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South Africa Private Safari Tours
It’s hard not to fall in love with South Africa when you visit and explore the country on a private safari. This kind of safari (where you’ll have the guide, driver and vehicle just for you and the others in your own traveling party) means that you’re in charge of your own safari experience, without having to accommodate the wishes of others whom you don’t know. You decide when to stop and when to move on, and you’ll have an expert guide at your disposal at all times to explain what you’re seeing. Yes, it’s more expensive than a group safari, but there’s no better way to enjoy the amazing wildlife and equally spectacular landscapes that South Africa has to offer.
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7-Day Kruger Private Reserves
$4,323 to $4,661 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 – 139 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Luxury South Africa Safari in Kruger
$4,199 to $4,350 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp & Hotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Wayfairer Travel
5.0/5 – 196 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Sabi Sand Safari with Elephant Plains
$1,383 to $1,563 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Hoedspruit (End)
Indigo Safaris
4.9/5 – 183 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
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
4.9/5 – 189 Reviews
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![5-Day Safari with Night Drive and Panorama Route Tour]()
5-Day Safari with Night Drive and Panorama Route Tour
$1,626 to $1,695 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Panorama Route (Highlight), Kruger NP, O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Johannesburg (End)
Khalanga Safaris
5.0/5 – 99 Reviews
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![4-Day Sabi Sands Luxury Fly-in Safari]()
4-Day Sabi Sands Luxury Fly-in Safari
$6,081 to $7,315 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sabi GR (Sabi Sands), Johannesburg (End)
Ranger Buck Safaris
5.0/5 – 58 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
![4-Day Private Kruger and Panorama Route Family Tour]()
4-Day Private Kruger and Panorama Route Family Tour
$1,381 to $1,667 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & ChaletYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Hoedspruit (Town), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Wild Planet Safari
4.9/5 – 242 Reviews
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3-Day Private Kruger Park Safari
$1,149 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Junglers Adventure Tours
5.0/5 – 67 Reviews
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![5-Day Kruger National Park South & Panorama Route]()
5-Day Kruger National Park South & Panorama Route
$1,208 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Southern Kruger NP, Kruger NP, Matsamo Cultural Village (Cultural Village), Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Nhlalala Travel
5.0/5 – 92 Reviews
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7-Day Kruger Safari Experience Bush and Buffalos
$2,523 to $2,971 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Olifants West NR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Ku Sungula Safari Lodge
5.0/5 – 20 Reviews
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4-Day Luxury Sabi Sands Safari & Treehouse Sleep-out
$8,300 to $9,438 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Skukuza (Start), Lion Sands GR (Sabi Sands), Skukuza (End)
Viatu
5.0/5 – 135 Reviews
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![3-Day Pilanesberg Luxury Tshukudu Bush Lodge Safari]()
3-Day Pilanesberg Luxury Tshukudu Bush Lodge Safari
$1,253 to $1,401 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
Mmilo Tours
5.0/5 – 140 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
![7-Day All Inclusive Safari in Madikwe & Sabi Sands]()
7-Day All Inclusive Safari in Madikwe & Sabi Sands
$7,894 to $8,391 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Madikwe GR, Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 562 Reviews
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4-Day Walking Safari - Africa on Foot, Wilderness Trails
$937 to $1,028 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourBudgetTented Bush Camp
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Greater Kruger, Hoedspruit (End)
JourneyTo
5.0/5 – 23 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Ivory Tree Lodge All Inclusive Safari Package
$1,092 to $1,545 pp (USD)
South Africa: Self-driveLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 3,781 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
![4-Day The Greater Kruger Tshukudu Safari]()
4-Day The Greater Kruger Tshukudu Safari
$1,755 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Tshukudu GR, Kruger NP, O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Johannesburg (End)
Go Touch Down Travel & Tours
5.0/5 – 176 Reviews
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![4-Day Private Garden Route Tour Cape Town Big 5 Safari]()
4-Day Private Garden Route Tour Cape Town Big 5 Safari
$1,815 to $2,178 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Guest HouseYou Visit: Cape Town (Start), Oudtshoorn (Garden Route), Storms River, Garden Route GR (Garden Route), Hermanus (Whales), Cape Town (End)
Gems of Africa Safari and Tours
4.9/5 – 161 Reviews
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4-Day Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Big 5 & St Lucia Wetland
$1,235 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Self Catering AccommodationYou Visit: Durban (Start), Hluhluwe-iMfolozi GR, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Durban (End)
Endless Summer Tours
5.0/5 – 73 Reviews
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4-Day All-Inclusive Kruger Safari with Hoyo Hoyo
$2,085 to $2,270 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Safari.com
4.7/5 – 189 Reviews
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4-Day Buffalo Rock a Hidden Gem in Kruger
$610 to $702 pp (USD)
South Africa: Self-driveLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Hazyview (Start), Kruger NP, Hazyview (End)
SafariLife
5.0/5 – 25 Reviews
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5 Questions About South Africa Private Safaris
Answered by
Anthony Ham
Anthony has been traveling to, and writing about, safaris in southern Africa for nearly two decades. He has co-written Lonely Planet’s ‘South Africa, Lesotho & eSwatini’ and ‘Southern Africa’ guidebooks, and he is the author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’.› More about Anthony
5 Questions About South Africa Private Safaris
Anthony Ham
When is a private trip recommended in South Africa?
