Visiting Gay Johannesburg – The Nomadic Boys

Visiting Gay Johannesburg - The Nomadic Boys

Visiting Gay Johannesburg With the Nomadic Boys

In our guide to gay Johannesburg, we’re sharing the best of the best of the gay scene, safe places to stay and top things to do.

“Guys don’t go to Johannesburg…you’ll get mugged or shot at!”

…so said many of our friends across our social media channels. We touched down at Tambo airport feeling quite tentative about our trip here. But as with many big cities we’ve been to on our travels with big “warning signs” from fellow travelers (Rio, Delhi, Buenos Aires, to name a few), we were absolutely fine.

Jo’burg is like any big major city. Of course, it has its problems, and you should avoid certain areas, lock up your valuables in your hotel room’s safe, and keep your phone in your pocket out of harm’s reach. But with basic common sense, your trip will be worry-free. This was our experience, despite being on our guard from the moment we arrived.

Johannesburg is a fascinating city to explore, and a complete contrast to Cape Town. It’s gritty, edgy, raw, tough, full of green spaces.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Johannesburg Gay Travel Resources

Gay Friendly Safaris Along the Garden Route – The Globetrotter Guys

Gay Friendly Safaris - The Globetrotter Guys

During our time in South Africa we went on 3 safaris in total. For the first we flew to Johannesburg and headed to Kruger National Park which was incredible! However, when it comes to the garden route (and saving yourself a flight) we went to the following two gay friendly safaris.

Gay Friendly Safaris in the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve​

Sanbona Wildlife Reserve blew us away. This is a 5-star safari experience with a heavy focus on conservation, authenticity and environmental impact.

The 58-hectare reserve is completely open meaning that your guides have to actively track the wildlife. As a result, it becomes so much more exciting and authentic when you do spot one of their animals.

When it comes to the accommodation, we stayed at the Dwyka tented lodges. These were luxury lodges, with private outdoor jacuzzis where you could drink champagne under the stars.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Eastern Cape Gay Travel Resources

Gay Cape Town, South Africa – wolfyy

gay Cape Town

There are so many reasons to make Cape Town your next gay travel destination. Abundant gay nightlife, beautiful beaches, a large gay community and stunning landscapes are just a few. A friendly LGBT community thrives here, and Cape Town continues to top the list of places gay travelers want to visit next.

Being a gay tourist in South Africa was easy. I felt quite safe as an LGBT traveler, spending almost two weeks exploring Cape Town. I loved every minute of my adventures, from making friends at the Clifton gay beach while listening to local children sing traditional songs, to enjoying the relaxed pace of life in restaurants around the city.

Homosexuality is legal South Africa, and while country-wide public approval of homosexuality is low, Cape Town differs with a more progressive and open culture. The city even has its own gay district!

Cape Town’s Gay Neighborhood

The official Cape Town gay neighborhood is called De Waterkant, located just north of the city center. In De Waterkant, you’ll find most of the city’s gay bars, nightclubs and the popular gay sauna. Many gay travelers opt to stay in this area of the city because its easily walkable and there’s quick access to many local restaurants. Other than De Waterkant, travelers also tend to book accommodations in Green Point as well as the budget-friendly City Bowl neighborhood.

Before planning your own Cape Town adventure, make sure to do some thorough research. Check out some authentic local activities, as well as neighborhood safety, which is a large concern for first-time travelers in South Africa. Don’t forget to plan a visit to see the penguins, too!

Full Cape Town Gay Travel Guide on wolfyy

Gay South Africa Resources

South African Wildlife Sanctuaries – The Globetrotter Guys

South African Wildlife Sanctuaries - The Globetrotter Guys

Without a doubt, one of the main draws of visiting South Africa is the native wildlife.

Almost as soon as you picture visiting South Africa – or Africa as a whole – images of iconic animals spring to mind – lions, zebras, elephants, rhinos, buffalo and cheetahs to name just a few.

Of course, the best way to view the local wildlife is in the wild. There are countless safaris to choose from, allowing you to see these animals in their natural habitat, such as Sanbona which we visited near to Cape Town.

