Top 10 Tourist Attractions in South Africa

Situated in the southern part of the African continent, with a coastline on the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, the country of South Africa is a beautiful place, blessed with a number of assets. Countries of Namibia, and Zimbabwe lie to its north and Mozambique and Swaziland are present to the eastern side. South Africa is rich in diversity of language and cultures, with the black African ancestors being a part of its population even today. This country is surrounded with great historical evidence, exotic wildlife, extraordinary sceneries, beautifully built cities and extremely friendly people. When you think about all these great facts about South Africa, it surely tempts you to take a trip to this wondrous paradise. Therefore, we have the top 10 tourist attractions in South Africa put together in the paragraphs below. Take a look!

#1: Kruger National Park
The first of the top 10 attractions in South Africa is the Kruger National Park, a 2 million hectares animal sanctuary. It is about 1000 miles above sea level and is situated on the low altitude grassland known as, Lowveld area which is called the "real Africa" by the natives. The climate is subtropical with a combination of both dense leafy and thorny trees, that make up a naturally created botanical garden. This national park is home to the great African elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes, and various other wild animals, both great and small. Walking safaris, mountain biking, or simply a guided tour are some of the most entertaining attractions in this national park.

#2: Garden Route
The Garden Route is another brilliantly created stretch of mountain ranges with sea waves dashing to the feet of these ranges. It is situated on the south-eastern coast of South Africa and it stretches from the western Cape, Heidelberg to the Storms River. The climate here is typically tropical, which is warm and humid in summers, and breezy in the winters. Since, it is a home to various marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, animals like dolphins and seals, 300 species of birds and of course the Southern Right Whale, there are lots of sites to see and things to do!

#3: Durban Beach Front
If you are looking for a beach vacation in South Africa, the Durban beach front would be a classic choice! The city of Durban is known to be the busiest port and the third largest city in the country. It is known to have the most beautiful beach front and the only "surfing museum" in South Africa. The beach front is full of restaurants, eateries, shopping malls, flee-markets, water sport stalls, etc., making it one of the most visited tourist points in Durban. The subtropical climate is also one of the reasons that this city attracts tourists in winters and summers. South Africa has a 3,000 km long coastline, where you would have a choice of various beaches on the West, East and South coasts.

#4: Mpumalanga
The word, Mpumalanga literally means, "the place where the sun rises" in the native Zulu language of South Africa. This province is situated on the eastern side of the country, also called the Highveld or the high altitude grassland area. There are mountain ranges in the central region of this province which is very rich in wildlife and forests. Mpumalanga covers about 80,000 square kms, stretching from highlands to the lush green forests, with beautiful waterfalls. There are also various villages and towns that are present here that portray the rich cultural heritage of South Africa.

#5: Table Mountain
The Table Mountain found in Cape Town, is one of the most extraordinary creations of nature. It is a mountain range which has an absolutely flat top, and has been featured in the flag of Cape Town. Because of its significant natural appearance, it is known to be a very popular tourist attraction for those visiting South Africa. You can hike to the top of this mountain or go via the cable-way and enjoy the mesmerizing sights on the way. The top of this mountain is a plateau which approximately extends to about 3 kms and is edged with sharp cliffs. There are two features of this mountain, the Devil's Peak and the Lion's Head that are placed to the east and west of the plateau respectively, and these give an unbelievable view of Cape Town.

#6: Soweto
Even though the Soweto is nothing but a simple area of the Johannesburg city in Gauteng, it is one of the top 10 tourist attractions in South Africa. It is the largest township that is home to a number of Africa's black population. It is also famous because it is the hometown of Nelson Mandela and has historic structures like the Hector Pieterson Memorial and the Freedom Square. Soweto has preserved all the native culture of South Africa and thus, displays it to the guests in the form of vibrant colored costumes and melodious music styles.

#7: The Cradle of the Humankind
A must see when you are in South Africa is the, Cradle of the Humankind, Gauteng. It is a strip of land where there are 13 fossilized caves made from dolomite limestone and they all contain fossils of plants, animals and hominidae (the great apes), from the evolution period. These caves are about 2.3 billion years old and are stretched through an area of 47,000 hectares, extending between Oaktree, Broederstroom, Hekpoort and Lanseria in the province of Gauteng. There are almost 200 caves which are present here with 13 sites of fossilized caves. If you are in South Africa, don't miss this for the world!

#8: Johannesburg
The "city of gold" is also one of the top vacation spots in South Africa. It is the largest city in this country and is known as the provincial capital of Gauteng (the richest province of SA). Unlike many other metropolitan cities around the world Johannesburg is a city which is not surrounded by any water body, and is located on the eastern plateau area called the Highveld. Along with its pleasant climate, incredible nightlife, and entertainment activities, Johannesburg is very popular for its zoos, comedy theaters, restaurants, historic museums, and beautiful shopping malls.

#9: The Winelands
Located in the east of Cape Town, the Winelands are a region of steeped land in the midst of lovely mountain ranges. Rich in extraordinary sceneries, the Winelands flaunt some 17th century Dutch architecture, with towns that have their own vineyards. These small towns have various restaurants and hotels which have made this valley a tourist destination because of their beautiful location. So, if you want to enjoy a relaxed vacation with your friends and family, the Winelands could be on the top of your list.

#10: Northern Cape
The last one of the top 10 tourist attractions in South Africa is the area of Northern Cape, which is the largest province in the country. However, it is the least populated and includes the semi-desert Karoo and the desert of Kalahari. The Orange River flows through these large stretches of barren land, providing a few spots with refreshing oasis. You will come across a wide botanical diversity in this area, as there are different types of succulent and desert plants found here. Other than the desert, there are also various villages and towns in this Northern Cape area, which provide you with adventure sports and entertainment activities.

With these great top 10 tourist attractions in South Africa, I hope you have made a list of the places you would like to visit! So, take a trip and enjoy these unbelievable sights and places in South Africa.