Southern Africa is exceptionally diverse in so many ways.
Hundreds of languages are spoken here, for instance. And then there’s the scenery. We have a hyper-arid desert as well as sky island rainforests. And of course there are the animals. You can find penguins and seals as well as hyenas and ostriches.
With that in mind, how do you choose just eight places to mention? It’s tough indeed, and the list naturally ends up being highly subjective.
So here’s my caveated personal list of the top eight places to go to in Southern Africa as a tourist (with deepest apologies to all the highly worthy places not mentioned). And because it was hard enough already to whittle things down, I haven’t included any islands, even though countries like Madagascar and Mauritius would otherwise be shoo-ins.
1. Victoria Falls – for the unmatched spectacle
Victoria Falls
A destination that would undoubtedly make it onto anyone’s list of the best places to go in Southern Africa is Victoria Falls. Its more descriptive local name is Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means ‘the smoke that thunders’ in Lozi. Indeed, the spray (‘smoke’) sent up by this mile-wide waterfall when in flood is legendary, drenching anyone standing on Knife Edge Bridge, and the sound of the crashing water could be called thunderous.
Victoria Falls is part of the Zambezi River, and shared by Zambia and Zimbabwe. You can admire it from both sides, which I recommend. You can also explore the unique rainforest on the Zimbabwean side that gets 365 days of ‘rain’, swim in Devil’s Pool by the waterfall’s lip on the Zambian side, take sunset cruises on the Zambezi, bungee jump off the historic Victoria Falls Bridge, and more.
2. Bazaruto Archipelago – for the beaches, corals, and marine life
Benguerra Island in the Bazaruto Archipelago
The east coast of Africa is renowned for its beautiful coral reefs and diverse marine life. It’s also blessed with many soft-sand beaches that meet warm, calm, translucent waters. The Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique is a standout option, not least because it’s a lesser-visited destination and so gifts you a truly serene and uncrowded experience.
Head to Bazaruto if you’re keen to snorkel or dive among pristine coral reefs. You can also do boat tours to spot whales, sharks, dugongs, and whale sharks, among other species. And did you know that Bazaruto is reportedly the only place in the western Indian Ocean to have seen nesting sites for five sea turtle species? Of course, the archipelago is also a heavenly destination even if your only wish is to read your book, sip delicious drinks under palm trees, and bury your toes in the sand.
3. Cape Town – for history, scenery, flowers, and marine wildlife
View from Lion’s Head
Only one city has made it onto this list, but it’s a no-brainer. Cape Town is a city like no other. It has a truly rich and multicultural history, a massive and beautiful flat-topped mountain, a sublimely rugged coastline, floral wonders, and exceptional bird and marine diversity. There are also world-class vineyards within an hour’s drive.
While in Cape Town, I suggest going on a walking heritage tour or two, perhaps through District Six or the Castle of Good Hope. Visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and climb Table Mountain. Visit Robben Island where Mandela was held. Go on a whale-watching tour. Drive to the Cape Peninsula lighthouse and visit African penguins at Boulders Beach en route. Enjoy sundowners in Camps Bay. And then do far more than that, because I’ve only scratched the surface of what this special city has to offer.
4. The Amphitheatre and Tugela Falls – for the sheer drama of it all
Tugela Falls
Everyone knows Table Mountain, but there’s another flat-topped mountain shared by South Africa and Lesotho that’s far grander in scale: Mont aux Sources. Rising to 3,282 m, it’s part of the greater Drakensberg, an escarpment mountain range that’s decked in greenery much of the year, but also sees regular winter snow.
Mont aux Sources has an imposing convex rock wall that’s a captivating sight when seen from the foothills in South Africa. Called the Amphitheatre, avid hikers will enjoy the challenge of hiking up it to sleep on the plateau for the night before climbing back down, making use of chain ladders in places. You can also visit the source of Tugela Falls while atop the mountain. This five-stage waterfall is the second-tallest in the world, and a spellbinding sight.
Southern Africa has many of the continent’s most beautiful and biodiverse wildlife reserves. For a classic sort of safari, where you trundle in a 4×4 under a big sky, you want to visit a reserve with plenty of bushland and savannah (grassland). Here you’ll find the most iconic of Africa’s wildlife species, like lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, wildebeests, zebras, elands, and impalas.
Some of the best bush parks are Kruger and Addo in South Africa, Gorongosa in Mozambique, Majete in Malawi, North and South Luangwa in Zambia, and Hwange in Zimbabwe. Of course, such parks invariably have other ecosystems too, like woodland and wetlands, all the better to spot even further species such as hippos and crocs.
6. The Okavango Delta – for the best water-based safari
A bush elephant in the delta
Another of the top places to go in Southern Africa as a tourist is the Okavango. This enormous inland delta sits within the Kalahari Basin in northern Botswana. Every autumn it receives a much-needed influx of water from the north, which then fans out to feed a network of winding rivers, reed-lined channels, and lagoons.
Visitors delight in going on wildlife-spotting canoe trips, sunset boat cruises, hot air balloon rides, and overland safaris in the surrounding savannah and woodland. You can find the Big Five here, among other large mammals like the cheetah and endangered African wild dog. Of course, water-loving species are some of the most exciting finds when in the delta; think submerged hippos and waterbucks and red lechwes standing in the shallows. Know that the Okavango Delta is also a thrilling birding destination, having over 400 species in the migratory season, including rare Pel’s fishing owls and slaty egrets.
