Events in and near Sun City

Nedbank Golf Challenge

This premier event remains the most popular tournament on the South African golfing calendar, and record numbers of spectators are expected every year at Sun City to watch the best golfers in the world do battle at the Gary Player Country Club. ... more

Attending events in a country is one of the best ways to talk to locals and get a feeling for the culture. South Africa offers many events for the visitor to choose from.

International games are played at various locations around the country, so check schedules. Tickets can be scarce, especially against teams from Australia, New Zealand and Europe, so make sure you book well in advance.

Major cities also host sporting events for the regional leagues of rugby, cricket and football. Regional rivalries can be fierce, especially games played between the two football teams in Soweto, the Orlando Pirates and the Kaiser Chiefs. It is best to blend in with the home crowd - those looking to attend provincial sporting events in Bloemfontein should make sure they are well-supplied of Cheetah's regalia, while visitors braving similar events in Pretoria must be ready to scream for the Lions.

Running in circles? Why not head down to the Western Cape and participate in one of the many sporting events in Cape Town. The Mother City annually hosts both the Cape Argus Cycle Race and the Two Oceans Marathon. If spandex and excessive sweating is not exactly your idea of fun, why not see what is on at the Cape Town International Convention Centre? This flexibility-driven centre facilitates everything from major medical and scientific conventions to consumer exhibitions and trade shows on all manner of interests including travel, adventure, fashion, business and culture.

Some events in Johannesburg are similarly hosted in Cape Town. Those interested in wine should not miss out on the annual WineX. Here, visitors get the opportunity to meet local and international winemakers, delight in their latest wines and learn all kinds of cultural lingo that will stand them in good stead at the next stuffy dinner party.

Smaller towns throughout the country also do their bit. Along South Africa's southern coast, events in Knysna include the ever popular Knysna Oyster Festival - a whole nine days of revelry centered around that most delectable of shellfish. Once you tire of sipping champagne and nibbling at nature's aphrodisiac, load up the car and set out for Jeffrey's Bay. Events in Jeffreys Bay are generally of a more active kind, seeing as though this seaside town in considered South Africa's surfing capital. The biggest event of the year has to be the Billabong Pro Surfing Competition - flawless waves, flawless moves, what more can you ask for?

The Comrades Marathon, one of the largest sporting events in Durban, and possibly South Africa, is the world's oldest and largest ultramarathon run over a distance of approximately 90 km between this coastal city and Pietermaritzburg. The direction of the race alternates each year between the up run starting from Durban and the down run starting from Pietermaritzburg.

So, if you want to be less of a tourist and more of a friend, there really is no better way to get to know the local people and their customs than participating in a proudly South African event.