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Safaris From Johannesburg
South Africa is one of the world’s most varied holiday destinations. From the classic safari country of Kruger National Park to the stately ‘mother city’ of Cape Town; from the snow-sprinkled heights of the Drakensberg to the parched red dunescapes of the Kalahari; from the gorgeous Winelands around Stellenbosch to the idyllic beaches of the Garden Route – South Africa is a true all-rounder that attracts more than its fair share of repeat visitors. It is also the most affordable and well equipped of African safari destinations, particularly well suited to family holidays, to those seeking a malaria-free holiday, to dedicated foodies and wine-lovers, and for combining a foray into Big Five country with a beach holiday and/or city break.
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Private Kruger National Park Safari
$1,255 to $1,381 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Southern Kruger, Central Kruger, Johannesburg (End)
Wild Planet Safari
4.9/5 – 206 Reviews
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Best Seller
5-Day Luxury Kruger Park and Sabi Sand Safari
$2,921 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Chalet
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Safari.com
4.7/5 – 186 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
13-Day South Africa Self Drive Honeymoon
$4,518 to $6,128 pp (USD)
South Africa: Self-driveLuxuryLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Winelands, Oudtshoorn (Garden Route), Garden Route, Kwandwe GR, Chief Dawid Stuurman Airport (Port Elizabeth), Port Elizabeth (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.9/5 – 149 Reviews
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10-Day South Africa Safari and Cape Town Splendour
$5,332 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Cape Town (City), Cape Peninsula, Table Mountain (Cape Town), Cape Town Airport (End)
Ranger Buck Safaris
5.0/5 – 28 Reviews
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3-Day Best Budget Kruger Park Safari
$562 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetGuest House
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Nelspruit (End)
Elephant Herd Tours & Safaris
4.8/5 – 91 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Ultra Budget Glamping Kruger Safari
$521 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Bush Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg Airport (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 1175 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Katekani Tented Lodge Safari
$1,186 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Buffaloland, Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
Viva Safaris
4.9/5 – 263 Reviews
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5-Day Halaal Safari with Panorama Route Tour
$1,607 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Self Catering AccommodationYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Panorama Route (Highlight), Tshukudu GR, Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Khalanga Safaris
5.0/5 – 63 Reviews
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3-Day Sabi Sands Private Reserve Safari Tour
$1,151 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Africa Travel Portfolio
5.0/5 – 14 Reviews
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5-Day Imbali Lodge Safari
$2,345 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)Luxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Imbali Concession (Kruger NP), Johannesburg (End)
The Kruger Safari Co.
5.0/5 – 125 Reviews
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4-Day Kruger Park, Private Game Park & Canyon Explorer
$1,223 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Hoedspruit (Town), Central Kruger, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Johannesburg (End)
Shinzelle Safaris
4.9/5 – 63 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day Big 5 Budget Safari, Kruger National Park
$380 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Safari With Us
5.0/5 – 217 Reviews
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3-Day Camping Safari in Kruger National Park
$534 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg Airport (End)
Mbombela Experience Tours & Transfers
5.0/5 – 32 Reviews
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3-Day Kruger Safari and Panorama Route - Midrange
$682 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Nhlalala Travel
4.9/5 – 34 Reviews
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4-Day & 3-Night Kruger National Park Budget Safari
$583 to $649 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Guest HouseYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Southern Kruger, Kruger NP, Johannesburg Airport (End)
The Mzansi Experience
4.8/5 – 63 Reviews
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Best Seller
14-Day Beach to Bush, Cape Town to Kruger Eco-Adventure
$4,014 pp (USD)
South Africa: Self-drive
Mid-range Lodge & HotelYou Visit: Cape Town (Start), Hermanus (Whales), Knysna (Garden Route), Garden Route NP (Tsitsikamma) (Garden Route NP), Johannesburg (City), Kruger NP, Southern Kruger, Johannesburg (End)
Viatu
5.0/5 – 42 Reviews
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3-Day Zula Lush Private Reserve Pilanesberg
$1,579 to $1,871 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Soweto (Johannesburg), Pilanesberg GR, Cradle of Humankind (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Zula Zula Adventure Bus
5.0/5 – 2 Reviews
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3-Day Luxury Ivory Tree Game Lodge in Pilanesberg
$587 to $679 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
Gems of Africa Safari and Tours
4.9/5 – 99 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day 3 Nights Luxury Fly in Safari Kruger National Park
$3,571 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
African Welcome Safaris
5.0/5 – 230 Reviews
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6-Day Hoyo Hoyo Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park
$2,901 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
BST Tours
4.8/5 – 30 Reviews
8 Questions About South Africa Safaris
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
8 Questions About South Africa Safaris
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 the 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 May to September, when daytime temperatures are cooler, the bush is less dense allowing for better visibility, and wildlife tends to gather 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 migrant birds, and the clear sky and greener countryside make for a more photogenic backdrop.”
› More about South Africa’s best time to visit 1Why visit South Africa, 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 nearby 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.”
2How much does a South African 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 South Africa safari 3How is the wildlife viewing?
“Excellent. Kruger National Park and neighboring private reserves host large populations of all the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo), and rank among the top African safari destinations when it comes to spotting white rhino, as well as the rarer black rhino, leopard, cheetah and African wild dog. All these safari favorites are also likely to be encountered in 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.”
4How 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 African 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 National Park and its 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.”
5How do I select a reliable tour operator for a South Africa trip?
“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.com 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.”
6What type of accommodation can I expect?
“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 bathrooms). For those who don’t want to immerse themselves in the bush, a selection of mid-range 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.”
7What 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.”
8South Africa Safari 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...
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....
Wonderful nature, hibitants and guides
I had a wonderful 4 days safari where I was blessed with meeting 4 out the big 5. Some of them multiple times. This is because of the fantastic guides who walks an extra mile to give you memorable moments. Can highly recommend.
OUTSTANDING
If you are contemplating booking an African Safari, just do it, you will experience the best Africa has to offer! My husband and I booked a five day Kruger Park Safari with Endless Summer and we were totally impressed. Our guide, Wade, was...
Stunning diverse natural beauty
Cape Town has so much to offer, stunning sea views, beautiful beaches, mountains, vineyards and wildlife nearby. Our experience of penguins, whales, dolphins and baboons was amazing . Then the big 5 at Aquila Game Reserve was a hit. A...
Far exceeds your expectations
Really enjoyed my safari with Viva Tours in South Africa; the 6 day safari was a luxury because I had time to do 2 full days in Kruger Park and numerous game drives in their private reserve to ensure I saw all of the big five animals as...