“The best time for going on a South Africa private safari is during the Dry season months of May to September. Throughout this period, you can expect generally fine conditions, with mild daytime temperatures. The only downside about traveling at this time is that it can get very cold at night, especially from June to August. The Dry season is also the best time to go looking for wildlife in South Africa. That’s because as waterholes dry out, it’s easier to find the animals close to the last remaining sources of water. If you’re a birder, you may want to consider the period from November to April. This is when migratory birds from Europe and North Africa spend time in southern Africa in their hundreds of thousands. Whenever you’re planning to travel, you should always try and avoid South African school holiday periods. At such times, accommodations, roads and safari trails are often crowded to an uncomfortable level.”
1Will we spend all our time with the guide on a private safari?
“On most private safari tours in South Africa, the guide will be with you whenever you need them, and you’ll be on your own for as much of the rest of the time as you’d like. Unless your private trip is a self-drive safari, you’ll need a guide and a driver when exploring the parks and reserves. Take this as an opportunity to learn about the animals and landscapes you’re seeing and ask as many questions as you like about local life. You may end up making lifelong friends with those who are looking after you. When you’re not out looking for animals, or when you’re not traveling between destinations, you’ll have lots of time to be alone. Many hours in a safari day are given over to relaxing, eating and drinking, and it will be up to you whether you want company or not.”
2Which parks and reserves should we visit on a private South African safari?
“South Africa has an exceptional portfolio of parks and reserves, and which ones you visit will depend on what sort of holiday you’d like to have. A good place to start is to decide which animals and landscapes you’d like to see, and then do your own research to plan which places are best for seeing them. If you want wildlife to be the centerpiece of your safari, consider visiting the country’s northeast. Here there is a good chance you can see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), as well as cheetah, African wild dog, hyena, giraffe, zebra and so much more. Kruger National Park is rightly famous around the world for its incredible wildlife-viewing possibilities. But you can also see many of the same animals with fewer crowds and possibly even have a more exclusive safari experience in the neighboring reserves, such as Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Pilanesberg Game Reserve is similarly good, but also busy. So why not consider Madikwe Game Reserve or the private Welgevonden Game Reserve, both of which are much more intimate. These are just the start, with so many other possibilities right across the country.”
3How much do South African private safari packages cost?
“There are as many different safari packages and tours as there are safari operators in South Africa. As a result, prices vary greatly, from a base of US$150 per person per day for a private budget camping safari, up to US$600 per person per day, or even more, for a luxury private safari. Factors that can affect the per-day cost of your safari include the number of days you’ll be traveling, how much of the country you wish to see, and when you plan to go on safari. Traveling in high season (which can include local school holiday periods) is usually more expensive than traveling at other times. You should always make sure that you understand what is and what isn’t included in the quoted cost of any safari. As a minimum, expect the quoted price to include a private guide, driver and vehicle, as well as all accommodations, park entry fees, guided game drives, meals and water. Apart from game drives, ask which (if any) activities are included as well.”
4What type of vehicle can I expect?
“On most South Africa private safari tours, you’ll spend a large proportion of your time getting around in a 4WD vehicle. This is certainly the case for the time you spend inside the country’s parks and reserves, where your driver will take you around in a 4WD safari vehicle. These specially adapted vehicles most often have open sides (which are perfect for seeing, and feeling close to, the animals), canvas roofs (to keep out the sun and any rain) and tiered seating. For getting between the various destinations that are a part of your safari, you will most likely travel in a normal 4WD vehicle (which won’t be open-sided). This may vary depending on the size of your traveling party and whether you need a larger vehicle or extra vehicles. It is also possible that you may need to fly between destinations, either in a commercial plane (for getting between South African towns) or a small (six- to 20-seater) charter plane. The latter is used primarily for flying into the small airstrips in more remote and/or exclusive areas of some parks and reserves.”
5South Africa Reviews
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
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...
Lucy is travel writer for a range of publications, including Lonely Planet's guides to Africa, Southern Africa and South Africa.
An array of animals
Of all the African countries people visit on safari trips, South Africa is probably the easiest to travel around. Infrastructure is excellent, accommodation for every budget is abundant and wildlife-watching opportunities stretch far beyond...
US
Incredible
Loved South Africa and will definitely go back. Our guide was very knowledgeable and took the time to stop the truck to explain and answers our questions. I highly recommend Wild Planet Safari and Eric our Tour Guide and Goodwill or...
IT
Amazing
We enjoyed a lot our 2 day safari at Pilanesberg Park. We stayed one night at Yvory Lodge, a five star accomodation. All details have been respectful at high level, from the pick up at our hotel. Strongly recommended.
US
Stunning vacation destination PACKED with wildlife!
We spent over a week in South Africa, and it was not nearly enough time. Getting there from the northwest US took a very long time, especially with insane flight delays, but the minute we arrived, it was amazing. We stayed in Camps Bay,...
Country of wonders
This was our first time to South Africa and we have had a smashing time from the start to the end. We landed in Johannesburg late and were going to another domestic flight, everyone in the airport was helpful to let us go through, simply...