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South Africa Safari - Complete Travel Guide

As the name implies, South Africa is the southernmost country in Africa. Located at the point where two mighty oceans, Atlantic and Indian, collide, it has a unique biodiversity and various ecosystems. From Big Five safari to Whale Watching, wine tasting and rhino-spotting, this country has it all – no wonder it is the most popular travel destination on the continent!


  • Best Time To Go

    May-September for wildlife viewing November-March for winter sun and bird-watching August-September for whale-watching

  • Average Safari Cost

    From $150 to $700 pp/day

  • Highlights

    Kruger National Park, Whale watching, Garden Route, Cradle of Humankind, Big Five, Wine regions, Cape of Good Hope, African penguins

Why Experience South African Safari?

While the Western Cape is famous for its Garden Route drives, gorgeous beaches and wine regions, inland South Africa is marked by its amazing safari adventures in the Kruger National Park, inhabited by the Big Five.

Vibrant Cape Town has a great nightlife and top-notch restaurants. And after a night out, before breakfast, you can drive to watch the sun rise at the tip of Africa – the Cape of Good Hope.

Pros And Cons

Pros
  • Amazing variety of adventure activities
  • Choice of self-guided drives, guided tours, private or group trips
  • Well-established tourism and safety for tourists
  • City breaks in Cape Town and Johannesburg
  • Very protected and looked after wildlife (most of the rhino in Africa is in South Africa)
  • Lots of add-on options
Cons
  • Malaria risk in the North
  • Too much choice to pick the best safari
  • Crime rates have halved since the 1990s, but are still relatively high
  • More conservation/protected areas than wilderness

Best Time To Go

With its summer months falling into the months of November all the way till March, South Africa is a great place to visit in winter for everybody coming from North America and Europe. It offers a great escape from those winter blues with buckets of sunshine!

There is really only two seasons – spring and fall. However, the weather differs across South Africa. On the Atlantic Ocean coast, you are more likely to experience strong winds and more moderate temperatures, in comparison to the Indian Ocean coastline. Additionally, higher altitude places have contrast continental climates.

As a rule of thumb, it might be helpful to remember that January is mid-summer in South Africa, while June is mid-winter.

High Season

Inland is dry, warm and hot, average temperatures 75-95°F (25-35°C)

The rest of the country is in rainfall season

Unsurprisingly, around December and Easter holidays prices usually sky rocket, but are still affordable if you convert local Rand into US Dollars, British Pounds or Euros. Beware that you need to pre-book accommodation as early as possible (from September everything gets booked up quickly).

Parks to Visit

  • Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Things to do in South Africa from November till March

  • See 450 elephants in the Addo Elephant National Park
  • See lion hunt in all major parks and reserves
  • Turtle tracking at night: See rare leatherback and loggerhead turtles nesting on the coastline
  • Horseback riding: Take a trail around Clarens and ride in the Drakensberg Escarpment for amazing views of Lesotho
  • Dive with sharks in Protea Banks, Kleinbaai, Gansbaai and more

Shoulder Season

Wet and cool

Expect fall weather

Cape Town average temperature is 61°F (16°C)

Sunny spring weather. Good time to visit for wildlife watching. The tourist numbers are low and so are adventure prices.

Parks to Visit

  • Kruger National Park
  • Addo Elephant National Park
  • Sabi Sand Game Reserve
  • Phinda Game Reserve
  • Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
  • KwaZulu-Natal parks

Other Things to do in South Africa from April till May

  • Cape Agulhas National Park: Enjoy a walk around Africa’s southernmost tip for the most amazing sea views and encounters with many indigenous and unique to the area plant species sans tourist crowds!
  • Little Karoo: Take the Four Passes Route drive through the ostrich farms, wine making regions and fruit orchards of the Western Cape.
  • Hike Table Mountain in Cape Town from picturesque Skeleton Gorge, located in Kirstenbosh Botanical Gardens.
  • Helicopter tour of Cape Town might be cheaper during the off-season months.

Low Season

July is the coldest month of the year, but is mild by the European and North American standards

Dry and cool, snow in the mountains

Average temperature is 55°F (13°C)

With holiday prices lower during the rainy season, summer is perfect for quiet wildlife watching.

Parks to Visit

  • Kruger National Park
  • Addo Elephant National Park
  • Sabi Sand Game Reserve
  • Phinda Game Reserve
  • Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
  • KwaZulu-Natal parks

Other Things to do in South Africa from June till August

  • In June, head to Sodwana Bay, whose water is warm even in the colder months and the coral riffs flourish with a vibrant array of tropical fish.
  • In July, join a famous Knysna Oyster Festival or head to Knysna for a great game of golf.
  • Canoe around Lake St Lucia.
  • Take a few hours to drive the Blyde River Canyon Road. Along the way you will be treated to quartzite columns, bottomless gorges and massive pine farms.

