South Africa is worlds apart when it comes to being classed as an LGBTQ+ welcoming destination. South Africa was the first country in the world to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in its constitution, back in 1996. Ten years later, in November 2006, South Africa became the fifth country globally to legalize same-sex marriage; the first and to-date, only, country in the entirety of Africa. Overall, the legal rights, laws and protections are very much in favor of LGBTQ+ people.

The larger cities such as Cape Town and Johannesburg offer a full-scale LGBTQ+ scene, including their own annual Prides. However even some of the smaller cities and towns such as Port Elizabeth, and Stellenbosch in the Western Cape now have bars that have become known as the local LGBTQ+ hangout.

Laws and constitution aside, South Africa as a destination offers something to suit any traveler. The landscape is beautiful, ranging from oceans to mountains to deserts. There is an abundance of outdoor activities to suit active travelers, many beaches along the Garden Route have made it into the Forbes list of the World’s Best Beaches, and for the animal lovers, there are countless safaris available with wildlife that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Being a large country, climate conditions within any one season can vary depending on the region.Summer months in the Cape are hot and dry, while summer in Pretoria and Kwazulu Natal means hot, humid days with a lot of rainfall.

Weather in September is the most consistent across all regions, making this a popular month for visits combining multiple provinces. September also offers great beach weather in the Cape, before the temperatures get too hot. Whale-watching season in South Africa runs from June to October. Southern right whales can be seen off the coast along the Garden Route, in particular the coastal towns of Knysna and Hermanus.

The winter months of June and July are the most popular for game-viewing, especially in Kruger National Park. The temperature is not as hot as during the summer months, and rainfall is minimal. Animals are easier to spot as they are not avoiding the heat.

CAPE TOWN
Cape Town has probably the largest and most diverse LGBTQ+ scene found in South Africa, albeit still small compared to other capital cities. The highest concentration of nightlife is found in the Waterkant area. There is a mixture of LGBTQ+ nightlife in Cape Town, from smaller bars, where locals meet for a casual drink, to the two popular dance clubs, Pink Panther and Crew Bar. Cape Town’s most popular tourist attractions include the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, a large shopping and dining venue; the iconic Table Mountain—the top of which can be reached either by hiking or cable car; and the beautiful Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Cape Town also has an annual Pride, which takes place around the end of February. This is a very diverse event, with all subsections of the LGBTQ+ community being very well represented.

JOHANNESBURG
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa, and has a large LGBTQ+ community. While Cape Town takes the crown as the ‘gay-capital’ of South Africa, Johannesburg does still offer a vibrant and diverse LGBTQ+ scene. The scene here is quite spread out, with no ‘gay-village’ to speak of, like the Waterkant in Cape Town. Gay bars and clubs are found in the suburbs of Sandton, Melville, Parkhurst and Illovo. Popular tourist attractions in Johannesburg are the Apartheid Museum, explaining South Africa’s troubled past in great detail, and Soweto, one of South Africa’s largest townships, where you can also visit Nelson Mandela’s former house. Johannesburg also serves as the gateway to Kruger National Park, which offers a huge range of safari options. Johannesburg Pride is held annually in October, and is four days packed full of queer celebrations.

STELLENBOSCH
Stellenbosch is a university town located 31 miles east of Cape Town. Stellenbosch is located right in the heart of the Cape Winelands, and forms part of the largest wine-producing region in South Africa. Naturally, wine-tasting and vineyard tours are among the popular tourist attractions here. While there is no exclusive LGBTQ+ scene here, being a university town, a lot of the nightlife options attract a diverse, student crowd. One bar in particular, Die Mystic Boer, has become a popular LGBTQ+ hangout.

KNYSNA
Knysna is a very picturesque coastal town found on the popular Garden Route of South Africa. It is the perfect base for travelers wanting to take part in many of the outdoor activities the surrounding region offers, including hiking in the forest, whale and dolphin watching, cycling and paragliding. Being such a small town, there are limited nightlife options in Knysna. However, recent years have seen an influx of LGBTQ+ owned/friendly boutique hotels and guesthouses opening both in Knysna, and the neighbouring town of Sedgefield. Each year, usually at the end of April/beginning of May, Knysna holds the Pink Loerie Mardi Gras and Arts Festival. This is an event similar to Pride, a festival and a celebration in recognition of the region’s local LGBTQ+ community, as well as their cultural contributions.

TABLE MOUNTAIN
Table Mountain was voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2011, and is one of the most popular attractions in Cape Town, for both locals and visitors. Easily recognizable by its iconic flat top, Table Mountain is home to almost 1,500 floral species, many of which are endemic to the area. Many species of wildlife also call the mountain home, including rock dassies, caracal, porcupines and the elusive Table Mountain Ghost Frog. The top of Table Mountain is easily reached by cable car, which takes approximately five minutes. Alternatively, you can opt to hike, which can take anywhere between 90 minutes to three hours, depending on your fitness levels and the route you choose to take.

WHALE & DOLPHIN WATCHING
The whale-watching season in South Africa runs from June through October, when the southern right whales migrate from Antarctica to calve in the warmer waters surrounding the Cape. Hermanus, a coastal town on the Garden Route, has been named one of the best whale-watching locations in the world by the WWF, in particular as it offers many land-based whale-watching spots. However, there are many other coastal towns from which whales can be seen, including False Bay, Knysna and Cape Agulhas. Other species that can be found in South African waters are humpback whales from May to November, bottlenose dolphins, humpback dolphins, and the occasional orca.

SAFARI
Going on a safari and seeing native African wildlife in its natural habitat and not through glass walls and cage bars is high on many visitors’ lists. Many private reserves, a lot of which are Big 5 reserves, can be found in almost all of the regions of South Africa, in particular the Eastern Cape (where Port Elizabeth serves as the gateway) and Kwazulu-Natal (where Durban would be your entry point). As well as traditional game drives, many private reserves now also offer alternatives, such as horseback safaris, quad biking safaris and even walking safaris.