World Heritage Sights of South Africa

Dedicated to the preservation of the world’s most significant places of natural, cultural and historical interest, UNESCO World Heritage Sites are almost a collection of the “see before you die” sights of the world. Each country has its own set of World Heritage Sites, and South Africa is blessed with several – ranging from a two billion year old meteor crater to the four hundred year old island prison that once held Nelson Mandela, they are some of the most beautiful and fascinating places to visit in South Africa. If you want to sample the country’s true natural and cultural heritage on a luxury holiday in South Africa, these are the essential places to visit…

The Cradle of Humankind

This collection of several human fossil sites is one of the most significant prehistoric areas in the world, with many fossils dating back for over three and a half million years. Some of the sites are on private land but many others (such as the Sterkfontein Caves and the Wonder Cave) are open to the public, and are frequently visited by tour groups on South Africa luxury holidays.

Greater St Lucia Wetland Park

If you want to get close to the wildlife as part of a holiday in South Africa, go on a horseback safari in the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park – the animals regard you as being a part of the horse, offering the rare opportunity to see them up close. The park itself is one of the most ecologically diverse wetlands regions in the world, with a huge range of different environments and species of animal.

Richtersveld

The Richtersveld Cultural and Biological Landscape in the North of South Africa stretches for over 150,000 hectares, and is the home of the nomadic Nama people whose way of living has survived almost unchanged for two thousand years.

Robben Island

Famous as a fearsome island prison for political dissidents for over 400 years, today Robben Island has become a symbol for the triumph of justice and the human will over tyranny and oppression. Located 12km from Cape Town, a visit to the carefully preserved prison buildings (which held Nelson Mandela for the better part of 27 years) is a hugely moving experience – don’t miss out on Robben Island if you are on holiday in South Africa.

Vredefort Dome

Vredefort Dome is the largest and oldest meteor crater in the world. Over two billion years ago, a meteor bigger than Table Mountain hit the Earth and created the Vredefort Dome. It is believed to have had a major ecological and evolutionary effect on the world, and if you visit the Vredefort Dome as part of your holiday in South Africa today, you can still see the long term effects the impact had on the surrounding countryside.

The Cape Floral Kingdom

Located near the Table Mountain National Park, the Cape Floral Kingdom is one of the most diverse and rich areas for plants and flowers in the world. Covering only 0.5% of Africa but containing almost 20% of the continents flowers, it is an area of staggering natural beauty – the perfect place to visit for a day on a South Africa luxury holiday.

Mapungubwe

Mapungubwe was an African city built atop a dramatic sandstone hill. Abandoned in the 14th century, it lay undisturbed until it was rediscovered in 1932. It is an archaeologists dream, with relics charting the development of a society for over four hundred years before the city was abandoned. It now forms the centrepiece of the Mapungubwe National Park.