South Africa is one of the first choices for many travelers to Africa both for the ease of getting to the country as well as for its myriad attractions. Beautiful and vast, it is home to world-class national parks with incredible wildlife viewing, along with cosmopolitan cities, beautiful wine country, towering mountains, an incredible and diverse coastline and more.
Visitors can see the Big 5 on safari; view a vast array of marine life including whales, sharks and penguins; undertake guided multi-day treks through wild landscapes; indulge in world-class food and wine, enjoy a wide range of outdoor adventures and much, much more.
South Africa’s culture is rich and diverse, offering a wide range of ways to experience it – from sophisticated art, music and award-winning museums in its cities to traditional cultural and historical tours in the countryside. It has a long and complex history, and is more developed than most other African countries, offering better roads, outstanding accommodations and an excellent overall infrastructure.
Cape Town and Johannesburg are the country’s major gateways with direct, non-stop flights arriving from North America every day. Each city offers its own attractions. Cape Town, South Africa’s ‘Mother City,’ has beautiful beaches, incredible museums, incomparable dining, beautiful nature and great historical sites. It’s just a hop, skip and jump away from the world-famous Winelands where wine (and food) lovers can sip and snack to total fulfillment!
Johannesburg also offers amazing historic sites and stories as well as a thriving urban art scene, high fashion, high-end shopping and more. Its proximity to some of the country’s most well-known national parks makes it a popular first stopping point on a South African safari.
Outside of the cities, what can you see in seven to ten days on safari? Here we will explore ideas and possibilities for your customized South African safari that include popular parks and reserves, incredible wildlife highlights and hand-picked accommodations.
If you’re seeking a top-of-the-line safari experience, our South Africa Luxury Safari is 13 days of pure bliss. You’ll explore Cape Town, Singita’s Private Concession in Kruger National Park and Tswalu Kalahari, an exclusive reserve with unique and prolific wildlife. It’s a 5-star safari that includes award-winning accommodations, expert guiding, gourmet meals and fine wines and exhilarating activities.
From the top of Table Mountain to the bottom of the Cape of Good Hope you’ll see some of Cape Town’s most memorable highlights and come home each night to Ellerman House, known for its art collection, gourmet food and 9,500 bottle wine cellar. From there, it’s off to the stunning Singita Boulders Lodge for astounding wildlife viewing in an unforgettable location. They also have a renowned wine cellar that you can dig into after full days of game walks and drives, mountain biking and even archery. You’ll end at the sublime Tswalu The Motse, situated once again in a private game reserve. Among its wildlife are unique species such as wild dog, black-maned lion, pangolin, aardvark and habituated meerkats.
If you want to move a bit less, our nine-day South Africa Deluxe Safari to Cape Town and Sabi Sand Game Reserve lets you visit scenic Cape Town and then go on safari to one of the top private reserves in South Africa, the Sabi Sand in the Greater Kruger Area. Highlights of your visit to the ‘Mother City’ include iconic Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope, the Winelands and the beaches of Clifton. Then it’s off to view wildlife at Sabi Sand, including Africa’s Big 5: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino and much more. It’s the perfect combination, giving you a great experience of one of Africa’s most welcoming, cosmopolitan cities along with some of the best wildlife viewing anywhere.
Finally, our Best of Southern Africa safari takes inspiration from Travel + Leisure readers, combining some of the most-loved properties in South Africa and beyond for a 12-day safari. We have chosen four luxury hotels and camps that were named as some of the top safari lodges, city hotels and resorts on Travel + Leisure World’s Best Lists, including Monwana Game Lodge in the private Timbavati Game Reserve, Cape Grace Hotel, Babylonstoren wine farm and Matetsi in Victoria Falls. Your trip will kick off in Cape Town, named one of Africa and the Middle East’s best cities for over 20 years and one of the top cities in the world. You’ll then spend two nights in the nearby Winelands before beginning your Big 5 safari. You’ll round out your time in Southern Africa with a visit to the stunning Victoria Falls.
In less than two weeks in South Africa, you can have a diverse wildlife safari, visiting glittering cities, private game reserves and one of the world’s ‘New Seven Wonders.’ You can have the chance to see Africa’s Big 5 (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, rhino); big cats; special species like the pangolin, aardvark and habituated meerkats; hundreds of bird species and much more! It offers malaria-free safari options, making it great for families or anyone who would prefer not to take preventative medication. Honeymooners love South Africa for its abundance of romantic accommodations. Culture and history buffs will find no shortage of fascinating activities in South Africa and we’re happy to cater to every interest. It’s a destination that attracts a wide variety of travelers.
The ideas we have shared here are just for inspiration. We will work with you to create a safari itinerary that is totally unique to you and what gets you excited about visiting South Africa.
Contact one of our Journey Specialists to start planning and subscribe to our newsletter below for more safari travel inspiration.
Photos courtesy of AAC Safari Concierge Ciara Manning, AAC Livingstone Club members Joy M. and Peter S., Captures on Photography, South Africa Tourism, Singita, Camp Jabulani, Monwana, AAC Journey Specialist Nell Pollak and AAC Livingstone Club member Susan C.