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South Africa is one of the world’s best safari destinations. Stark blue and bright skies, starry deserts, forests, green mountains, the crashing deep sea along the coast — name it and South Africa already sports it.
South Africa is your go to for a lifetime of adventure packed in few days’ time. If you are an outdoor person, South Africa offers you exotic safaris like no other. The country gives you a chance to see the Big Five, that is, lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo, and leopard. Find the beauty of dangerous wilderness in the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Addo Elephant National Park, and several other reserves in the region.
If you are someone who loves roads and long journeys, the dramatic landscapes of the country make for an excellent road trip. There are some spectacular routes for a perfect road trip, such as the Garden Route, Route 62, the Wild Coast, or the Waterberg Meander. So here’s your chance at the ten best South African adventure experiences:
1. Ever Ridden an Ostrich? Now You Can Ride One in Oudtshoorn
The Ostrich Safari Park in Oudtshoorn is the world’s ostrich capital. This farm, owned by local ostrich farmers, is spread over an area of 1800 hectares and offer you guided tours, a gift shop for you to pick souvenirs from, and a cafe to relax in. You can see upto 150 birds at the same time, proudly flourishing in their natural habitat. If you have the stomach for it, you can actually ride an adult bird here, be assured that it’s an adventure of a lifetime! Want to experience a trip such as this?
Location: You can visit Safari Ostrich Farm at R328, Oudtshoorn, 6620, South Africa.
Price of the adventure: USD 12
Why we recommend this adventure: Riding an ostrich is a unique adventure you won’t come across anywhere but here in Oudtshoorn. So gear up and make your way for this once in a lifetime expedition.
2. Scout the Cango Caves, Pass-Through Devil’s Chimney
Located just 29 kilometres from the Ostrich Farm at Oudtshoorn (17 kilometres away from the town of Klein Karoo), Cango Caves are nature’s miracle in terms of stunning cave formations underground. You can see stalactites, stalagmites, and complicated dripstone caverns a thousand years old. But what attracts daredevils to this point is the Devil’s Chimney, which is just 45 centimetres in width. An average person can fit through it easily, but it is the climb up the “chimney” that’s challenging.
Location: You can now visit the Cango Caves at Cango Valleie Road, Oudtshoorn, 6625, South Africa.
Price of the adventure: USD 9.29-13.94
Why we recommend this adventure: If you are a cave enthusiast, discovering the Cango Caves is just the thing for you. The Devil’s Chimney is a thing one mustn’t miss, for it is unlikely to find a well-formed natural cave and a natural chimney at that.
3. What is it to Swim with a Shark? Time to find Out!
If you have watched Deep Blue Sea, and would like an adventure that revolves around sharks, here’s your chance! Diving into the deep sea to watch sharks swim by you has become rather popular recently. The assuring thing about this? You get to be in a cage. The cage is then lowered into the sea and you can watch the world’s most dangerous predator swim around you. Shark cage diving is best experienced during the South African winter, which is May-October. You can avail this at Mossel Bay or Gansbaai. Gansbaai is two hours away from Cape Town, which is located 163 kilometers away.
Location: You can now go for shark cage diving at 9 Kus Drive, Kleinbaai,Gansbaai, South Africa.
Price of the adventure: USD 156.25
Why we recommend this adventure: Ideal for brave adventurers who are fond of being close to the sea and sharks! This is an expedition unique to the South African continent, so it’s a must for the truly brave at heart.
4. When in South Africa, See The Big Five
The wildlife reserves of South Africa promise you a great adventure because you can spot the Big Five of South Africa; Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Rhino, and Elephant. You can easily spot all of them in few days’ time in the private reserves around Kruger National Park (380 kilometres from Pretoria).
Some other reserves where you can easily come across the Big Five are the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve (550 kilometres from Johannesburg), Addo Elephant National Park (750 kilometres from Cape Town), Thanda Safari Private Game Reserve (23 kilometres from Hluhluwe) etc. Be a part of this adventure now!
Location: You can head into Kruger National Park at Malayan Gate, Nelspruit 1350, South Africa.
Price of the adventure: USD 27.70
Why we recommend this adventure: Spotting the Big Five of South Africa is an opportunity of a lifetime. If you are a wildlife enthusiast, this is the perfect getaway for you.
5. Watch a Whale Swim into the Horizon
Located just 120 kilometres away from Cape Town, Western Cape’s seaside town of Hermanus is famous for its “whale watching” activity from July to November. The best part of this adventure is that you can see the whales from the shores itself. Hermanus is known as the best place in the world to watch whales from land.
