out of the chopper and into the lake. It was absolutely freezing. One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was trekking through Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, where we hiked for two days through the jungle to spot gorillas. Along the way, we stumbled across these remote villages, meeting people who told us stories of their lives and kids who welcomed us with smiles and music. It was surreal to realize that my ancestors came from a place like this. But nothing prepared me for the moment when we finally saw the gorillas. We came across this flat piece of land, and suddenly there they were: a group of about 10 mountain gorillas within a meter of us. It was mind-blowing. Seeing them there, so relaxed in their natural habitat, was incredibly moving. I remember thinking, This is where they should be, in their homes—free.”

Home to one of the most-visited archaeological sites in the world, diverse ecosystems and a gastronomic scene that’s been booming for over a decade, it’s not difficult to come across a traveler with Peru on their bucket list — or one who has already crossed it off. 

Destinations worldwide are courting Indian travelers, including countries throughout Africa. Authorities in several African nations are ramping up their efforts to attract visitors from the rapidly growing market.