Get ready to pack a pair of sunglasses, sunscreen and comfortable shoes! Summer is just around the corner and we know that travel buffs want to start planning their summer vacations well in advance. So, here is First Car Rental's list of Top 10 Summer trips you should plan for!

1. Conquer the Wonderwall
Get your muscles working and your adrenaline pumping at the Wonderwall Indoor Climbing Gym in Gauteng. The Wonderwall is a great place for beginners to enjoy a safe rock climbing experience and is the perfect destination for seasoned climbers to enjoy consistent practice. With a 500m2 climbing space and routes ranging from 13 until 27, this venue guarantees a comprehensive climbing experience. First Car Rental has 13 car rental branches in Gauteng to make travel to Wonderwall easy.

2. Take on the Wild Coast
The unspoiled wilderness, the gorgeous beaches and the rugged natural beauty make the Wild Coast a popular spot for vacationers. Serious adventure seekers are spoilt for choice here. The Wild Coast offers exciting activities like canoeing and boating along the many lagoons, rivers and estuaries, bird watching, hiking, surfing and mountain biking to name a few. Laid back holiday makers can simply enjoy the incredible views of the dramatic coastline and the wind-swept sand dune.

3. Camp out
Pitch your tent and enjoy the gorgeous South African summer at the Glen Reenen camping site. Nestled in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains and just 22km east of Clarens in the Free State, the campsite is the perfect place to enjoy the natural splendour of the Golden Gate National Park. The brilliant shades of gold that are cast by the sun on the sandstone cliffs of the park certainly make it a place worth camping at. The Glen Reenen Camping site allows you the chance to be enthralled by the gorgeous views and admire local birdlife and game. Check out our list of top 10 camping sites in South Africa to find the best campsite close to you.

4. Channel your Zen
When you think KZN, you think Durban beaches and a vibrant nightlife, both of which are lots of fun. But if you want to channel your inner Zen this summer, the Japanese Garden in Durban North is the place to be. The soothing oriental landscape, bamboo, reeds and Japanese blossoms, and the gorgeous Koi ponds give the garden an authentic Eastern feel. This oriental garden is the perfect escape from the city where you can enjoy family picnics or a braai. 

5. Get Cultural
Dance to the rhythm of the drums and get a feel of authentic African life at Roots of Rhythm Cultural experience. Located in Hoedspruit, Limpopo, the cultural village teaches visitors about the history and culture of African tribes. Visitors can enjoy a one hour show that uses song and dance to express the area’s rich and diverse past and its mix of languages, cultures and identities.

6. Stargaze
Stargazing can be a really fun way to beat the summer heat and enjoy an ‘out of this world' experience and Sutherland is the perfect place to do this. The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) has set up several telescopes in the Karoo hamlet in Sutherland. The elevation, clear skies and absence of pollution make this place the ideal spot for stargazing. The Visitor Centre conducts night tours where visitors can view stars and celestial bodies through two dedicated visitor telescopes. Prior booking is essential.

7. Ride the waves
For a fun summer weekend families must definitely pay a visit to the Valley of Waves at Sun City in North West province. The Valley of Waves is a spectacular water theme park designed to look like an ancient lost city. The park offers visitors of all ages an enormous range of leisure activities. Visitors can surf, swim and ride water chutes in the midst of the African bushveld. There is a designated children’s area to keep parents’ minds at ease and lifeguards are on duty daily. First Car Rental has car rental branches in North West province to make your car rental easier.

8. Chill out at the beach
No summer weekend would be complete without a day at the beach! From Boulders Beach to Camps Bay, to the gorgeous Hout Bay, visitors are spoilt for choice when it comes to beaches in the Western Cape. However, these beaches can get quite busy during summer. If you are looking for a special beach experience, head to the Preekstoel Beach in the West Coast National Park. Located near Still Bay, the beach derived its name from the rock formation that looks like a pulpit (preeskotel in Afrikaans). The quiet isolation and gorgeous natural beauty of this provisional blue flag beach makes it a must-visit this summer.

9. Visit the Berlin Falls
Located just outside the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga is the gorgeous Berlin Falls, situated north of Graskop and just 70 kilometers from Kruger National Park. In case you are wondering how an African waterfall got the name ‘Berlin’, it’s because during the gold rush European miners came here to try their luck and named the water falls after their hometowns. The Berlin Falls are among a cluster of Sabie waterfalls comprising the Horseshoe, Lone Creek and Bridal Veil Falls, the Mac Mac Falls and the Lisbon Falls. Self-drive is highly recommended as you will pass the gorgeous attractions on the Panorama Route that include God's Window, the Blyde River Canyon and Bourke's Luck Potholes.

10. Drive down the Swartberg Pass
A drive down the Swartberg Pass in summer can be quite refreshing. At an elevation of 1,583 meters above sea level, this 27-km mountain pass is one of the steepest in South Africa and is considered one of the finest mountain passes in the world. The pass connects Prince Albert in the north and Oudtshoorn in the south and offers spectacular views over the Little and Great Karoo. The pass was built by Thomas Bain and took three years, from 1883 to 1886, to complete. The skilful road building technique used to build this steep pass is the stuff of legend. There are four viewpoints/picnic sites on the southern ascent of this pass and there is plenty see, from flora to fauna, and some amazing geology too.

Book a car with First Car Rental and get set for an amazing summer! First Car Rental has 49 branches nationwide, making summer trips easy.