Explore The Top 10 Attractions and Things to Do in and around Upington, South Africa

February 8, 2025 Mustafa Natalwala 35 Views

Upington is a town in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It sits on the banks of the Orange River and is surrounded by several national parks. These are the prime destinations for the top thing to do in Upington. Most people come here for the wildlife safaris.

People stay in the town and head for safaris or find lodges in these popular places to visit in Upington. The national parks are home to fascinating animals such as lions, leopards, hyenas, ostriches, meerkats, and more. And it is not just the animals, the landscape is also as vivid and colourful if you visit Upington in springtime. The Namaqua National Park is especially known for the bloom of white and orange daisies.

Alongside spotting the animals, the safari tours also have a variety of experiences. You can get witness the local tribal cultures, which is another one of the top things to do near Upington. You can also hiking and biking trails through the wilderness. These trails will take you to some of the most wonderful things to see in Upington such as waterfalls and hot springs.

The surrounding landscapes also facilitate a variety of outdoor activities and adventure sports. These are major Upington attractions in their own right. You can go for hiking, kayaking, jet skiing, offroading and more. If you want to explore the region for leisure, you can also go on boat cruises in the Orange River. It is another one of the most popular things to do around Upington.

As you explore the surroundings, you should also check out the wine cellars and wineries. The unique local flavours and preparations are quite delightful. You can also explore Upington tourist attractions within the town for leisure and entertainment. There are golf courses, casinos, parks, malls, and more.

There is also a museum dedicated to the region’s history that you can explore.

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Table of Contents

Top 10 Tourist Places to Visit in Upington, South Africa

1. Orange River

This is the longest river in South Africa and is popular for a lot of fun things to do in Upington, Northern Cape. You can take a river cruise to tour the river and the natural wonders around it.

The cruise takes you on a journey in the wilderness. You begin from the town and cruise towards the villages. Then you reach the national parks and get to see a lot of animals drinking water at the riverside.

There are also several adventure activities along the shores of the river including rafting, fishing and canoeing. You will need at least 2 hours for a cruise. You would need an additional hour or so for outdoor things to do near Upington, South Africa.

2. Orange River Wine Cellar

The town is surrounded by several vineyards make and store some wonderful varieties. The cellars host tours and tastings where you can enjoy these varieties. The tasting sessions are often accompanied by local dishes to go with the wines.

Aside from the Orange River wine cellar, you can also visit Die Mass Wine Cellar and Bezalel Wine & Brandy Estate. Two of these are quite popular for their rose wines. These are among the nicest places to visit in Upington. You can also see the wines in the making and enjoy a dining experience at these cellars. You will need about 2 hours to tour a wine cellar.

3. Augrabies Falls National Park

This is the largest and the loudest waterfall in South Africa. The flow is very powerful and awe-inspiring. It is one of the best things to see in Upington. You get to see them at full glory towards the end of summer after the rainfalls. The surrounding rocky and desert-like terrain adds to the majesty of the overall scenery.

You can get to the viewpoint in a car and walk a little. There are also hiking trails that take to some amazing viewpoints to see these waterfalls. You will need about 2 hours from Upington travel to make this trip.

4. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

This is one of the largest national parks in the country. It includes areas from Kalahari and Gemsbok. The park is absolutely majestic. It is home to more than 470 species of animals. This is one of the best things to do near Kgalagadi, South Africa.

You get to see lions, leopards, hyenas, honeybadgers, oryx, hartebeest, and more. This is without a doubt one of the biggest Upington tourist attractions. There are several lodges within the national park where you can stay and explore the park over days. You can also take safari rides to go through the park. You will need 3 to 4 hours for the safari experience.

5. Riemvasmaak Hot Springs

A long trek away lies this hidden gem. The springs sit on the northern bank of Orange Bank. The springs are located in deep ravines near Augrabies. The springs look very different from the surrounding landscapes.

It almost looks like you are on the surface of the moon with turquoise-blue puddles of water. It is one of the most wonderful Upington attractions. You can easily spend a couple of hours here exploring the landscape and enjoying the springs.

