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South Africa Safaris
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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4-Day Kwazulu Natal Safari with Springbok Lodge
$1,106 to $1,371 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Durban (Start), Nambiti GR (KZN Parks), Durban (End)
Indigo Safaris
4.8/5 – 234 Reviews
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Best Seller
9-Day Luxury Cape Town, Kruger NP and Victoria Falls
$5,626 to $7,530 pp (USD)
South Africa & Zimbabwe: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Kruger NP, Victoria Falls (End)
Off2Africa Travel
5.0/5 – 237 Reviews
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4-Day Best of Kruger South & Panorama Route
$1,109 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Kruger Mpumalanga Airport (Mbombela / Nelspruit), Johannesburg (End)
Nhlalala Travel
4.7/5 – 118 Reviews
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3-Day All-Inclusive Ndzhaka Manyeleti Safari
$1,129 to $1,174 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Manyeleti GR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Hoedspruit (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 5,302 Reviews
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5-Day Kruger Comfort Glamping Fly-in from Cape Town
$1,810 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)BudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Cape Town (End)
The Kruger Safari Co.
4.9/5 – 352 Reviews
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3-Day Kruger NP Budget Tour
$657 to $730 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Africa Moja Tours and Safaris
5.0/5 – 227 Reviews
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9-Day Epic South African Adventure Tour & Safari
$3,771 pp (USD)
Eswatini & South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & Self Catering AccommodationYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (KZN Parks), St Lucia (Lake St Lucia), uKhahlamba-Drakensberg (Mountain Range), Amphitheatre (Drakensberg Mountains), Johannesburg (End)
Endless Summer Tours
5.0/5 – 79 Reviews
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Best Seller
![10-Day South Africa Wildlife Safari Tour]()
10-Day South Africa Wildlife Safari Tour
$3,077 to $3,385 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Tented Camp & ResortYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Hazyview (Town), Kruger NP, Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Cape Town (End)
Africa Incoming
5.0/5 – 60 Reviews
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4-Day Exciting Kruger Park & Panorama Route Adventure
$1,428 to $1,571 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range HotelYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Red Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 136 Reviews
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4-Day Luxury Ivory Moon Safari - Fly in from Cape Town
$1,626 to $2,009 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Southern Kruger NP, Central Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Safarilink SA
4.9/5 – 1,612 Reviews
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![4-Day Classic Kruger Park Safari]()
4-Day Classic Kruger Park Safari
$1,328 to $1,463 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Wildlife Safaris
5.0/5 – 335 Reviews
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5-Day Exclusive Kruger & Private Game Reserve Experience
$2,535 to $2,782 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryTented Camp & Private Villa
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Hazyview (Town), Kruger NP, Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Mbombela / Nelspruit (End)
Elephant Herd Tours & Safaris
5.0/5 – 229 Reviews
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![5-Day Private Kruger Express]()
5-Day Private Kruger Express
$2,273 to $2,498 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Wild Planet Safari
5.0/5 – 262 Reviews
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![5-Day Sabi Sands and Timbavati All Inclusive Safari]()
5-Day Sabi Sands and Timbavati All Inclusive Safari
$6,400 to $6,985 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa Safaris
4.9/5 – 593 Reviews
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5-Day Katekani Tented Lodge Safari
$1,707 to $1,770 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
5.0/5 – 364 Reviews
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![5-Day Kruger Park and Manyeleti Reserve Bongan Lodge]()
5-Day Kruger Park and Manyeleti Reserve Bongan Lodge
$1,184 to $1,281 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 – 44 Reviews
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![3-Day Kwa Maritane Pilanesberg Lodge Exp Malaria-Free]()
3-Day Kwa Maritane Pilanesberg Lodge Exp Malaria-Free
$842 to $966 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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6-Day Exclusive Kruger/Private Luxury Lodge Safari
$4,441 to $5,179 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 – 21 Reviews
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4-Day Luxury Sabi Sands Safari & Treehouse Sleep-out
$10,204 to $11,021 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Skukuza (Start), Lion Sands GR (Sabi Sands), Skukuza (End)
Viatu
4.9/5 – 175 Reviews
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4-Day Kruger Park Camping Safari
$1,363 to $1,394 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Khalanga Safaris
4.8/5 – 127 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...
It was the best trip of my life
South Africa far exceeded all of my expectations. I went on safari to Kenya last year and found South Africa to be even better! We went to Klaserie and Sabi Sands. We saw lions and leopards on every single game drive as well as so much...
FR
Wonderful experience
The safari was excellent. Everything well planned, the team was wonderful, took care of us. Wild Planet Safari was definitely a good choice. The experience was great. We had opportyunity to see so many animals and wild life. Landscapes are...
SA
South Africa is the best destination for wildlife, scenic beauty, birding, dining, and friendliness.
I went to South Africa expecting a poor utilities. I was astonished of how everything is organized and how civilized the country is. I went to Kroger Park where I saw the big 5 animals. The Safari was organized and the cars operate in...
South Africa is beautiful, wounded, and full of wildlife.
We loved South Africa overall. It is a beautiful country, with dramatic scenery, excellent wildlife viewing, interesting history, friendly people, and some of the best food we have had anywhere outside of France. It was also surprisingly...