South Africa
Description
Located on the southern tip of the African continent, South Africa offers an enormous variety of landscapes and is a popular hiking destination. Famous are the alpine Drakensberg mountain range, the Blyde River Canyon, the Eastern Cape Wild Coast, Cedarberg, and the Otter Trail along the southern Tsitsikamma Coast. And there is so much more!
South Africa counts a full 21 National Parks, many of which have hiking or backpacking trails. Take a look at the excellent website of South African National Parks (or SANParks), which also offers online bookings.
Hiking being popular, there are a multitude of other hiking clubs and tour operators offering their services, ranging from booking lodging to providing guides and even transporting your luggage from one hut to the next (euphemistically called 'slackpacking').
Surrounded by both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean, South Africa's climate is largely temperate, though there are some inland extremes in terms of high and low temperatures. Best time for hiking in South Africa is generally during the dry and cool season, between March and November.
Trails
Regions
Links
Facts
Reports
Guides and maps
Lodging
Organisations
Tour operators
GPS
Other
Books

United Kingdom
2021
- Walking Safaris in South Africa
- Guided Walks and Trails in National Parks and Game Reserves Read more
- Also available from:
- Stanfords, United Kingdom
- De Zwerver, Netherlands

United Kingdom
2021
- Walking Safaris of South Africa: Guided Walks and Trails in National Parks and Game Reserves
- Swapping a vehicle for two feet is the way to explore the wilderness, like our ancestors once did: in the tracks of wild animals, absorbing the scents and sounds of nature, immersed in the great outdoors rather than merely observing it. In the safe hands of expert guides, walkers not only experience the excitement of sharing trails with big... Read more

Netherlands
2021
- Reisgids - Natuurgids Walking Safaris in South Africa - Zuid Afrika | Struik Nature
- Guided Walks and Trails in National Parks and Game Reserves Read more

United Kingdom
- Hike Cape Town: Top Day Trails in Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula
- This new, full-colour guide to the top day trails of Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula - the heart of the Cape Floral Region World Heritage Site - has something for everyone. There are flat walks along the Sea Point Promenade, the Golden Mile between Muizenberg and St James and through the Urban Park for those looking for easy strolls, while... Read more

United Kingdom
2019
- DK Eyewitness Travel Guide South Africa
- Discover South Africa with this essential travel guide, designed to help you create your own unique trip and to transport to this incredible country before you`ve even packed your case. Enjoy bustling, creative cities such as Cape Town and Johannesburg, learn about the nation`s tumultuous history at the Apartheid Museum, and admire the natural... Read more

Netherlands
- BIKE
- Many may argue that South Africa's beauty is best viewed from behind the handle bars of a motorbike. BIKE tar & gravel adventures in South Africa is just that - real bike journeys to far flung corners and back of beyond. This title takes the reader on a journey through a diverse landscape with 84 pages of bike tours from scenic routes and... Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Belgium

Belgium
- BIKE
- Many may argue that South Africa's beauty is best viewed from behind the handle bars of a motorbike. BIKE tar & gravel adventures in South Africa is just that - real bike journeys to far flung corners and back of beyond. This title takes the reader on a journey through a diverse landscape with 84 pages of bike tours from scenic routes and... Read more

Netherlands
2015
- Reisgids Te gast in Zuid Afrika | Informatie Verre Reizen
- Samengesteld door en voor reizigers: verhalen van mensen die er gewoond of gereisd hebben. Literatuurlijst, praktische tips, vooral veel achtergrond- en cultuur informatie. Deze geheel vernieuwde uitgave laat een land zien dat volop in beweging is. Gezien het traumatische verleden waarbij bevolkingsgroepen van elkaar werden gescheiden is het... Read more

Netherlands
2017
- Reisgids - Natuurgids - Wegenatlas Expanded Visitor's Guide Kruger National Park | MapStudio
- Reisgids - wegenatlas - natuurgids ineen! In A4 formaat een gids met veel informatie over wat je waar kunt zien, maar ook met overnachtingsplaatsen en andere handige tips. MapStudio has produced a best seller for Kruger National Park enthusiasts. We first brought out our jam packed Visitor’s guide (24 pages) and we have seen such a demand we... Read more

Netherlands
- South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland
- Provides extensive coverage of national parks and game reserves, with a 32-page full-colour safari guide; the lowdown on the surf scene, historic wineries and trekking; essential travel advice, from riding on local transport to health and safety; and hundreds of accommodation and dining options, for all bugets. Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Belgium

Belgium
- South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland
- Provides extensive coverage of national parks and game reserves, with a 32-page full-colour safari guide; the lowdown on the surf scene, historic wineries and trekking; essential travel advice, from riding on local transport to health and safety; and hundreds of accommodation and dining options, for all bugets. Read more

