South Africa boasts dramatic scenery, fantastic hiking trails, and deserted beaches with spectacular ocean views. What more could you ask for?
Cape Town is an Instagrammer’s dream location to visit, featuring endless natural beauty, clifftop views, pastel pink neighbourhoods, and turquoise waters.
Here are the 20 Most Instagrammable Spots In South Africa:
Bloubergstrand
- Location: Just north of Cape Town in Western Cape, South Africa.
- Facts: Bloubergstrand is known for its white sandy beaches and spectacular views of Table Mountain across Table Bay. The name Bloubergstrand translates to “blue mountain beach” in Afrikaans, inspired by Blaauwberg, a nearby hill. It is a popular spot for surfing, kite surfing, and photography, particularly of the iconic Cape Town scenery.
Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve
- Location: Adjacent to the Kruger National Park in the Mpumalanga province.
- Facts: Sabi Sands is famed for its superior game viewing opportunities, particularly for spotting the elusive leopard. The reserve is a collection of private game lodges with no fences between the lodges and the Kruger Park, allowing wildlife to move freely. It offers some of the most luxurious lodges and exceptional safari experiences in Africa.
Jacaranda Trees, Pretoria
- Location: Mainly in the older, more established suburbs of Pretoria, Gauteng.
- Facts: Every spring, the city of Pretoria transforms as thousands of jacaranda trees burst into purple blooms. The city is sometimes referred to as the “Jacaranda City” due to the approximately 70,000 jacaranda trees planted throughout. It’s believed that these trees were first imported from Argentina and planted in the early 1880s.
Mandela Capture Site, KwaZulu-Natal
- Location: Outside the town of Howick, KwaZulu-Natal.
- Facts: This is the location where Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1962, an event that changed the course of South African history. Today, a sculpture and visitor centre commemorate the capture. The sculpture by artist Marco Cianfanelli consists of 50 steel columns that form an image of Mandela’s face when viewed at the correct angle.
Orlando Towers
- Location: In Soweto, Johannesburg, Gauteng.
- Facts: Originally the site of a coal-fired power station, these iconic towers are now famous for their colorful murals and for offering extreme sports such as bungee jumping, abseiling, and zip-lining. Each tower is adorned with artwork reflecting the culture and history of Soweto.
Blyde River Canyon
- Location: Northern Drakensberg, Mpumalanga.
- Facts: Known as Motlatse Canyon, Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world and one of South Africa’s most remarkable natural sights. It features lush subtropical foliage, and some of the best views are from the viewpoints like God’s Window, the Pinnacle, and the Three Rondavels.
Lion Sands Ivory Lodge
- Location: At the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, near Kruger National Park.
- Facts: Lion Sands Ivory Lodge is known for its luxury accommodations and excellent game viewing. Its unique feature is the treehouses where guests can spend a night under the stars, surrounded by wilderness and wildlife.
Stellenbosch
- Location: In the Western Cape, just an hour away from Cape Town.
- Facts: Stellenbosch is known for its vineyards and is considered the capital of the South African wine industry. It’s also famous for its well-preserved Cape Dutch architecture, vibrant university town atmosphere, and numerous galleries and museums.
Lion’s Head, Cape Town
- Location: Between Table Mountain and Signal Hill in Cape Town.
- Facts: Lion’s Head is a distinctive mountain peak in Cape Town offering panoramic views of the city and the Atlantic Seaboard. The peak is so named because it resembles a crouching lion. The hike to the top is popular for sunrise and sunset, providing magnificent photo opportunities.
Sani Pass
- Location: The road between Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal and Mokhotlong in Lesotho.
- Facts: Sani Pass is the highest mountain pass in South Africa and requires a 4×4 vehicle to navigate. It’s known for its dramatic scenery and is the gateway to the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. The pass climbs to an altitude of 2,876 meters above sea level.
Mapungubwe
- Location: Located at the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers in the Limpopo Province.
- Facts: Mapungubwe is an important archaeological site, once home to a powerful pre-colonial state during the 11th to 13th centuries. It was South Africa’s first kingdom, and it thrived through trade with Egypt, India, and China. The area is now a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its biodiversity and cultural significance.
Valley of Desolation, Camdeboo National Park
- Location: Near the town of Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape.
- Facts: The Valley of Desolation is a geological phenomenon; featuring sheer cliffs and precariously balanced columns of dolerite that rise 120 meters from the valley floor. These formations were created by volcanic and erosive forces over 100 million years.
God’s Window
- Location: On the Drakensberg escarpment in Mpumalanga.
- Facts: God’s Window is so named because of the panoramic view of the Lowveld more than 900 meters down into lush indigenous forest clad ravine. The viewpoint is part of a series of scenic spots along the Panorama Route which is known for its breathtaking natural beauty.
De Hoop Nature Reserve
- Location: Overberg region, three hours from Cape Town.
- Facts: De Hoop Nature Reserve is renowned for its rich biodiversity, including the Cape Floral Kingdom and numerous mammal and bird species. The reserve is also a favorite for whale watchers as Southern Right whales migrate to these waters to breed.
Bo-Kaap, Cape Town
- Location: Situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre in Cape Town.
- Facts: Bo-Kaap is famous for its brightly colored homes and cobblestone streets. The area is historically significant as it is one of the oldest urban residential areas in Cape Town. It has a rich cultural heritage with roots in the Malaysian, African, and Indian communities.
Tsitsikamma National Park
- Location: Part of the Garden Route National Park along the south-eastern coast of South Africa.
- Facts: Tsitsikamma is a Khoi word meaning a place of abundant water. The park stretches along the coast and is known for its indigenous forests, dramatic coastline, and the Otter Trail—one of the country’s most famous hiking trails.
Sodwana Bay
- Location: Part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal.
- Facts: Sodwana Bay is one of the top dive destinations in the world. It is known for its unique coral reefs and incredible marine life, including turtles and over 1200 species of fish. It’s also a popular spot for deep-sea fishing and whale watching.
Chapman’s Peak Drive
- Location: Between Noordhoek and Hout Bay on the Atlantic Coast near Cape Town.
- Facts: Chapman’s Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world. The 9km route, with its 114 curves, skirts the rocky coastline of Chapman’s Peak, offering stunning 180-degree views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Cape Vidal
- Location: Located within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, KwaZulu-Natal.
- Facts: Cape Vidal is known for its sport fishing and snorkeling opportunities. Its beaches are protected within a marine reserve that supports a diversity of marine life in the clear, shallow waters. The area is also a popular launch site for deep-sea fishing.
Diving Board, Table Mountain
- Location: Table Mountain National Park, Cape Town.
- Facts: The Diving Board is a famous flat rock that protrudes out overlooking the city of Cape Town, providing a thrilling spot for photographs. The rock is accessed via a hiking trail and offers panoramic views of the city, mountain, and bay below.
For those who have enjoyed exploring the stunning landscapes and unique spots in South Africa through our guide, there’s more to discover!
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