Menu
SA_leopard
12108399_xl
GAW001

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.

South Africa safari

An expert guide to safaris in South Africa

South Africa is safari heaven. From the world-famous Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands to the lesser-known Karoo and family-friendly experiences in the Western Cape, there’s a wildlife experience to match all needs. First-time visitors will probably want to hit the Big Five highlights of the major parks, but don’t dismiss the more accessible lodges in the North West Province and around Cape Town...read more

13 days

Kruger & Kwa-Zulu Natal Safari Itinerary

13 day route to the jewels of South Africa
View itinerary
  • Johannesburg

    ...
  • Kruger National Park

    Kruger National Park

    The showpiece of South African tourism, Kruger National Park is one of the world’s most famous protected areas, and for good reason...
  • Balule Nature Reserve

    Balule Nature Reserve

    Covering an area of 250 sq km, the Balule Nature Reserve is an integral part of the Greater Kruger eco-system, seamlessly blending with its surroundings...
  • Kapama Game Reserve

    Kapama Game Reserve

    Kapama, located within the greater Kruger region, serves as an ideal first-time safari destination...
  • Thornybush Game Reserve

    Thornybush Game Reserve

    Thornybush, once a fenced reserve ensuring the presence of numerous large mammals, restricted wildlife movement between the reserve and Kruger...
  • Timbavati Game Reserve

    Timbavati Game Reserve

    Timbavati, a private reserve bordering the main Kruger Park, hosts a wealth of mammal and bird species due to its unobstructed access...
  • Klaserie Nature Reserve

    Klaserie Nature Reserve

    Spanning 60,000 hectares, Klaserie Nature Reserve is among South Africa's largest privately-owned reserves...
  • Manyeleti Game Reserve

    Manyeleti Game Reserve

    Manyeleti, translating to "Place of the Stars" in Shangaan, spans 230 sq km and shares an unfenced border with Kruger...
  • Karongwe Game Reserve

    Karongwe Game Reserve

    Karongwe, a moderately-sized private game reserve, boasts an impressive likelihood of leopard sightings, nestled between four rivers and featuring views of the Drakensberg Mountains...
  • Sabi Sands Game Reserve

    Sabi Sands Game Reserve

    A place of superlatives, Sabi Sands Game Reserve is in effect a continuation of the massive Kruger National Park, but by anyone’s standards Sabi Sands is no mere Kruger add-on...
  • Sabi Sabi Game Reserve

    Sabi Sabi Game Reserve

    A collection of former rangelands, Sabi Sabi is a good choice for discerning safari enthusiasts seeking luxury and exclusivity...
  • Lion Sands Game Reserve

    Lion Sands Game Reserve

    Lion Sands Game Reserve, located within the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, is known for its high density of large mammals, in particular its three separate pride of lions...
  • Londolozi Game Reserve

    Londolozi Game Reserve

    Londolozi Game Reserve, one of South Africa's original private reserves, has a rich history spanning nearly a century...
  • Mala Mala Game Reserve

    Mala Mala Game Reserve

    Mala Mala, one of South Africa's original private game reserves, spans an expansive 130 sq km and has been operational since the 1920s...
  • Ulusaba Game Reserve

    Ulusaba Game Reserve

    Ulusaba Game Reserve, owned by Richard Branson, showcases many of the exceptional aspects of the Sabi Sands region...
  • Kwazulu-Natal

    Kwazulu-Natal

    Centred on the beach bum surf city of Durban, the huge, and hugely diverse, province of KwaZulu-Natal on South Africa’s east coast doesn’t have the stellar international wildlife reputation of other parts of South Africa...
  • Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park

    Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park

    Second only to Kruger National Park, the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park is a nearly thousand square kilometre slab of wilderness surrounded by private game reserves...
  • Phinda Game Reserve

    Phinda Game Reserve

    If you’re a fan of that spotted blur of speed, the cheetah, then Phinda Game Reserve will make you very happy...
  • St Lucia

    St Lucia

    ...
  • Pongola Game Reserve

    Pongola Game Reserve

    ...
  • iSimangaliso Wetland Park

    iSimangaliso Wetland Park

    iSimangaliso Wetland Park, on the KwaZulu-Natal far northern coast, is a real gem for nature lovers...
  • North West Province

    North West Province

    If I can’t visit Kruger, I head for the North West and into Limpopo...
  • Madikwe Game Reserve

    Madikwe Game Reserve

    Madikwe is unusual in that it is owned by the state in partnership with local communities and the private sector...
  • Waterberg Biosphere Reserve

    Waterberg Biosphere Reserve

    The vast upland massif of the Waterberg region is one of only two biosphere reserves in all of Africa...
  • Pilanesberg National Park

    Pilanesberg National Park

    Pilanesberg is safari made easy...
  • Eastern Cape

    Eastern Cape

    In many respects, the Eastern Cape is a microcosm of the best of South Africa...
  • Shamwari Game Reserve

    Shamwari Game Reserve

    Shamwari, an esteemed and exclusive private game reserve in the Eastern Cape, lies near Addo Elephant National Park...
  • Addo Elephant Park

    Addo Elephant Park

    Addo Elephant National Park, one of South Africa's largest, is renowned for its elephants but offers a diverse landscape encompassing river valleys, mountains, savannahs, forests, and beaches...
  • Amakhala Game Reserve