Shoulder Season

Average temperature is 55°F (15°C)

The warmest temperature during the day is about 70°F (21°C)

Sunny fall weather. Good time to visit for wildlife watching.

Safari Conditions

  • Wildlife is easier to spot, as animals congregate around waterholes.
  • September is right at the end of the wildlife watching season and the temperatures are moderate.
  • There are fewer mosquitos, as the air is pretty dry.
  • Parks and game reserves are usually free of tourist crowds.

Parks to Visit

  • Kruger National Park
  • Addo Elephant National Park
  • Sabi Sand Game Reserve
  • Phinda Game Reserve
  • Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
  • KwaZulu-Natal parks

Other Things to do in South Africa in Septem and October

  • September is the best time to go whale watching in Hermanus, a stunning 45-minute coastal drive away from Cape Town. In fact the road is so picturesque and dramatic, it's featured in many modern car commercials!
  • Try to ride an ostrich in Oudtshoorn, where you can also try an arguably healthiest burger made with very low fat ostrich meat.
  • Take a few hours to drive the Blyde River Canyon Road. Along the way you will be treated to quartzite columns, bottomless gorges and massive pine farms.

Best time to visit: From April till October

September is right at the end of the wildlife watching season and the temperatures are moderate.

There are fewer mosquitos, as the air is pretty dry.

Parks and game reserves are usually free of tourist crowds

Parks to Visit

  • Kruger National Park
  • Addo Elephant National Park
  • Sabi Sand Game Reserve
  • Phinda Game Reserve
  • Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
  • KwaZulu-Natal parks

Start your African Adventure

Wildlife And Birds

With one of the most varied landscapes in Africa, South Africa has unparalleled biodiversity. Animals and birds populate its ancient mountains, lush forests, grassy savannahs and rocky deserts, while the diverse marine life reigns the country’s coasts. Here you are likely to find what you are looking for: from giant elephants to Great Whites, from flamingos to penguins.
List Of Animals
  • Lion
  • Elephant
  • Cheetah
  • Leopard
  • Hippo
  • Buffalo
  • Hyena
  • Giraffe
  • Black Rhino

Rare Animals:

  • Cheetah
  • Rhino
  • African Wild Dog
  • Oribi
  • Mountain Zebra
  • Sei Whale
  • Blue Whale

Infrequently Seen Animals:

  • Leopard
  • Hyena
  • Cape Horseshoe Bat

Frequently Seen Animals:

  • Lion
  • Elephant
  • Buffalo
  • Springbok
  • Bontebok
  • Cape Grysbok
  • Kudu
  • Dolphin
  • Humpback Whale
  • Southern Right Whale

Best of Wildlife in South Africa
Thanks to an amazing governmental conservation and protection schemes, most South African safaris are great for spotting the Big Five – lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and Cape buffalo. In Kalahari you might even spot the rare Bat-Eared Fox, while the Karoo and Grassveld reserves are a natural habitat of the rare Black Wildebeest. Head to the Mountain Zebra National Part to see some Cape Mountain zebras, and Addo Elephant Park for a guaranteed viewing of hundreds of elephants!
Best Time to See More Animals
Although it could be tempting to enjoy the lavish vegetation of the summer months, the best time for spotting more of the African wildlife in Kruger National Park is the dry winter season, since there will be much more visibility unobstructed by the shrubs and other vegetation and because the animals will naturally be drawn to the waterholes.
Best Parks for Wildlife Spotting

Public: Kruger, Addo

Private: Scotia

Birdwatching

With almost 850 registered bird species, 175 endemic, and 50 unique avian species, South Africa is a very special place for seasonal bird watching.

From November to April is the best time to come to South Africa for exciting bird watching. This is the time when the resident bird species are nesting and breeding, while the birds migrating from Europe and Northern Africa congregate in the country.

