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Several small rivers run into the sea along the South Africa coastline, but none are navigable and none provide useful natural harbors. The coastline itself, being fairly smooth, provides only one good natural harbor, at Saldana Bay north of Cape Town. A lack of fresh water prevented major development here.
Busy harbors exist at Richards Bay and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, East London and Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, and Mossel Bay and Cape Town in the Western Cape. An additional commercial port, the Port of Ngqura, is being developed off the coast from Port Elizabeth.
There are only two major rivers in South Africa: the Limpopo River, a stretch of which is shared with Zimbabwe, and the Orange (with its tributary, the Vaal) which runs with a variable flow across the central landscape from east to west, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at the Namibian border.
Other Rivers In South Africa:
Breed River, Western Cape Province: The Breede River will treat you to a wealth of experience from wine-tasting to cherry-picking. There are many things to see, including the world's longest wine route (the Cape Route 62 with over 50 wine cellars), fruit plantations and many historical towns and museum. You can also appreciate the area's flora.
Gamtoos River, Eastern Cape Province: The Gamtoos River features quite a mix of natural attractions from its large citrus farm, the largest in the area, to 3 small historical villages. Its nearly 8 km-long beach offers you a chance to stretch your legs and unwind. You can also swim in its Atlantic coast waters.
Limpopo River, Limpopo Province. The Limpopo River has all the attractions to quench your thirst for wilderness. At approximately 1 750 km long, it's Africa's second largest river, with the Olifants River as its main tributary. The vegetation in the southern bank of the river consists of flat grassland peppered with sandstone and clusters of ridges.
Sundays River, Eastern Cape Province: The Sundays River in the Eastern Cape will stun you with its great variety of experiences, from trees to animals. Inside the Addo Elephant National Park, you will not only come into contact with these great mammals but also have a once-in-a-lifetime experience of straddling one. Apart from the elephants, you could see other animals with which share the title of Big 5: lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo. Part of this park is a marine reserve, home to Southern Right whales and White sharks.
Tugela River, KwaZulu-Natal Province: The Tugela River, KwaZulu-Natal's largest river, is a historic part of South Africa. It was once the border between the Zulu Kingdom to the north-east and the Colony of Natal to the South. To fortify the border, 2 forts were built by British forces in 1879. Fort Pearson and Fort Tenedos are situated some 10 km beyond the river-mouth and deserve a visit.
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