South Africa's nine provinces are as diverse and unique as the country itself, ranging from towering peaks to unbroken stretches of semi-arid desert. African Sky offers privately guided tours, safaris, and honeymoon packages to all the provinces in the country.
Need Advice?The provinces of South Africa each offer international tourists a very different and often unique travel experience.
Some are known for their vibrant cosmopolitan cities where travelers can enjoy great shopping and various cultural and historical attractions. Yet others offer some of Africa's finest wilderness experiences, vast open spaces, and different adventure and leisure activities in stunning natural surroundings.
The Eastern Cape Province is South Africa's second-largest province. The areas of the province differ greatly. Relief, climate, and vegetation give each region a character. In the north are the plains of the Great Karoo, in the northeast the Drakensberg Mountains, and the coast is home to the beautiful Wild Coast. The eastern interior is covered with grasslands, while typical Karoo vegetation occurs in the dry northern parts and savanna on the central western plateau. Addo Elephant National Park and the various beaches in the area are fast becoming some of South Africa's favorite travel destinations. It does not matter whether you are after a holiday at sea or in the bush – due to its diversity, you will almost certainly find what you are looking for in the Eastern Cape. While East London and Port Elizabeth are perfect getaways for families, the idea of vacationing in the Karoo is becoming more popular. Graaff-Reinet is known as "the gem of the Karoo." The town is laid out around the 1886 Dutch Reformed Church, a real landmark as you enter the town. And who can resist the charming beauty of Hogsback with its distinct English country character? Here, you will find St Patrick's on the Hill, one of South Africa's smallest places of worship. The peaceful coastal resort towns of Kenton-on-Sea and Port Alfred will provide you with unforgettable beach holidays and are water sports enthusiast's paradise.
The Gauteng province may be South Africa's smallest province, but a large percentage of the South African population lives in Gauteng. Johannesburg is the capital of Gauteng and is part of the larger Witwatersrand urban area. Pretoria, the other metropolis, is the administrative capital of South Africa. Benoni, Boksburg, Germiston, Krugersdorp, Soweto, Springs, and Vanderbijlpark are the other main urban areas in Gauteng. Gauteng can be seen as the heart of South Africa, as its mines, factories, and services deliver more than 30% of South Africa's gross domestic product. Although gold mining is not the leading role player in the economy of Johannesburg anymore, it still delivers approximately 500 tons of gold annually. Gauteng is in a summer rainfall area, where thunderstorms occur in the late afternoons from November to March. The annual rainfall of Johannesburg is 515mm per year. Although Gauteng is quite close to the equator, the temperatures are moderate because of the high altitude above sea level. Johannesburg is 1763m above sea level and experiences sunny winter days with cool to cold temperatures during winter nights.
The KwaZulu-Natal province is often called the "Garden of South Africa." Tropical and subtropical regions fall within the boundaries of this beautiful province, which has been a favorite amongst travelers of South Africa. A visit to KwaZulu-Natal should include the Drakensberg, a mountain range 1046km long that lies on South Africa's western border with Lesotho. The Greater St. Lucia Lake (also a world heritage site), the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, Mkuze Reserve, and Ithala are some of the large conservation areas you can visit while you travel through KwaZulu-Natal. The subtropical and tropical vegetation is often very dense because of the humid conditions. Beautiful beaches are found on the coastline, which borders the Indian Ocean on the eastern side. The KwaZulu-Natal province is the second-largest contributor to the South African economy. Pietermaritzburg and Ulundi are joint capitals of the province. Other important urban centers include Durban, Pinetown, and Richards Bay. Forestry, sugar, tropical and subtropical fruit, dairy products, and cattle are the main agricultural industries of KwaZulu-Natal. Tourism and marine services are the most important tertiary activities. IsiZulu, English, and Afrikaans are the main languages spoken. Many diverse flavors contribute to KwaZulu-Natal's blend of culture, which is historically influenced by British colonialism, Indian slavery, and the interaction between the Zulus and the Boers.
The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, a world heritage site well known for its beautiful mountain scenery and San rock paintings, also lies within this area. Some peaks in the Drakensberg Mountains are higher than 3000m - often snow-covered in winter.
The Limpopo province garners its name from the Limpopo River, which forms South Africa's northern border. Limpopo is known for its contrasts – there are mountains, lush forests, plantations, wilderness areas, and farms. A large portion of the Kruger National Park is in Limpopo. With game farms and private game reserves, visitors will find a lot of wild animals in Limpopo, making it a popular travel destination. Limpopo is the gateway to Africa, as it borders the countries of Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Polokwane, once known as Pietersburg, is the capital city. Other significant urban centers include Bela-Bela (Warmbaths), Makhado (Louis Trichardt), Makopane (Potgietersrus), Mussina (Messina), Phalaborwa, and Thabazimbi. The population of 5.5 million mainly speaks Sepedi, Xitsonga, and Tshivenda. The Limpopo Province falls in the summer rainfall region of South Africa. Thunderstorms often occur in the late afternoons from November to March. Polokwane's annual rainfall is 478mm. The winters are temperate with cool nights, while the summer temperatures in the low-lying areas are high to very high.
