The history of Islam in South Africa dates back to the late 1600s and today, Muslims make up about two percent of the population, but Muslim visibility is apparent in all parts of the country with Halaal accommodation and places to eat available in every town and city.

South Africa has the advantage of being one of the most developed countries on the continent, with modern infrastructure including numerous mosques, Halaal eateries and four Halaal certifying bodies.

We encourage Muslims to visit South Africa and enjoy its breathtaking landscapes of valleys, mountains, forests, deserts, coastlines, and grassy savannahs that are stupendous in their picturesque scale.

Learn about the history and heritage of South Africa which includes over 300 years of Islam on these shores.

StayHalaal aims to cater to the needs of Muslim travellers, which includes Halaal accommodation and travel advice when visiting our beautiful country.

Step straight into National Geographic, where nearly 2 million hectares of unrivalled diversity of life forms fuses with historical and archaeological sites and see the magnificent beasts for yourself in their natural habitat. If you are lucky, you may see all of the “Big Five” game animals including the Lion, Cape Buffalo, Elephant, Rhinoceros, and Leopard!

Johannesburg, Our Urban Jungle

Get a glimpse into Islam and Muslims in South Africa’s most populous and bustling city, Johannesburg. Observe Muslims from all over the world living, trading and praying together.

Fly high on the exciting rides at the Gold Reef City theme park or sit back and take a deep gaze into the night skies at the Planetarium.

Spend a day shopping at the Oriental Plaza with over 300 exclusive shops and then take the ladies to Fordsburg with the latest in Islamic wear or gifts for the families back home.

Enjoy butter-soft steak, scrumptious crispy prawns or whatever excites your taste buds at any of the numerous mouth-watering franchised of private Halaal restaurants Johannesburg has to offer.

Experience the real-life Lion King

Take in the prodigious landscape as you travel to the province of Mpumalanga – home to a profusion of wildlife, waterfalls and winding forested roads and hills. With plenty of opportunities to encounter wildlife.

You can enjoy days of expertly guided safari into the world-famous Kruger National Park where you can witness animals in their natural habitat and even species that are on the endangered list.

Pursue the “Big Five” to experience the diversity of flora and fauna that the Kruger Park has to offer. Marvel at Allah’s creation as you take in all the sights of the panoramic and picturesque region surrounding the Kruger Park by visiting breathtaking waterfalls, forests and mountains, experiencing a diversity of superlative natural beauty.

A road trip along the Garden Route

This beguiling journey takes you to a truly heavenly part of South Africa for an unforgettable experience.

The Garden Route begins about four hours outside Cape Town and includes one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world.

Between Heidelberg (Western Cape) and Storms River (Eastern Cape), the Garden Route runs parallel to a coastline dotted with golden beaches, sapphire lakes, breathtaking mountains, tall indigenous forests and amber-coloured rivers.

These beaches are not only a delight for one’s sight, but they are also quintessential to those who are interested in water sports like surfing, kiting, diving, spearfishing and deep-sea fishing.

Moreover, it is ideal for scuba diving, snorkelling, shark cage diving, and whale watching, as Wales come to visit this part of the South African coast every year between June and December.

Colourful Cape Town

Arriving in South Africa’s Mother City, you will visit places of unmitigated beguilement and witness the traces of the first Muslims to have set foot on these shores.

Expert tour guides will take you through the famous Robben Island, home of political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, during Apartheid.

You will walk through the richness of the local Muslim community in Bo Kaap and District Six and visit the first masjid built in South Africa over 200 years ago.

A bewildering shoreline journey of the Cape Peninsula will take you to Cape Point, the very tip of the continent of Africa as well as scenic towns of Hout Bay and Simonstown.

Visit the penguin nature reserve and see these delightful creatures in their natural habitat.

A tour of this resplendent city is, without a doubt, incomplete without scaling the heights of the iconic landmark, Table Mountain and relaxing at the beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens.

With a large number of mosques found across the length and breadth of Cape Town—there are nine mosques in the Bo-Kaap alone—the choice is wide and you can visit both local community mosques as well as the older mosques that are an integral part of the city’s culture and history. The two oldest Mosques in Cape Town are the Auwal Mosque, built-in 1794, and the Palm Tree Mosque, established in 1807.

The Friendly City

Port Elizabeth is the southernmost major city in Africa and is better known as PE. It is often referred to as the Windy City.

Port Elizabeth is located 35km from Uitenhage where the second oldest Masjid in the country resides having been built in the 1840s.

See our article on 11 things to do in Port Elizabeth

With moderate temperatures throughout the year, Port Elizabeth is a water sports destination of choice for many. With a variety of thrilling activities including windsurfing, scuba diving and deep-sea or surf fishing. It has also been hailed one of the best sailing locations in the world.

Witness the sunrise while walking the sandy beaches in Summerstrand and treat yourself to brunch at the La Fiesta restaurant thereafter.

Let the kids deplete the last bit of energy at Gravity trampoline park and spoil your family with a delightful meal at the Halaal Gravity cafe.

Behold the beauty of nature at the various hiking trails along the coast or in dense foliage or spend two hours galloping on horseback along the coastline.

Durban, Little India

Soak up the beauty of the sparkling shore and white beaches that Durban has to offer.

Situated further up the East coast of South Africa Durban boasts the warmest beaches in South Africa where water temperatures peak at around 27°C.

Dine at exclusive Halaal restaurants or try the famous Durban bunny chow.

Enjoy a remarkable shopping experience at world-class shopping malls in Lalucia, Gateway and Galleria.

Venture off to the Drakensberg mountains and challenge yourself to some demanding hiking trails.

Climb into the shark cage at uShaka marine world and get encircled by the sea predators. Enjoy water slides, village walks and dolphin and seal exhibition.

Book a surfing lesson and join dozens of other attempting to ride the waves of North beach.