South Africa
Safari and beyond in the Rainbow Nation
The Rainbow Nation has really come of age as a tourism destination and is a perfect introduction if you've not explored this mighty continent before.
You get the amazing wildlife, exuberant culture and epic scenery coupled with a highly developed transport and accommodation infrastructure.
Of course, South Africa offers unmatched safari too. In places like Kruger, Tembe and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, game is plentiful and guides top notch. And its ocean wildlife shouldn't be overlooked. Along the coastline, dolphins and turtles play just offshore and whales breach on the horizon.
There's sophistication too. Cape Town has moving museums, fine dining and buzzing nightlife — all to a backdrop of spectacular Table Mountain.
Hidden gems in South Africa
Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Ulusaba Game Reserve
Owned by Richard Branson, the Ulusaba Game Reserve offers much of the best of Sabi Sands. Here there are gorgeous lodges, superlative wildlife viewing and, unusually for the Sabi Sands area, eye-wateringly beautiful scenic backdrops. Unsurprisingly, it attracts celebrities but it’s also a down-to-earth reserve and it welcomes children with innovative family-friendly activities. On the downside, the fact that it’s one of the smaller reserves in the area and a number of outside lodges have traversing rights, means that it can get a bit busy with vehicles at times.
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Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Sabi Sabi Game Reserve
A collection of former rangelands, Sabi Sabi is the discerning (and very well-heeled) safari goer’s choice. This stupendous reserve has all the wildlife drama and beauty that is to be expected of the Sabi Sands area, but the whole package is just that much more luxurious and exclusive than most of the other Sabi Sands camps and reserves (and let’s face it, you’re hardly slumming it in any of them). With just four uber up-market but radically different places to stay, and traversing rights given to only one outside lodge, Sabi Sabi is exclusivity redefined.
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Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Mala Mala Game Reserve
Another one of South Africa’s original private game reserves, the massive Mala Mala has been operating since the 1920s. Although part of the Sabi Sands Reserve for some time, Mala Mala has gone its own way, but the visitor wouldn’t know the difference. The wildlife is just as impressive as before and the whole safari experience is just as polished. The difference is that Mala Mala is (marginally) more affordable than most of the others and, at around 130 sq km, is much larger. Its size, and the fact that guests of other reserves are not allowed means that you have this wonderful sweep of bushy savannah all to yourself. All in all it's one of my favourite safari reserves in all South Africa.
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Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Londolozi Game Reserve
One of the original private game reserves in South Africa, Londolozi has been in existence in some form or another for nearly a century, and they’ve got the whole safari and conservation thing down to a fine art. They were one of the pioneers of leopard habituation, so you have them to thank for the ease with which these most graceful of cats are seen throughout the Sabi Sands area. But like all the reserves in Sabi Sands, Londolozi has the full bag of big African mammals in abundance as well as the normal faultless guiding and divine lodges. Situated on the Sand River in the heart of Sabi Sands, this reserve is also hot on community activities and involvement.
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Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Lion Sands Game Reserve
Holding one of the highest concentrations of large mammals per hectare on the planet, Lion Sands Game Reserve is renowned for its lion sightings (there are three prides in particular that everyone seems to get to meet up close), leopards and cheetah, but guides here are keen for guests to expand their horizons a little and look beyond the Big Five. So, they will regale you with information on the many giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, klipspringer, warthogs and waterbuck that are all daily game drive encounters. The focus here is on low-key luxurious and beautiful accommodation and highly personalised service. They also actively encourage family safaris.
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Western Cape
Aquila Private Game Reserve
Named after the endangered black (Verreaux) eagle, Aquila is one of a number of small and rather stage-managed private reserves, a short drive from Cape Town. The 10,000-hectare conservancy was established back in 1999 and at the time was home to only a few antelope. Today, thanks to animal reintroduction and solid conservation programmes, Aquila Private Game Reserve is home to all of the Big Five as well as a significant number of other large mammals and birdlife. It would be wrong to paint Aquila as a true African wilderness experience, but it can’t be faulted for quality wildlife viewing, which includes near guaranteed sightings of lions and all their friends and enemies, lots of alternative activities, easy access (you can visit on a day trip from Cape Town), and high-class accommodation.
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North West Province
Pilanesberg National Park
Pilanesberg is safari made easy. If the traffic is in your favour, then you can get from Johannesburg to the gates of this small park in just two hours. This means that Pilanesberg is very popular with South Africans and its tourist facilities are very well developed. There’s a good range of accommodation in all budget categories, it’s malaria-free and the park’s small size makes it a good family destination. However, purists might say that Pilanesberg is too well developed. Some of the roads are surfaced and there can be congestion at some of the animal sightings, which means that sense of wilderness can be lost. However, you can’t argue with the quality of wildlife. All the Big Five are here and the park is especially good for rhino and elephant. You also have a better than average chance of spying some wild dogs and the list of birds is impressive with at least 350 different species recorded.
