8 Questions About South Africa Safaris

Expert

Answered by

Philip Briggs

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations, including the guide to South Africa.

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When is the best time to visit South Africa?

“There is no bad time to take a South African holiday. But certain parts of the country are far better at specific times of year. If a safari will be the main event of your South African tour, most of the country’s key parks and reserves are at their best in the southern hemisphere winter months of April to September, when daytime temperatures are cooler, the bush is less dense allowing for better visibility, and wildlife tends to congregate around limited water sources. For beach lovers, by contrast, the main coastal resorts are at their best in the southern hemisphere summer (November to March). Special interest groups such as bird watchers and photographers may also prefer to undertake a safari in summer, when resident bird populations are boosted by large numbers of migrants birds, and the clear sky and greener countryside make for a more photogenic backdrop.”

› More about South Africa's best time to visit 1

Why visit South Africa, and what are the major attractions?

“Variety is the keynote of South African holidays. The country boasts one of the continent’s finest safari destinations in the form of Kruger National Park and adjacent private reserves, while other key Big Five safari reserves include Hluhluwe-Imfolozi and malaria-free Madikwe and Pilanesberg. Safaris aside, South Africa is renowned for its fantastic beaches, limitless hiking opportunities, wonderful outdoor climate and good-value dining and wining scene. The main focus of non-safari sightseeing is Cape Town, which is gracefully perched below Table Mountain on a scenic stretch of Atlantic coastline, close to the whale-watching hub of Hermanus and the historical winelands around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.”

What does a South Africa safari cost?

“South African safari prices will depend greatly on the level of comfort you expect. At one extreme, self-drive camping safaris in somewhere like Kruger might work out at under US$100 for a couple per day. At the other extreme, all-inclusive safari packages at one of the country’s more exclusive private safari lodges might be 10 or 20 times more expensive. A good compromise between comfort and cost is a safari using the well-run rest camps that can be found throughout Kruger and in many other key national parks and provincial reserves. Accommodation aside, extras such as food, wine and other drinks are very cheap by international standards.”

› Factors influencing the cost of a safari 3

How is the wildlife viewing in South Africa?

“Excellent. Kruger Park and neighboring private reserves host large populations of all the Big Five, and rank among the top African safari destinations when it comes to spotting black and white rhino, as well as leopard, cheetah and African wild dog. All these safari favorites are also likely to be encountered in the malaria-free Madikwe and Pilanesberg game reserves, as well as in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi and the various small private reserves of the Eastern Cape. Outside of the major Big Five reserves, many parts of the country are still home to a variety of antelope, monkeys and small predators, all of which might be encountered by hikers and ramblers. Bird watching is consistently excellent throughout the country, while locally conspicuous marine wildlife includes penguins, whales and giant turtles.”

How safe is South Africa for tourists?

“Crime is a genuine issue in the larger cities, especially Johannesburg, but not so much in the game reserves, smaller towns and beach resorts that form the focal points of most South Africa safari trips. Follow local advice about safety, avoid walking around cities at night, and you should be fine. Malaria is absent from most parts of the country, the one major exception being Kruger Park and immediate environs, but even here the risk is far lower than in most other African safari destinations. Madikwe and Pilanesberg are Africa’s premier malaria-free safari destinations. Many reserves in South Africa offer guided walking safaris in areas inhabited by potentially dangerous animals such as elephant, black rhino and lion, but the risk of an incident is minimal provided that you listen to your guide at all times, and treat wildlife with respect. Possibly the biggest risk to life and limb in South Africa is a car accident, so self-drivers should adopt a more defensive and cautious approach than they might at home.”

How do I select a reliable South African tour operator?

“It’s worth doing a bit of research into operators before you book a South Africa tour. Look for reviews of any given operator on SafariBookings and possibly other online portals; the more reviews an operator has received, the more confident you can be of its reliability. If you have friends who have visited the country, or who live there, ask for word-of-mouth recommendations before booking any South African safari packages. Check out the company’s website too – as a rule its level of professionalism will reflect that of the company it represents. Once in South Africa, hotels and guesthouses can usually point you to tried-and-tested operators for day outings and other short local tours.”