Location: You can experience whale watching at 148 Westcliff Rd, Hermanus, 7200, South Africa.
Price of the adventure: USD 126-177
Why we recommend this adventure: Hermanus is the only place in the world from where you can see a spectacular view of whales in the sea from the land. This is an adventure you definitely shouldn’t miss!
6. Scale Great Heights at the Drakensberg Mountains
Situated at an elevation of 3482 meters above the sea level, the Drakensberg mountains are a haven for hiking for experts as well as novice hikers. A basic level of fitness is good enough for you to go on this trek. The Drakensberg mountains are a UNESCO world heritage site. This is where the Tugela river originates and falls 900 meters below, in the valley. The vast landscape is bound to blow your mind away, so make sure that you start your trip to South Africa with this adventure!
Location: The Drakensberg mountains are located in Bergville, KwaZulu Natal.
Price of the adventure: USD 82
Why we recommend this adventure: It doesn’t matter what your fitness levels are, this is a trek you can go for irrespectively. So set out for a hike in the Drakensberg mountains and experience the beauty of nature like never before.
7. See the Largest Green Canyon in the World Here
The Blyde River Canyon is a unique feature of South Africa, where you find greenery amongst the rugged wilderness of the continent. The largest green canyon in the world calls out to you from a height of 6378 feet with its breathtaking views of the surrounding hills, mountains, the Blyde river snaking around and the bright blue South African sky. The canyon is made of red sandstone and has its highest point at Mariepskop (6378 feet).
Location: You can go for a hike at the green canyon from the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve.
Price of the adventure: USD 8.45
Why we recommend this adventure: The world’s largest green canyon is an adventure trip no traveller who loves hiking should miss. Experience the beauty of Mariepskop and marvel at nature’s stunning sights.
8. Hike to the Lighthouse at The “Cape of Storms”
At 200 meters, Cape Point’s steep cliffs and rocks stand out by the sea. Portuguese sailor Bartolomeu Dias named this point as the Cape of Storms. Cape Point is located about 71 kilometers away from Cape Town and can be reached by public transport or a rented vehicle. In the early days, the rocky shores of Cape Point were the reason for numerous shipwrecks as the shores weren’t visible because of the fog at night until it was too late. A lighthouse was finally built here in 1859, which prevented such accidents. You can hike to the very end of Cape of Storms and climb to the top of the lighthouse, where you can look out to the endless sea.
Location: You can hike to the lighthouse at Cape Point, Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, South Africa.
Price of the adventure: USD 9
Why we recommend this adventure: The Cape of Storms gives you perspective. Watching the endless sea in front you can be quite liberating, adding to the fact that you get to do so from the top of a lighthouse.
9. Kayaking in Waters Full of Crocodiles and Hippos? You got it!
In Northern KwaZulu-Natal, the estuaries of St.Lucia are rather infamous for the number of crocodiles and hippos that lurk in the waters. So what’s exciting about a place such as this? You can actually kayak your way through these waters, while these dangerous wild animals are all around you. The fascinating thing about hippos and crocodiles is that they don’t really need any human to annoy them in order to attack. So be careful as you wade through the waters! KwaZulu-Natal is situated at a distance of 468 kilometers from Johannesburg, so it’s just a flight away.
Location: You can go for kayaking with the wild animals at the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, St. Lucia.
Price of the adventure: USD 61
Why we recommend this adventure: The excitement for a certain activity increases by leaps and bounds when there’s an uncertainty about how things would go. This is what kayaking with the wild animals is like in St.Lucia. Come here for the thrill of watching crocodiles and hippos so close to you in their natural habitat.
10. How about a Jump from Bloukrans Bridge?
An extremely popular site for Bungee jumping, the Bloukrans Bridge offers you adrenaline rush with its 216-meter jump into the Bloukrans River Valley. No matter how peaceful the surroundings appear, the jump from the bridge induces an excitement in you that’s hard to come by. If you plan on going for the sport, it is advisable to book your tickets 48 hours in advance. The Bloukrans Bridge is located just 198 kilometers from Port Elizabeth.
Location: You can go for a jump from Bloukrans Bridge near Nature’s Valley, Western Cape, South Africa.
Price of the adventure: USD 54
Why we recommend this adventure: This South African adventure sport lets you free fall of about 709 feet before being pulled back. This is the third longest bungee jump in the world, and is a must go to for any adventurer.