However safaris can be quite expensive, span for a few days and there is of course no guarantee of sightings. So, for a lot of people, whether you are on a budget, or limited time, the next best alternative to see native wildlife is by visiting a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa. 

Choosing a South African Wildlife Sanctuary

When it comes to choosing among South Africa wildlife sanctuaries to visit, there are a few things to take into consideration.

  • First, where is the sanctuary located – is it easily accessible to where you are based or staying?
  • Secondly, what can you expect to see there? Does the sanctuary have permanent residents, or do the animals change?
  • And for us, most importantly of all, is the sanctuary ethical – and how so?

As we were lucky enough to spend 3 months in South Africa during 2019, we managed to visit quite a few different sanctuaries.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

South Africa Gay Travel Resources

Sanbona Wildlife Reserve – The Globetrotter Guys

Sanbona Wildlife Reserve - The Globetrotter Guys

If you are travelling to South Africa you can’t leave until you have been on a safari! It is one of the most incredible, exciting and unique experiences you can have, and South Africa has some of the best safaris in the world!

When we made our plans to return to South Africa, we knew we couldn’t be here for 3 months and not revisit a safari.

We first visited 4 years ago and had an incredible experience in Kruger National Park, but this time around our plans meant we were sticking near Cape Town and the Garden Route.

This meant that we needed to find the best safari near Cape Town. It was also incredibly important to us that we went on an authentic safari that had its ethos in the right place when it comes to conservation. After our experience at Sanbona Wildlife Reserve we are certain that we may have found the best safari near Cape Town!

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

South Africa Gay Travel Resources

 

Gay Oudtshoorn – The Globetrotter Guys

Gay Oudtshoorn - The Globetrotter Guys

Oudtshoorn is one of our favourite stops along the garden route of South Africa. It is a little bit out of the way, but 100% worth the drive to get there!

Oudtshoorn is a small town one-hour north of George (the nearest airport) or 4.5 hours by car from Cape Town.

The scenery here is incredible and you are constantly surrounded by natural beauty and wildlife – Oudtshoorn is home to the world’s largest ostrich population after all.

On top of that, the weather is excellent all year round, and there are many fun and adventurous things to do in gay Oudtshoorn.

We have visited Oudtshoorn twice now and would happily go back a third time. It’s also a place where local South Africans take their holidays which is a good indicator!

We recommend spending 2-3 nights in Oudtshoorn depending on how much time you have. In 2 nights, you will be able to do 4 out of our 5 top things to do in Oudtshoorn and with 3 you can tick them all off as well as taking some down time.

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Gay Oudtshoorn Travel Resources

 

Gay Knysna, South Africa – The Globetrotter Guys

Gay Knysna - The Globetrotter Guys

We had no plans to go to Knysna, no idea what to do in Knysna and no idea what to expect. A week later, following many adventures, we were completely sold!

Knysna is a picturesque coastal town and a key destination on the famed Garden Route of South Africa. Think dramatic coastlines, mountains, forests, cliffs and sunsets to die for!

Not only that, there are so many things to do in Knysna. Our days were jam packed, yet after a week there were still more activities we could have done.

In our ‘What to do in Knysna’ guide we have summed up the best things to do in Knysna, activities around Knysna, where to eat, where to stay and how to get there. This is your one stop shop for everything you need to know before you go!

We hope you find this guide useful and are inspired to make a stop in Knysna when you come to South Africa!

What to do in Knysna: Our top 12 things to do in Knysna

Knysna Hike and Bike

We spent a total of 8 nights in and around Knysna but if you are short on time this is the perfect activity.

Knysna Hike and Bike offer walking tours, bike tours, walking food and drink tours, and hikes.

We went on the walking food and drink tour and loved it. We always find that if you only have one or two nights somewhere, deciding on places to eat can be tricky – with this tour we went to seven places in a few hours!

