Use our advice to plan your dream motorhome tour of the Rainbow Nation
South Africa is one of the world's most historically fascinating and geographically diverse countries, not to mention being a truly epic travel destination. It offers an experience to suit every traveller, whether you're looking to set the pulse racing with outdoor activities, soak up a little local culture, or simply chill on a beach.
Not sure where to start when planning your dream South African motorhome adventure? Fortunately, help is at hand! Read our ultimate bucket list guide to find out where to go and what to see in the Rainbow Nation.
East Coast
Comprising the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa's east coast is a must-visit for lovers of the outdoors.
Hit the beach
- Port Alfred has several beaches on its doorstep, but the Blue Flag-rated Kelly’s Beach is our favourite. Swim in the calm waters, go for a stroll or simply top up your tan.
- Once voted South Africa's best beach, Kariega Beach in Kenton-on-Sea is child-friendly and a great spot for taking a dip.
- Coffee Bay is surrounded on three sides by rolling hills and towering cliffs, making it a popular spot for walkers. Take the 8 km stroll to the famous Hole in the Wall rock formation.
Get active
- Jeffreys Bay is widely recognised as one of the world's top surf spots. It offers fantastic breaks all year round and hosts the World Surf League every July.
- Take a leap of faith at Bloukrans Bungy, recognised as the world's highest bungee jump from a bridge. Try to take in the scenery as you hurtle toward the Bloukrans River, 200 metres below you.
- Tsitsikamma National Park - part of the stunning Garden Route - is an activity hotspot. Go tubing, swimming, and bouldering through the park's deep gorges and along the roaring Storms River.
Explore South African heritage
- Mahatma Gandhi lived in Phoenix, on the outskirts of Durban, for more than two decades. In 2000, his former house was turned into a museum charting his family life and struggle against discrimination.
- Located in Central Durban's oldest building, the Old Court House Museum features a series of exhibition spaces documenting the city's early history.
- Much of KwaZulu-Natal was built on the riches of the sugar trade. Today, you can visit the still-active Sugar Terminal - the largest site of its kind in southern Africa - for a tour taking in the vast silos.
West Coast
Cape Town, the country's second-largest city, dominates the west coast and is undoubtedly one of the world's most Insta-worthy cities. But there's plenty to see and do outside the Mother City, in both the Western and Northern Capes.
Give yourself an adrenaline hit
- Looking for some underwater adventure? The waters off the coast of Cape Town are home to great white, bull, and tiger sharks. Get up close and personal with these majestic creatures by booking a shark cage dive. Several operators are based in and around Cape Town Harbour.
- Often overlooked by tourists, the Northern Cape is a superb sandboarding destination. Whether you're a beginner or an established boarder, popular spots include the Witsand Dunes, Rooiduin Sandsurfing, and the Molopo Lodge Dunes.
- No trip to the Western Cape is complete without visiting the iconic Table Mountain. For an active experience, steer clear of the cable car and take the Skeleton Gorge route - an intense three-hour hike up the back of the mountain, starting in the beautiful surrounds of Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.
Soak up local culture
- South Africa was originally inhabited by the San people. They were marginalised and ultimately wiped out by colonisers, but you can learn about them by visiting !Khwa ttu, the San cultural centre.
- Stellenbosch, South Africa's second-oldest town, offers a chance to explore the Western Cape's Dutch heritage. The Stellenbosch Village Museum is made up of four houses, each representing a different era of architecture and interior design.
- The Cape Malay were sent to Cape Town from India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia. Many settled in Bo Kaap, home to the country's oldest mosque and the Bo Kaap Museum, where you can learn about local Islamic history and culture.
Shop til you drop
- The V&A Waterfront is Cape Town's most famous shopping centre. Situated in South Africa's oldest working harbour, it houses 450 stores, as well as the Watershed - a vibrant craft and design hub with 150 stalls.
- Visit Hout Bay Harbour on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday to explore dozens of quirky arts and crafts stalls, fill up on artisan foods, and kick back with a craft beer while enjoying live music on the KWV Sound Stage.
- Built in the late 17th century, Cape Town's Greenmarket Square hosts year-round flea markets that teem with locals and tourists. From fruit and veg stalls to local artists displaying their work, you'll find a bit of everything here.
Central and Northern South Africa
From the brooding, isolated Highveld to the sprawling plains of Kruger National Park and the bustling streets of Johannesburg, South Africa's northern and central provinces are hard to define but easy to enjoy!
Get back to nature
- One of the country's most iconic attractions, Kruger National Park is renowned for its high density of animals, including the famed Big Five - lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos.
- The Blyde River Canyon in Mpumalanga is renowned for its bizarre landscape, formed over the millennia by erosion from the swirling waters of the Treur and Blyde river confluence. It's one of the world's largest canyons and typified by its verdant subtropical vegetation.
- Visit the caves of Golden Gate Highlands National Park to spot ancient Khoisan rock paintings, then scale the sandstone cliffs for distant views of the mighty Drakensberg Mountain Range.
Explore historic Johannesburg
- Constitution Hill once housed a notorious prison where Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela were incarcerated. After the fall of apartheid, it was transformed into a high court, while the old cells became a fascinating museum.
- Soweto's Vilakazi Street is the only road in the world to have once housed two Nobel Peace Prize winners - Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Mandela's former home is now a small museum holding mementos from his family life.
- Brutal but essential, the Apartheid Museum examines the conditions that allowed the racist, oppressive political system to emerge and take control of the Rainbow Nation, as well as its impact over the decades that followed.
Final tips for the best motorhome experience:
- Most service and petrol stations offer spots for motorhomes to park for the night if you're in need of some free last-minute accommodation.
- It's rare that you'll need to book campsites in advance (there are more than 1,500 across the country), but the busiest times are during the summer holidays - from mid-December to mid-January - and at Easter.
- The majority of South African campsites offer electricity outlets, although those in very remote, rural areas may not.
- Be sure to sample local food while you're here. Bunny chow (curry in a hollowed-out loaf of bread) and bobotie (spiced minced meat with an egg topping) are must-tries!
Got your own tips for the perfect South African motorhome trip? Let us know in the comments below, or on Instagram and Facebook!
