Popular Routes Where Wildlife Viewing Is a Major Part of the Tour
With good roads and general infrastructure, South Africa is a popular destination. The circuits described below can be done as a self-drive package, or you can book a comparable group or custom tour, with all transport arranged by your tour operator.
Kruger & Zululand (2 to 3 weeks)
After arriving at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), you’ll head east to the in Mpumalanga Province where the best wildlife parks are situated.
Destinations:
- Kruger National Park (3 to 5 days) is South Africa’s largest and most famous park
- MalaMala Game Reserve (2 to 4 days) is one of the private reserves bordering Kruger where the can be checked off on a single
- uMkhuze Game Reserve (2 to 3 days) is excellent for watching animals from a
- Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (2 to 4 days) is a scenic park with rolling hills, known for its rhino and nyala populations
- Durban (1 to 3 days) is a great coastal city to end your trip with some shopping and time on the beach
Popular add-ons:
- uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park for hiking in a spectacular mountain setting
- Cape Town for visiting Africa’s most vibrant city and taking a cable car up Table Mountain
- The Garden Route for whale watching and outdoor activities
Cape & Coast (1.5 to 2.5 weeks)
Fly directly into Cape Town International Airport (CPT) or arrive first at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) then take a connecting flight to Cape Town.
Destinations:
- Cape Town (2 to 4 days) is one of the world’s most attractive cities with great city life and natural beauty
- The Garden Route (4 to 8 days) is one of South Africa’s most scenic regions, offering whale watching, hiking, and relaxation on idyllic beaches
- Addo Elephant National Park (2 to 3 days) is home to the and the elephant-viewing is out of this world
- Oudtshoorn (1 to 3 days) is the ostrich capital of South Africa, and the base for a visit to the extensive Cango Caves
Popular add-ons:
- Winelands tour for tasting wine and spectacular mountain scenery
- Cape Agulhas for standing on the spot where two oceans meet
- Private reserves such as Kwandwe, Shamwari or Kariega for a more upmarket variation on the Addo experience
The Atlantic Route (1.5 to 2.5 weeks)
After arriving at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) or Cape Town International Airport (CPT), you can choose the less-obvious route in the west of the country. A long drive to the gateway town of Upington brings you to the .
Destinations:
- Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (3 to 5 days) is the place to see desert-adapted animals and predators on sand dunes
- Augrabies Falls National Park (2 to 3 days) is a stark but scenic park with a magnificent waterfall
- Namaqualand (3 to 5 days) is not to be missed from August to September, when the otherwise arid region transforms into a flowering desert
- Cape Town (2 to 4 days) is a world-class city offering excellent shopping, wining and dining as well as a full range of outdoor activities
Popular add-ons:
- Winelands tour for wine sampling and fine dining
- The Garden Route for whale watching and scenic beauty