WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Places of special interest
South Africa has eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, areas that have been given special international status for their unique qualities. If you are interested in culture and natural history, then you may well want to plan a visit to at least one of these sites.

Once "home" to some of South Africa's most famous political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, Robben Island is one of the country's most visited tourist attractions, and rightly so. Do not leave Cape Town without visiting the island – it is likely to be one of the highlights of your trip.

Winelands

Lazy days in winecountry

The Cape Winelands offer unexpectedly lush scenery and the opportunity to sample excellent wines and superior dining in restaurants, many of which are on wine farms. Don’t miss a visit to the university town of Stellenbosch and nearby Franschhoek. Hikers will also want to lace up their boots and get out into the spectacular mountains of this region.

The Winelands are situated east of Cape Town among beautiful mountains creating some stunning vistas. The region is steeped in culture and history with some excellent examples of typical Dutch architecture dating back to the 17th century. The Winelands encompass several regions each with their own wine tasting tours. The most popular towns include Stellenbosch (which is closest to Cape Town), Franschhoek, Wellington, and Paarl. It's worth renting a car in Cape Town and spending at least a day or two in any of these towns. There are numerous hotels, estates and bed and breakfasts available and the region is known for its excellent restaurants, not to mention the wine of course....

Garden Route

High on the must-see list of most visitors to South Africa is the Garden Route, and with good reason: you can’t help but be seduced by the glorious natural beauty of the scenery. It’s less than 300km from Mossel Bay in the west to just beyond Plettenberg Bay in the east, yet the range of topography, vegetation, wildlife and outdoor activity in this short space is breathtaking.

Considered a trip highlight by many, this is a chance to spend some quality time with cheetahs. Tenikwa is a sanctuary and rehabilitation centre for injured or abandoned animals, though the majority of its inhabitants are cats. The hour-long Wild Cat Experience visits all the lesser cats of South Africa, but it’s the two-hour sunrise and sunset cheetah walks that have people sending postcards home. The cheetahs are on leads, but you’re pretty much guaranteed personal contact. Bookings recommended.


http://www.lonelyplanet.com/south-africa/plettenberg-bay/activities/nature-wildlife/tenikwa#ixzz3BjLWpyha

The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg mountains

A mountain paradise

This mountain range, which forms the border between Lesotho and South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, is not only an area of outstanding natural beauty, but has more than 600 rock art sites, the reason why it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a wonderful destination for those who enjoy outdoor pursuits, be it hiking or horse riding, with many accommodation options.

Kruger National Park

Where nearly 2 million hectares of unrivalled diversity of life forms fuses with historical and archaeological sights - this is real Africa.

The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s premier Big Five national park and is exceptionally well set up for tourists. You can expect good roads and an excellent choice of accommodation to suit all pockets. Winter months (May to September) are best for game viewing while the summer months (October to April) are best for birding.