South Africa: Recommended Tourist Activities

Hiking and walking are popular pastimes in South Africa and there are opportunities throughout the country from the most gentle to more demanding trails.
Walking safaris, accompanied by a game ranger, are very popular. Information including maps, itineraries and excellent hiking literature can be obtained at the local tourist offices.
South Africa has one of the widest diversities of bird types in the world, more than 870 different species, therefore great opportunities for bird-watching.
The Kruger National Park and Kalahari Gemsbok National Park are amongst the last strongholds of the large raptors, such as vultures and eagles. Reserves such as Ndumu, Mkuzi, Lake Sibaya and St Lucia in northern KwaZulu-Natal are breeding grounds for migrating flocks of pelicans and flamingos. The fynbos reserve of the Western Cape and the Langebaan Lagoon is home to over 50,000 birds in the summer, including curlew sandpipers. Inland regions such as Nylsvlei in the Northern Province and Barberspan Nature in the North West Province are weel-known locations for birdwatching. Birds peculiar to the bushveld are found in great numbers, especially at Nylsvlei.

South Africa boasts a wide range of golf courses often in stunning natural surroundings. For example, Durban Country Club course looks out over the Indian Ocean while some of those in Cape Town are set against Table Mountain. The bunkers on the 13th hole on the course at the Lost City at Sun City are home to crocodiles. South Africa is popular with international golfing stars such as Gary Player.

The Bensusan Museum of Photography in Museum Africa, Johannesburg, the Durban Centre for Photography, BAT Complex, Durban, the Duggan-Cronin Gallery, McGregor Museum, Kimberley and the Hugh Exton Museum of Photography, Pietersburg are dedicated to the art of the camera.

There are about 250 species of freshwater fish in southern Africa and over 1,500 seawater species along its coastline. A fishing license is required. Whale-watching is possible close to the shore around Hermanus in the Western Cape from July to November. Well-developed diving infrastructre in South Africa makes most of its long coastline from the Cape to KwaZulu-Natal, accessible to divers. In fact, South Africa is an adventure sports enthusiast’s dream destination, and options include abseiling, ballooning, bungi-jumping, bridge-swinging, bushcraft and survival courses, canyoning, caving, cycle tours, four by four driving, hang-gliding, high-ropes courses, hiking, horse-riding, hunting, gliding, off road motorcycling, mountain bicycling, paragliding, river rafting, rock climbing, kayaking, shark-cage diving and skydiving.