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South Africa Private Safari Tours
It’s hard not to fall in love with South Africa when you visit and explore the country on a private safari. This kind of safari (where you’ll have the guide, driver and vehicle just for you and the others in your own traveling party) means that you’re in charge of your own safari experience, without having to accommodate the wishes of others whom you don’t know. You decide when to stop and when to move on, and you’ll have an expert guide at your disposal at all times to explain what you’re seeing. Yes, it’s more expensive than a group safari, but there’s no better way to enjoy the amazing wildlife and equally spectacular landscapes that South Africa has to offer.
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4-Day 5-Star Kruger Park Safari & Panorama Route Tour
$2,752 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Panorama Route (Highlight), Southern Kruger NP, Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Mmilo Tours
5.0/5 – 135 Reviews
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Best Seller
4-Day South Africa Safari Tour in Madikwe
$3,425 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Madikwe GR, Johannesburg Airport (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.8/5 – 176 Reviews
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Best Seller
8-Day Highlights of Cape Town, Winelands & Kruger
$3,600 to $4,347 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Cape Town Surrounds, Stellenbosch (Winelands), Kruger NP, Skukuza (End)
Safari365
4.8/5 – 26 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Private Kruger Safari and Panorama Route
$1,840 to $2,024 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range ChaletYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
Wild Planet Safari
4.9/5 – 228 Reviews
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7-Day Kruger Private Reserves
$3,958 to $4,267 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Klaserie NR (Greater Kruger), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Hoedspruit (End)
Safari Online
5.0/5 – 130 Reviews
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4-Day Sabi Sand Safari with Arathusa Safari Lodge
$1,951 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Hoedspruit (End)
Indigo Safaris
4.6/5 – 148 Reviews
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3-Day Kruger Luxury Safari
$1,046 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Junglers Adventure Tours
5.0/5 – 48 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Fully Private Kruger Customisable Safari
$1,607 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
MoAfrika Tours
4.9/5 – 1,962 Reviews
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4-Day Sabi Sands Luxury Fly-in Safari
$5,143 to $6,135 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sabi GR (Sabi Sands), Johannesburg (End)
Ranger Buck Safaris
5.0/5 – 43 Reviews
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6-Day Safari and Panorama Route Tour
$1,788 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Hoedspruit (Town), Kruger NP, O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Johannesburg (End)
Khalanga Safaris
5.0/5 – 82 Reviews
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11-Day Luxury Cape Town & Safari Kruger South Africa
$7,716 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Kapama GR (Greater Kruger), Klaserie NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Greatest Africa
5.0/5 – 35 Reviews
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5-Day Kruger National Park South & Panorama Route
$1,036 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Southern Kruger NP, Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Nhlalala Travel
4.8/5 – 57 Reviews
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5-Day Unforgettable Big 5 Kruger Safari
$2,897 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Viatu
5.0/5 – 81 Reviews
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7-Day Highlights of South Africa - Cape Town to Kruger
$1,718 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Cape Peninsula, Winelands, Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Central Kruger NP, Cape Town (End)
Shinzelle Safaris
4.8/5 – 76 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day Sabi Sands Tented Camp Safari
$845 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Safari With Us
4.9/5 – 242 Reviews
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9-Day Romantic Cape Town and Luxury Sabi Sands Safari
$6,919 to $7,121 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 518 Reviews
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4-Day The Greater Kruger Tshukudu Safari
$1,645 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Tshukudu GR, Kruger NP, O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Johannesburg (End)
Go Touch Down Travel & Tours
5.0/5 – 167 Reviews
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9-Day Splendor, Jo'Burg, Panorama, Kapama, Cape Town
$14,347 to $15,050 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kapama GR (Greater Kruger), Cape Town (City), Franschhoek (Winelands), Cape Peninsula, Cape Town Airport (End)
African Wildlife Plains
4.8/5 – 9 Reviews
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10-Day Explorer Tour of Cape Town + Big 5 & Ocean Safari
$3,800 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Tented Camp & HotelYou Visit: Cape Town (Start), Stellenbosch (Winelands), Manyoni GR, Kosi Bay (iSimangaliso Wetland Park), King Shaka Airport (End)
Nature and Psyche
5.0/5 – 56 Reviews
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3-Day Sabi Sand - Umkumbe Safari Lodge Riverside
$631 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Nelspruit (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Nelspruit (End)
Traipsing Africa's Safaris and Tours
5.0/5 – 115 Reviews
5 Questions About South Africa Private Safaris
Answered by
Anthony Ham
Anthony has been traveling to, and writing about, safaris in southern Africa for nearly two decades. He has co-written Lonely Planet’s ‘South Africa, Lesotho & eSwatini’ and ‘Southern Africa’ guidebooks, and he is the author of ‘The Last Lions of Africa’.› More about Anthony
5 Questions About South Africa Private Safaris
When is a private trip recommended in South Africa?
