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From Namibia’s ancient deserts to Mozambique’s island-dotted coastlines, Southern Africa is home to not only some of the best tourist attractions in Africa but to experiences that are layered, sensory, and, most importantly, selective.
Although the north of the continent is deeply fascinating and home to more than a few beautiful attractions worth seeing, such as the Egyptian Pyramids and the intriguing Ethiopian Wolves, the south of the continent moves according to its own rhythm, which is more often than not a whole lot more comfortable and welcoming.
A holiday in Southern Africa doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be easy, deeply authentic, entirely yours, and it can include a couple of these 20 landmarks, many of which have come to define what travel in Africa can feel like when you choose to travel a part of the continent that is more developed, more organised for travellers, and more comfortable to experience.
The Landmarks You Have To Visit
Putting this list together was certainly no easy task.
The Southern countries of Africa are diverse in every sense of the word, and there are way more than 20 places and experiences worth having. But if this is your first voyage into any of the nations included on this list, and if you want to have a well-rounded experience, these are the landmarks to add to your bucket list.
1. Sossusvlei, Namibia
The dunes here are so high, they catch the moonlight, and when walking up Big Daddy, one of the tallest dunes in the desert, you’ll feel as if the world is shrinking behind you. Few realise this desert holds some of the oldest sand on Earth, and you’ll leave your walk around here with fine dust in your shoes and clarity in your mind.
2. Table Mountain, South Africa
Locals joke that the cloud-draped top is its “tablecloth”, but beneath the humour lies a certain sacredness as this mountain is more than a Cape Town icon; it’s a living botanical archive. When you hike up it, you’ll get to meet over 2 200 plant species, many of which grow nowhere else on Earth. You will also get some of the most outstanding views.
3. The Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe
The thunderous roar will reach your chest before your ears.
Mosi-oa-Tunya, “The Smoke That Thunders”, otherwise known as the Victoria Falls, is an experience you will never forget, and if you time it right with a full moon and you might witness a lunar rainbow (yip, that is a real thing and it’s nothing short of spectacular! The falls are also one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, and there is a nearby rainforest that you can explore.
4. The Skeleton Coast, Namibia
There’s something utterly poetic about a place where sand swallows ships that have been wrecked by an unruly sea.
And the fog that rolls in off the cold Atlantic only adds to the poetic atmosphere of what is known as the Skeleton Coast.
While seals bark and desert lions can occasionally be seen prowling nearby, visitors experience something rare: isolation without the eerie discomfort. For those who want their travel to feel selective, this coast is a minimalist masterpiece.
5. Okavango Delta, Botswana
This isn’t just a floodplain; it’s the very lifeblood of the region.
Fed by water that falls as rain a thousand kilometres away, the Okavango Delta is its own kind of paradise. Travellers venturing to this part of the world are spoilt with things to do and can look forward to sliding in a mokoro as elephants wade past and going on game drives.
This destination is remote, but easy to access with the right guide.
6. Chapman’s Peak Drive, South Africa
Imagine a road carved into a cliff’s edge, hanging above the Atlantic like a ribbon. Built with dynamite and dreams in 1922, Chapman’s Peak remains one of Earth’s finest drives. At sunset, pull over with a bottle from Stellenbosch and watch the sky turn wine-coloured.
7. Fish River Canyon, Namibia
Larger than life, yet so often overlooked, the Fish River Canyon is Africa’s very own Grand Canyon, just without the queue of RVs.
The canyon’s hot springs, a place that is sacred to the Nama people, still bubble beneath the jagged ledges. It’s the kind of place that makes you question your place in the world and where you will have one of the most unforgettable hikes.
8. Blyde River Canyon, South Africa
This is what happens when the Earth forgets that its canyons are supposed to be brown.
Blyde River Canyon is the only green canyon in the world, and it is full of life, especially after the area receives its summer rains.
Those who visit will often spot rare birds and enjoy the sight of the Three Rondavels. The area surrounding the canyon is just as full of interesting things to do and see. Nearby are most of South Africa’s waterfalls and some of the most welcoming pioneer small towns.
