The Wild Coast
Set aside at least two hours for this inspiring museum right in the centre. It offers visitors a fascinating journey through the life of Nelson Mandela…
Must-see attractions in Southern Africa
Namibia
This unearthly dry vlei (low, open landscape) amid lonely dunes makes a rewarding excursion. It's a 4km return hike from the 2WD car park. The route is…
Cape Town
There's a sweeping view of the vineyards from the terrace in front of the tasting room at this boutique winery, which is known for its sauvignon blanc and…
Maputo
Works of renowned sculptor Alberto Chissano, as well as his remains, are on display in his family’s residence at the Chissano Gallery. Taxis from central…
Maputo
Half a block west of Avenida Karl Marx, the National Art Museum has an excellent collection of paintings and sculptures by Mozambique’s finest…
Centro Cultural Franco-Moçambicano
Maputo
An excellent place, with art exhibitions, music and dance performances, films, theatre, a craft shop, a cafe and more.
Lilongwe
This 1.1-sq-km wilderness area is Malawi's only sanctuary for orphaned, injured and rescued wild animals, and plays an active role in conservation. Local…
Cultural & Museum Centre Karonga
Malawi
This museum, off the M1, celebrates the numerous fossil discoveries made in these parts, and the skeleton of the Malawisaurus (or a copy of it, anyway)…
Stellenbosch
Simon van der Stel’s son Willem first planted vines here in 1700. The buildings and elegant grounds have ravishing mountain views and a ‘stately home’…
Windhoek
Windhoek’s best-recognised landmark, and something of an unofficial symbol of the city, this German Lutheran church stands on a traffic island and lords…
Pretoria
The imposing, art-deco-style Voortrekker Monument was constructed between 1938 and 1949 to honour the journey of the Voortrekkers, who journeyed north…
Durban
Durbanites are proud of their state-of-the-art stadium, constructed for the 2010 World Cup. Resembling a giant basket, it seats 56,000 people, and its…
Lilongwe
To get up close to Malawi’s movers and shakers, head to the home of the national parliament. It moved in 1994 from Zomba to the ostentatious palace of…
Maputo
Maputo’s landmark train station is one of the city’s most imposing buildings. The dome was designed by an associate of Alexandre Gustav Eiffel (of Eiffel…
Swakopmund
In 1905 the need for a good cargo- and passenger-landing site led Swakopmund’s founders to construct the original wooden pier. In the years that followed,…
Lilongwe
This marble and granite mausoleum is the final resting place of Malawi's 'president for life', Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Between four pillars bearing the…
Durban
Divided into areas including Sea World and Wet’n’Wild, uShaka Marine World boasts one of the largest aquariums in the world, the biggest collection of…
Cape Town
Meaning ‘Upper Cape’, the Bo-Kaap, with its vividly painted low-roofed houses, many of them historic monuments, strung along narrow cobbled streets, is…
Lusaka
The idea of seeing a rhino in the wild just 15km from the capital seems absurd, but this new national park (opened in 2015) allows you to do just that…
Western Cape
Some 6km west of Greyton is Genadendal, the oldest mission station in South Africa, founded in 1738 and for a brief time the largest settlement in the…
Garden Route
This excellent museum offers insight into Mossel Bay's role as an early stomping ground for European sailors. Named for 15th-century Portuguese explorer…
Cape Town
These shady green gardens, which started as the vegetable patch for the Dutch East India Company, are a lovely place to relax. They are planted with a…
Durban
These collections are well worth seeing. Muckleneuk, a superb house designed by Sir Herbert Baker, holds the documents and artefacts collected by Dr…
KwaZulu-Natal
In keeping with Pietermaritzburg’s self-styled role as a heritage city, one of its finest sights, the art gallery, was started in 1903 by Mrs Ada Tatham…
KwaZulu-Natal
On 5 August 1962, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was captured by apartheid police on the R103 outside of Howick. This would mark the start of his 27 years of…
Bloemfontein
During the Anglo-Boer War, this was the site of the British naval-gun emplacements. There are good views from the top of the hill, which is also home to…
Simon's Town & Southern Peninsula
This small vineyard known for its fine sauvignon blanc has a spectacular setting overlooking Noordhoek Beach. Enjoy the wines with a picnic (R395 for two,…
Lusaka
On the southern outskirts of town is this elephant nursery set up by Game Rangers International (a Zambian conservationist NGO), which works with rescuing…
Lesotho
This site is unique in Lesotho, not only because it is the country's only snake park, but because you can also get your car washed while you visit the…
Pretoria
This 38-sq-km reserve, 27km south of Pretoria, off Rte 21, is popular with locals who come for fishing in the dam, but is also great for wildlife viewing…
Durban
A 2000-sq-metre garden featuring one of the rarest cycads (Encephalartos woodii), as well as many species of bromeliad, this is a lovely place to wander…
Durban
Found southwest of the city centre, this museum features a private collection of Southern African tribal artefacts, displayed in Roberts House, a…
Western Cape
Taste the Jacksons pinotage here – a fine example of South Africa’s home-grown grape variety. There’s also charming self-catering accommodation available …
Stellenbosch
Warwick’s red wines are legendary, particularly its Bordeaux blends. The winery offers an informative Big Five wine safari (referring to grape varieties,…
Lesotho
Revamped in 2016, the well-maintained cultural village is a highly worthwhile stop. Excellent guided tours of the complex explain traditional Basotho…
Swakopmund
This recently overhauled waterfront aquarium provides an excellent introduction to the cold offshore world in the South Atlantic Ocean. Most impressive is…
Botswana
The dry heart of the dry south of a dry continent, the CKGR is an awesome place. If remoteness, desert silences and the sound of lions roaring in the…
Namibia
Etosha National Park, covering more than 20,000 sq km, is one of the world’s great wildlife-viewing venues. Unlike other parks in Africa, where you can…
Okavango Delta
Moremi Game Reserve, which covers one-third of the Okavango Delta, is home to some of the densest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. Best of all, it’s…
Namibia
Nowhere else in Africa will you find anything quite like Fish River Canyon. Whether you're getting a taste of the sheer scale and beauty of the place from…
