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South Africa Luxury Safari Tours
South Africa’s luxury safari tours take in some of the highlights of what is arguably the continent’s most diverse and developed tourist circuit. A trip might include the impressive cities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch, the fossil sites of the Cradle of Humankind, the ancient rock art of the Drakensberg mountains and the spring flowers of Namaqualand. The country’s 2,700km/1,680mi coastline is varied and scenic. As if that were not enough, South Africa is also a fabulous wildlife-viewing destination – from the vast Big Five country protected within the Greater Kruger, malaria-free Madikwe and Pilanesberg and the desert landscapes of Kgalagadi to the seasonal whale-calving grounds below Hermanus.
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4-Day Kwazulu Natal Safari in Nambiti at Springbok Lodge
$786 to $923 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Durban (Start), Nambiti GR, Durban (End)
Indigo Safaris
5.0/5 – 121 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
10-Day Self-Drive: Drakensberg, Battlefields and Safari
$2,787 pp (USD)
South Africa: Self-driveLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Durban (Start), Umhlanga (Town), Drakensberg Mountains (Mountain Range), Spioenkop GR, Nambiti GR, Johannesburg (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.9/5 – 149 Reviews
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Best Seller
4-Day All Inclusive Fly-in Tour to Kruger's Imbali Lodge
$2,200 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Safari.com
4.7/5 – 186 Reviews
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4-Day Kruger Safari & Private Game Reserve Highlight
$1,073 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Greater Kruger, Nelspruit (End)
Elephant Herd Tours & Safaris
4.8/5 – 81 Reviews
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5-Day Malamala Exclusive Fly in Safari
$4,592 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), MalaMala GR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Ranger Buck Safaris
5.0/5 – 24 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Sabi Sands Umkumbe Lodge Safari
$1,091 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Umkumbe GR (Sabi Sands), Johannesburg (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 988 Reviews
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Best Seller
5-Day Kapama River Lodge Deluxe Suite Safari
$2,374 to $3,122 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)Luxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kapama GR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
The Kruger Safari Co.
5.0/5 – 121 Reviews
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4-Day Luxury Mdluli Game Lodge Kruger National Park
$810 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Gems of Africa Safari and Tours
4.9/5 – 97 Reviews
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4-Day Fly-in Ecoluxury Safari in Malaria-Free Madikwe
$3,920 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Madikwe GR, Johannesburg (End)
Viatu
5.0/5 – 39 Reviews
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7-Day Specialized Explorations, Cape & Safari - 6 Nights
$3,708 to $4,061 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Marakele NP (Waterberg Biosphere), Cape Town (End)
African Wildlife Plains
5.0/5 – 2 Reviews
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4-Day Exciting Safari to Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve
$2,407 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Nelspruit (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Nelspruit (End)
Explore & Travel Africa
5.0/5 – 30 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day Madikwe Luxury Safari
$1,325 to $1,441 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Madikwe GR, Johannesburg (End)
Safari With Us
5.0/5 – 215 Reviews
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5-Day Luxurious Greater Kruger Safari
$1,623 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Hoedspruit (Town), Johannesburg (End)
Safari Reinhardt
5.0/5 – 8 Reviews
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5-Day The Best of Both Worlds-National and Private Parks
$1,812 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)LuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Wildlife Encounters
5.0/5 – 20 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Sabi Sands and Timbavati Safari
$4,919 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa Safaris
4.9/5 – 411 Reviews
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4-Day The West Coast Wanderlust 4 Star
$1,759 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryHotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), West Coast NP, Paternoster (Town), Cape Town Airport (End)
Go Touch Down Travel & Tours
4.6/5 – 150 Reviews
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3-Day Luxury 5 Star Pilanesberg Safari
$1,051 to $1,056 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
Mmilo Tours
5.0/5 – 121 Reviews
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3-Day Kruger - Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge
$701 to $757 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Klaserie NR (Greater Kruger), Hoedspruit (End)
Traipsing Africa's Safaris and Tours
5.0/5 – 98 Reviews
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15-Day Birthday Special - Garden Route Package
$3,536 pp (USD)
South Africa: Self-driveLuxuryLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Franschhoek (Cape Winelands), Knysna (Garden Route), Port Elizabeth (City), Addo Elephant NP, Amakhala GR, Port Elizabeth (End)
East Cape Tours
4.8/5 – 60 Reviews
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3-Day Kruger Safari Package - Bush and Rhinos
$834 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Olifants West NR (Greater Kruger), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Ku Sungula Safari Lodge
5.0/5 – 10 Reviews
6 Questions About South Africa Luxury Safari Tours
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.› More about Philip
6 Questions About South Africa Luxury Safari Tours
Why should I choose South Africa for a luxury trip?
“South Africa has many private reserves and concession lodges that cater specifically to the luxury market. All the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino) are present in good numbers in the major private reserves. On luxury safaris, game drives and walks are generally guided by knowledgeable and experienced guides and trackers. A bonus of most private reserves and concession lodges is that night drives are permitted, as is a certain amount of off-road driving. This enhances the likelihood of close encounters with lions, leopards and other carnivores. As a bonus, South Africa has a very organized and efficient tourist infrastructure by African standards. This, combined with a luxury safari, makes it a reliable holiday choice for nervous first-time visitors to the continent.”
1What is included in a South Africa luxury safari?
