Travelogues South Africa
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Vacation in South Africa : Highlights & Travel Tips
South Africa stands out for travelers because it packs extraordinary variety into one trip: dramatic coastlines, world-class wildlife, vibrant cities, acclaimed wine regions, and a deep, complex cultural history. You can watch the sunrise over Table Mountain in Cape Town, drive the Garden Route past beaches and forests, explore the Winelands around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, and head into Kruger National Park or private reserves for the chance to see the Big Five. The country also offers powerful historical experiences, from Robben Island to Johannesburg’s Apartheid Museum, alongside excellent food, scenic road trips, and adventure activities such as hiking, surfing, shark cage diving, and whale watching.
For practical planning, South Africa is large, so domestic flights or a well-paced self-drive itinerary can help you cover more ground comfortably. Seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere, and weather varies by region, so pack layers if combining Cape Town, safari areas, and the coast. Travelers should stay aware of local safety guidance in major cities, use reputable transport at night, and book popular safaris, holiday stays, and top restaurants in advance. With good planning, South Africa rewards visitors with exceptional value, unforgettable landscapes, and one of the most diverse travel experiences on the continent.
Best time to travel South Africa
The best time to visit is September through November, with September and November showing the highest popularity and offering a great balance of pleasant spring weather, blooming landscapes, wildlife viewing, and lively travel conditions. October is also a strong choice, making early spring to late spring the best overall window for most travelers.
Best travel reports from South Africa
They can wine
September 22, 2023 Our journey continued through beautiful purple meadows through the Little Karoo, which currently doesn't look like a desert but rather like a green and...
Rest day
September 16, 2023 A day of rest on the stormy Indian Ocean came at just the right time. The alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m. to watch the sunrise over the ocean. Despite a thick...
Eastern' Day
September 14, 2023 After a hearty breakfast, we set out in the middle of the Drakensberg with a packed lunch. We walked the “Three Pools Hike” and admired 4,000 year old cave...
Tag 12 Departure Plettenberg Bay & Arrival Swellendam
After 5 nights in the beautiful apartment in Plettenberg Bay, we headed to Swellendam, which is 3 1/2 hours away. This place was recommended to us by our landlords in...
Tag 10 Knsyna & Hilltop Driving Range
It was much quieter than the previous days on our eleventh day. After breakfast, we set off from Plettenberg towards Knysna. Once we arrived in Knysna, we took a leisurely walk...
Tag 7, off to the south
After the last and coldest safari (5 degrees!) and a farewell from the King of Africa and our veranda monkeys, we headed off to the rainy 18 degree cool south at now 35...
Day 6 Leopard Hunt & Nursery
After 7 out of 8 safaris, the first signs of fatigue are noticeable, but you're almost 'done'😀 This morning we successfully tracked down the rarest big cat in Africa (Leopard)...
Day 4 Circle of Life
It's almost a bit spooky, but not only have we managed to see the 'Big Five' all in one day today, we also witnessed the 'Circle of Life'. At 6 am this morning, we were there...
Tag 2 Die Drakensberge
Am ersten Tag eine entspannte Runde von 250km in die Drakensberge gefahren. Das Wetter war so wild, wie die Natur, aber eben auch atemberaubend. Zebras, Affen, Giraffen und und...
72. Johannesburg (Südafrika)
18.02.22-22.02.22 Da wir auf unserer Weiterreise nach Costa Rica sowieso über Johannesburg fliegen müssen, verbringen wir hier 4 Nächte um zumindest einen kleinen Eindruck von...
Day 17/18/19 - Capetown & Stellenbosch
Day 17/18/19 - Cape Town & Stellenbosch First of all, we would like to apologize for the inconvenience that was caused during the time when there was no entry. Now, the...
05.01.2020 - Tag 10 - Hermanus, Südafrika
Nach dem letzten Frühstück für uns in der Hermanus Beach Front Lodge (morgen werden wir schon ganz früh abgeholt), gab’s nen kleinen Spaziergang entlang des „Cliff-Paths“ zum...
31.12.2019 - Day 5 - Cape Town, South Africa
Today, we surprised our friends Martina and Thomas with a visit and a short performance by me at their wedding. They were definitely completely "flashed" ;-), especially because...
In the south!
Friday, 11/8/19: We drive from Wilderness to Mossel Bay and spend a few hours on the beach and in the nice little town center. Then we head to the southern tip of Africa, where...
Capetown, here we come.....
We made the most of the first day, explored Victoria and Albert Waterfront, refreshed ourselves at Mitchell's, and then took an Uber and the cableway to Table Mountain.
Emdoneni Lodge and the Cats Release Program
After a start in the pool, on Saturday we ventured into the enclosures of African wildcats, servals and cheetahs at Emdoneni Lodge. At Emdoneni Lodge, various species of cats...
SAFARI IN KRUGER NATIONAL PARK (8.7.19)
Early Bird! Today we had to get up at 4:30 and were then taken to Kurger National Park. After a 5-hour drive, the arrival at our lodge was already an experience. The lodge is...
Let's go - to South Africa
Wednesday, 30.12.15 M. picks me up at 2:00 PM and we're at Tegel Airport in less than 15 minutes. We had planned extra time and now there's no one around - that's a good start!...
Friday, 15.3.19
Today, I took a day off and went on a trip instead of going to work. I went to Tsitsikamma with Ross, our neighbor, to do a zipline. I had high expectations for this zipline as...
Friday, 8.3.19
The grounds of Masizame
It's going back!!!
After exactly 7 weeks, we are now sitting here where we first entered Africa as a family of four: in Johannesburg! We have had some wonderful experiences during this time! We...
Friday, 1.3.19
When I woke up in the morning, I was a little surprised to see a black woman in our kitchen. It was Monica, the cleaning lady. It is normal here for every family to have one or...
Thursday, 28.2.19
Today I continued writing in my diary/blog in the morning and finally put it online. And I had another funny encounter at the Marketplace! A man came to the Marketplace with a...
Wednesday, 27.2.19
Today I slept in a bit because I didn't have to start work until 1 pm. I decided to walk into town and explore some new paths. I discovered a new beach with even fewer people....
Tuesday, 19/2/19
Today, I started at 7.30 am. We had to drive 2 hours to the horse stable in Jeffreys Bay. In Switzerland, this would be a day trip, but here it's just something you do for fun....
Monday, 18.2.19
In Johannesburg, I then found out by chance, using a very small sign, that my suitcase does not go through to George after all. So I had to check out and then check in again....
Hellooooo South Africa! 😊
To join our holiday feeling and comfort in Brazil, we picked up a rental car upon arrival in Johannesburg and headed straight to Dullstroom (about 2,000m above sea level)....
Poor and Rich - Protests in the slums near Port Elizabeth
On our South Africa trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg via the Garden Route, we cover nearly 3000km by car. We encounter beautiful landscapes and places where one could imagine...
1. Blog post
WHY AM I GOING TO SOUTH AFRICA? Dear friends, As some of you already know, I will be going to South Africa with the organization OM (Operation Mobilization) from August 22...