South Africa is widely known as the Rainbow Nation, a name given by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, once a Nobel Peace prize winner. Over the centuries different groups of people have entered South Africa to inhabit the area, making the country become “one nation” with a great diversity of people, cultures and languages. This wide diversity makes that there are many interesting facts about South Africa that most people don't know.

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Updated version April 25

South Africa is also home to a variety of breathtaking landscapes and beautiful nature, ranging from dramatic mountains, sandy beaches, wide plains, rocky cliffs to the most colourful flowers. In all, there is so much to see and do, so many people and tribes to meet, different food dishes to eat, activities to experience and animals to observe, it can take a while to get to know the true and real identity of the country. The nice weather as well as the geographical features are some of the main reasons why people visit South Africa.

South Africa (or the Republic of South Africa) was already a favourite tourist destination, but after the country successfully organised the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer, it was put high on a lot of people’s “spots to visit” list. Before visiting a country, it is always nice to get know some random facts apart from the usual tourist information. These facts can enhance your visit, or they might just be good to know, or just add up to someone’s general knowledge.

So, what is South Africa famous for?

We’ve listed some random, amazing and fun facts about South Africa which we thought would be interesting to know. Some of these South Africa facts you might have heard of, some might be new. At the same time there will be some interesting facts about South African culture to provide a deeper insight.

Africa’s Highest commercial bungee jump from a bridge

The highest commercial bridge bungee jump in Africa can be done in South Africa. Located in the heart of the Garden Route, the Bloukrans Bridge stands 216 metres above the Bloukrans River. The bridge is part of the N2 highway, which connects Cape Town and Durban. As a result, it carries heavy traffic, something you’ll definitely notice when standing underneath it, ready to jump.

South Africa has 3 capital cities

When asking someone to name the capital of South Africa, most people will answer Johannesburg. Even if it is the largest and financially most important city in South Africa and for the South African economy, the answer is not correct. South Africa has in fact 3 official capital cities. Pretoria is the administrative, Bloemfontein the judicial and Cape Town the legislative capital of South Africa.

First ever heart transplant in the world

The first ever heart transplant was carried out in South Africa, at the Groote Schuur hospital in Cape Town. The surgeon Christiaan Barnard performed the operation in 1967. The operation was considered to be successful, even though the patient died 18 days later, from double pneumonia, but his body had not rejected the heart.

Route 62 is The world’s longest wine route

Meandering through various wine-growing areas, Route 62 is the longest wine route in the world. It is a beautiful and scenic route, passing through areas such as the Klein Karoo, Robertson, Wellington, Calitzberg, Worcester and Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of South Africa. The route stretches over a distance of about 850 km between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth as an alternative and highly recommendable route instead of the N2 highway.

Pinotage is South Africa’s own wine grape

Pinotage is a wine grape that originates from South Africa. It was developed in 1925 as a fusion between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut grapes. At the time, Cinsaut was known as Hermitage, hence the name Pinotage.

Over the years, Pinotage has become South Africa's signature red grape and almost exclusively grown and cultivated there. The Pinotage grape produces dark, bold wines with flavour that range from cherry, plum, meat and dark chocolate.

Tugela Falls is the world’s second highest waterfall

South Africa is home to the second highest waterfall in the world, the Tugela Falls. The total drop is 948 metres (3110 ft.) in five consecutive leaps, of which the longest uninterrupted leap is 411 metres (1350 ft.). The Tugela falls are part of the Royal Natal National Park in the Drakensberg mountains.

South Africa is home to the African penguin

This is one of the more interesting facts about South Africa for tourists. Where in the world can you share a warm and sunny beach with a colony of penguins? Indeed, in South Africa. Various breeding colonies of African penguins, also known as the Jackass penguin, can be found along the western coast of South Africa.

The most famous place to visit the African penguin is in Boulders beach, close to Simon’s town, south of Cape Town. Apart from visiting the penguins, there are plenty of great things to do in Cape Town. Cape Town is also home to some of the most stunning beaches in South Africa.

The largest man-made forest is in Johannesburg

With over 6 million trees, Johannesburg is considered to have the largest man-made forest in the world. Since the area of Johannesburg was originally grassland, all the trees were planted to provide wood for the growing mine industry in the 19th century. However, there are many discussions whether Johannesburg can officially claim this title, and if the trees in a city can be considered to be a forest. Urban myth or not, the city can definitely claim the title for being one of the most wooded cities in the world.

South Africa has 11 official languages

One of the most interesting things about South Africa is that the country has 11 official languages; Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana and Venda. The most spoken language is Zulu, followed by Xhosa, which are also the 2 largest tribes in the country. Don't think you have to know all of these languages to be able to communicate in South Africa. Imagine. English is considered to be the main language and is widely spoken throughout the country by most people. These languages are represented in the South African culture and also represent the diverse population of South Africa.

