South Africa

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

Day 14 (Cape Town Table Mountain, Houseparty)

We will spend the next 6 days in Cape Town. On the first day, we will climb Table Mountain. I will hike the Indian Window Route (with a guide) and Oliver will take the cable car...

Tag 13 Ein seltsamer Tag

Der Tag begann mit einem 10(!)h Schläfchen. Doch alles ein bißchen anstrengend?🤭 Dadurch haben wir eine gebuchte Tour verpasst...hups. Dann war es sehr stürmisch und...

Tag 9: Episode of the seal

We actually wanted to walk relaxed to an observation point (The Point) for seals and whales. It turned out to be the hardest hike of our lives, including drinking rainwater to...

Day 8 Monkey strong

Today we went very relaxed to watch animals again at Monkey Land. Very funny, not a classic zoo, but rather a rescue center. Afterwards, Kathi briefly considered whether to jump...

Day 3 Four of the Big Five

After a super interesting detour to an animal rescue center, we headed to the Kruger National Park for the first safari. This is not for the impatient, but after 2 hours without...

08.02. - Cape Town

Today we went to visit the penguins and went to Boulders Beach. We packed our beach towels and swimwear and found a cozy spot on the beach. We even swam in the Atlantic Ocean...

31.1. - 02.02. Oudtshoorn

We are back after a longer absence. We spent 2 days without WiFi in the desert in Oudtshoorn. We visited Dario and Carmen again after 2 years and it was simply amazing. Upon...

Marlene visiting

This weekend I had a visit from a colleague who is currently doing a two-month course in Johannesburg. From Friday afternoon until Saturday evening, we did some nice things...

02.01.2020 - Day 7 - Hermanus, South Africa

Off to Hermanus.... Our friends Stefan and Ilona were so kind and drove us to Hermanus today, our 2nd stop in South Africa. This was of course doubly pleasant, because firstly...

01/01/2020 - Day 6 - Cape Town, South Africa

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU! After celebrating the new year with our friends at the oldest winery in the Cape region, '1692 Spier', we relaxed today with 'Braai' (South African...

iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Continuing through the iSimangaliso Wetland Park heading south to St. Lucia where we will make a two-day stopover at the beautiful Afrique Lodge by the sea, finally doing...

Arrived in Cape Town

Today I explored the city on foot and walked from my hostel in Gardens to the Waterfront. The city is very empty on a Sunday, except for the touristy Waterfront, where there was...

Friday, 29.3.19

Today was the last time we went to the beach with the children. Right at the beginning, one of them kicked the football about 3 meters into the water. They called me and asked...

Monday, 11/03/19

The weather was great again today! After breakfast, I spent some time in the garden trying to get a tan. It still doesn't look like I've been in Africa for almost a month :'D....

Sunday, 10.3.19

Today it was very stormy again! I decided to take a walk on the beach to see the stormy sea. But I didn't want to walk on the tourist beach, but on the adjacent beach, which is...

Tuesday, 26.2.19

Today I got up very comfortably again because I didn't have to go to work until 12:30 pm. The weather today is very changeable. In the morning the sun was shining and the sky...

Wednesday, 20.2.19

Today I went to Robberg with Sarah and Rouven. The name comes from the hundreds of seals that are spread around the mountain and swim and sunbathe there. The hike is very...

Boulders Beach 27.02.2018

Today I was exploring the area around Cape Town. First stop was Boulders Beach. Here, penguins live and can be admired. The scenery combined with the animals was fantastic. ...

Hermanus & Cape Agulhas

January 14: We visit Hermanus and Cape Agulhas on our way to our next accommodation. In Hermanus, we search in vain for whales, which do not stay off the coast at this time of...

Mountain Zebra Park

We set off to the park after breakfast today. We didn't expect to be surprised by such an abundance of animals. We were 'lucky' that it rained a lot, because that meant the...

Lange Highway-Tour

After a leisurely breakfast, we set off on our long journey to Cradock. The drive took five hours and we reached our 3000km milestone. We drove on a seemingly endless straight...

South Tour Sabie

After enjoying a wonderful meal yesterday and experiencing the taste of springbok and blessbock for the first time, we set off on the South Tour from Sabie this morning. We...

Jonkershoek hike 13.3km circle loop

Nice but very hot hike in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

Heritage Day

September 24, 2023 Our tour guide really has a knack for the weather. While rain storms hit Kapstadt again at night, we were able to take our city tour on foot in the sunshine....

Peter Falke Wine Estate – Stellenbosch for Dinner

Today after breakfast we briefly separated from Studer's because their path leads them to Paternoster today, where they have also arrived safely. Today we take it a bit easier...

Bredasdorp - Cape Agulhas - de Kelders (Cliff Lodge)

After a long and good night in Bredasdorp at the Breadsdorp Country Manor, we had a good breakfast and set off early to the southernmost point of Africa/South Africa....

Day 17 (Tuesday), Wine Tour

We have booked a wine tour. This takes us to the first wine tasting in the morning (9:30 AM...). The wines taste good and there is cheese with it. We continue to Stellenbosch (a...

Day 19 Wine, Wine, Pig

Okay, that was/getting really boring now 😅 But we almost made it. A tour with the wine train to a few wine tastings....as if we had any idea 😋 but at least many different...

Day 13 (Boat Tour Big Five of the Sea)

Today, despite rough waves, we took a boat tour: The Big 5 of the Sea (Whale, Shark, Dolphin, Sea Lions, African Penguin). We saw all the animals except for the dolphin....

Day 16 Cape of Good Hope

Today, despite not so good weather, we went on the (hopefully😁) last big 'challenge'. After a stopover with the penguins, we tackled the very steep, windy, and (once again)...