The top 5 most visited tourist attractions in South Africa
South Africa is renowned for being a tourist destination – contributing to nearly 3.2% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Every year, a large portion of this results from a spike in travel over the month of December.
Being the festive month, both international tourists and locals are eager to explore the country’s famous beaches, landscapes, people, and wildlife. Various areas across the nine provinces consistently attract major foot traffic – with the 2023 festive season likely to be no exception.
These popular attractions that often top the list include:
V&A Waterfront
Located in Cape Town, Western Cape, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is one of the most popular attractions in the country. It draws in around 24 million visitors annually – with the December month consistently booming.
The mixed-use area comprises of events, leisurely activities, museums, retail shops, restaurants, bars, hotels and an aquarium.
It is located in the oldest operational harbor in the southern hemisphere. The waterfront attracts visitors with its views of the ocean, city bowl and mountain peaks, and the iconic Table Mountain serving as a backdrop.
Table Mountain National Park
Located in the Western Cape, the 221 square-kilometer reserve that is part of the New7Wonders of Nature is the most visited national park in the country, boasting around 4.2 million visitors annually.
Some notable attractions include world heritage site Table Mountain, Cape Point, Boulders Beach (home to some 3000 African penguins), Signal Hill, and Lions Head.
The Table Mountain National Park is divided into three main sections which draws visitors for different reasons:
- The Table Mountain section – which borders central Cape Town, Camps Bay, the Atlantic coast, the Southern Suburbs and Hout Bay.
- The Silvermine-Tokai section – which covers Constantiaberg, Steenberg Peak, and the Kalk Bay mountains.
- The Cape Point section – which stretches from Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope to Scarborough on the Atlantic coast and Simon’s Town on the False Bay coast.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Located on the eastern slope of Table Mountain in Cape Town, Western Cape, this 1,300 acre national park boasts an impressive 1 million visitors annually.
Established over 100 years ago, Kirstenbosch (a World Heritage site) contains more than 22,000 plant varieties and preserves some of the globe’s most unique flora. It is also an important conservation area for at-risk species, home to over 200 distinct bird species.
Kruger National Park
Located in the provinces of Mpumulanga and Limpopo, South Africa’s largest wildlife reserve sees an average of approximately 950,000 visitors annually. Overwhelmingly, 80% of its visitors are South Africans.
The national park covers an area of 19,624 square kilometers and has an average width of 60 kilometres. According to Siyabona Africa, the park is home to 147 different mammal species, 500 bird species, 116 reptile species, 34 amphibian species, 49 fish species, 457 types of trees and shrubs, over 1,500 smaller plant species, and countless insects.
uShaka Marine World
An attraction for those in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, this 16 hectare marine-themed entertainment park sees an average of 800,000 visitors annually.
Having opened their turnstile back in 2004, the attraction boasts the largest aquarium in the southern hemisphere, a water park, a beach, restaurants, shops, a reptile park and adventure park.
Being the fifth largest aquarium in the world (relating to water volume), visitors can get close to hundreds of marine animals – including turtles, sharks, fish, penguins, seals and dolphins.
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