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South Africa Safari - Compare 367 Tours
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 paradisiacal 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 Complete Kruger Park and Panoramic Tour Experience
$838 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Shinzelle Safaris
4.9/5 – 46 Reviews
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4-Day Greater Kruger Safari with Marc's Treehouse
$848 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)
Indigo Safaris
4.9/5 – 72 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Tremisana/Treehouse Kruger Park Safari
$886 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Moholoholo (Wildlife Sanctuary), Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
Viva Safaris
4.9/5 – 143 Reviews
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4-Day Kruger Park and Blyde River Canyon Safari
$886 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
MoAfrika Tours
5.0/5 – 74 Reviews
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4-Day Imbali Safari Lodge, Kruger National Park
$1,861 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
BST Tours
4.8/5 – 27 Reviews
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Best Seller
5-Day Kruger & Sabi Safari
$2,941 to $3,340 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa
5.0/5 – 184 Reviews
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Best Seller
7-Day Safari in South Africa
$3,671 to $4,114 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kapama GR (Greater Kruger), Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Greatest Africa
5.0/5 – 26 Reviews
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5-Day Kruger NP Big Five Budget Safari & Panorama Route
$923 to $995 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
The Mzansi Experience
5.0/5 – 13 Reviews
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11-Day South Africa Family Adventure
$2,416 pp (USD)
South Africa: Self-drive
Mid-range Lodge & Guest HouseYou Visit: Cape Town (Start), Hermanus (Whales), Garden Route, Kwandwe GR, Port Elizabeth (End)
Wayfairer Travel
5.0/5 – 102 Reviews
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11-Day Just the Highlights: a Family Adventure
$8,349 to $8,833 pp (USD)
South Africa & Zambia: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Kruger NP, Victoria Falls, Livingstone Airport (End)
Timbuktu
5.0/5 – 21 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Kruger Park Safari and Panorama Route Tour
$1,048 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Mmilo Tours
5.0/5 – 105 Reviews
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4-Day Kruger and Panorama Lux Safari at Budget Price
$950 to $1,190 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Hoedspruit (Town), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Wild Planet Safari
5.0/5 – 168 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Kruger Park Classic Big Five Safari
$532 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Greater Kruger, Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Safari With Us
5.0/5 – 164 Reviews
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4-Day Safari & Private Reserve Highlight
$983 to $1,062 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Greater Kruger, Johannesburg (End)
Elephant Herd Tours & Safaris
5.0/5 – 13 Reviews
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4-Day Affordable Kruger Bushcamp & Open Vehicle Drives
$679 to $748 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Tented Bush CampYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Wildlife Encounters
5.0/5 – 9 Reviews
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3-Day Safari to Bakubung Bush Lodge in Pilanesberg
$563 to $618 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
Wildlife Safaris (Pty) Ltd
5.0/5 – 192 Reviews
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3-Day Luxury Shepherds Tree Game Lodge in Pilanesburg NP
$589 to $681 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Pilanesberg GR, Johannesburg (End)
Gems of Africa Safari and Tours
4.9/5 – 39 Reviews
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8-Day Bush and Mountains
$1,398 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping & Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Letaba Ranch PP (Greater Kruger), Lekgalameetse NR, Mariepskop, Klaserie NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Ku Sungula Safari Lodge
5.0/5 – 4 Reviews
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4-Day Hoyo Hoyo Safari Lodge - Kruger National Park
$1,202 to $1,266 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Kruger NP, Hoedspruit (End)
Traipsing Africa's Safaris and Tours
5.0/5 – 62 Reviews
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4-Day Kruger National Park Safari
$943 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 11 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Tented Camp & BungalowYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg Airport (End)
Nhlalala Travel
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.
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 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 April to September, when daytime temperatures are cooler, the bush is less dense allowing for better visibility, and wildlife tends to congregate 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 migrants 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, and 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 adjacent 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.”
2What does a South Africa 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 safari 3How is the wildlife viewing in South Africa?
“Excellent. Kruger Park and neighboring private reserves host large populations of all the Big Five, and rank among the top African safari destinations when it comes to spotting black and white rhino, as well as leopard, cheetah and African wild dog. All these safari favorites are also likely to be encountered in the malaria-free 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 Africa 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 Park and 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 South African tour operator?
“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 on a safari?
“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 ablutions). For those who don’t want to immerse themselves in the bush, a selection of midrange 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....

Tourico Vacations "Loves South Africa"
Planning a South African vacation is a great idea not only for you, but your entire family. The country has so many things to offer everyone. You can plan a romantic holiday with your partner in the beautiful Cape Town or Johannesburg, or...
South African parks are affordable compared to Botswana and Zimbabwe. The big five look the same any where in Southern Africa so decide why added expense and four extra days of travel with petrol costs make it worth while. If you are in...

Miraculous!
Our trip to South Africa and Jamila Lodge in the Welgovenden Game Park was a trip of a life time! Sandra Nicol at Traipsing Through Africa made it all happen with the upmost care, excitement and precision. Sandra contacted me and...

Absolutely fabulous!
Our safari to Madikwe Game Reserve was spectacular. We saw more wildlife than we could have hoped for; the accommodations and food were outstanding. Our guide went out of his way to show us all that he could. I hope to come back and spend...