There are a few travel experiences that should be on everyone’s bucket list; Going on a solo trip, travelling to see snow for the first time, an epic road trip and going on safari are a few that spring to mind. With a national wildlife park the size of Israel as well as many others within its borders, South Africa is a must-visit safari destination! Anybody that’s ever dreamt of going to an africa safari should not pass up the opportunity to go to somewhere like South Africa. With accommodation ranging from camping to five star luxury and experiences ranging from self-drive to guided walks with cheetahs, there’s something for everyone. No matter what kind of safari you have in mind, or where you are in the country, there’s an amazing safari experience for you.
There are so many great safari experiences, in fact, that it can sometimes be hard to know which one to choose. That’s why we’ve compiled this list to get you started. Some experiences also use customer feedback software such as Qualtrics to gather their customer satisfaction rates, so it’s a good idea to check those out as well to get an idea of what people before you thought about their trips.
Without further ado, here are 7 incredible safari experiences in South Africa to inspire you. If you are interesting finding out more about South African Safari you might want to check out this website or search online.
1 Safari near Johannesburg: Ekuthuleni Lodge
The lodge is small and intimate, with a deck where breakfast and lunch are served, a big porch for G&Ts and a pool overlooking the savannah plains where we often saw animals coming to drink from the small watering hole. Rooms come standard with views of the plains, crisp white bedding, baths with bush views and outdoor showers. Lodge staff are incredible and were always one step ahead of us – tanning oil and sunscreen next to the pool, blankets at the ready as soon as the evening chill set in on the game drives.
Where in South Africa is it?
Located just a two and a half hour drive from Johannesburg, Ekuthuleni Lodge is the perfect place to visit if you don’t have time to get to the Kruger National Park. Set within the 38 000 hectare Welgevonden Reserve, Ekuthuleni Lodge is home to all of the Big 5.
What’s special about it?
There are pros and cons to smaller reserves (38 000 ha as opposed to the 1.9 million ha Kruger Park). The biggest pro of course, is the opportunity to see lots and lots of game in a short space of time. Within our first couple of hours, we’d spotted, elephants, zebras, giraffes, a mama cheetah with her 3 cubs and three lions. Being able to see so much on every single game drive is super exciting and perfect for your first safari experience.
The lodge is family-friendly, with a family suite that sleeps 4 people in a room with a loft. It can also be rented on an exclusive-use basis, which makes it the perfect place for a bush wedding or family break.
2 Safari in Southern Kruger: Jock Safari Lodge
While the Kruger is not a zoo and seeing the Big 5 is never guaranteed, it’s totally understandable that you’ll want to fit as many sightings as possible into your few days on safari. If this is the case, you’ll really enjoy staying at Jock Safari Lodge.
Where in South Africa is it?
Located down in the southern Kruger, Jock Safari Lodge is about a 5 hour drive (430km) from OR Tambo international in Johannesburg. It’s located near both the Malenane and Skukuza gates, so whether you choose to drive or fly via charter, you’re never too far from the lodge. Jock Safari Lodge offers the quintessential Kruger experience, with spacious rooms and a view of the riverbed where animals can often be spotted from your patio. There’s a pool where you can cool down in the summer heat and a cozy public area with wifi and a fireplace for winter.
What’s special about it?
We stayed at Fitzpatrick’s Lodge at Jock, which is a small, intimate lodge that sleeps 6 people in 3 rooms. It’s perfect for families or friends who want to have the space all to themselves. From the minute we drove through the gate into the Kruger, we started seeing wildlife. First, a herd of around 20 elephants in the distance, then a couple of giraffes and even a white rhino hiding from the sun under a tree – all before we’d even arrived at the lodge!
The best part about staying at a lodge and going on drives with a professional guide, instead of going on a self-drive safari, is the access to out-of-bounds parts of the park. We’d already been up close to three males lions resting in the shade when we suddenly came across one of Africa’s most elusive animals – a beautiful leopard lazing in the dry riverbed. We would end up having three more leopard encounters before our trip was done. At one point we were so close to a pride of 12 young lions that we could smell them, and spent about an hour just watching them before they all casually started to disappear into the dense bush.
The southern Kruger is a great place to visit when you want to see as many animals as possible and with the addition of a guide, you’re not likely to be disappointed. Once you’ve had your fill of the busy south, head up north for the peacefulness of the wild bush and a completely different experience.
3 Unique Safari Experience: Rovos Rail
There’s nothing better than combining a safari with the luxurious and unique experience on board one of the world’s most luxurious trains! Rovos Rail is all about reliving the old fashioned glamour and romance of rail travel. The carriage’s wood panelling, thick upholstery, attention to detail and beyond incredible level of service combined with their strict ‘no phones or laptops in public spaces’ policy transport you immediately back in time.
Where in South Africa is it?
We boarded the train at Rovos Rail’s private platform at the Durban train station and it felt like I was stepping straight back into a black and white photograph. Our three-day journey took us from Durban to Pretoria, through the Drakensberg Mountain range, stopping along the way at Nambiti Conservancy, a Big Five private retreat set on 20 000 acres of malaria-free bushveld in KwaZulu-Natal and Spionkop Game Reserve. For cultural enthusiasts, there’s the alternative option of an escorted tour of the battlefields Spionkop Lodge and a visit to the famous Ardmore Ceramics Gallery.