    Amakhala Game Reserve

    Amakhala, a compact private reserve of approximately 75 sq km, offers an impressive wildlife experience...
  • Kariega Game Reserve

    Kariega Game Reserve

    Kariega, a family-owned and managed 10,000-hectare private reserve, occupies former ranch and farmland in the Eastern Cape...
  • Kwantu Game Reserve

    Kwantu Game Reserve

    Kwantu Private Game Reserve, spanning 6,000 hectares, is relatively small compared to other African reserves...
  • Lalibela Game Reserve

    Lalibela Game Reserve

    Encompassing five distinct ecosystems, the malaria-free Lalibela reserve is home to a remarkable variety of flora and fauna, including the Big Five...
  • Pumba Game Reserve

    Pumba Game Reserve

    Pumba Game Reserve, situated near the bustling city of Port Elizabeth, attracts more visitors than some of the region's more remote parks due to its accessibility to day guests who participate in the reserve's organised safaris...
  • Tsistikamma National Park

    Tsistikamma National Park

    ...
  • St Francis Bay

    St Francis Bay

    ...
  • Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

    Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

    Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, in South Africa's Eastern Cape, is home to the famous Big Five – lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards, and rhinoceros – as well as cheetahs, giraffes, and various antelope species...
  • Western Cape

    Western Cape

    For most visitors to South Africa, the Western Cape is all about the finer things in life: food, wine, beaches and Cape Town — arguably the most beautiful city in Africa...
  • Aquila Private Game Reserve

    Aquila Private Game Reserve

    Aquila Private Game Reserve, named after the endangered black (Verreaux) eagle, is a 10,000-hectare conservancy established in 1999...
  • Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

    Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

    Sanbona Wildlife Reserve combines big cat sightings with wine tasting, offering a unique experience...
  • Wilderness

    Wilderness

    ...
  • Noordhoek

    Noordhoek

    ...
  • Oudtshoorn

    Oudtshoorn

    ...
  • Cape Town

    Cape Town

    ...
  • Durban

    ...
  • Nelspruit

    ...
  • The Karoo

    ...
  • Madikwe Game Reserve

    Madikwe Game Reserve

    ...
  • Pilanesberg National Park

    Pilanesberg National Park

    ...
  • Hluhluwe Game Reserve

    Hluhluwe Game Reserve

    ...
  • Welgevonden Game Reserve

    Welgevonden Game Reserve

    ...
  • Waterberg Biosphere Reserve

    Waterberg Biosphere Reserve

    ...
  • Lion Sands Game Reserve

    Lion Sands Game Reserve

    ...
  • Londolozi Game Reserve

    Londolozi Game Reserve

    ...
  • Ulusaba Game Reserve

    ...
  • Stellenbosch

    Stellenbosch

    ...
  • Table Mountain National Park

    ...
  • Port Elizabeth

    Port Elizabeth

    ...
  • Plettenberg Bay

    ...
  • Knysna

    ...
  • Hermanus

    Hermanus

    ...
  • Pretoria

    ...
  • Drakensburg

    Drakensburg

    ...
  • The Kalahari

    The Kalahari

    Big horizons and the feeling of nature in the ascendant is what draws me to the Kalahari in South Africa’s remote far north...
  • Hazyview

    Hazyview

    ...
  • Northern Cape

    ...
  • |Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park

    ...

Places to go in South Africa

South Africa Tours

Botswana, South Africa, Zambia

The Southern African Experience

Explore Africa's most stunning destinations, including the Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta

12 daysFrom $4,300
South Africa, Mauritius

South Africa Family Safari & Beach

Discover the magic of safari

11 daysFrom £3,725
South Africa

Cape Town, Kruger & Victoria Falls

See the absolute highlights of Southern Africa

10 daysFrom £6,250
South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Ultimate African Taster

15 days from Victoria Falls to Cape Town

15 daysFrom £4,850
East Africa, Southern Africa

Kruger Safari & Beach

8 days from Kruger to Mozambique

8 daysFrom £4,995
Eastern Cape, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth (and 3 more)

Wonders of South Africa

15 days from Port Elizabeth to Kruger

15 daysFrom £4,125

South Africa Travel Companies

Africa

Discover Africa Safaris

Authentic Luxury African Safaris, tailored for you
Africa

Wayfairer

Tailor-made luxury travel
Zambia

Absolute Zambia Safaris

Custom safari holidays to Zambia
Africa

Wild Frontiers

Safaris into East, West and Southern Africa
Botswana

The African Wild

Botswana tours and safaris
Africa

Take Me To Africa

Experts in small group travel to Africa
Central America, Africa, Central Asia

YellowWood Adventures

Sustainable travel for the modern-day explorer

Why Horizon Guides?

Impartial guidebooks

Impartial travel guides

Our guides are written by the leading experts in their destinations. We never take payment for positive coverage so you can count on us for impartial travel advice.

Expert itineraries

Expert itineraries

Suggested itineraries and routes to help you scratch beneath the surface, avoid the tourist traps, and plan an authentic, responsible and enjoyable journey.

Specialist advice

Specialist advice

Get friendly, expert travel advice and custom itineraries from some of the world's best tour operators, with no spam, pressure or commitment to book.