South Africa is home to some of the greatest wilderness experiences, including safaris, and awe-inspiring landscapes and mountains. In addition, the country offers world-class wines, restaurants, and galleries. Use this list as a guide when planning your clients’ South African vacation for 2021.
Unforgettable South African Safaris
South Africa is one of the very few places on Earth to see all of the Big 7: Cape Buffalo, African Elephant, Leopard, Lion, Rhinoceros, Southern Right Whale, and Great White Shark during your trip.
Top Safari Destinations in South Africa:
- Kruger National Park – private game reserves like Sabi Sands, Thornybush, Londolozi, MalaMala, Lion Sands and Dulini
- Madikwe Game Reserve
- Phinda Game Reserve
- Pilanesberg National Park – host to five of the Big 7, the park also features several lodges to make the safari journey last several days
- Addo Elephant National Park
Active Adventure
- The Bloukrans Bridge, at 216 meters, is the highest commercial bridge bungee jump in the world and attracts adventure seekers from all over the globe.
- The Orlando Towers bungee a 100-meter drop to the ground in Soweto adds a whole new dimension to sightseeing in this famous Johannesburg township.
- Jungle Adventure – Zipline adventure of The Magoebaskloof Canopy Tour. This unique tour takes explorers on an unforgettable journey above the Letaba River gorge in Limpopo, just a two-hour drive from Kruger National Park.
- Pilanesberg– an extinct volcano and is one of South Africa’s largest game parks. It’s only a few hours’ drive from Johannesburg, where you can enjoy the aerial safari in a hot air balloon over the breathtaking Pilanesberg National Park.
- Shark Alley- one of the best Great White shark cage-diving destinations in the world near Gansbaai in the Western Cape.
- Hermanus – The whale capital was ranked in the top 12 whale watching locations in the world by the World Wildlife Fund. Only a two-hour drive from Cape Town, this little town is the heart of the Whale Route.
South Africa’s Breathtaking Scenery
Whether clients want it for their soul or the gram, here are South Africa’s most awe-inspiring, picturesque areas:
- Table Mountain
- Spring wildflower bloom at Goegap Nature Reserve, Namaqualand
- Bourke’s Luck Potholes
- Blyde River Canyon
- Amphitheatre Valley
- Elands River Falls, Mpumalanga
- Bo-Kaap, Cape Town
- Tsitsikamma National Park
- Chapman’s Peak Drive
- Cape Peninsula
- Jacaranda tree-lined streets in Pretoria
- Golden Gate Highlands National Park
- Free State province
- Cape Vidal Beach
- iSimangaliso Wetland Park
- KwaZulu-Natal
- Valley of Desolation
- Camdeboo National Park, Eastern Cape
- Hole in the Wall, Wild Coast, Eastern Cape
Sun-Soaked Coastal Towns
Clients can explore tropical coral reefs and discover excellent diving and snorkeling spots when visiting South Africa.
- Hamburg, Eastern Cape
- Strandfontein, Western Cape
- Mtunzini, KwaZulu-Natal
- Pennington, South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal
- Nature’s Valley, Western Cape
- Pringle Bay, Western Cape
- Morgan Bay, Eastern Cape
Bustling City Life
- Cape Town (pictured above)
One of the world’s favorite cities, Cape Town is a place so beautiful, one picture is enough to sell it to anyone. The city hosts acclaimed international jazz festivals, and visitors are mesmerized by local musicians and the rhythms that drench the air. Recommend a picnic or unforgettable open-air concert at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, the most peaceful setting imaginable, hidden against the slopes of Table Mountain. After a long day, Clients can relax at Camps Bay with fine white sands and natural rock swimming pools. If they want to keep the adventure going, point them to Boulders Beach, home to a colony of African Penguins. - Johannesburg
South Africa’s City of Gold is radiates true urban energy packed with local color, flavor, and soul. Clients can hang out with the trendiest locals at street-side cafes overlooked by contemporary apartment blocks, or get their taste buds revved up and ready to try everything they can see or smell at weekend food markets, aroma-filled coffee shops or some of the finest restaurants on the continent dotted throughout the city. - Durban, Port Elizabeth and more
South Africa has plenty more remarkable cities to explore, like Durban on the semi-tropical east coast, where beach-life lives in perfect harmony with an energetic modern city. Or feel perfectly at home in warmth of the historic coastal city of Port Elizabeth, known as the “Friendly City.”
South Africa Gastronomy – “Food that feeds the soul”
In Cape Town, travelers can learn to cook traditional Malay curries that mix sweet and sour flavors with spice blends that have been passed down for generations. Durban and Johannesburg offer a variety of unique flavors clients will want to try. In addition, don’t forget to mention South Africa’s numerous wineries that offer eclectic tastings, cheese and wine pairings, and picnic and Segway tours.
History of South Africa
Travelers are invited to learn the story of Nelson Mandela by walking in his footsteps and entering his cell, where he spent 18 years, on Robben Island. Or they walk the sacred sidewalk near his home in Soweto. The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory is dedicated to keeping his memory alive.
For more history of Soweto, include a visit to the Hector Pieterson Museum and the Apartheid Museum, a thoughtful, yet brutal recollection of South Africa’s troubled history. Clients can continue learning about various cultures and tribes in South Africa at the Lesedi Cultural Village.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
- The Cradle of Humankind
- Robben Island
- The Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
- South Africa Cape Floral Region
- Maloto-Drakensberg Heritage
- Vredefort Dome – A meteor’s lasting Impression
- Mapungubwe – Uncover a “new” ancient history
- iSimangaliso Wetland Park
When planning your clients’ vacation to South Africa, book their flights, hotels, cars, tours, and land activities with the all-inclusive WINGS Booking Engine. Newly updated for the eager return to travel in 2021, it gives you the power to create your clients’ entire itinerary all in the same place, while giving you access to exclusive deals only available to those who are registered.
Not registered yet? Do it here for free!
**While preparing travel, ensure you have the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 regulations, restrictions, and guidelines. As more countries open to tourism every week, keep yourself in the know by visiting our COVID-19 page.