Recommendations: Travel Guides for South Africa

Before every trip to South Africa (I have been there nine times), I buy new and up-to-date travel guides. As a result, guides and travel literature for the southernmost country in Africa are stacking up in my bookshelf. Since I have been to South Africa nine times now, you can trust my travel tips!

There probably isn't a travel guide that I don't own, so here are my tips and recommendations for South African travel guides - depending on the destination and region you want to visit!

Cape Town Travel Guide

Since I have been to Cape Town so many times, I have now shared my private Google Maps lists, as we have marked not only the sights but also the most beautiful places, restaurants, cafés, and markets for you. With one click, you have the most important spots and can easily navigate through Cape Town, make reservations, and estimate distances.

Cape Town Google Maps List - All Highlights with One Click on Your Phone

Cape Town Guide — photo by viel-unterwegs.de

Don't want to waste time on research?

I have been to Cape Town 10 times and have gathered all my favorite spots, beaches, restaurants & insider tips into a Google Maps list - directly usable on your phone.

Save yourself hours of planning - get the map now and explore Cape Town like a local.

Sights & Food Spots
My personal tips & notes
Offline usable - ideal for on the go
Lifetime access + free updates

South Africa Travel Guide for Tours and Individual Travels

South Africa Handbook Dumont

South Africa Travel Handbook Dumont — photo by viel-unterwegs.de

In my opinion, the best travel guide for self-drivers is the South Africa Handbook from Dumont Verlag.

The Dumont guide was better for the trip with a rental car than the Loose. Why? It contains many tips and descriptions of particularly worthwhile routes and passes that are on our route.

Detailed tips mainly for sights and accommodations in Cape Town, Johannesburg, the Winelands, and well-known places along the Garden Route. Kwazulu Natal (Hluhluwe NP and St. Lucia) is only briefly mentioned, while some places in the Northern Cape are entirely missing. Unjustly so. With just this travel guide, I would have been very dissatisfied during this trip. However, it depends on which regions you want to visit.

Best Garden Route Travel Guides

For the Garden Route, I have also published my private lists with all the most beautiful places, tips, and sights as a map for Google Maps (also works offline). There is no better travel guide for the Garden Route.

Our Garden Route Maps for Google Maps

NEW: Our Garden Route maps with the most beautiful places, sights, and food guide. Saving all places with one click in Google Maps saves time. We also add notes with tips so you can see where all the places are located. Check out the Garden Route guide for your phone heren or here the package from Cape Town, the Winelands, and the Garden Route.

I hope your stay becomes an unforgettable trip thanks to my tips!

As a supplement to the research for my first trip, this guide provided me with many useful background information. I recommend this travel guide to anyone who wants to visit just the Garden Route, Cape Town, Winelands, and the Cape Peninsula, as it is very detailed.

You can find all other tips for travel guides for a journey through South Africa and tips for travel planning in this article: Everything you need to plan and know for your South Africa trip

Research on Travel Blogs and Internet Forums

In addition to travel guides, I always research additional tips on the Internet. Specific travel blogs from South Africa (no other travel blogs that have only been there once and claim to be specialists) and a specific group on Facebook for South Africa. Internet forums are still a good source! Since I have now been to South Africa nine times, you can trust my travel tips!

For online research before your trip, you can read all travel information, tips, and travel reports about South Africa here.

Useful Articles to Read Before Your South Africa Trip!

Are you currently planning your own trip to South Africa? Here you will find more tips and information you need for planning:

All information for regions and cities:

You will also find many useful information on the official South Africa Tourism website for German-speaking regions.

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Tips for Driving in South Africa
South Africa Sights: 21 Wonderful Places with Insider Tips
The Most Beautiful Routes in South Africa (Suggestions for You)
Travel Report for 3 Weeks in South Africa(First-time visitors)
Best Travel Time for South Africa
What Does a South Africa Trip Cost?
All Tips for Your South Africa Road Trip at a Glance
Garden Route
Comprehensive Cape Town Guide (Sights, Excursions, Accommodation, Activities, Where to Eat)
Cape Peninsula and Cape of Good Hope
Panorama Route
Kruger National Park
Johannesburg
Northern Cape Road Trip: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Augrabies Falls, Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve, Sutherland and Namaqualand
Western Cape Road Trip from Cape Town (with Paternoster and Langebaan)
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
Addo Elephant National Park
Tsitsikamma National Park
De Hoop Nature Reserve

Best Travel Guides for South Africa