Our rates are inclusive of Dinner, Bed and Breakfast.

Unique SA Holiday Destinations for a Memorable Experience

South Africa offers countless magical travel destinations, particularly if you want to avoid tourist traps and experience something a bit more unique. If you only visit the popular SA holiday destinations listed in travel guides and websites, you’ll only see a small portion of South Africa’s true diversity.

We’ve chosen several places with unmatched beauty and unique experiences. This list includes gorgeous natural landscapes, quirky historical sites, as well as locations with significant archaeological value.

Unique SA Holiday Destinations

The Kruger National Park, Limpopo and Mpumalanga

One of the top SA holiday destinations is the Kruger National Park, which offers an unmatched  Kruger Big 5 Safari Experience. Not only is it the most famous national park in South Africa, but it also boasts the greatest variety of species. It is among the oldest conservation sites in Africa, with thriving animal populations and highly sought-after wild dog and cheetah sightings.

Nights can be spent in a lavish bungalow or by a roaring campfire as you listen to the sounds of nature. Wake up to a champagne breakfast as an elephant strolls by and lions roar in the distance. Then, embark on a self-drive or guided safari to explore one of Africa’s largest game reserves in search of majestic animals like lions, leopards, rhinoceroses, buffaloes, and wild cats. The Big 5 of Africa are the continent’s most famous animals, and seeing them in the Kruger National Park is an experience you are likely to treasure for a lifetime. All year long, close encounters with elephants, buffalo, rhinos, lions, and leopards are common.

The Owl House, Eastern Cape

The Owl House, in Nieu-Bethesda in the Eastern Cape, was home to the well-known South African artist, Helen Martin. The home is the result of her wish to bring colour and brightness into her dark and lonely environment. It has an incredible variety of sculptures, interiors made of colourful glass, and vivid paintings.

Martin, who was divorced in the 1940s and had no living relatives due to the passing of her parents, moved back to her birthplace to work on a project that she grew fixated on. With the help of a worker named Koos Malgas, she started making sculptures of owls, mythological creatures, and sun faces. Over the course of 12 years, she converted her house into a wonderland filled with hundreds of sculptures, shattered glass walls, and colourful windows. The Owl House, with its quirky sculptures and intriguing history, has a magical air to it. Iit is a really unique location that is not quickly forgotten.

The Drakensberg, KwaZulu Natal

One of South Africa’s most breathtaking locations is the Drakensberg. A haven for nature enthusiasts, it is renowned for its hiking paths that wind around picturesque mountain gorges, across serene grasslands, and into magnificent river valleys. But if there’s one unique destination within Drakensberg that you simply cannot miss, it’s the Amphitheatre. The Drakensberg Amphitheatre in the Drakensberg Mountains is a spectacular cliff face spanning 5 km. Surprisingly, the towering natural phenomenon attracts very few visitors. What makes this destination even more magical is the magnificent Tugela Falls, found at the cliff’s peak.

Sterkfontein Caves, Gauteng

A World Heritage Site, the Sterkfontein Caves are the ideal location for aspiring archaeologists or enthusiastic explorers. The caves are a wonderful destination to visit and one of the most significant fossil sites in the world. In the region referred to as the Cradle of Humanity, fossilised hominid and animal remains as ancient as 4 million years have been found. These findings provide important insights into the origins and evolution of humans.Any traveller to South Africa will find this visitor centre to be of the highest calibre, with first-rate displays, knowledgeable guides, a restaurant, and breathtaking vistas. The caverns are well located for seeing one of the most well-known archaeological sites in the world since Johannesburg is just 40 minutes away. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes that you can walk in inside the caves.

Book SA Holiday Destinations: Kruger Big 5 Safari Experience

You can book an unforgettable Kruger Big 5 Safari Experience on the Kruger Gate Hotel website, one of the most unique SA holiday destinations in the country. Or Contact Us to plan and book the ultimate Kruger National Park getaway.

Guest Reviews

(Translated by Google) Really friendly staff.

(Original)
Todella ystävällinen henkilökunta.

Posted on 13/10/2025 by Google

Sim

Posted on 16/10/2025 by Hotels.com

We had a great stay at Kruger Gate Hotel. The location right next to the national park was really unique. At the pool bar and in the pool you can directly observe animals - unique for us.
Service, food also great.
Safaris were not booked through the hotel as we booked a guided trip through Tourcompass.

Posted on 09/10/2025 by TripAdvisor

From the moment we stepped into Kruger Gate Hotel it was like stepping into paradise.
I cannot praise the staff enough, thoughtful cheerful very friendly, the catering staff presented a variety of beautiful dishes every day.
The facilities were brilliant, rooms were spacious with extremely comfortable beds. And the view from the pool area onto the safari park were amazing.
I would highly recommend Kruger Gate Hotel to anyone visiting South Africa, especially first time visitors wanting to experience the Safari Park.

Posted on 16/10/2025 by TripAdvisor

We had a great experience at Kruger Gate Hotel. Since we made the reservation we felt that they were very kind and welcoming answering all our questions and support us. When we got here, Dion, the driver who took us from the airport was very nice and helped us to find the animals in our way to the hotel. The hotel has an excellent location and the Safari was perfect! Prince was our tour guide for the Safari and we also loved it. Staff are very friendly and kind. Cleaning is very good . It is a beautiful and big hotel. For sure I will come back!

Posted on 14/10/2025 by TripAdvisor

The entire experience was dreamy, we had a wonderful time. Between game drives that were amazing, we enjoyed all the hotel’s amenities, and they all contributed to our amazing Safari experience. The room was great, and so was the spa and the gym. The food selection is very big and the pool has amazing view (we even had some elephants who visited!). The staff is amazing and very welcoming! Highly recommended.

Posted on 14/10/2025 by Booking.com

Spacious Modern Room and Great choice of Food

Posted on 11/10/2025 by Booking.com

Fantástico. A cordialidade da equipe, especialmente do gerente Miguel, é impressionante. A qualidade e variedade da alimentação, tanto no café como no jantar, é espetacular. A localização, a limpeza, a estrutura, tudo nota 10.

Posted on 16/10/2025 by Booking.com

Fantástico. A cordialidade da equipe, especialmente do gerente Miguel, é impressionante. A qualidade e variedade da alimentação, tanto no café como no jantar, é espetacular. A localização, a limpeza, a estrutura, tudo nota 10.

Posted on 16/10/2025 by Booking.com

I can\'t fault this place. Everything was amazing, from the rooms and facilities to the location, views and food. Seeing animals wander by whilst swimming in the infinity pool is just incredible.

Posted on 15/10/2025 by Booking.com

Everything was GREAT ❤️

Posted on 16/10/2025 by Booking.com

O lugar é perfeito não encontrei nenhum defeito

Posted on 16/10/2025 by Booking.com