Netherlands
- Top 10 Cape Town & the Winelands
- Discover the best of everything this beautiful region of South Africa has to offer. Top 10 lists showcase the best places to visit, from Cape Town's Table Mountain to the Stellenbosch vineyards. Seven easy-to-follow itineraries explore the region's most interesting areas—from Robben Island to the dramatic Cape Peninsula—while... Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Belgium

Belgium
- Top 10 Cape Town & the Winelands
- Discover the best of everything this beautiful region of South Africa has to offer. Top 10 lists showcase the best places to visit, from Cape Town's Table Mountain to the Stellenbosch vineyards. Seven easy-to-follow itineraries explore the region's most interesting areas—from Robben Island to the dramatic Cape Peninsula—while... Read more

Netherlands
2019
- Wandelgids Südafrika West | Rother Bergverlag
- Duitstalige wandelgids met zeer goed beschreven wandelingen in de genoemde gebieden. Redelijk kaartmateriaal, vooral de beschrijving van de route en de praktische info die er bij hoort is meer dan goed. Südafrika ist für Naturliebhaber ein Reiseziel der Superlative. Kaum ein Land der Welt verfügt über solch einen Artenreichtum in der Tier- und... Read more

Netherlands
2017
- Reisgids Marco Polo NL Zuid Afrika | 62Damrak
- Eindelijk zijn ze er weer: de Nederlandse versie van de alom bekende en gewaardeerde serie van Marco Polo. Het is een handige en overzichtelijke, kleine reisgids voor een goede kennismaking met de vakantiebestemming. Globale uitklapkaart achterin, makkelijk binnenzakformaat. Toch best veel aandacht voor de toeristische hoogtepunten en leuke... Read more

Netherlands
2017
- Reisgids Road Tripping South Africa - Zuid Afrika | MapStudio
- Want to escape the crowds? Then take the roads less travelled. This selection of 20 iconic road trips, all of which are perfectly manageable in a normal sedan, will take you on quiet, scenic back roads to places that you probably didn’t even know existed. So hop into the car and discover back roads that you’ve never journeyed before! Road Trips... Read more
Maps

Netherlands
- Wegenkaart - landkaart Southern Africa - Zuidelijk Afrika | Hildebrand's
- Südliches Afrika 1 : 2 500 000. Hildebrand´s Urlaubskarte ab 9.95 EURO Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe. Stadtpläne von Cape Town / Kaapstad, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Windhoek. Verzeichnis der Orte und Sehenswürdigkeiten, Entfernungstabelle, Reiseinformationen. Dreisprachige Ausgabe:... Read more

Netherlands
- Wegenkaart - landkaart Zuidelijk Afrika - Southern Africa (Zuid Afrika - Namibië - Botswana - Zimbabwe) | Nelles Verlag
- Nelles Map South Africa - Namibia - Botswana - Zimbabwe 1 : 2 500 000 ab 9.9 EURO Special Maps: Cape Town - Cape Peninsula - Drakensberg - Durban - Etosha N. P. - Gauteng - Johannesburg - Kruger N. P. - Pretoria - Windhoek - Around Lüderitz - Fish River Canyon - Sossusvlei - Waterberg - Victoria Falls Nelles Map. New ed. 2018 Read more

Netherlands
- Wegenkaart - landkaart South Africa Namibia Botswana - Zuid Afrika Namibië Bostwana | Marco Polo
- MARCO POLO Kontinentalkarte Südafrika, Namibia, Botswana 1:2 000 000 ab 11.99 EURO Marco Polo Karte Marco Polo Kontinental-/Länderkarten. 7. Auflage Read more

Netherlands
- Wegenkaart - landkaart Zuid Afrika - South Africa | ITMB
- South Africa 1 : 1 350 000 ab 10.5 EURO Including Lesotho and Swaziland International Travel Map ITM. 4th edition Read more
Netherlands
- Wegenkaart - landkaart Zuid Afrika - Südafrika | Freytag & Berndt
- Südafrika 1 : 1 500 000 ab 10.9 EURO Citypläne Cape Town und Johannesburg. Umgebungskarte Cape Town. Krüger Nationalpark. Ortsregister mit Postleitzahlen Freytag & Berndt Autokarte. Neuauflage Read more

Netherlands
- Wegenkaart - landkaart Kenya - Kenia | Marco Polo
- MARCO POLO Länderkarte Kenia 1:1 000 000 ab 11.99 EURO MARCO POLO Highlights, City Maps Marco Polo Karte Marco Polo Kontinental-/Länderkarten. 2. Auflage Read more

Netherlands
- Wegenkaart - landkaart Egypt - Egypte | Marco Polo
- MARCO POLO Länderkarte Ägypten 1:1 100 000 ab 11.99 EURO MARCO POLO Highlights, City Maps MARCO POLO Kontinental-/Länderkarten Marco Polo Karte. 3. Auflage Read more