Critically Endangered Birds:

  • Bearded vulture
  • Blue swallow
  • Cape vulture
  • Crozet shag
  • Damara tern
  • Southern banded snake eagle
  • Taita falcon
  • Tristan albatross
  • Wattled Crane
  • White-winged flufftail
  • Leach’s storm petrel

Endemic Birds:

  • Agulhas long-billed lark
  • Black-rumped buttonquail
  • Blue bustard
  • Botha's lark
  • Bush blackcap
  • Cape bulbul
  • Cape long-billed lark
  • Cape siskin
  • Cape sugarbird
  • Cape weaver
  • Eastern long-billed lark
  • Forest canary
  • Grey-winged francolin
  • Ground woodpecker
  • Karoo lark
  • Knysna warbler and Woodpecker
  • Long-tailed pipit
  • Orange-breasted sunbird
  • Protea canary
  • Rudd’s lark
  • Southern black korhaan
  • Southern double-collared sunbird
  • Victorin's warbler

Best Areas For Birdwatching

The endemic species can be found throughout the variety of local landscapes: grasslands, mountains and even deserts.

Western Cape

The province is one of the best bird watching destinations in the country. You will find a number of endemic birds here, including Cape Sugarbird, Cape Rockjumper, Cape Siskin, Kynsna Warbler, Hottentot Buttonquail, Protea Seedeater and Orange-breasted Sunbird.

At the Cape of Good Hope National Park you will usually see a whole display of seabirds, while the African Penguin colony is a massive tourist attraction at the Boulders Beach.

For the Arctic wading birds head to the West Coast National Park.

The Free State and KwaZulu-Natal has a number of fantastic bird watching facilities and well-informed resident tour guides.

North East of KwaZulu-Natal

Plentiful freshwater creeks, thick forests and flooded grasslands are an excellent natural habitat for many bird species, including African Broadbill, Southern Banded Snake Eagle Delegorgue’s Pigeon, Woodward’s Barbet Knysna Turaco, Palmnut Vulture and more.

A slight downside of the area – it is very popular among bird watchers, so book your tour around the peak times. One of the areas especially crowded is the Dlinza Forest, which has been equipped with boardwalk.

Mpumalanga

The area that includes Krueger and Drakensberg is home to a variety of eagles (raptors), including, African Hawk Eagle, the Steppe Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, Martial Eagle, Walhberg's Eagle, and Lesser Spotted Eagle.

Gauteng

Although the area has fallen victim to heavy urbanisation, around 350 recorded bird species live near Johannesburg and Pretoria. The areas for spotting more birds include, Magaliesberg Mountains, Suikerbosrand, the Dinokeng Bushveld area, Marievale and Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens.

Best Parks For Birdwatching

Kruger

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi

Kgalagadi

Mkhuze

Getting There And Safety

Because South Africa is well-connected by modern and mostly well-maintained roads, renting a car is a good idea. It will allow you to explore some of the areas outside of your safari experience – Zululand, Atlantic Route or the Golden Route (Western Cape). The coastal drive from Cape Town to Hermanus (whale watching) is such a treat, it is featured in many luxury car commercials!
Flights

You can choose to arrive at Johannesburg or Cape Town Airports from most major international hubs like London, Frankfurt, New York, Amsterdam and others. Our advice is to book flights as far in advance as possible, as this could secure a very affordable return ticket from Europe, which could be as low as £400 p.p.

If you require flights in South Africa (to get to your safari destination), make sure your operator either guides you through booking the best flight, or includes those in your itinerary.

If you are based in the UK and Europe, check out these flights to South Africa.

If you are based in the USA and Canada, check out these flights to South Africa.

Visas
Depending of where you are coming from, you might need to apply for the South African 90-day visa in the country of your residency, or you will be granted a visa on arrival. Please check this governmental page for the list of countries, which do not require visa prior to arriving in the country.
Safety
Although South Africa is a relatively safe destination for international travelers, walking alone or driving late can be unsafe. High crime rates in the country are mainly related to the township areas, usually avoided by the tourists. Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town are known for carjacking, although rentals are targeted less frequently. Thus, the safest way to travel in the country is with an authorised tour guide.
Travel Insurance

Going on a safari in Africa comes with obvious risks. We recommend you get travel insurance for all safaris in South Africa. Make sure your insurance has full medical coverage, emergency air evacuation, repatriation and the standard travel insurance for cancellations, delays and luggage cover.

Check World Nomads’ travel insurance calculator to see the cost of your safari trip cover.

Vaccinations

Although South Africa is mostly free of malaria, Kruger National Park and Mpumalanga area pose a moderate risk. Months between October and May pose some-what higher risk.

Check your local travel health authority for more information:

Drinking Water

According to AfricaCheck, "South Africa is relatively poorly endowed with water resources and is considered a “water-stressed” country.

"However, according to the Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa’s drinking water supplies are of international standard and in compliance with World Health Organisation requirements".

What To Pack

For more details on what to pack see our Safari Packing List.