“The best time for going on a South Africa private safari is during the Dry season months of May to September. Throughout this period, you can expect generally fine conditions, with mild daytime temperatures. The only downside about traveling at this time is that it can get very cold at night, especially from June to August. The Dry season is also the best time to go looking for wildlife in South Africa. That’s because as waterholes dry out, it’s easier to find the animals close to the last remaining sources of water. If you’re a birder, you may want to consider the period from November to April. This is when migratory birds from Europe and North Africa spend time in southern Africa in their hundreds of thousands. Whenever you’re planning to travel, you should always try and avoid South African school holiday periods. At such times, accommodations, roads and safari trails are often crowded to an uncomfortable level.”
1Will we spend all our time with the guide on a private safari?
“On most private safari tours in South Africa, the guide will be with you whenever you need them, and you’ll be on your own for as much of the rest of the time as you’d like. Unless your private trip is a self-drive safari, you’ll need a guide and a driver when exploring the parks and reserves. Take this as an opportunity to learn about the animals and landscapes you’re seeing and ask as many questions as you like about local life. You may end up making lifelong friends with those who are looking after you. When you’re not out looking for animals, or when you’re not traveling between destinations, you’ll have lots of time to be alone. Many hours in a safari day are given over to relaxing, eating and drinking, and it will be up to you whether you want company or not.”
2Which parks and reserves should we visit on a private South African safari?
“South Africa has an exceptional portfolio of parks and reserves, and which ones you visit will depend on what sort of holiday you’d like to have. A good place to start is to decide which animals and landscapes you’d like to see, and then do your own research to plan which places are best for seeing them. If you want wildlife to be the centerpiece of your safari, consider visiting the country’s northeast. Here there is a good chance you can see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), as well as cheetah, African wild dog, hyena, giraffe, zebra and so much more. Kruger National Park is rightly famous around the world for its incredible wildlife-viewing possibilities. But you can also see many of the same animals with fewer crowds and possibly even have a more exclusive safari experience in the neighboring reserves, such as Sabi Sand Game Reserve. Pilanesberg Game Reserve is similarly good, but also busy. So why not consider Madikwe Game Reserve or the private Welgevonden Game Reserve, both of which are much more intimate. These are just the start, with so many other possibilities right across the country.”
3How much do South African private safari packages cost?
“There are as many different safari packages and tours as there are safari operators in South Africa. As a result, prices vary greatly, from a base of US$150 per person per day for a private budget camping safari, up to US$600 per person per day, or even more, for a luxury private safari. Factors that can affect the per-day cost of your safari include the number of days you’ll be traveling, how much of the country you wish to see, and when you plan to go on safari. Traveling in high season (which can include local school holiday periods) is usually more expensive than traveling at other times. You should always make sure that you understand what is and what isn’t included in the quoted cost of any safari. As a minimum, expect the quoted price to include a private guide, driver and vehicle, as well as all accommodations, park entry fees, guided game drives, meals and water. Apart from game drives, ask which (if any) activities are included as well.”
4What type of vehicle can I expect?
“On most South Africa private safari tours, you’ll spend a large proportion of your time getting around in a 4WD vehicle. This is certainly the case for the time you spend inside the country’s parks and reserves, where your driver will take you around in a 4WD safari vehicle. These specially adapted vehicles most often have open sides (which are perfect for seeing, and feeling close to, the animals), canvas roofs (to keep out the sun and any rain) and tiered seating. For getting between the various destinations that are a part of your safari, you will most likely travel in a normal 4WD vehicle (which won’t be open-sided). This may vary depending on the size of your traveling party and whether you need a larger vehicle or extra vehicles. It is also possible that you may need to fly between destinations, either in a commercial plane (for getting between South African towns) or a small (six- to 20-seater) charter plane. The latter is used primarily for flying into the small airstrips in more remote and/or exclusive areas of some parks and reserves.”
5South Africa 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...
Lucy is travel writer for a range of publications, including Lonely Planet's guides to Africa, Southern Africa and South Africa.
An array of animals
Of all the African countries people visit on safari trips, South Africa is probably the easiest to travel around. Infrastructure is excellent, accommodation for every budget is abundant and wildlife-watching opportunities stretch far beyond...
South Africa is a beautiful country for a holiday
For wildlife, Kruger Park is highly recommended. Private game drives (such as at Tomo Lodge) are also highly recommended. With an expert guide, you can see the Big Five; and many other animals. You can eat delicious food in South Africa -...
An overall awesome experience with great scenery, a bush vibe, wonderful wildlife and the best guide
This was our umpteenth trip to South Africa and it did not disappoint. We were recommended a place to stay in Nelspruit by our Tour company - Kruger Flexi Tours - and enjoyed a luxurious night at Beetleloop Guest house before being picked...
Amazing once in a lifetime experience!
I booked my safari trip with MoAfrica and we opted for their 10 day luxury South African package. Everything was amazing and the support from the company was always available whenever we had questions. Tour guides were professional and a...
You must see Kruger n.p.
We spent half of december and half of january in South Africa. 5 days in Kruger whith a guide: It is posible go there on you own, but if you want to see any cats, I recomend to you to get a guide.(without guide I could not see lion on 50m)...