Mpumalanga means 'area of the rising sun'. Part of the Kruger National Park and many private game reserves are situated in the Mpumalanga province. The Transvaal Drakensberg runs from north to south through Mpumalanga and forms part of the great escarpment. The terrain of Mpumalanga varies. On the western side of the escarpment, you will find the Highveld, with its grasslands; on the eastern side, the Lowveld, with its subtropical savanna plains. Tourism is an important contributor to the economy of the Mpumalanga. Coal mining, petroleum manufacturing, steel factories and forestry also contribute to the GDP. The population of 3.3 million speaks SiSwati, IsiZulu, IsiNdebele, and English. The capital city is Nelspruit. Other urban centers include Middelburg, Witbank, Bethal, Barberton, Ermelo, Piet Retief, Secunda, and Standerton. You will find that summers can be sweltering in Mpumalanga, especially in the Lowveld. Winter temperatures are moderate to high. On the Highveld, the winter nights can be pretty cold, with frost. The annual rainfall of Nelspruit is 767mm and often occurs in the form of thunderstorms.
The Northern Cape Province lies east of the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital, Kimberley, is located more than 900km from the shoreline. Its surface area makes the Northern Cape Province one of South Africa's largest provinces, but it carries the smallest population. The Orange River is the only prominent geomorphologic phenomenon – the landscape otherwise is very flat, and the vegetation is very sparse because of the low rainfall. The largest part of the Northern Cape Province falls within the Nama-Karoo biome – low shrubland and grass. The Augrabies Falls National Park was established to preserve the impressive waterfall and ravine of 18km. One can see large salt pans on the west central plains when one travels the Northern Cape Province. The Orange River supplies much-needed water, and irrigation schemes alongside the river produce cotton, maize, peanuts, lucerne, dates, and grapes. The dry coastal plain, known as Namaqualand, turns into a wonderland of wildflowers each spring, which is a worthwhile reason to travel to the Northern Cape Province.
If great safari destinations are what you are seeking, Mpumalanga is South Africa's go-to province. The diversity of wildlife and the natural scenery make the province a traveler's delight.
The North West province lies on the border of Botswana in the north and Witwatersrand in Gauteng in the east. Traveling through the North West, grasslands and savanna vegetation are ideal for cattle farming. Crop farmers produce maize, peanuts, sunflowers, and wheat. Tobacco, cotton, subtropical fruit, oranges, peaches, vegetables, and flowers are also produced in North West. The platinum mines of the Rustenburg region are the largest producers of platinum in the world. Gold, diamonds, marble, and fluorspar are also mined in North West. Most industries are mining-related. The North West province falls within the summer rainfall region of South Africa. The rainfall decreases from east to west. Mafikeng's annual rainfall is 539mm per year. The rain often occurs in the form of late afternoon thundershowers. The summers are warm to very hot, the winter days are sunny and temperate, and the winter nights are cool to cold. Visit the Sun City entertainment resort, one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
The Free State province lies between the Vaal River north and the Orange River south. This province lies central on the interior plateau of South Africa and is characterized by its grass plains and dolerite hills. On the south-eastern border are the mountains of Lesotho. The eastern highlands are well-known for their beautiful sandstone formations in yellow, brown, orange, and pink hues. Some of South Africa's most valued San rock paintings are found in the Free State. Bloemfontein is the capital of the province. The city houses the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa. The Free State province is in the summer rainfall region of South Africa. Bloemfontein receives 559mm of rain annually. The summers are temperate to warm, and the winters are dry and sunny, but the winter nights are cold.
When traveling in the Western Cape, you will find an area where agriculture flourishes in sheltered valleys. Rivers such as the Berg, Breede, and Olifants sustain wheat, fruit, and wine production. Travel to the Western Cape to see the floral kingdom, locally known as fynbos, which contains more plant species than the whole of Europe and is one of the world's six floral kingdoms. The population mainly speaks Afrikaans, English, and IsiXhosa. Cape Town is the largest and capital city of the province. Other significant urban centers include Stellenbosch, George, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Hermanus, Paarl, Wellington, Mossel Bay, Worcester, and Beaufort West. The western and southwestern parts of the province enjoy a Mediterranean climate, with dry, warm, and often windy summers and cool, wet winters. The annual rainfall of Cape Town is 515mm. The eastern coastal plain gets rain throughout the year, with the highest rainfall in winter. Tourism contributes 13% of the GDP of the Western Cape.
The Knysna-Tsitsikamma region hosts the country's largest indigenous forests. Tourism contributes 13% of the GDP of the Western Cape.