What type of accommodation can I expect on a safari?

“South African safari accommodation ranges from no-frills campsites to exclusive upmarket lodges offering the last word in safari chic. In between these extremes, most national parks and provincial reserves have at least one well-run rest camp offering camping facilities and self-catering chalets (usually en suite but occasionally using shared ablutions). For those who don’t want to immerse themselves in the bush, a selection of midrange hotels can be found within easy driving distance of many national park and reserve entrance gates. Exclusive lodges are generally associated with private reserves and concessions that offer all-inclusive safari packages incorporating guided game drives and walks.”

What can I expect from South African safaris?

“Generally South Africa has a more developed feel than other African safari destinations. Most national parks and other reserves can be reached via good surfaced roads, which certainly isn’t the case in many other parts of Africa. Some, such as Kruger, actually have an internal network of surfaced roads, and it is the only major African safari destination where a 4WD would be a luxury rather than a necessity, and the most suitable one for self-drive safaris. Likewise, most national park rest camps are well equipped for self-caterers, and many have well-stocked grocery shops. Further, the wildlife in South Africa is as wild as it is in most parts of Africa, the standard of guiding is unusually high, and people on organized safaris can expect excellent close-up sightings of everything from the Big Five to smaller animals such as birds and lizards.”

South Africa Safari Reviews

4.6/5 593 Reviews

Expert

Emma Gregg –

Emma is an award-winning travel writer for Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller, Travel Africa magazine and The Independent.

Where Big Five safaris are big business, there’s a wealth of choice

5/5

Glorious images of elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards and buffalo parading through pristine bush are central to South Africa’s popular image. So it comes as a surprise to some first-time visitors that, in reality, the proportion of this...

Full Review

Expert

Anthony Ham –

Anthony is a photographer and writer for travel magazines and Lonely Planet, including the guides to Kenya and Botswana & Namibia.

South Africa: World-class Safaris

5/5

South Africa is one of my favourite places to go on safari, with all the necessary ingredients for a wildlife experience that will begin your enduring love affair with the continent. Primary among these ingredients is the wildlife....

Full Review

Kim Colter –

Reviewed: Jul 7, 2019

Splendid trip to Sabi Sands

5/5

Our family group of six stayed at Jaci Sabi house in Sabi Sands and had a wonderful experience. Ralph, our ranger, and Nkosi, our tracker did a splendid job of finding animals for us. We spent more hours pursuing animals with Ralph and...

Full Review

Sabrina Mercuri –

Reviewed: Jul 4, 2019

Unbelievable

5/5

Fell in love with South Africa! The people, the food, the weather, the wildlife ! Can’t wait to go back ! We had the best honeymoon ever ! Even though it’s far to get there ( we live in Canada) it was worth it and we have no regrets !

Full Review

Jacqueline Landry –

Reviewed: Jul 1, 2019

Amazing

5/5

Ker & Downey planned the trip of a lifetime for us. From our Safari in Phinda and another to Sabi Sabi along with our time in cape town and the wine lands. Everything and everyone was outstanding. The people, the accommodations, the food,...

Full Review

Amber Richardson –

Reviewed: Jun 22, 2019

Amazing!

5/5

Our time in South Africa greatly exceeded our expectations! Touring such a beautiful country with an expert guide like Werner was a dream vacation! The weather was perfect, the food was fantastic, and we really could not ask for anything...

Full Review

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8 Questions About South Africa Safaris

Answered by

Philip Briggs

8 Questions About South Africa Safaris

When is the best time to visit South Africa?

Why visit South Africa, and what are the major attractions?

What does a South Africa safari cost?

How is the wildlife viewing in South Africa?

How safe is South Africa for tourists?

How do I select a reliable South African tour operator?

What type of accommodation can I expect on a safari?

What can I expect from South African safaris?

South Africa Safari Reviews

Where Big Five safaris are big business, there’s a wealth of choice

South Africa: World-class Safaris

Splendid trip to Sabi Sands

Unbelievable

Amazing

Amazing!