At Kiva HQ we are passionate about travel, as are many Kiva lenders. So we decided to crowd-source our best travel advice for a country many of us have visited: South Africa. For anyone who has visited South Africa this list will bring back some happy memories, and if you’ve never been this list might have you booking a ticket soon. Enjoy!
To See:
1. Relive history and reflect on Nelson Mandela’s legacy at Robben Island
2. Revel in the Kirstenbosch Gardens (photo above, called heaven on Earth and the most beautiful sight in the entire world by some of our staff!)
3. Visit the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg
4. Visit the Cradle of Humankind
5. Visit Gandhi’s home in Durban
6. Set your sights on Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of South Africa
7. Enjoy the view at Rust en Vrede winery in Stellenbosch
8. Visit Vredefort Crater/Dome, the largest verified impact crater on Earth
9. Watch the sunset from the top of Johannesburg’s famous mine dumps
10. Visit Nelson Mandela’s home in Johannesburg
To Do:
11. Hike or ride horses up to Lesotho, the highest country in the world, in Drakensberg
12. Get up close and personal with elephants, lions, giraffes, and more at Addo Elephant Park
13. Hike up Lion’s Head in Cape Town and enjoy sundowners and a night time dance party with locals on a full moon night
14. Spot wildlife on a safari in Kruger National Park
15. Whale watch, or if you’re feeling adventerous cage dive with the sharks, at Hermanus
16. Hike Table Mountain in Cape Town
17. Scuba dive on the eastern coast to see ragged tooth sharks
18. Drive & hike to the end of the Cape of Good Hope
19. Penguin watch in Simon’s Town or go swimming with them at Boulders Beach
20. Enjoy a night out on Long Street in Cape Town
21. Listen to jazz at Kitcheners in Johannesburg
22. Take the Baz Bus to go from hostel to hostel along the Garden Route and Wild Coast
23. Bungee jump off the highest bungee bridge in the world at Bloukrans Bridge in the Western Cape
24. Learn to surf and see the famous colorful buildings at Muizenberg Beach
25. Discover the artsy side of Capt Town at the Old Biscuit Mill Mall on Saturdays
26. Volunteer with one of the orphanages in need of short-term volunteers
27. Find the best deals for souvenirs in Green Square Market in Cape Town
28. Sun bathe in Camps Bay with a view of the 12 apostles, Cape Town
Eat & Drink:
29. Have a meal in Soweto
30. Get a big tub of meat at Mzoli’s in the Cape Town township of Gugulethu (especially try ostrich)
31. Eat a bunny chow in Durban!
32. Try to reserve the best meal of your life at the Test Kitchen in Cape Town
33. Admire the colorful houses of the Bo Kaap neighborhood, the historical center of Cape Malay culture in Cape Town, and stop by for coffee at Haas collective
34. Walk around the markets in Hout Bay and have some fish & chips
35. Drink a Castle Lager, a Hansa Marzen Gold and enjoy delicious cider (maybe not all at once)