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South Africa 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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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Luxury Radisson Kruger Safari
$898 to $988 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 – 1,613 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day Classic Kruger Park Safari
$835 to $919 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Wildlife Safaris
4.9/5 – 277 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
7-Day South Africa Safari: Hluhluwe Elephant Coast
$4,274 to $4,795 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Hluhluwe-iMfolozi GR, Elephant Coast (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.9/5 – 164 Reviews
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Best Seller
5-Day Malamala Exclusive Fly in Safari
$3,844 to $5,770 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), MalaMala GR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Ranger Buck Safaris
5.0/5 – 38 Reviews
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5-Day Luxury Kruger Park and Sabi Sand Safari
$2,921 to $3,240 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Chalet
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Safari.com
4.7/5 – 186 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
6-Day Tremisana/Tent Kruger Park Safari
$881 to $923 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Olifants River, Kruger NP, Moholoholo (Wildlife Sanctuary), Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
Viva Safaris
4.9/5 – 288 Reviews
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4-Day Kapama River Lodge Safari
$1,487 to $2,540 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)Luxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kapama GR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
The Kruger Safari Co.
5.0/5 – 163 Reviews
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4-Day Greater Kruger Safari with Xanatseni
$1,142 to $1,230 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Hoedspruit (Start), Klaserie NR (Greater Kruger), Hoedspruit (End)
Indigo Safaris
4.8/5 – 138 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
5-Day Sabi Sands and Kruger Safari
$3,192 to $3,822 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Johannesburg Airport (End)
Discover Africa Safaris
5.0/5 – 482 Reviews
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7-Day Panorama Route, Blyde River Canyon & Kruger Park
$3,896 to $4,127 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Panorama Route (Highlight), Moholoholo (Wildlife Sanctuary), Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Kruger NP, Central Kruger NP, Greater Kruger, Johannesburg (End)
Mmilo Tours
5.0/5 – 131 Reviews
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4-Day Unforgettable Kruger Park Safari & Panorama Tour
$928 to $1,002 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)LuxuryHotel
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Southern Kruger NP, Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Elephant Herd Tours & Safaris
4.9/5 – 115 Reviews
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4-Day Best of Kruger Park Safari - Midrange
$990 to $1,034 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
4.9/5 – 45 Reviews
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5-Day Luxury Adventure to Kruger Park South Africa
$3,229 to $4,339 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryTented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Timbavati NR (Greater Kruger), Johannesburg (End)
Greatest Africa
5.0/5 – 34 Reviews
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3-Day Big 5 Aquila Reserve a 2Hr Drive from Cape Town
$325 to $438 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 14 people per vehicle)LuxuryLodge
You Visit: Cape Town (Start), Aquila GR, Aquila GR, Cape Town (End)
Gems of Africa Safari and Tours
4.9/5 – 110 Reviews
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Best Seller
3-Day Sabi Sands Tented Camp Safari
$1,019 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tour
Mid-range Tented CampYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Sabi Sands (Greater Kruger), Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
Safari With Us
5.0/5 – 227 Reviews
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3-Day Luxury Lodge Safari in the Greater Kruger
$785 to $848 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), O.R. Tambo Airport (Johannesburg), Johannesburg (End)
Shinzelle Safaris
4.8/5 – 73 Reviews
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3-Day Panorama Route & Kruger Safari from Johannesburg
$1,100 to $1,210 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 10 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Panorama Route (Highlight), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Africa Moja Tours & Safaris
4.8/5 – 8 Reviews
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5-Day Kruger NP Big Five & Panorama Route Safari
$791 to $822 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 8 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Panorama Route (Highlight), Johannesburg (End)
The Mzansi Experience
4.7/5 – 73 Reviews
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4-Day Fly-in Ecoluxury Safari in Malaria-Free Madikwe
$4,009 to $4,410 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxury+Lodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Madikwe GR, Johannesburg (End)
Viatu
5.0/5 – 55 Reviews
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4-Day Kruger Luxury Safari
$1,305 to $1,436 pp (USD)
South Africa: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Kruger NP, Johannesburg (End)
Junglers Adventure Tours
5.0/5 – 26 Reviews
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
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....
A unique and wonderful experience
Everything about my visit to Cape Town and Kapama Southern Camp was amazing. As a solo female traveller in my 70s I was warned to “be careful” but at no time did I feel anything other than welcome and safe. Sevin my guide at Kapama...
Beautiful, Clean, Amazingly scenic vistas, Friendly, polite and helpful people - Amazing Experience
pl go through my blog on SOUTH AFRICA - and mini posts on the various places we visited https://anjumangla.medium.com/south-africa-aug-2024-013a95f235a4 CAPETOWN https://anjumangla.medium.com/cape-town-20cb865b2751 KRUGER NATIONAL...
The best vacation ever! It is worthy.
I booked a 4 days Safari with Safari With Us. All the process was online and easy. I went to the meeting point on the day and time scheduled and everything was set. The Kruger National Park is a must when going to South Africa. I recommend...
Wild
When we went on our very first game drive, we saw the Big 5! Greenfire Game Lodge was absolutely immaculate and a great deal for the price! The food was amazing, the staff was all extremely nice, friendly, and helpful, and the game...