9. Lake Malawi, Malawi
More fish species live here than in any other lake globally!
The locals call it the “Calendar Lake” because it is 365 miles long, 52 miles wide. Lake Malawi is famed for having clear waters, unspoiled beaches, and boutique lodges that make it a gentle alternative to a safari-heavy itinerary.
If peace were a place, it might look like this.
10. Etosha Pan, Namibia
You don’t chase the wildlife here, they come to you.
During the dry season, elephants, lions, and rhinos all converge at the salt pan’s waterholes. The salt pan, which is visible from space, is also known to turn pink with flamingos after the rains.
It’s one of the best tourist attractions in Africa.
11. Matobo Hills, Zimbabwe
Think of it as Zimbabwe’s open-air museum.
The Matobo Hills consist of a couple of granite outcrops that hide thousands of years of San rock art, showing dancers, hunters, and animals. Rhodes chose this place for his grave and once you stand at “View of the World,” you’ll understand why.
12. Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique
Island time here isn’t slow, it’s suspended. A visit to this archipelago will have you exploring beautiful, unspoiled coral reefs by day, and then dining on freshly grilled crayfish as traditional dhows drift past at sunset.
On Ibo Island, you’ll see the Swahili-Arabic trade era lingering in the architecture. It’s exclusive, quiet, and beautifully resistant to change.
13. Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
Flat, blindingly white, and utterly surreal, these salt pans were once a super-lake.
Now, they play host to zebra migrations and stargazing nights like no other. It’s also not too unusual to have a few meerkats crawling curiously around you or even into your lap while staying here.
14. NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia
The NamibRand is privately owned and fiercely protected. The nights bring galaxies down to eye level, as it’s one of the best places on Earth for stargazing.
You can stay at Wolwedans for a real experience in sustainable, low-impact travel that redefines luxury.
15. Twyfelfontein, Namibia
This is a rocky amphitheatre that was naturally formed some 6 000 years ago!
It is also a great place to see rock carvings and paintings left by San hunter-gatherers, which include images of rhinos, giraffes, and lions etched into stone.
There was once a spring here, but it was infamous for being unreliable (hence the name, “Doubtful Fountain”), but the spirit of the place is unwavering.
16. Sani Pass, Lesotho
There are roads you remember vaguely. And then there’s Sani Pass, a heart-racing drive that will take you through switchbacks and mist, and lead you to the “highest pub in Africa”.
Once inside, wrapped in a blanket and sipping something warm, you’ll feel like you’ve crossed into a storybook.
17. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, SA/Botswana
Forget paved roads and crowds, this is where the real adventurous people go.
Kgalagadi is red dunes, silent plains, and black-maned lions. It’s the kind of place you go not to be seen, but to see.
For photographers and purists alike, it’s a favourite destination, and you can look forward to an unpolished, untainted and absolutely otherworldly trip.
18. Island of Mozambique
This was once the capital of Portuguese East Africa.
Today, its faded facades and barefoot locals give it a dreamlike beach holiday vibe. When you walk its streets, here and there, see the remnants of the old empire, and sleep in restored colonial mansions with ocean views, you’ll see why it is one of the best attractions in Africa.
19. Chobe Riverfront, Botswana
Want to see more elephants than you can count? Well, you’ll find them here, by the hundreds.
Chobe’s riverbanks are just the place for spellbinding sunset cruises, where hippos grunt below and fish eagles cry above. It’s luxury, yes, but with wild things just close enough to make your drink wobble.
20. Devil’s Pool, Zambia
Right at the edge of Victoria Falls is a pool that lets you lean over the abyss. It’s not for everyone, and that’s kind of the point.
You can swim safely here, with a guide, during the dry season, and experience one of the most selective, heart-skipping dips on Earth.
Southern Africa is alive with travel opportunities, and no matter which of these best tourist attractions in Africa you add to your travel itinerary, you are going to have a spectacular, awe-inspiring and absolutely thrilling time!
