Province Regions and Tourist Regions of South Africa

South Africa offers a huge diversity to tourists visiting. South Africa is divided into 9 provincial regions each consiting of a number of different  tourist regions. Each region offers a different natural terrain and the difference is quite remarkable. You could try to experience all that South Africa has to offer but then you would have to move here. Use this listing to identify the South Africa regions that best suit your desires.

Western Cape

From the Cedarberg Mountains to the wild Agulhas coast to the expansive Cape Winelands and the glorious Garden Route, the Western Cape is a province of extraordinary diversity. Famous for Table Mountain, beaches, Robben Island, the Winelands, Cape Point , Cape Peninsular, Cape Town and its famous whale watching at Hermanus

Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape ranges from the inland Great Karoo area to the varied coastline on the Indian Ocean, where the cities of Port Elizabeth and East London are found. The Eastern Cape offers an especially great variety of scenery, including majestic mountain ranges, lush forests and valleys, the semi-desert areas, rugged coastline and vast unspoilt beaches. Scenic diversity is one of the most striking characteristics of the Eastern Cape.  Famous for the Addo Elephant Park, Shamwari Game Reserve, beaches and watersports, Grahamstown National Arts Festival, Nelson Mandela Museum .

KwaZulu Natal

Kwazulu Natal is known as the "Kingdom of the Zulu" and this region of Soth Africa is best known for having the game reserves and pristine beaches in South Africa. Kwazulu Natal features the majestic Drakensberg Mountains, the historic Anglo Zulu Battlefields and miles of pristine subtropical coastline. The two main cities of KwaZulu Natal are Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Durban offers an atmosphere that is a blend Western, African and Eastern cultures. Durban is also one of the most popular holiday destinations in South Africa and divides the KwaZulu Natal coastline into the south coast and north coast, both of which offer numerous holiday resorts.

Gauteng

Gauteng, meaning "Place of Gold" in Sotho, is the commercial and industrial powerhouse of South Africa. Both Johannesburg and Pretoria are situated in Gauteng. In addition, the Magaliesburg mountains to the north of Pretoria offer resorts and facilities for those who enjoy the outdoors : fishing, hiking, bird watching, horse riding and so on. Gauten is famous for Gold Reef City, the Cradle of Humankind, Soweto, the Apartheid Museum and the Union Buildings

Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga is big game country, the setting for dozens of sanctuaries teeming with wildlife and birds. Famous for the southern section of Kruger National Park, fly fishing, the Blyde River Canyon and the many waterfalls in the region. Mpumalanga was formally known as the The Eastern Transvaal. In addition, Mpumalanga offers the beautiful scenery of forested mountains and the lakes and waterfalls. The main city is Nelspruit.

Limpopo

Limpopo is an important agricultural area with plentiful forests, tea plantations and fruit orchards. Game farms are also abundant in this province and there is a northern entrance to the Kruger National Park. Limpopo is known for its hot mineral springs at Bela Bela and for the diversity of the countryside which ranges from mountains to extensive grasslands and wetlands. The main city in the region is Polokwane. The Waterberg offers exceptional game viewing experiences.

North West Province

The North West Province is close to the urban sprawl of Johannesburg and Pretoria. Unlike those bustling cities, much of the Northwest Province is devoted to agriculture and of to mining but opportunities and destinations for tourists also abound. On a grand, commercial scale, there is the Sun City and Lost City

Free State

The Free State province  lies between the Vaal River in the north and the Orange River in the south and borders on Lesotho. Its major city is Bloemfontein . The Eastern Free State offers magnificent mountain scenery with the hubor this region being Clarens

Northern Cape

The Orange River flows along the border between the Northern Cape and Namibia on its path to the sea and in this region. The Northern Cape is South Africa's largest province, but has only one city - Kimberley, which grew as the centre of the diamond industry in the 19th century. The "Big Hole" in Kimberley is one of the deepest man-made holes in the world and is a major tourist attraction. The Northern Cape is an agricultural area for the sheep, wine and dried fruit industries. The region incorporates the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, which together with the Botswana National Park forms one of the world's largest conservation areas.

Accommodation in and around South Africa