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South Africa Safari Packages
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 Sabi Sand Safari with Arathusa Safari Lodge
$2,439 to $2,733 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Hoedspruit (End)
Indigo Safaris
4.9/5 – 210 Reviews
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11-Day South Africa & Mauritius Family Safari & Beach
$8,299 to $12,099 pp (USD)
South Africa & Mauritius: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Resort
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Madikwe GR, Johannesburg (City), Port Louis (City), Bel Ombre (Town & Beach), Mauritius (End)
Wayfairer Travel
5.0/5 – 213 Reviews
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4-Day Luxury Radisson Kruger Safari
$1,143 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 – 4,737 Reviews
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6-Day Southern & Central Kruger Park plus Private Lodge
$2,709 to $2,986 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 (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Wildlife Safaris
5.0/5 – 325 Reviews
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3-Day Greenfire Game Lodge Safari
$931 to $1,055 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Greater Kruger, Kruger NP, Johannesburg Airport (End)
The Kruger Safari Co.
4.9/5 – 322 Reviews
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5-Day Luxury Ivory Moon Lodge Safari in the Kruger
$1,534 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Southern Kruger NP, Central Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Safarilink SA
4.9/5 – 1,326 Reviews
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![7-Day Sabi Sands, Timbavati & Kruger Big Five Safari]()
7-Day Sabi Sands, Timbavati & Kruger Big Five Safari
$3,013 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Skukuza (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Kruger Mpumalanga Airport (Mbombela / Nelspruit), Mbombela / Nelspruit (End)
Africa Incoming
5.0/5 – 46 Reviews
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3-Day Tremisana/Treehouse Kruger Park Safari
$880 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Hoedspruit (Town), Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
Viva Safaris
5.0/5 – 352 Reviews
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![4-Day Timbavati Luxury Fly-in Safari]()
4-Day Timbavati Luxury Fly-in Safari
$5,299 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Ranger Buck Safaris
5.0/5 – 70 Reviews
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![3-Day Budget Kruger Safari from Cape Town]()
3-Day Budget Kruger Safari from Cape Town
$1,282 to $1,721 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Cape Town (Start), Kruger NP, Cape Town (End)
Africa Moja Tours & Safaris
5.0/5 – 138 Reviews
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Best Seller
![5-Day Kruger Park Camping Safari]()
5-Day Kruger Park Camping Safari
$1,455 to $1,492 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Johannesburg (End)
Khalanga Safaris
4.8/5 – 112 Reviews
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![5-Day Fly in Sabi Sabi All Inclusive Safari]()
5-Day Fly in Sabi Sabi All Inclusive Safari
$5,899 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sabi GR (Sabi Sands), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 581 Reviews
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6-Day Exclusive Kruger/Private Luxury Lodge Safari
$4,334 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Ukhozi Tours
5.0/5 – 18 Reviews
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![13-Day Cape Town and Garden Route Big Five Safari]()
13-Day Cape Town and Garden Route Big Five Safari
$5,787 pp (USD)
South Africa: Self-driveLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Hermanus (Whales), Knysna (Garden Route), Plettenberg Bay (Garden Route), Lalibela WR, Cape Town Airport (End)
Viatu
4.9/5 – 169 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
$5,501 to $7,362 pp (USD)
South Africa & Zimbabwe: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Kruger NP, Victoria Falls (End)
Off2Africa Travel
4.9/5 – 220 Reviews
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4-Day All-Inclusive Kruger Safari with Hoyo Hoyo
$2,270 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Safari.com
4.7/5 – 264 Reviews
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![3-Day Dumela Glamping Affordable Adventure]()
3-Day Dumela Glamping Affordable Adventure
$609 to $702 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Moditlo GR (Blue Canyon GR), Kruger NP, O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Johannesburg (End)
SafariLife
5.0/5 – 30 Reviews
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![5-Day Sabi Sands Fly-in Safari from Cape Town]()
5-Day Sabi Sands Fly-in Safari from Cape Town
$2,415 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Cape Town (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Cape Town (End)
Safari Tailors
5.0/5 – 8 Reviews
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5-Day Luxury Safari Big Five
$2,805 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
4.7/5 – 185 Reviews
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![3-Day Cape Agulhas, Safari & Winelands Experience]()
3-Day Cape Agulhas, Safari & Winelands Experience
$1,256 to $1,287 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 3 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Lodge & Guest HouseYou Visit: Cape Town (Start), Cape Agulhas (Highlight), Buffelsdrift GR, Winelands, Cape Town (End)
Knap Tours
4.8/5 – 49 Reviews
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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. Nowhere...
PL
This South African safari swept me off my feet.
I recently had the absolute privilege of staying at Ku Sungula Lodge for a 7-night safari experience, and it was worth every single penny. This is a true hidden gem that delivers far beyond expectations. From the moment we arrived, we were...
A magical place to visit
We loved South Africa. It felt safe despite what we had heard. We stayed on the waterfront but walked everywhere. The food is amazing. The scenery is spectacular and the people lovely. We did lions head and table mountain hikes and an...
AR
Honeymoon - Big 5
We went to South África for our Honeymoon. Spent 5 days in Sabi Sand private game reserve, at Arathusa. Everything has been amazing, we had the chance to see the big 5 in one day. The nature, the silence, the coffee-breaks in the middle...
CA
Nice safaris in Kruger with Viva Safari
We arrived at Johannesburg and took a bike tour that was very nice. After we had a 5 days tour with Viva Safari. Very good but the jeeps at Treminisa Lodge were a little bit old . On our trip of 25 days this safari had been the nicest...