Country guide

South Africa

Nine provinces and 2,798 kilometres of coast, running from the South Atlantic round to the Indian Ocean, wrap 1,221,037 square kilometres and more than 63 million people. It has three capitals rather than one, which is fair warning about how spread out everything else is. Cape Town sits under a mountain in the southwestern corner and is the reason most first visits happen; Johannesburg inland is the economic centre and the airport nearly everyone arrives through; Durban on the Indian Ocean coast is the warm-water city. The game reserves are a separate journey again, hours from any of the three.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Cape Town
Photograph · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cape Town 3,152 places
Johannesburg
Photograph · Mark Hillary · CC BY 2.0

Johannesburg 1,446 places

Practical information

Language spoken: 12 official languages; English is widely used in visitor services; National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code: +27; International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency: South African rand (ZAR); Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number: 112 from mobile · 10111 police · 10177 ambulance; Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type: Type M and N · 230 V; Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water: Not recorded; Water conditions and restrictions vary by municipality

Planning a visit

January: seasonal closure recorded
February: seasonal closure recorded
March: seasonal closure recorded
April: no seasonality data recorded
May: no seasonality data recorded
June: seasonal closure recorded
July: seasonal closure recorded
August: seasonal closure recorded — this month
September: seasonal closure recorded
October: seasonal closure recorded
November: seasonal closure recorded
December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

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Common questions

How long should a first trip to South Africa be?

Ten to sixteen days is suitable for one South African region or a two-hub trip. Cape Town, Johannesburg, safari areas and the Garden Route are far enough apart that flights or long road days must be part of the plan.

What entry documents are needed for South Africa?

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs publishes visa-exempt country information. Confirm the passport-specific rule, allowed stay and any transit requirement there before travel.

What is the best way to travel around South Africa?

Johannesburg and Cape Town are the largest air hubs, with domestic flights connecting major regions. Parks and rural routes often require driving or arranged transfers, and urban public transport differs substantially by city.

When is a practical time to visit South Africa?

March to May and September to November are broad shoulder periods, but Cape weather and inland safari seasons do not follow one calendar. Wildlife goals, road conditions and the chosen coast should determine dates.

What money and payment basics apply in South Africa?

South African rand (ZAR) is the recorded currency. National figures for visitor card acceptance and transaction fees are Not recorded; confirm payment and deposit terms with lodges, rental firms and remote operators.

What practical safety details should I save for South Africa?

From a mobile phone, 112 is the general emergency route; police use 10111 and ambulance services 10177. South Africa uses Type M and N plugs at 230 V, and tap-water guidance is Not recorded nationally here.

South Africa

Cities

Practical information

Planning a visit

Top things to see

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South African National Gallery

Auwal Mosque

Palm Tree Mosque

Maynardville Open-Air Theatre

Nurul Islam Mosque

Avalon Cemetery

Fire Walker

Statue of Edward VII

Statue of Queen Victoria

Johannesburg South Africa Temple

Mondeor

Mother Church (Stellenbosch)

St. Mary's Cathedral

Gardens Shul

Equestrian Statue of Louis Botha

Little Theatre

Magnet Theatre

Central Methodist Church

Queen Victoria Mosque

Friedenskirche

Great Synagogue (Johannesburg)

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St George

Lutheran Church in Strand Street

Moederkerk Krugersdorp

Muizenberg Hebrew Congregation

Saint Sergius of Radonezh Church in Johannesburg

St Stithians College

Moravian Church

Brenda Fassie memorial

Victory Theatre

Herschel Girls' School

Holy Cross High School

Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Braamfontein

St Mary the Virgin

Able Seaman Just Nuisance Statue

Jan Smuts Statue, Wale St

Cbc St. John's Parklands

De La Salle Holy Cross College

Hoërskool Randburg

Ithuba-Lethu Secondary School

Jumu'a Mosque of Cape Town

Laerskool Horison

Laerskool Unika

Nurul Houda Masjied

Nurul Mogammadiah Masjied

St Mark's Anglican Church

The Hill High School

West Coast Christian School

Western Province Preparatory School

West Ridge High School

Boorhaanol Islam Mosque

Church of the Good Shepherd, Robben Island

Coowatool Islam Mosque

Garrison Church, Robben Island

Mosque Shafee

St Michael and All Angels Anglican Church

St Paul's Church Rondebosch

15th Street Mosque

23rd Street Mosque

7th Day

7th Day Adventists

A

Abdullah Bin Salaam Jummah Masjid

A Beginner's Mind

Aberdare Primary school

ACTS

Adam Small

AFM Church

AFM Church Florida Park

AFM Faithful Faith Centre - Sky City

AFM Gen-to-Gen Church

AFM Worship Center

Africa Evangelical Church

African Congregational church