The National Anthem is sung in 5 different languages

The lyrics of the South African National Anthem include 5 of the 11 official languages; Xhosa, Sesotho, Zulu, Afrikaans and English.

The National Anthem of South Africa was proclaimed in 1997

The South African National Anthem is a combined version of two anthems. Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika was composed by Enoch Sontonga in 1897, while Die Stem van Suid-Afrika is a poem originally written in 1918 by CJ Langenhoven.

In 1997, a shortened version combining both songs was officially adopted as the current national anthem and the lyrics kept in 5 languages.

SALT in Sutherland is the largest optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere

SALT, the South African Large Telescope, is based in Sutherland, in the Northern Cape province, at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) field station. It is the largest optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere and was officially inaugurated in 2005.

It was built in just outside Sutherland due to its favourable location and ideal conditions for stargazing and research. The area is cold, remote, free from light pollution and almost guaranteed to have clear and cloudless skies.

Nobel Peace Prize winners

Something unique about South Africa is Vilakazi Street in Soweto, Johannesburg. It is the only street in the world which can claim the title of having had 2 Nobel Peace Prize winners as residents; The late ex President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. One of the recommended things to do in Johannesburg is a visit to Soweto (South West Township) where you can have a walk in this famous street and visit the Nelson Mandela museum.

The Comrades Marathon is the world’s oldest and largest one day ultra-marathon

The world’s oldest and largest one day ultra-marathon is run in the province of Kwazulu-Natal over a distance of 89 km between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. The Comrades Marathon started in 1921 as a commemoration of the south African soldiers killed during the first world war. The participants have 12 hours to complete the marathon, for a medal.

Blyde River Canyon is the world’s third largest canyon

The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world, but considered to be the largest “green” one. It is a real natural wonder in South Africa. The best way to visit and view the canyon is via the Panorama route on your way to the Kruger National Park.

The home of rooibos tea

The naturally caffeine-free rooibos tea (redbush) has adjusted to the South African climate and only grows in the Cederberg area in the Western Cape province. Rooibos tea became very popular after dozens of scientific studies promoted the health benefits of drinking this tea. Rooibos tea also makes a great South African souvenir to bring back home.

South Africa has 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

South Africa is home to no less than 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, of which 7 cultural, 4 natural and 1 mixed on the heritage list. Some examples are Robben Island, Maloti-Drakensberg Park, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Richtersveld Landscape and the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas.

Kimberley’s Big Hole is the world’s largest hand-dug excavation

Kimberley was an important diamond mining area around 1870. During the South African diamond boom, 1000's of prospectors descended to the region. In their search for diamonds, they began digging with nothing more than picks and shovels.

The result is an excavation with a surface of 17 hectares, 463 metres (1519 ft) wide and 240 metres (790 ft) deep. At the moment, the Big Hole is approximately 215 metres deep due to infilling and it stands as the largest hand-dug excavation in the world, now a major historical and tourist attraction.

The Cradle of Humankind is one of the world’s richest fossil sites

The Cradle of Humankind in South Africa is one of the world’s richest fossil sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The famous 'Mrs. Ples' was one of the fossils found in the nearly Sterkfontein Caves and dates back over 3 million years. What makes Mrs. Ples special is that it offers crucial evidence of early human evolution.

The Cradle of Humankind and the Sterkfontein Caves are located about 50 km northwest of Johannesburg and makes a nice day trip to visit.

Vredefort Dome is the largest and oldest impact crater in the world

Located in the Free State province, about 120 km south of Johannesburg, the Vredefort Dome is the largest and oldest verified meteorite impact crater on Earth. It was formed around 2 billion years ago when a massive meteorite struck the Earth.

The meteorite is estimated to have had a diameter of an estimated 10-25 km (6-16 miles) and created a crater of approximately a radius of 190 km (118 miles). In 2005, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its geological significance.

Skiing in South Africa at Tiffendell ski resort

And last but not least, it used to be possible to go skiing and snowboarding in South Africa during the winter months of June, July and August. Tiffendell ski resort started in 1993 and is located in the Drakensberg mountains of the Eastern Cape province at an altitude of 2720 metres (8923 ft.) above sea level. It’s a small resort compared to the ones in the northern hemisphere, 2 pistes of only 500 metres (1640 ft.) each, but it does claim to have the highest bar in South Africa, although this is often disputed. There are only 2 other ski resorts in Africa, 1 in Lesotho and the other in Morocco.

Unfortunately, at this time (2025) Tiffendell Ski Resort is closed and is for sale. They closed during covid, but never reopened. We recently visited Tiffendell (Februrary '25) and while skiing is no longer possible, it's still a nice 4x4 drive up to the area of the resort.