South Africa Travel Guide: Self-Guided City Walks

The best things to do in South Africa range from exploring historic cities and learning about the struggle against apartheid to discovering ocean shores, high plateaus and sharply different climates. At the southern tip of Africa, the country combines a long human history, extraordinary cultural diversity and some of the continent’s most varied environments. Neywo has free audio guides for 4 cities in South Africa, with 291 narrated places in total, available in 11 languages.

What to see and do in South Africa

Understand South Africa’s long human story

South Africa’s history reaches back millions of years. Archaeological discoveries place hominid species in the region millions of years ago, while modern humans lived here more than one hundred thousand years ago. The first known peoples were the Khoisan. Later, Bantu-speaking peoples arrived in waves from west and central Africa, and kingdoms such as Mapungubwe, Venda and Zulu developed during different periods.

European settlement began at Table Bay, where the Dutch established the Cape Colony. British occupation followed, and colonisation expanded. Industrialisation and urban growth then accelerated during the Mineral Revolution, reshaping the country’s economy and cities.

Learn about apartheid and the road to democracy

South Africa’s recent history is essential to understanding the country today. In 1948, the National Party imposed apartheid, making racial segregation part of the law. The African National Congress and other activists resisted discriminatory rule, both within South Africa and beyond its borders.

Discriminatory laws eventually began to be repealed, and universal elections in 1994 gave political representation to all racial groups. The journey from exclusion to a liberal democracy remains central to the country’s public life and identity. In Johannesburg, Neywo’s audio guide includes 64 narrated places, among them the Apartheid Museum, Ellis Park Stadium, Satyagraha House and the University of the Witwatersrand.

Explore varied landscapes and climates

South Africa occupies the southern tip of Africa, with coastlines on both the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Much of the interior rises into a broad, mostly flat plateau. The land is higher in the east and slopes gradually towards the west, north, south and southwest.

The result is a country of striking environmental contrasts. The far northwest includes the extreme desert of the southern Namib, while the east, near Mozambique and the Indian Ocean, is lush and subtropical. South African winter falls between June and August. The country also surrounds Lesotho and shares borders with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini.

These changing elevations, ocean influences and climates support distinctive plant and animal life. South Africa is recognised as a biodiversity hotspot and is one of the world’s seventeen megadiverse countries.

Discover Cape Town and the Western Cape

The Western Cape brings together some of the country’s most important historic and coastal places. In Cape Town, Neywo covers 108 narrated places, including Groote Kerk, St. George’s Cathedral, the Cape of Good Hope and the Castle of Good Hope.

The region also extends beyond the capital. Langebaan has 10 narrated places, with stories connected to the Cape Colony, the Dutch Reformed Church, Riebeek-Kasteel, Redelinghuys and Elands Bay Cave. You can also explore Simon’s Town, whose 109 narrated places include the Castle of Good Hope, Groote Kerk, St. George’s Cathedral and the Cape of Good Hope.

For a broader overview of the area, see the Western Cape destination page.

Experience a multilingual cultural landscape

South Africa is often called the rainbow nation, a phrase that became widely used after apartheid to describe a society of many cultures, languages and religions. The country has twelve official languages, including Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, English and South African Sign Language. The informal name Mzansi, derived from the Xhosa word for south, is also used.

That diversity can be heard in the country’s music, literature and everyday life. Literature began as an oral tradition and continues across South Africa’s languages and cultures. Music has produced styles including Kwaito and Amapiano, while Brenda Fassie became famous for her English-language song “Weekend Special”. Soccer, rugby union and cricket are the most popular sports.

South Africa’s artistic history is also exceptionally old. Some of the world’s oldest art objects were found in a cave in the country and dated to roughly seventy-five thousand years ago.

See a country with regional influence and unresolved challenges

Modern South Africa is one of Africa’s most industrialised and economically influential countries. Its economy combines a large services sector, a diversified industrial base and abundant natural resources. Mining remains important, while agriculture supports food security, rural livelihoods and exports. The country also has extensive roads, railways, airports, seaports and pipelines, as well as an advanced telecommunications sector connected to global networks through undersea cables.

South Africa belongs to BRICS Plus, the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations and the Group of Twenty. It hosts the seat of the Pan-African Parliament and has the largest economy among African Union members.

At the same time, the country continues to face deep inequality. Since apartheid ended, accountability and quality of life have substantially improved for non-white citizens, but crime, violence, poverty and unemployment remain widespread. South Africa’s present is therefore marked by both considerable capacity and influence and serious unresolved social challenges.

Explore South Africa with Neywo’s audio guides

Neywo offers free audio guides for 4 cities in South Africa, with 14 walking tours and 291 narrated places in total. Narration is available in 11 languages. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Download Neywo and explore South Africa by listening as you walk through its cities and historic sites.