Limpopo

Limpopo is now home to one of South Africa’s most popular and malaria-free big game destinations – the Waterberg, a high plateau in the west of the province surrounded by bushveld. The Marakele National Park and the privately owned Welgewonden Game Reserve are here, as is the renowned Lapalala Wilderness area. You will find woodcarvers, potters, intricate beadwork, legends and myths, and even a Rain Queen, the hereditary female ruler of the Modjadji people, who is held to have the power to make rain. Many rivers and lakes are believed to be the home of water spirits and sacred pythons, which are given offerings and paid homage to by the local people on a regular basis.

Gauteng

There are a number of great natural attractions, like the Dinokeng Game Reserve, Gauteng’s only Big Five nature reserve; the Pretoria National Botanical Garden; and the Magaliesberg mountains. There’s plenty to do in Gauteng, whether one favor a night on the town, a game drive or some great shopping. There are museums, galleries, theatres, historical sites, cultural hubs and a number of music festivals.

KZN (Durban)

In the west of the province you’ll find South Africa’s most magnificent mountains, the Drakensberg, in the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, a World Heritage Site.

Inland, the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands offer a lush, green countryside brimming with historical little towns, attractive country hotels and irresistible craft routes. KwaZulu-Natal is also where battles that captured the world’s attention took place in the 1800s and early 1900s, when Boers and Brits battled Zulus, and Boers battled Brits.

The coast, which has a subtropical climate all year round, is home to Durban, South Africa’s chief port, a fascinating mix of British, Indian and Zulu cultures.

North West

North West is an inland South African province that borders Botswana. Its landscape is defined by mountains in the northeast and bushveld scattered with trees and shrubs. The province is home to Sun City, an upscale resort with hotels, a casino, and a water park with a massive wave pool. Nearby is Pilanesberg National Park, with an extinct volcano and more than 7,000 animals, including lions and elephants. Running along the edge of Sun City is the small and pretty Letsatsing Game Reserve, which is managed by Mankwe Game trackers, who offer various activities in the reserve. The newest and most exciting of these activities is rhino tracking. On this educational activity, you will shadow a field guide as he tracks wild white rhinos with the help of a telemetry device that picks up a signal from a chip planted in the rhinos’ horn.

Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga (Zulu name for “the place where the sun rises”) is a province in eastern South Africa, bordering the nations of Swaziland and Mozambique. It embraces the southern half of Kruger National Park, a huge nature reserve with abundant wildlife including big game. The province’s iconic Blyde River Canyon, among the world’s largest, is known as a green canyon because of its subtropical foliage.

The Three Rondavels view point are at the beginning (or end) of the spectacular Blyde River Canyon drive on Mpumalanga’s Panorama Route. Shaped like traditional African beehive huts, the Three Rondavels form three huge pinnacles of rock rising above the canyon below. Once known as the Three Sisters, these geological formations are one of the many natural highlights along Mpumalanga’s Panorama Route.When you stand on the viewpoint, 1 380m above sea level with the Blyde River Canyon below, you’ll still be looking up at those three distinctive peaks which tower 700m above the surrounding countryside. Be surefooted at the viewpoint, especially as there’s no rail. Expect spectacular African sunsets if you’re there as the sun goes down.

Northern Cape

The Northern Cape can be considered one of those provinces that has so much to offer, with its rich history and it natural scenery both man-made and natural. Located approximately 43 km from Kuruman, the Wonderwerk caves are a archaeological wonder into understanding the previous societies which made the Northern Cape their home. One of South Africa’s best man-made attractions, the Big Hole is a testament to just how dedicated the men were in trying to mine diamonds during the New Age diamond rush. Created during the late 1800s, the Big Hole was a combination of smaller mines which were dug in a manner to create one big mine, saw through by diamond and mining consolidate De Beers.

Western Cape

The Western Cape boasts a heady mix of mountains, vineyards, and oceans that appeal to millions of visitors annually. More than any other province its attractions border on iconic and, as a result, the province is the most popular for foreign visitors. From Cape Town there are easy trips to the wine-lands, along Route 62, into the Overberg in pursuit of whales, up the West Coast to experience the annual spring flowers, into the Olifants River Valley and its heavily fragranced citrus groves, the banks of the Breede River in the valley of the same name, the hiking trails of the Cederberg, the diversity of the Klein Karoo’s historical towns, and the all-round impressiveness of the Garden Route.

Free State

Located in Motheo in Bloemfontein, a visit to the Bagamoya Wildlife Estate is a unique experience and allows you to interact with large cats including lions, tigers and much more. This is a truly African experience where you can enjoy game drives, lion feeding, the Lioness restaurant, kids play area and lots of other outdoor activities.

Located in Monument Road in the heart of Bloemfontein, this proud historical landmark gives insight into the Anglo-Boer War (1899 – 1902) and includes a unique art collection, dioramas and exhibits. Visitors will also get a glimpse into the prisoner of war camps and explore hundreds of artifacts and antiques from the war.

Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. In Camdeboo National Park, which surrounds the town of Graaff-Reinet, the Valley of Desolation is one of the most striking natural features on the Eastern Cape. The access road climbs to 1,500 meters and ends at a parking area with well-maintained footpaths to panoramic viewpoints along the steep cliff face. Here, visitors can enjoy spectacular views of towering dolomite rock pillars and the surrounding countryside.

The Wild Coast is the ancestral home of the Xhosa people as well as other tribes whose villages dapple the landscapes. The best way to explore this rugged and remote region is by 4WD vehicle, but the adventurous can also hike along walking tracks connecting the local villages or explore the area on horseback. Tourist highlights in the region include the popular Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve and the Hole in the Wall, a natural arch carved by thrashing surf. Along the famous Garden Route, a 200-kilometer-plus scenic drive, which stretches from the Eastern Cape to the Western Cape, the Storms River Suspension Bridge is one of the most popular attractions in Tsitsikamma National Park, a spectacular coastal reserve that is now part of Garden Route National Park.