By Sion and Ben – Full Story at the Globetrotter Guys

Gay Knysna Travel Resources

South Africa Gay Life – The Globetrotter Guys

South Africa Gay Life - The Globetrotter Guys

South Africa is one of the most incredible places we have ever visited. We are always looking to travel to gay friendly destinations that offer both luxury and adventure and South Africa ticks all these boxes.

Some of you reading may find it surprising that South Africa is considered to be a gay friendly destination. Speaking from our own experience, we had no idea until we travelled here back in 2015. The same view seems to be true for many of you that have taken part in polls we have run on social media.

Whilst our experience here as tourists has been great, we know that this is not always the case for the local LGBT community. And so during our three months in South Africa, we made it our mission to find out what South Africa Gay Life is really like as a local LGBT person.

And who better to speak to than Mr Gay South Africa 2019 himself, Chris Emmanuel! We were lucky enough to meet with Chris during our stay in Knysna. Here is what he has to say about gay South Africa:

Hi Chris! Please introduce yourself to our readers, and of course tell us all about the Mr Gay World Competition, how you came to be Mr Gay South Africa, and what you hope to achieve for the country.

Hi everyone! I’m Chris Emmanuel, the recently crowned Mr Gay South Africa 2019.

I’m a ripe 42 years old and it was with total surprise that I won by public participation voting and became the new Mr Gay South Africa. Following being crowned Mr Gay South Africa, I am setting a goal of raising over R1 million ($70,000) for issues and charities.

Here in South Africa, we are very lucky to have an incredible constitution that strongly protects gay rights and marriage.

By Sion and ben – Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

South Africa Gay Travel Resources

South Africa Gay Tours – The Globetrotter Guys

South Africa Gay Tours - The Globetrotter Guys

South Africa has to be one of our all-time favorite destinations. In fact if you ask Sion, he will probably say it is his favorite place in the world. Why? Quite simply, we have yet to find another place that offers everything South Africa does.

You have modern cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg. There is a multitude of stunning beaches stretching all the way along the coast (Fact: Cape Towns beaches have been named some of the best in the world, AND Cape Town has 2 gay beaches). The scenery is just incredible, with forests, oceans and mountains stretching for miles. Of course, there is the wildlife, with the opportunity of spotting the Big 5, either in a private reserve or a National Park. And to top it all off, the food and wine is some of the best we have ever eaten and drank, at some of the lowest prices too.

With so much to see and do, one of the best ways to make the most of this incredible destination is to join a fully escorted, organised tour, especially if you are short on time. And being in a gay-friendly destination, why not join a gay tour of South Africa, ensuring that you will end up travelling with like minded people.

LGBTQ Vacation: South Africa Gay Tours

During our time in Cape Town, we were fortunate to connect with Jakes Conradie, founder and CEO of Amatungulu Tours. Amatungulu Tours has a specific gay division, LGBTQ Vacation. We partnered with Jakes and were able to experience part of his product and find out more about this gay-owned tour operator.

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

South Africa Gay Travel Resources

 

Cape Town’s Gay Beach – Globetrotter Guys

Cape Town's Gay Beach - Globetrotter Guys

Cape Town has so much to offer including some absolutely stunning beaches. In fact, some of the beaches in Cape Town have been ranked among the best in the world!

With so many beaches to choose from, and with Cape Town being a very popular gay travel destination (check out our complete gay guide to Cape Town here), it’s no surprise that there are now a couple of unofficial ‘gay beaches’ in Cape Town!

We say unofficial, because unlike the gay beach in Miami, you won’t find huge pride flags lining the beach. There is nothing too obvious to let you know you have found one of the gay beaches. Here you need to know in advance where the gay beaches are in Cape Town else you would never spot them!

A lot of people ask why have a ‘gay beach’, what’s the point? But for us we view it the same as a gay bar. Because it is labelled as a ‘gay beach’ it’s a place where you can feel reassured and comfortable to be affectionate with your partner, wear those tiny speedos that you might feel self-conscious in elsewhere and just be a little more at ease.

There are two gay beaches in Cape Town, Clifton 3 and Sandy Bay. Here is everything you need to know including how to find these gay beaches!

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Cape Town Gay Travel Resources