Whether it's looking out for the iconic wildlife and beautiful landscapes or appreciating the rural towns and bustling cities, in Southern Africa, you'll be spoilt for choice.

A holiday as unique as you

Okay, the decision has been made, you've chosen to make Southern Africa your next holiday destination, but the next choice is going to be one of planning - how are you going to make sure you pack in as much as possible? The answer is to book yourself a motorhome holiday.

A road trip is an ideal way to explore this beautiful and diverse continent. You get all the benefits of having an incredible itinerary planned out, all the details organised and, with a selection of our tours, you also have the benefit of a local tour host. Your host will always be on hand to offer help and advice whenever you need it. You don't need to stick to the itinerary rigidly; there are plenty of opportunities for you to make a quick detour or stop somewhere special that you want to explore.

The final touch you can add to make your Southern Africa adventure extra special is to include some unique and inspiring places to visit. With a little research, you can find some awesome places that tourists rarely get to visit. Here are a few we found.

Namib Sand Sea - a desert with a difference

When you think of the African desert, the images that are conjured are those of long sandy stretches full of dune and exotic wildlife, but the Namib Sand Sea is a desert with a difference. This is a coastal desert, and one of the few that's undulating dunes end at the coast. It's like a sandy beach, but huge!

The desert is mostly uninhabited by people, except for a few nomadic tribes that still exist but it is abundant in wildlife. The unique flora and fauna manage to survive on the moisture that the humid and foggy atmosphere provides.

If you are planning a trip, be careful, booking a tour can help you to view this unique landscape whilst keeping safe with the help of a tour guide.

You can visit Namib Sand Sea on our Tale of Three Countries Motorhome Tour.

Gcwihaba Caverns - an off the beaten track adventure

Our Tale Of Three Countries Motorhome Tour takes you through Botswana and if you can fit it in, the Gcwihaba Caverns are a magical place to visit. But beware, these caves aren't easy to get to so you'll have to book a tour with a driver and a 4x4 to reach these mystical caves but trust us, it is worth the effort!

These caves are thought to have been used since prehistoric times with interesting archaeological finds found around the site.

Follow in the footsteps of Drotsky, the first European to enter these caves in the early 19th century. See the magnificent collection of rock formations, stalactites, stalagmites and a large bat population. Just be careful not to make too much noise...!

Tswaing Meteorite Crater - hike beautiful trails and end up at this natural marvel

For a truly unparalleled experience, take a journey to this two-hundred-thousand-year-old crater.

The crater, caused by a massive meteor strike that destroyed much of the surrounding forest and wildlife 220,000 years ago, is filled with a stark teal-coloured body of water which was mined for its salt until the 1950s.

If you love a hike, then several hiking trails take you nearby the crater. So grab your walking shoes and don't miss out on this natural wonder.

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The Gibeon Meteorites - an out of this world sculpture

For those who want to see something genuinely out of this world, why not let mother nature show you a sparkling sculptural display? The place we know as Namibia today looked very different several millennia ago. This, in part, can be blamed on the vast meteor that hurtled towards the earth before dramatically breaking up upon entering the atmosphere. This resulted in hundreds of meteor fragments raining down on our fragile planet.

You can see some of this ancient history for yourself by taking a trip to see the Gibeon Meteors. Named after the area in which they were found, they are located in the Windhoek Region where you can see about 30 of these meteors on the Post Street Mall.

You can visit the Gibeon Meteorites on our Tale of Three Countries Motorhome Tour.

Cango Caves - experience South Africa's largest cave system

It isn't just South Africa's landscapes and vast deserts that are stunning to see. There are large underground caverns that are just as impressive. The Cango Caves near Oudtshoorn are not only the most extensive, but they are some of the most impressive.

As a tourist, you can experience just a quarter of these vast caverns which, when you visit will give you some idea of the massive scale of this cave system. You can book a guided tour and can choose from an Adventure Tour for some excitement as you traverse through the more difficult areas or a more leisurely guided tour.

You can visit the Cango Caves on our Roads Of The Rainbow Nation Tour.

Howick Falls - thunderous waterfalls that inspired a local legend

Located in Howick, the waters of the Umgeni River plunge nearly 100 meters into the murky pool below creating an incredible display. Luckily for tourists, you don't have to get too close to get a good view.

The waterfall itself drops from a stunning cliffside with intricate geological patterns that have been formed over thousands of years.

Local legend says that a giant serpent with a head similar in size to that of a horse lives in the pool. This monstrous creature is one to be wary of, and it is said that only the traditional healers can approach the water safely, especially in summer when the beast is at its most powerful.

Bwabwata National Park - a park for people and wildlife

The Bwabwata National Park is proof of just how diverse Southern Africa is. Located in Namibia, you can travel through desert regions and end up in an ever-changing landscape that leads you to this lush, green area packed full of wildlife.

Bwabwata is particularly unusual because it is home to human settlements (namely the Khwe San bushmen minority group) alongside nature and this is how it earned its name - The Peoples Park. There are thought to be over 5,000 people living and working harmoniously alongside the impressive array of nature.

You can book yourself a private day trip and have a personalised guided tour of the magnificent park. If you are lucky, you might even come across some elephants who trek across the 6,000 square kilometres on their migration route.

African Quadripoint - visit the place where four countries meet

A little known and reasonably quiet attraction is the African Quadripoint. This is an area unique because it is the point where the borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe & Zambia align. But you won't find flashy memorials or busy tourist attractions, the place where these countries meet is quietly marked and situated in the middle of a river.

It is rare to find a spot where four countries align like this with most other examples being three countries or nations so if you are travelling nearby this is worth a quick stop and a photo to mark the uniqueness of this site.

Seal Island - a wildlife adventure close to Cape Town

Cape Town is a must-see, and many tourists flock to the city to see the sights and experience authentic South African city life. You can see this for yourself on our Cape Town and Garden Route Tour and while here make sure you take a trip to the aptly named Seal Island.

Seal Island is located out to sea in False Bay, a great name if we ever heard one! The island itself is no more than a small granite landform which seems to have been almost perfectly created for the swarms of seals that call this rock home. This is where the seals choose to breed, ensuring a spectacular display during the breeding season.

Spend some time and watch nature at work but watch out, the abundance of seals attracts great white sharks too. These can form a circle around the island that has been nicknamed the ring of death.

The Top of Africa - get a birds-eye view of Johannesburg

If you are planning on spending some time in Johannesburg, then there is no better way to see the city in full than taking a trip up to the fiftieth floor of The Carlton Centre. Here you can find a viewing deck that allows you to get a birds-eye view of the city and the unique geography that surrounds it.

From up here, you can see the lack of water and the absolute abundance of trees that make their home in this urban environment. This is the perfect way to appreciate the city as a whole, truly. The observation deck no longer holds the title for world's tallest building, but it is still pretty impressive nonetheless and well-deserving of the name The Top of Africa.

This is just a few of the exciting and unique experiences you can have on your holiday in Southern Africa. There is so much more to see and do!

Get in touch with our team for more information and to start planning your unique holiday of a lifetime.

Peter Stannett

Content Writer

Peter is our content writer and SEO specialist, helping keep our content current and monitoring website traffic.

His content covers all four corners of the globe, across topics like activities, advice, food, culture and history.

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