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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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Best Seller
4-Day Luxury Kruger Rafiki Bush Lodge
$830 to $846 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg Airport (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 4,131 Reviews
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Best Seller
5-Day Luxury Kruger Park and Sabi Sand Safari
$3,880 to $4,860 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Johannesburg (End)
Safari.com
4.7/5 – 196 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Tremisana/Treehouse Kruger Park Safari
$1,050 to $1,097 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
Viva Safaris
5.0/5 – 338 Reviews
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4-Day Sabi Sand Safari with Elephant Plains
$1,412 to $1,596 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Hoedspruit (End)
Indigo Safaris
4.9/5 – 187 Reviews
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![3-Day Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge, Pilanesberg Nature Reserv]()
3-Day Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge, Pilanesberg Nature Reserv
$666 to $752 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
BST Tours
4.8/5 – 33 Reviews
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![3-Day Kruger NP Budget Tour]()
3-Day Kruger NP Budget Tour
$542 to $678 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Africa Moja Tours & Safaris
4.9/5 – 26 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
![6-Day Southern & Central Kruger Park plus Private Lodge]()
6-Day Southern & Central Kruger Park plus Private Lodge
$2,326 to $2,571 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Southern Kruger NP, Central Kruger NP, Karongwe GR, Johannesburg (End)
Wildlife Safaris
5.0/5 – 314 Reviews
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12-Day Luxury Kruger Safari & Mauritius Escape
$6,399 pp (USD)
South Africa & Mauritius: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp & Resort
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (City), Grand Baie (Town & Beach), Le Morne (Beach), Black River, Mauritius (End)
Wayfairer Travel
5.0/5 – 201 Reviews
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![5-Day Kruger National Park Budget Tented Safari]()
5-Day Kruger National Park Budget Tented Safari
$794 to $877 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Greater Kruger, Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
The Mzansi Experience
4.8/5 – 107 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
![4-Day Private Kruger National Park Safari]()
4-Day Private Kruger National Park Safari
$1,518 to $1,667 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Southern Kruger NP, Central Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Wild Planet Safari
5.0/5 – 246 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
$5,621 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 – 194 Reviews
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![3-Day Big Five Safari Garden Route Game Lodge]()
3-Day Big Five Safari Garden Route Game Lodge
$303 to $458 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Garden Route GR (Garden Route), Cape Town (End)
Gems of Africa Safari and Tours
5.0/5 – 169 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
![6-Day Sabi Sands and Kruger Park Safari]()
6-Day Sabi Sands and Kruger Park Safari
$4,972 to $5,562 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger NP, Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 569 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day En-Suite Tlou Tented Safari Camp in Pilanesberg
$546 to $579 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
Safarilink SA
4.9/5 – 822 Reviews
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![10-Day Adventurous South Africa and Eswatini]()
10-Day Adventurous South Africa and Eswatini
$3,679 to $3,744 pp (USD)
Eswatini & South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Lodge & HotelYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Drakensberg Mountains (Mountain Range), iSimangaliso Wetland Park (KZN Parks), Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, Mlilwane WS, Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Nhlalala Travel
5.0/5 – 100 Reviews
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![5-Day Kruger Park and Manyeleti Reserve Bongan Lodge]()
5-Day Kruger Park and Manyeleti Reserve Bongan Lodge
$944 to $1,021 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Manyeleti GR (Greater Kruger), Central Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Bongan Safaris
5.0/5 – 40 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 Private Game Reserve, Skukuza (End)
Viatu
5.0/5 – 140 Reviews
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6-Day Kruger to Cape Town Tour with Flights Included
$2,236 to $2,460 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range HotelYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Cape Town (City), Cape Peninsula, Table Mountain (Cape Town), O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Cape Town (End)
Red Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 127 Reviews
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![3-Day Safari at Shiduli Lodge, Greater Kruger]()
3-Day Safari at Shiduli Lodge, Greater Kruger
$732 to $955 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Greater Kruger, Karongwe GR, Hoedspruit (End)
JourneyTo
5.0/5 – 23 Reviews
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![3-Day Kruger Safari and Swaziland Cultural Tour]()
3-Day Kruger Safari and Swaziland Cultural Tour
$1,062 pp (USD)
South Africa & Eswatini: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Southern Kruger NP, Mantenga (Cultural Village), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Balanta Imagine Safaris
5.0/5 – 1 Reviews
Related Searches
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
Philip Briggs
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....
Absolutely sensational.
Best holiday for years. Saw up close all animals i had hoped for, the guides were incredibly passionate and very skilled to get us a great experience. I knew that id enjoy this experience but it was fantastic.
NZ
Amazing wildlife and people
A great time at all the different safari parks including Kruger. Great guides. Accomodation was first class as was the food People very conscious of what the parks do for them and there families and they are conservationists and great...
TW
We chose to visit SA because of the diversity of tourist attractions.
We found the package from Viva Safari and MoAfria through this platform. We chose to visit SA because of the diversity of tourist attractions; you could experience safari tours, majestic geological landscapes, and UNESCO-certified...
South African Safari Dream comes to life
Visited South Africa in October 2025, and done a tour to that went to Kruger National Park and the surrounds. Whilst the mornings are early starts and the days are long, it makes it worth it when you enter the safari tracks and you spot a...