Wild, beautiful South Africa
Big Five safaris, Cape Town and Table Mountain, and world-class wine country, all in one trip.
Safari and so much more
South Africa calls itself the Rainbow Nation, a name that reflects its many cultures and languages, from Zulu and Xhosa to Afrikaans and English. Its modern story is told through Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison before becoming the country's first democratically elected president in 1994. Visitors find a warm welcome, great food and wine, and some of the most dramatic scenery on the planet.
For most travelers, safari comes first. Kruger National Park, in the northeast, is roughly the size of New Jersey and home to the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. Along its western edge, private reserves like Sabi Sands share unfenced borders with the park and offer open-vehicle game drives, off-road tracking and night drives with expert rangers. Sabi Sands is especially known for leopard sightings.
The seasons are reversed from ours. The dry winter, May through September, is the best time for game viewing: the bush thins out and animals gather at water, though early morning drives are chilly. Cape Town shines in its summer, roughly November through March. Many travelers combine both, with a few days of safari, then the Cape. US citizens need a passport with at least two blank pages for entry.
South Africa at a glance
Our favorite ways to spend your time
Not an exhaustive list, just the things our travelers come home talking about.
Things to do
- Go on game drivesHead out at dawn and dusk in an open vehicle with a ranger and tracker, when the animals are most active.
- Ride the cable car up Table MountainRotating cars carry you to the flat summit for views over Cape Town and the Atlantic. Weather permitting, so keep a flexible day.
- Taste wine in the WinelandsStellenbosch and Franschhoek are under an hour from Cape Town, with historic estates set below rugged mountains.
- Drive the Garden RouteA scenic coastal stretch of lagoons, forests and beach towns. Take your time and stop often.
- Drive to Cape PointFollow Chapman's Peak Drive down the Cape Peninsula to the dramatic cliffs at Cape Point.
Places to go
- Kruger & the private reservesClassic Big Five country. Pair Kruger with a stay at a private lodge in Sabi Sands for the most intimate sightings.
- Cape TownTable Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, the colorful Bo-Kaap and beaches on two oceans. One of the world's great cities.
- The Cape WinelandsStellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl, with Cape Dutch manor houses, vineyards and excellent food.
- The Garden RouteKnysna's lagoon, Plettenberg Bay and the forested gorges of Tsitsikamma.
- The Panorama RouteIn Mpumalanga, near Kruger: God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes and the Three Rondavels.
Things to see
- The Big FiveSeeing all five on one trip is the safari dream, and a good private reserve gives you a real chance.
- Robben IslandThe prison where Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years, reached by ferry from Cape Town and guided by former prisoners.
- Boulders Beach penguinsA colony of African penguins waddling among giant granite boulders near Simon's Town.
- Blyde River CanyonOne of the largest canyons on earth, and one of the greenest, best seen from the Panorama Route viewpoints.
- The Cango CavesDramatic limestone caverns near Oudtshoorn, a town also famous for its ostrich farms.
What to eat in South Africa
Dishes to order
- BraaiThe South African barbecue, a national pastime. Look for boerewors, a coiled, spiced farmer's sausage.
- BobotieA Cape Malay classic of curried minced meat baked under a golden egg custard, served with yellow rice.
- Bunny chowA hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with curry, born in Durban's Indian community.
- BiltongAir-dried, spiced meat, a little like jerky but better. Every South African has a favorite.
Where to eat
- Safari lodgesDinners under the stars in an open-air boma, often with game and a crackling fire.
- Winelands estatesLong lunches with a view, paired with the wine made just outside the door.
- Cape Malay kitchensIn Cape Town's Bo-Kaap, try fragrant curries, samoosas and koeksisters.
What to drink
- PinotageSouth Africa's own red grape, a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault created at Stellenbosch in 1925.
- Chenin blancSouth Africa grows more of it than any other country, in styles from crisp to rich.
- Rooibos teaA naturally caffeine-free red tea grown in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape.
Let's plan your South Africa trip
Safari is a trip where the details really matter, and we'll help you choose the right reserves, lodges and season, then add Cape Town and the Winelands. Tell us when you'd like to travel and we'll come back with options and current pricing.