6. Namaqua National Park

This national park is known for its natural beauty. The park gets covered in colourful flowers during spring. It is a majestic sight to behold, especially when you see animals against these colourful backdrops. The white and orange daisies of this national park are a major highlight of Upington sightseeing. Aside from wildlife safari, you can also enjoy hiking and biking trails in the national park.

7. Kalahari Oranje Museum

The museum is housed in buildings dating back to 1875. It was built as a church and mission station. The collection includes various items from the 1800s and 1900s. The museum gives you a historical view of the life of religious missionaries in South Africa.

The museum also shows the history of the evolution of Upington and the lower region of the Orange River. You will need about 30 to 45 minutes to explore the museum.

8. Kalahari Mall

This is a super-regional shopping centre. There are a variety of shops selling all sorts of things as any mall would. But, the reason to visit this one is to find good regional brands to get authentic local products. If you are looking for a place to find some good souvenirs, this mall is the right place to check out during Upington sightseeing.

9. Desert Palace Casino

If you are looking for some fun things to do in Upington for leisure. The casino is a great place to spend an evening playing various games. At the weekends, the atmosphere is especially vibrant. The casino is close to a golf course. This is another place you can go for leisure. You can easily spend a couple of hours here.

10. Fun things to do around Upington

The town is surrounded by a variety of landscapes, many of which are developed for activities. You can enjoy adventurous things to do in Upington such as offroading, fishing, boat tours, hiking, horse riding, quad biking, and more. Some national parks also allow for hunting during certain seasons. You can also enjoy a variety of things to do near Upington for sport such as kayaking, canoeing, river rafting, motor boat rides, and jet skiing. The town is full of possibilities for enjoyment.

If you are looking for more places to visit in Upington, check out the sections below. We have compiled a complete list of attractions to explore in the town and around it.

Things to do in Upington, South Africa

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Upington, South Africa

Kalahari Oranje Museum

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Upington, South Africa

Kalahari Desert
Orange River
Augrabies Falls National Park
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Namaqualand Sanctuary

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Upington, South Africa

Bezalel Wine & Brandy Estate
Upington Golf Club
Kalahari Water Adventure Farm
Orange River Wine Cellar
Die Mas Wine Cellar
Riemvasmaak Spring

Shopping in Upington, South Africa

Kalahari Mall
Diamond Pavillion Shopping Mall
Kimberley Town & Country Market
Woolworths Upington Kalahari Mall

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventures in Upington, South Africa

Wildlife Safari
Hiking
Fly Fishing
Gyrocopter Ride
River Rafting
River Cruise
Offroad Tours
Birdwatching
Canoeing
Jet Skiing
Horseriding

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Upington, South Africa

Red Ox Steakhouse
Cafe Zest
The Butcher & Grill
Orange Rivers Cellars Tasting Room
Wimpy
Desert Palace
Steers
Kalahari’s Lion’s Rest
Bella Roma Grill & Pizzeria
Bi Lo Bistro
Ocean Basket
Spur Desert Wolf
Zebro’s

Where to Stay in Upington?

Here we have listed Top Rated Hotels in Upington. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Upington.

How to Reach Upington, South Africa?

By Air

You can get direct flights to visit Upington from Johannesburg and Cape Town. If you are travelling from anywhere else you can get connecting flights or take the road route to get to Upington. The airport is located only 7 km from the town centre and you can get buses and cabs to get to the town. You can also get tours for fun things to do near Upington directly from the airport as well. Some safari tours would pick you up directly from the airport and head straight to the national park lodges.

By Road

There are no direct trains to reach Upington. You can reach Kimberley by train and take a bus to travel to Upington. There are also other towns that give you direct bus connectivity for Upington travel.
However, if you are planning to travel by road, you should head for routes N7, N14, N10 or N12. All these routes converge at Upington.

By Water

There are no direct water routes to reach here.

Image Reference

Orange River – Bernard DUPONT / Flickr
Orange River Wine Cellar –
Augrabies Falls National Park – Tim Ellis / Flickr
Kgalagadi National Park – Derek Keats / Flickr
Riemvasaak Spring –
Namaqua National Park – flowcomm / Flickr
Kalahari Oranje Museum –
Kalahari Mall –
Desert Palace Casino – Media Club / Flickr
Fun things to do around Upington –