Safari in South Africa - I have NO CLUE - please help

[user47]

Hello!
I have the opportunity to work in Cape Town for for 5 days in August 2025 and wanted to extend and do a safari and some sightseeing. I have always wanted to go.
I would massively appreciate any advice as I have started looking and it is all quite overwhelming! Many thanks!

We went to the Aquila Game Reserve from Cape Town - its around a 2 hour drive.
They do safari trips, horseback safaris, overnights etc. It was really nice.
We hired a car - was very easy - SA drives on the same side of the road as us!
Other sightseeing we did was around Stellenbosch, Franschoek, Cape Point, Boulders Beach (for the penguins). We also went on a Wine Tram trip from Franschoek and saw lots of vineyards - Babylonstoren was absolutely out of this world!

Most of the safari is "up the other end" so probably easier to fly from CT to Jo'berg and start there. It will be South African winter so fairly cool- ideal time to visit the Kruger area. Safaris cover a huge range of budget and luxury levels and you also pay a premium for private reserves with fewer people and more "off road" opportunities. In places like Kruger NP, it's a lot of tour buses and sightings can be crowded but the animals are basically tame so you'll see a lot. There are adjacent private reserves which will be far less busy but they'll also be more expensive.

I agree with @LaPalmaLlama - while there’s lots to love about Cape Town and the Western Cape, if what you want from safari is the chance to see the Big Five then Kruger and environs are your best bet. The National Parks are excellent value, with a wide range of accommodation, self-drive options, and cheap guided safari drives (and walks!).

Another option would be Addo Elephant - also a National Park so all of above applies. It’s about an 8hr drive from CT along the Garden Route.

Thanks so much everyone!
Would a fly/drive type holiday be unadvisable?
We have done them in Mexico/Canada/US but I have read driving can be dangerous around Johanesburg.

Not been yet, hopefully next year, but we have a holiday planned for November 2025.

There are game reserves at the other end of the garden route. Addo Elephant park is there (they have other animals too!).

Go for it. You won't regret it. We go every year, it's our happy place. Just preparing for our December trip.Definitely recommend the Kruger National park. We fly UK to Jnb, hire a car then drive (about 5hrs). We then self drive on safari but just as easy to do an internal flight to Nelspruit then get accommodation to collect you. We have stayed at Sabie River bush Lodge, Hippo Hollow, prestana kruger lodge, Perry Bridge all in or around Hazyview. They all do airport transfers, and have their own safari guides which you book with their reception. If you are feeling brave, hire a car and stay inside the park, book accommodation direct with sanparks.

Loads to do around Cape Town, don't need a car, jump on the hop on/hop off buses. Four colours, all with different routes, some overlap , so you can intertwine all the routes. No need to take loads of rands. Get a chase or monzo card and pay with that, with no charges. Best of luck. You will love it.

If you want just a few extra days and something easy, stay around Cape Town, do a couple of safaris when they collect you and drop you back. Go on a wine tour (Stellenbosch is great).

If you plan to stay an extra week or more then you’d have time to fly to Johannesburg and go to Kruger which is amazing but takes planning. You’d also need anti malaria meds (not needed in Cape Town)

If you’re picking up a hire car at Jo’burg airport you’re pretty much straight onto the highway all the way to Kruger. The main roads are all in good condition and safe for driving. Plenty of nice safe towns to stay overnight before heading into Kruger if that’s how timings work. I’ve stayed in Baberton and was very comfortable walking around, for example.

Thank you so much, I have always wanted to go so I was thinking of having the 5 days in Cape Town (I will have some down time to sight see) and then adding a further 14-17 nights to explore the country.... I am so excited!

Oh, with another 2 weeks there’s loads of great stuff you can do! Highly recommend some time in the Drakensburg mountains, and the Indian Ocean coast north of Durban.

How much does this cost?

We went to Mohondoro in Jburg it was just incredible

Addo is great, as is Aquila, I'm revisiting them both shortly. I prefer the Cape provinces although appreciate that the parks up north may be more authentic.
You might also want to travel down to the Cape Peninsular and see the penguins at Simonstown.
When I go, I stop a night or two at Knysna to break the journey over to Addo, then at night at Oudtshoorn to break the journey back. I like the difference between the two roads - so green and verdant along the coast, so dramatic and arid on the way back.
I like a good hotel and use major roads to get between them. With a basic safety awareness, I've never felt in danger.

@pambeesleyhalpert mhodoro is great. So many rhinos

Rough pricing is doing it ourself rather than travel agent. The international flights are the main expense. Anything from £600 to £1000 each. Accommodation b&b around £80 a night. Full day Safari from accomodation £130 couple, self drive safari £50 (very easy to do, just respect the animals and their territory and you will be fine) .dont bothet with night safari, goes dark very quickly and you just see eyes. Much better to have an early start, seem to see so much more.
Car hire, we save avios points all year, then exchange for avis rental at jnb airport. Food, very reasonable. (Pioneers steak restaurant and Kuka restaurant in hazyview) if you wanted a idea of menu prices.
As a guide, we are going in December for a month, south Africa, zimbabwe and return in a 4x4 with roof top tent, 50% camping,50% hotels/lodges. Have budgeted at around £6000 for 2 of us, all in, spends, visa, food, vehicle, flights, activities and so far we are coming in on budget.

If you end up going to Jo’Burg you could add in a trip to Victoria Falls for a couple of days.

Victoria Falls, Penguins, Elephant Park, Kruger! I am making a list! Thanks so much. Any specific great hotels/game reserves you'd recommend?

Azambezi River lodge, Elephant Hills Hotel or Rainbow Hotel all in victoria falls.

Yes! we went in Oct so saw baby rhinos and hippos. And the elephants at the swimming pool. I loved that place just so much

So much*

August is a good time for safari but, as everyone says, fly up to the Kruger. Spend as much money as you possibly can, because that way you get the experienced guides who will help you find the animals. Be prepared to spend £000s, but it will be worth it.

Friends stayed at the Rainbow Hotel and the Drift Inn, and Insika Lodge was also recommended.

OMG I am so excited! I have been obsessed with African wildlife since I was 7 and watched David Attenborough for the first time, I can't wait :)

We went to Sanbona in the Little Karoo. We saw elephants, cheetahs, buffalo, white lions, giraffes, rhino and all sorts of other wildlife. It was amazing. Not that far from CT, and not in a Malaria zone. We stopped at Franshoek on the way (which I'd also highly recommend and preferred to Stellenbosch). We also went to Hermanus on the coast which was lovely.

I don’t necessarily agree you have to stay in the most expensive luxury lodges to have an amazing experience on safari, we’ve stayed in both, they are different experiences and we found more authentic in sans park accommodation.
Staying in Kruger itself whilst the other game drives have to leave, honestly it’s special enough hearing the hippos bathing in the river beneath your rondavel whilst you back to basics braii and enjoy a lovely cold glass of South African wine. There’s nothing like it !
The guided drives are amazing, so knowledgable and skilled at what they do, but also driving at your own pace, sitting as long as you like to watch the wildlife and the peace of the park. Also consider Addo and a drive back to Cape Town along the garden route. I think a more “African” experience going to Kruger or even hluhluwe Umfolozi, which is nearer to Durban and close to beautiful parts of the Drakensberg , so easy to visit the two together.

South Africa is a truly amazing country, and we’ve visited lots of times as have family there and if people ask me my favourite place to holiday its unquestionable there. You’ll love it !