South Africa Complete Guide 2026: Cape Town, Kruger, Garden Route, Johannesburg & Drakensberg
Browse more guides: South Africa travel | Africa destinations South Africa Complete Guide 2026: Cape Town, Kruger, Garden Route, Johannesburg & Drakensberg TL;DR South Africa is one of the rare countries where a single trip covers ocean cliffs, Big Five bush, French-styled wine valleys, 35,000 year old rock art and a living history of reconciliation. In 2026 the eVisa that opened to Indian passport holders in 2024 costs USD 75, load-shedding has eased compared with 2023, and the weak rand puts mid-range hotels around ZAR 2,200 (INR 10,300) a night. My core route is Cape Town 4 nights, Garden Route 3 nights, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek for winelands, Kruger or Sabi Sand 3 nights, then Johannesburg, Soweto, Cradle of Humankind, the Drakensberg Amphitheatre and either iSimangaliso or Hluhluwe-iMfolozi for white rhino. Kruger park fees sit at ZAR 466 a day, the Robben Island ferry is ZAR 600, and a Stellenbosch tasting flight runs ZAR 80 to ZAR 200. Two warnings I always pass on....