“A South Africa luxury safari usually operates on an all-inclusive basis. This covers four- or five-star accommodation, all meals, and expertly guided activities such as game drives in open 4x4s. Some top-end lodges also include laundry and drinks in their prices. Booked directly through the lodge, prices are unlikely to include transportation there and back. However, any package price quoted by a tour operator should include road or air transfers from the specified starting point. Tips are not included in either case, and these can add up.”
2What parks do you recommend for a South African luxury safari?
“There are plenty of choices. In my opinion, the first choice for general wildlife viewing and Big Five sightings is a cluster of private reserves on the western border of Kruger National Park. These reserves are collectively managed and marketed as Sabi Sands. The only drawback to Sabi Sands is that some (not all) properties share traversing rights with several neighbors. The strict rules limiting vehicle numbers often result in a long wait to join a sighting or being hurried off to make space for another lodge’s clients. A better option, from this point of view, is Timbavati Nature Reserve, which borders Kruger, and has a scattering of exclusive concession lodges. A trip to Greater Kruger carries a low but genuine risk of contracting malaria, in particular during the hotter, wetter months of November to April. Many safari-goers, particularly those with young children, prefer to head to malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve for this reason. Madikwe boasts some superb luxury lodges and fine Big Five wildlife viewing. Convenient for those whose South African holiday includes the Western and Eastern Cape is a cluster of malaria-free private reserves situated in Addo Elephant National Park, inland of Port Elizabeth. The pick of the private reserves in KwaZulu-Natal is Phinda. It offers great Big Five viewing and is also maybe the most reliable place in South Africa to spot cheetah.”
3Can you describe a typical day on a South Africa luxury trip?
“Most lodges set in private reserves or concessions are exempt from the restrictions on driving between sunset and sunrise enforced in most national parks and public reserves. This has an impact on a typical day, allowing for a schedule that makes the most of the wildlife-viewing hours when predators are active. A typical day starts with a pre-dawn wake-up call and a pot of tea or coffee, before heading out on an early morning game drive. Return to the lodge mid-morning for brunch or late breakfast. Then plan on a long and relaxed lunch break, especially during the southern hemisphere summer when days are longer and temperatures higher. Following a nap or swim and a light afternoon tea, you head out on an evening game drive. This usually incorporates a sundowner drink and a night drive, where the tracker will use a spotlight to pick out wildlife ranging from chameleons and nightjars to genets and bush babies. After this, it’s back to the lodge for a three-course bush dinner and a drink around the campfire. Some lodges offer guided game walks to see birds and smaller wildlife, either first thing in the morning or – more commonly – after breakfast. These provide a welcome change of pace for those people spending more than two days on safari. Ideally, a game walk is undertaken in the morning cool rather than the heat of the afternoon.”
4What type of accommodation can I expect?
“Your South Africa luxury safari will almost certainly be based at exclusive small lodges offering the safari equivalent variation of a three- to five-star city hotel. Most of these lodges are designed to make the most of their African bush surroundings and are constructed from a combination of stone, canvas, wood and thatch. Some pricier lodges offer even more ambitious designs and facilities. Wherever you stay, accommodation will likely be spacious, comfortable freestanding units with en suite showers and private verandahs. Many lodges also have swimming pools, spas and/or quality gift shops. World-class cuisine is usually complemented by carefully selected Cape wines. The service is top-notch. The upmarket lodges in South Africa’s numerous private wildlife reserves are scattered all around the country. The most important and best of them are clustered in three areas: along the western border of Kruger National Park, in northeastern KwaZulu-Natal close to iSimangaliso and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, and in the Eastern Cape in the vicinity of Addo Elephant National Park. In addition to the private reserves, similarly exclusive lodges can be found in various concessions set within public reserves such as Kruger National Park and Madikwe Game Reserve.”
5How much will this safari cost?
“The price of the safari leg of a South Africa luxury tour depends on which part of the country you choose and how much luxury you want to experience. You’d be lucky to pick up an all-inclusive luxury safari package for less than US$250 to US$300 per day per person sharing. At the absolute top end of the range you might be looking at an all-inclusive daily price of US$700 to US$1,000 per person. Safaris in Sabi Sands and Phinda are more costly, while the concession lodges in Kruger and Madikwe are somewhat cheaper. Most lodges offer discounted low-season rates and special one-off packages during the southern hemisphere winter (May to September). This is the best time of year for Big Five sightings in most parts of the country.”
6South Africa Reviews
Lizzie is a reputed guidebook writer and author of the Footprint guides to South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
South Africa is rightly celebrated for its magnificent natural beauty and excellent choice of parks
South Africa has a wonderful range of landscapes, a near-perfect climate, and the choice of destinations, activities and itineraries is virtually inexhaustible. Aside from its beautiful coastline and cosmopolitan cities – both of which I...
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
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....
AMAZING
We visited Cape town which we found spectacular! Table Mountain was outstanding! We also visited Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth and Richards Bay. People are nice and warm coming. Scenery is beautiful and temperature was really nice at day...
An unforgettable experience and beautiful country
We’ve been visiting South Africa for 8 years now and never get tired of the sightseeing, food and wine. There is so much to do and the scenery and wildlife are amazing. You can’t visit without driving up the garden route and stopping...
Best Birthday Ever!!!
I was in Cape Town (don’t miss!!!) for a couple of weeks for vacation and decided to go to Kruger and the surrounding area for three days and two nights while I was there. I was a bit concerned about the price, but Mo-Africa Tours was...
Amazingly vibrant place with lots of different cultures and landscapes
Visited Cape Town initially, amazing food and the key tourist element were great, views for table mountain incredible and robbed island tour a must! Then went round to boulders bay and visited the penguins - very unique and the cape of...