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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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Best Seller
4-Day Sabi Sand Reserve Luxury Safari, Greater Kruger
$3,150 to $3,299 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryBush Camp
You Visit: Skukuza (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Kruger (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.9/5 – 191 Reviews
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Best Seller
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4-Day Luxury Radisson Kruger Safari
$984 to $1,048 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)LuxuryHotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg Airport (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 2,806 Reviews
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4-Day Timbavati Safari with Kambaku Safari Lodge
$1,624 to $1,790 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Hoedspruit (End)
Indigo Safaris
4.9/5 – 164 Reviews
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7-Day Kruger Private Reserves
$4,231 to $4,562 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Klaserie NR (Greater Kruger), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Hoedspruit (End)
Safari Online
5.0/5 – 134 Reviews
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4-Day Kruger Safari & Private Game Reserve Highlight
$1,367 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Greater Kruger, Johannesburg (End)
Elephant Herd Tours & Safaris
4.9/5 – 171 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
![4-Day Luxury Kruger Park Safari and Panorama Route Tour]()
4-Day Luxury Kruger Park Safari and Panorama Route Tour
$1,420 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Wildlife Safaris
5.0/5 – 293 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Kruger Train on the Bridge Lodge Fly-in Safari
$2,445 to $2,806 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
The Kruger Safari Co.
5.0/5 – 221 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
![5-Day Sabi Sands and Kruger Safari]()
5-Day Sabi Sands and Kruger Safari
$3,553 to $4,183 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 538 Reviews
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![7-Day Garden Route & Addo National Park Safari Tour]()
7-Day Garden Route & Addo National Park Safari Tour
$1,750 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Hermanus (Whales), Oudtshoorn (Garden Route), Knysna (Garden Route), Tsitsikamma (Garden Route NP), Addo Elephant NP, Cape Town (City), Port Elizabeth (End)
Thiam Travels
4.7/5 – 10 Reviews
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![9-Day Luxury Cape Town, Kruger NP and Victoria Falls]()
9-Day Luxury Cape Town, Kruger NP and Victoria Falls
$5,379 to $6,611 pp (USD)
South Africa & Zimbabwe: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Kruger NP, Victoria Falls (End)
Off2Africa Travel
5.0/5 – 164 Reviews
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![4-Day Madikwe Incredible Malaria-Free Big 5 Safari]()
4-Day Madikwe Incredible Malaria-Free Big 5 Safari
$3,375 to $3,711 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Madikwe GR, Johannesburg (End)
Viatu
5.0/5 – 102 Reviews
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![5-Day Sabi Sands + Kruger Park Safari Package]()
5-Day Sabi Sands + Kruger Park Safari Package
$3,569 to $4,222 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Skukuza (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Nelspruit (End)
African Family Safaris
5.0/5 – 8 Reviews
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![7-Day Panorama Route, Blyde River Canyon & Kruger Park]()
7-Day Panorama Route, Blyde River Canyon & Kruger Park
$4,124 to $4,413 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Panorama Route (Highlight), Moholoholo Wildlife Centre (Wildlife Sanctuary), Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Kruger NP, Central Kruger NP, Greater Kruger, Johannesburg (End)
Mmilo Tours
5.0/5 – 137 Reviews
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![3-Day Unforgettable Safari Bliss in Sabi Sands]()
3-Day Unforgettable Safari Bliss in Sabi Sands
$3,186 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg Airport (End)
African Wildlife Plains
4.8/5 – 12 Reviews
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![3-Day Perfect Safari for Couples in Pilanesberg Park]()
3-Day Perfect Safari for Couples in Pilanesberg Park
$1,175 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 3 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
Tourgy Tourz
4.9/5 – 38 Reviews
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![5-Day Luxury Mdluli Game Lodge Kruger National Park]()
5-Day Luxury Mdluli Game Lodge Kruger National Park
$1,119 to $1,228 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
5.0/5 – 153 Reviews
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5-Day Luxury Safari Big Five
$2,310 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Waterberg Biosphere Reserve, Johannesburg (End)
Go Touch Down Travel & Tours
5.0/5 – 172 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day Pilanesberg Luxury Safari
$844 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
Safari With Us
4.9/5 – 249 Reviews
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![3-Day Kruger South - Aha Buffalo Rock Safari Camp]()
3-Day Kruger South - Aha Buffalo Rock Safari Camp
$634 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Nelspruit (Start), Kruger NP, Nelspruit (End)
Traipsing Africa's Safaris and Tours
5.0/5 – 119 Reviews
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4-Day Imbali Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park
$2,604 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
BST Tours
4.8/5 – 32 Reviews
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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
Philip Briggs
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 Country!!
A group of us travelled to Cape Town for business (all women) but also had time for sightseeing. We came across our Tour Guide, Munier Daniels (@agentktours) by chance but what a find! We travelled the Peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope,...
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South Africa is so diverse and has it all! Some of the kindest people in the world
Kruger National Park was such a delight! We were lucky with great weather and a lot of animal sightings! I am so grateful for this experience and will reflect on it in the future. I can't wait to go back!
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Amazing
I really enjoyed the Safari to Kruger. The camping experience and private tour was everything we hoped for. The amount of wildlife we saw was mind boggling and now going to the zoo will be a disappointment. To see them in their natural...
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Exceeded our expectations
Visited South Africa in May 2025. 4 nights in Cape Town then flew to Kruger for a 5 day safari at Tresimana Lodge. The staff and guides were wonderful. Enjoyed the tours at their private reserve and enjoyed the bush walk down to the river...