Things to do in South Africa

Discover the Addo Elephant Park on a guided shore excursion. Explore the third-largest national park in South Africa, with expansive grounds, lush vegetation, and unsurpassed views of the continent’s most iconic wildlife. Begin your tour with pickup from the cruise terminal and board an air-conditioned vehicle and enjoy a 35-minute scenic drive through the South African countryside. Upon arrival at the park, and after check-in, begin your game drive. Spot animals such as the Big 5, zebras, warthogs, and antelopes. Your local guide will stop the vehicle when animals are spotted. During the drive, stop to stretch your legs at a lookout point where you can enjoy spectacular views of the park while sipping a refreshing drink and snack. Travel in a closed vehicle, making your way through the park from south to north, trekking along gravel and sand paths as well as tarred roads in search of the best viewing sites. Get acquainted with the incredible flora and fauna of the reserve and learn more about the area’s biodiversity. After working up an appetite, you can purchase lunch at the park restaurant. Use some free time to spend at the souvenir shop to find the perfect gifts, before continuing your safari and heading back south. Thereafter, you'll exit the park to be back in time at the cruise ship.

Ride the only aerial cable car in all of South Africa and enjoy amazing views along the way. This Swiss-designed and installed gondola seats a maximum of 6 guests. Ascend to the top of the mountain in 6 minutes. As you travel upwards, you’ll pass above a nature reserve. Spot giraffe, zebra, and small antelope from your bird’s eye view. Once you reach the top, you’ll be able to choose from a number of restaurants. Have a drink at the Lookout Bar and sip as a cocktail as you marvel at the spectacular view of the eastern side of the region. Walk “The Dassie Walk,” a 1,200-meter walkway which circles the circumference of the mountain top. Stop at the informative waypoint along the way and learn about the surrounding area. Take the cable car back and return to the starting point.

This unique eco-wilderness adventure takes place in the magnificent Tsitsikamma indigenous rainforest. Most of the platforms are located in giant Outeniqua Yellowwood trees. The scenery and bird life are spectacular and professional guides provide interesting facts about the forest ecology throughout the tour. The concept of guiding people through the upper canopy of a rainforest originated in Costa Rica, where adventurous biologists devised new methods for accessing the forest canopy in order to conduct research on the undiscovered canopy ecosystem. The idea soon developed into a breathtaking form of eco-tourism which allowed people to enter and experience a previously inaccessible natural environment. The tour begins with a detailed safety briefing followed by a kitting-up session where full body harnesses, pulleys, and climbing equipment are issued and checked. A short drive into the Tsitsikamma forest and it is time to monkey around. From the start on the launch platform, a new world unfolds as one gently glides on a steel cable to the first tree platform. All groups are escorted through the forest canopy by a lead guide and a follow guide to ensure your safety as you slide from tree to tree. The platforms are built high up in the giant Outeniqua Yellowwoods and provide an unbelievable view of this enchanting new world, any fear of heights is soon lost as you gather in your new surroundings.

Take a 3-hour guided game drive at Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, and experience close encounters with rhinos, lions, giraffes, buffaloes and more. Situated in spectacular mountains near Mossel Bay, the reserve boasts a great diversity of habitats and 26 different species of wildlife.  The 4,200 hectare reserve is a paradise for bird watchers, with more than 200 species to be seen. In an open game viewing vehicle, your guide will take you to the best locations to spot lions, zebras, elephants, and other animals. After the game drive, spend some time enjoying the facilities, including a restaurant and an open-air swimming pool.

Enjoy a luxurious, 2-hour boat cruise on the placid waters of the Hartbeepoort Dam. With 3 tours departing daily, at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 4:00 PM, pick the time that fits your schedule and hit the water. Located within the Kommando Nek Nature Preserve, gaze at the protected nature that surrounds you, showcasing the abundance of South Africa’s flora and fauna. Upon boarding the boat, you’ll be treated to a welcome drink as you depart to survey the stunning dam’s waters. With all daily cruises, enjoy a luxurious spread of traditional South African hot and cold finger foods. After your cruise is over and you return to the dock, your entrance pass to the nature preserve will still be valid, so get out there and explore the beauty of the South African countryside.

Witness hippos, Nile crocodiles, and hundreds of bird species onboard a cruise departing from St Lucia. This two-hour safari gets you up close to the residents of the estuary. Discover St Lucia iSimangaliso Wetland Park, one of the largest Estuarine systems in Africa. Travel aboard an exclusive 15-seater vessel with experienced and knowledgable skippers and rangers onboard. They will be happy to answer any questions you may have and furnish you with some incredible facts and information on the area.

Have the experience of a lifetime and bungy jump from Africa’s highest bridge. Jump with confidence thanks to the help of a professional and experienced team with a 100% safety record, who have hosted celebrities such as Prince Harry and Jack Osbourne as well as record-breaking bungy jumpers.   Reach the jump point via zipline from the bank to the arch. Before jumping, you will be kitted out with a full body harness and your feet will be secured using specially designed equipment. Leap out into the valley and feel the thrill of falling and rebounding whilst being securely attached to the bungy cord. Feel the smoothness of the bungee experience thanks to Bloukrans Bungy’s pendulum technology.   On your way back up, get a winch ride coordinated by a recovery operator and enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding national park. Walk along the 216-meter SkyWalk to get back onto solid ground.

Get picked up from your hotel in Port Elizabeth, Bluewater Bay, or Colchester. Spend a full day exploring the third largest National Park in South Africa with an expert local guide. The original elephant section of the park was proclaimed in 1931, when only eleven elephants remained in the area.  Today you can see a variety of predators, antelope, zebra species, endangered black rhino as well as the unique Addo flightless dung beetle, found almost exclusively in Addo.  The park is also the only one in the world to conserve the “Big 7” – the Big 5 as well as the southern right whale and great white shark off the Algoa Bay coast.  An excursion to the Addo Elephant park is a must when visiting this unique area.

The tour departs from Thesan Island Harbour Town and heads out onto the pristine Knysna Lagoon, home to an array of native birds and marine life. On board the ‘Oyster Boat', spend a leisurely 75-minutes exploring the lagoon as you sail to the breathtaking and imposing Knysna Heads. As you glide along the waters, sit back and relax whilst soaking up the famous South African sunshine with the wind in your hair. From start to finish the tour provides breathtaking views of the surrounding waters as well as the Knysna coastline. During the boat ride your guide shares fascinating insight into the history, heritage, and culture of Knysna, from a local’s perspective.

Experience a half-day guided Addo Elephant National Park safari and have the best chance of seeing all the park has to offer. Not only do the guides have trained eyes for spotting and identifying wildlife but they have expert knowledge regarding vegetation and local history, culture, and stories too. During the tour, you'll be taken to the highlighted areas of the northern section of Addo National Park Main Camp. Your guide will help you capture your Addo memories from up close and at the right angles, and they are always on the lookout for the perfect shot. Tours are conducted in custom-designed Toyota Land Cruiser Safari Vehicles, which are spacious, comfortable touring vehicles featuring high ground clearance and large retractable windows.