Our travel shoes are always waiting at the door for a new adventure. Even after years of discovering different parts of South Africa we find that as soon as we tick something off the bucket list, there’s always something new to add! Here are 15 things that we recommend you add to your South African travel bucket list.

 

1. Drive Sani Pass before it’s tarred. Be quick because this is set to start happening from Feb/March 2015!

SaniPass

 

2. Cape Canopy Tour. Recently opened in August 2014, this zipline adventure is the biggest in South Africa. It’s the most fun (and least exhausting) way to explore the Hottentots Holland Mountains.

CapeCanopyTour

 

3. Hippo and crocodile cruise on the St Lucia estuary. The hippos are most active during the morning and late evening, so book in advance for the 10:00 and 16:00 cruises.

hippo

 

4. Skydive in Parys. We couldn’t think of a better way to see the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site.

skydive Parys 4

 

5. Conquer the Num-Num Trail. This 5-day slackpacking hiking trail in Mpumalanga has been dubbed the “interior Whale Trail”.

gus_numnum-2

 

6. Snake your way through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens on the Boomslang aerial walkway.

Boomslang by Adam Harrower

 

7. Go on an epic motorcycling adventure through the Northern Cape. If you’re looking for true adventure motorcycling, turn off the highway to the tortuous mountain folds, wildflower flatlands, and rippling ochre dunes of the Northern Cape.

adventure-motorcycling-John Yavuz Can (flickr)

 

8. Whale watching from the cliffs of De Kelders. The viewings between July and November are so incredible that you may even get to spot these giant beauties and their babies from your bathtub.

whale-watching-cliffs-by-Desiree-Haakonsen

 

9. Discover your inner artist in Clarens. The little Free State town is captivating no matter what time of year you visit.

Misty morning in summer via Arundel Studios (TravelGround)

 

10. Meet Parrie the Stingray in Struisbaai. He’s a local celebrity in the Overberg and loves being petted by the whole family.

parrie-stingray-XplorioConnect

 

11. Sleep in an unusual structure. Because ordinary hotel rooms are so last year!

Shoe Guest House

 

12. Stroll the public Art Route 67 in Port Elizabeth. The route consists of 67 public artworks that symbolise Nelson Mandela’s 67 years of service to South Africa.

Art Route 67

 

13. Explore the land and food of the Karoo. We are itching to discover more of this big sky semi-desert after our Cooked in the Karoo Q&A with Justin Bonello.

Tankwa Karoo

 

14. Meet Snowy and have a snowball fight in the Matroosberg this winter.

Matroosberg-by-Desiree-Haakonsen (62)

 

 

15. See how many of South Africa’s top selfie spots you can tick off in one year!

Big Stock 2

 

What are you adding to your 2015 travel bucket list?