We covered which South African city suits your travelling style last week. Now, we’ve curated a list of activities you have to try when travelling to South Africa for the first time—from Hermanus whale watching to even trying out immersive African dining.
1. Go on a safari game drive
Host to an amazing array of wildlife sanctuaries, South Africa is renowned for its game drive experiences. Safari game drives consist of spectating the wildlife while on a vehicle, and traversing through the wilderness to discover the various animals wandering in their natural habitat.
Common animals to spot include herds of elephants, leopards, spotted hyenas, giraffes, white rhinos, and more. Depending on the type of safari game drive you sign up for, several drives may allow you to explore nature reserves on foot, go on a night drive, or even go off-road to get closer to wildlife.
This adventure is a must for first-time tourists to South Africa, with game drives particularly popular in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban.
2. Go whale watching in Hermanus
If you’ll be travelling to the beautiful coastal town of Hermanus, you can’t miss out on Whale season!
As Southern Right Whales migrate from their Antarctic feeding areas to Walker Bay, Hermanus, for six months, you can catch these pods of whales from early June to late November.
To get even closer to the adorable aquatic creatures, register for a whale watching session and snap a memory to take home.
Additionally, Hermanus holds an annual Whale Festival every end of September to the beginning of October, classifying itself as the only Eco-Art festival in South Africa! Watch the town come alive to celebrate these rare whales, and see for yourself what makes this annual event so spectacular.
Hermanus Whale Watching
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3. Ride around Cape Town in a sidecar
If you’re planning a road trip around Cape Town city, the Cape Peninsula or the Cape Winelands, you can either travel by car, or do it the fun way by riding a chauffeured vintage motorbike with a sidecar!
Take your hands off the wheel, and sightsee Cape Town for as long as you want. From two-hour tours to full-day outings, sidecar tours can be tailor-made to suit the most special requests. Sidecar bikes usually carry the driver plus up to 2 passengers, and have no age restriction.
4. Enjoy an immersive South African cuisine dining experience
Have a taste of authentic African cuisine and experience African culture through immersive performances at the GOLD restaurant.
Through GOLD’s 14-dish tasting menu, you’ll learn about each dish and its country of origin, alongside traditional cooking techniques and the rich spices that bring each dish to life.
With live performances throughout the evening, GOLD also allows you to fully immerse yourself in the richness of African culture. Beginning with an optional interactive pre-dinner djembe drumming session, experience traditional dancing and Mali puppetry, all while vibrant marimba percussion echoes the heartbeat of Africa.
GOLD
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📍 15 Bennett Street,
Green Point, Cape Town
🕛 6pm–11pm (Daily)
5. Ride the Franschhoek Wine Tram
Situated in the premier and picturesque town, Franschhoek, located about an hour and a half from Cape Town, explore several wine estates via the Franschhoek Wine Tram.
With five tram lines to choose from, you’ll start your journey from The Franschhoek or Groot Drakenstein Terminal (dependent on which line you choose). Once the tram sets off, discover more facts and landmarks significant to the 300-year history of Franschhoek, and even taste some wine along the way!
Franschhoek Wine Tram
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📍 Corner of Main Road & Cabriere Street, Franschhoek, Western Cape 7690
Corner of R310 Main Road & R45, Groot Drakenstein, Western Cape 7680
6. Try wild meat at The Carnivore Restaurant
For adventurous eaters, The Carnivore Restaurant is an iconic dining destination known for its all-you-can-eat meat experience. Its most famous location is in Nairobi, Kenya, with a second location in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Serving Masaai spears with at least 15 types of meats, offering beef, pork, lamb, and chicken, but also unusual choices like crocodile, venison, ostrich, and more. Once you’ve eaten your fill, “surrender” by lowering the flag on your sazy susan to enjoy a round of delicious dessert, accompanied by tea or coffee.
Vegetarian and fish dishes are also available, so no one gets to miss out on this renowned spot!
The Carnivore Restaurant
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📍 69 Drift Boulevard (R114), Johannesburg, Muldersdrift, Gauteng, South Africa
🕛 12pm–3.30pm, 6pm–9.30pm (Mon to Fri), 12pm–3.30pm (Sun)
From eccentric safari game drives to travelling along wine estates, which activity will you be trying first?
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Photos by Angela Tan.
