Top 5 Reasons to Visit South Africa

Perfect for: Road-trippers, families, couples, and coastal cruisers

If ever a road trip came with a highlight reel, this is it. The Garden Route is the crown jewel of touring holidays in South Africa, weaving its way through forests, beaches, lagoons, and cliff-hugging roads. Stop off in Knysna for fresh oysters, zipline through Tsitsikamma, or watch whales in Plettenberg Bay. It’s ideal for couples chasing romance, families looking for fuss-free adventure, or anyone who loves a good playlist and a great view. Pack snacks and hit the road.

Perfect for: Families, wildlife lovers, and anyone who appreciates waddling cuteness

Forget lions and Land Rovers for a second—let’s talk penguins. Yes, actual penguins, chilling out on a sunny beach just outside Cape Town. Boulders Beach is home to a colony of African penguins who’ve set up camp right on the sand, and you can get up close (but respectfully distant) on scenic boardwalks. Kids love it, couples love it, everyone loves it. Plus, it’s the perfect add-on to a road trip down the Cape Peninsula.

Perfect for: Foodies, romantics, wine lovers, and Instagrammers

Sorry, Napa—Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and the Cape Winelands have entered the chat. Touring holidays in South Africa aren't complete without sipping your way through vineyard after vineyard in some of the most beautiful countryside on Earth. Think wine tasting on sun-drenched patios, gourmet picnics, and hopping between historic estates (with zero pretension and lots of pinotage). Bonus: the scenery is basically begging to be your next screensaver.

Perfect for: First-time visitors, solo travellers, photographers, and urban explorers

Cape Town isn’t just a city—it’s a whole vibe. Where else can you climb a mountain, hit the beach, and sip a craft gin on a rooftop all in one day? Table Mountain is the poster child (rightly so), but don’t miss the colourful houses of Bo-Kaap, a wander through the V&A Waterfront, or a ferry ride out to Robben Island. Cape Town makes touring holidays in South Africa exciting, diverse, and packed with "wait, we can do that too?" moments.

Perfect for: Culture vultures, curious minds, and thoughtful travellers

Touring holidays in South Africa aren’t just about the sights—they’re about the stories. Learn about the country’s complex past at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, take a township tour led by locals, or catch live music and street art in buzzing neighbourhoods like Maboneng. And don’t even get us started on the food—braais (BBQs), bunny chow, bobotie… it's a culinary passport to flavour town.

Because where else in the world where you can watch lions on a sunrise safari, sip world-class wine by sunset, and still have time to dance in a buzzing urban bar by night? Touring South Africa means you’re never stuck in one place, and every stop brings something fresh, surprising, and unforgettable.

Just take a look at what our Hays Travel experts got up to on their South Africa Touring Holidays!