7. A Kalahari Desert reserve – for different wildlife
A hartebeest in Kgalagadi
The Kalahari Desert is a semi-arid savannah that hosts many of the same animals as regular savannah, but also many desert-adapted species that are rare elsewhere. These include oryxes (gemsboks), springboks, meerkats, and Cape and bat-eared foxes. Also, the Kalahari lion is a special population that looks and acts a little differently from regular lions.
I encourage you to plan a Kalahari safari in addition to a savannah safari. Arguably the best public parks to visit are Kgalagadi, shared by Botswana and South Africa, and Botswana’s Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Makgadikgadi Pans. Note that the Makgadikgadi Pans fill with water after summer rains and host many migratory birds like flamingoes, pelicans, storks, and teals. The surrounding grasses also spring to life, triggering one of Africa’s largest zebra migrations.
8. The Namib Desert – for its sand dunes and coastal wetlands
Deadvlei clay pan
Finally, the last item on my list of the top places to go in Southern Africa as a tourist is the Namib Desert in western Namibia. One of the driest deserts in the world, it’s famous for its sand dunes, some of which rise to 300 m (980 ft) or higher! Enjoy thrilling 4×4 drives and quad biking through the dunes, challenge yourself to climb to the top of one, and visit the centuries-old tree skeletons of Deadvlei, a white-clay pan surrounded by red dunes.
The Namib Desert’s western boundary is the cold and stormy Atlantic Ocean, which frequently sends early morning mist climbing up its valley floors. Not very well-known is the fact that there are some important wetlands to be found along this coastline, like those of Walvis Bay and Sandwich Harbour. Here, you can find flamingoes, pelicans, cormorants, sandpipers, and many more wonderful migrant waterbirds in showstopping numbers. And there are tens of thousands of Cape fur seals in Walvis Bay too!
If you’d like to do a grand tour of all or some of these Southern African destinations, the best and most affordable way is on an overlanding trip. Check out the itineraries below for inspiration or to book a trip.
Note: This blog post was created by Andrew Walton on 21 September 2021. It was completely rewritten by Megan Abigail White on 28 May 2026.
Here are the top places in South Africa for a thrilling and diverse birding safari With over 850 recorded species and a high proportion of endemics, South Africa is one of the world’s best birding destinations. Let’s discuss South Africa’s…
Namibia is a land of bold, contrasting, and mesmerising scenes There are the strong lines of its desert dunes. Shipwrecks rusting in misty, forgotten coves. Rugged mountain ranges scarred by canyons. River-wallowing wildlife and waterfalls. Forgotten towns, cracked salt pans,…
Cape Town, the mother city of South Africa (as she is affectionately known); is one hip and happening mother. Beautiful white sandy beaches; mountains crossed with hiking trails; spend hours scouring museums and galleries, or shop till you drop at…
Here are 15 of the best photography spots within the city of Cape Town Cape Town is a truly fortunate city. Why? It’s been blessed by nature with an abundance of beauty. There are the ocean views, the mountains, the…
Here are five things to know before your African safari From showing caution with respect to the wildlife, which includes mosquitoes, to managing your expectations on what you’ll find, here are five things I believe it’s useful to know or…
Surrounded by rugged mountains and verdant valleys, the Addo Elephant National Park is the Garden Route’s crowning jewel. Situated 70kms (44 miles) away from Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), this safari hotspot should not be missed on a South Africa Tour or if…
Namibia is often overlooked as a safari destination in favour of the more famous South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. Namibia, a huge, sparsely populated country to the north west of South Africa, may not have the stereotypical safari settings of…
You don’t need many reasons to visit the Victoria Falls. This majestic waterfall on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe is rightly named the ‘smoke that thunders’ and deserves to be on everyone’s travel buckelist. Where the calm waters of…
There are a few things to consider when deciding where in Africa to take your kids on safari – and I discuss them all Those able to take their kids on safari most definitely should! It’s a mind- and soul-expanding…
Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s most affordable game parks, making it a great option for budget travellers South Africa’s flagship game reserve, Kruger National Park, offers the quintessential African big-game safari experience. The Kruger’s vastness and diverse ecosystems…
Mozambique’s C20th conflict collapsed the country’s tourism, but now it’s rebuilding, and tourists are returning Some older readers may remember when Mozambique was one of Southern Africa’s premier tourism destinations. High-flyers from all over the globe came here to enjoy…
Africa is awash with amazing game parks, so choosing the best African safari destination for you depends on your personal priorities If you know you want to do an African safari but aren’t sure which country or parks to visit,…
Before booking an overland safari, it’s important to understand the differences between luxury and overland safaris For various reasons, African safaris are pretty pricey holidays, even if you choose budget transport and accommodations. So please understand that an expensive safari…
Think “wildlife in South Africa” and images of the fabled Big Five migrating across rugged open plains are sure to be the first and probably the only that come to mind. Whale, whale, whale, I’ve got news for you! Whales…
There are many excellent malaria-free safari destinations in Africa, particularly in Southern Africa Malaria exists throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. So naturally, visitors have valid concerns around this issue. But please know that there are large regions of Africa that…
![6 Reasons why Victoria Falls should be on your Travel Bucketlist [Guide]](https://africanoverlandtours.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/african-overland-tour-Zimbabwe-travellers-768x1365.jpg)