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North West Province
Waterberg Biosphere Reserve
The vast upland massif of the Waterberg region is one of only two biosphere reserves in all of Africa. This is a region of superlatives where space, solitude and wildlife are backdrops to day-to-day life. This isn’t so much a single unbroken reserve, but rather a puzzle of interconnected reserves and small human settlements. A journey here is proof that wildlife and humans can live and thrive side by side. The best-regarded reserves are the Lapalala Wilderness Area, Marakele National Park, and the Welgevonden Game Reserve. What wildlife you’ll see really depends on which reserve you visit. Some, such as Marakele and Welgevonden, have all the animals you came to Africa to see, but others (particularly the smaller private reserves) are fenced and mainly have smaller creatures. In these reserves, the focus is more on family-friendly activities such as cycling, walking and bush camping.
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Eastern Cape
Pumba Game Reserve
Best game reserve for: The Big Five and big city access Being very close to the sprawling city of Port Elizabeth and open to day guests (though only those who take one of the reserve’s organised safaris), means that Pumba Game Reserve receives a lot more visitors than some of the region’s remoter parks. As with any Eastern Cape reserve worth its salt, Pumba has all the Big Five as well cheetah, hippo, 300-odd bird species and unusual white lions. Alongside safaris, other activities include walking safaris, nocturnal game drives, specialist birding safaris, fishing, archery — and there’s even a spa for good measure.
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Eastern Cape
Lalibela Game Reserve
Best game reserve for: The Big Five and big city access Spanning five different ecosystems and home to an impressive range of plants and animals, this malaria-free, Big Five reserve is the only private reserve in the Eastern Cape that has no public roads running through it. This means that the wildlife here (which as well as the Big Five also includes zebra, impala, giraffe, cheetah and jackal among others) can be seen in a still and pristine environment that feels a long way from human hands. Fortunately though, civilisation and a gin and tonic are always on hand at one of the park’s luxury lodges. Being only about an hour from Addo Elephant National Park and the city of Port Elizabeth, means that Lalibela is easily reached.
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Eastern Cape
Kwantu Private Game Reserve
Best game reserve for: Family holidays and Big Five safaris At 6,000 hectares, the Kwantu Private Game Reserve is a relatively small reserve by African standards, but with all the Big Five present as well as a host of less celebrated creatures it’s easy to fill several safari days here. As with many Eastern Cape reserves, a heart-pumping vehicle safari is not the only reason to visit. The reserve also offers swimming pools, top-class accommodation, a domestic animal “touch” farm, herb garden, reptile centre, museum and sports. This is also a highly recommended family safari park. The reserve is open to day visitors (although they must use park vehicles and have a guide) which can reduce the exclusivity aspect a little.
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Eastern Cape
Kariega Game Reserve
Best game reserve for: Big city access and self-drive safaris The family-owned and managed Kariega is a 10,000-hectare private reserve made up of former ranch and farmland. Restocked, as almost all the parks and reserves in Eastern Cape have been, with native wildlife that was wiped out in the 1800s and 1900s, Kariega today has thriving populations of all the classic large mammals of southern Africa. The coastal bush and lush river valleys give the reserve a rare scenic beauty. With a combination of quality accommodation, superb guides, lots of different activities and proximity to the beaches of the Garden Route, Kariega is almost the perfect destination for a short safari break.
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Ulusaba Game Reserve
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Sabi Sabi Game Reserve
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Mala Mala Game Reserve
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Londolozi Game Reserve
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Lion Sands Game Reserve
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Aquila Private Game Reserve
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Pilanesberg National Park
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Waterberg Biosphere Reserve
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Pumba Game Reserve
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Lalibela Game Reserve
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Kwantu Private Game Reserve
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Kariega Game Reserve
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Shamwari Game Reserve
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Timbavati Game Reserve
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Thornybush Game Reserve
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Manyeleti Game Reserve
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Klaserie Nature Reserve
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Karongwe Game Reserve
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Kapama Game Reserve
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Balule Nature Reserve
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Sanbona Wildlife Reserve
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Best for big cats
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Tswalu Kalahari Private Reserve
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|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
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Amakhala Game Reserve
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Karoo National Park
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Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
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Madikwe Game Reserve
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Timbavati Private Game Reserve
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Phinda Game Reserve
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South Africa itineraries
Kruger & Kwa-Zulu Natal Safari Itinerary
13 day route to the jewels of South Africa
13 daysSouth Africa travel companies
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YellowWood Adventures
Sustainable travel for the modern-day explorer