What’s special about it?
While on board, daytime attire requires a smart casual look, while evening dinners see men donning suits and ties, and ladies in evening or cocktail dresses. It’s quite an experience, sitting in the observation cart, watching the world go by in colourful paint smears, cold gin and tonic in hand, cellphone all but forgotten in your suite. In the evening, the dinner gong rings and guests sit down to candle light and silver service, diamonds glistening and dress shoes shining. It’s such a nice excuse to get dressed up and spend hours chatting to each other and fellow guests between multiple courses.
The food on board was unbelievable, and we indulged in multiple courses at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I couldn’t imagine how such a high level of quality could be coming from a tiny kitchen on board a moving train. Each dish was paired with a local wine, which I loved and took ample advantage of. When we weren’t on safari or eating, we played board games in the observation cart and listened to the train tracks clacking along below us.
We saw a lot on our game drives, including loads of giraffes, rhino, and zebras and a huge float of about 15 hippos just a few meters away. This is an especially unique safari experience, and combines the magic of rail travel with the luxury of five star accommodation and the excitement of African safari. There are several Rovos Rail journeys to choose from, including Cape Town, Durban, Victoria Falls and even a 15 day journey to Dar es Salaam. This is a true bucket list experience that is something completely unique in its novelty and luxury. All meals, beverages and excursions while on board are included in the rate.
4 Safari near Cape Town: Sanbona Wildlife Reserve
One of the most common questions I receive from people planning a visit to Cape Town is “can you do a safari near Cape Town or do we need to go to the Kruger?” I’m pleased to report that Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, a Big 5 Reserve, is located just 3 hours from Cape Town – and the beautiful drive out is part of the experience.
Where in South Africa is it?
Set on 58 000 hectares of Little Karoo reserve between Barrydale and Mantgu, Sanbona is technically close enough for a one night stay, but you’ll definitely want to stay longer. The drive out is truly exceptionally beautiful, winding along Route 62, the world’s longest wine route. There are four lodges on the property; Tilney Manor, a private space which offers 6 rooms and a pool, Dwyka Tented Lodge, which offers 9 luxurious glamping tents each with their own private heated pool, Sanbona Explorer Camp, a summer tented camp which specialises in walking safaris and Gondwana Family Lodge, a modern thatched lodge which specialises in child-friendly accommodation.
We stayed in the newly-refurbished Gondwana Family Lodge and I loved the fact that we had inter-leading rooms. There’s loads of space for families travelling together, with big couches that can be converted into extra beds for kids or teenagers. There’s a big pool and a lawn for kids to play on, and even a kids club where they can hang out while their parents have dinner.
What’s special about it?
There’s really something special about the Karoo. The sky is so particularly blue and the arid desert is so vast. It’s a very unique part of the world. Conservation is at the heart of everything Sanbona does, which is the most important thing to take into consideration when visiting a wildlife reserve or any kind of safari lodge. A safari should be an opportunity to view wild animals in their natural environment, doing what they naturally do. That’s definitely my experience of Sanbona, and I loved our guide passion for sharing her knowledge and love for animals with us.
The food and wine list at Sanbona are definitely on my list of highlights. Think multiple courses, huge breakfast spreads and gourmet bbq’s under the stars. We never went hungry, and if ever there was a moment where we even started thinking about food, there was something delicious to tuck into. Another safari highlight is always the South African “sundowners” while on the evening drive; a couple of drinks and a selection of snacks out in the middle of the reserve, watching the sun go down.
5 Sleeping under the stars: Samara Private Game Reserve
Where in South Africa is it?
Located just outside Graaff Reinet in the semi-desert Karoo, Samara Private Game Reserve is a quick flight from Cape Town or a wonderful place to stop on a South African road trip.The beautifully restored farmhouse that welcomes you to Samara has a wrap-around porch, cosy bar serving ice cold gin and tonics upon arrival and all the colonial era-style decor your heart desires. Luxurious yet rustic enough to make you feel right at home, you can really feel that you’ve stepped into the Karoo. Inside, blazing fires keep you warm in every room, while the porch promises afternoons soaking up the winter sunshine.
We stayed in one of three Karoo Suites, which each have their own fireplace, air-conditioning and luxury en-suite bathroom with my favourite getaway feature – a bath! Outside, you can sit on your patio for a post-game drive coffee or a little nightcap under the stars. And for the summer months – an outdoor shower, complete with those Karoo views! In summer, you can book the wonderfully romantic Milky Way star beds. The stars out there are so clear and it would be so romantic to spend a night cuddled up, with no cellphone reception, watching the stars for entertainment.
What’s special about it?
Having the opportunity to track them on foot, with trained guides who know exactly how to do so in a responsible way is something I’ll never forget. The last wild cheetah in the Karoo was seen in the 1870s. Farmers in the area saw them as a threat to livestock, so sadly they were hunted across the Eastern Cape until they eventually became locally extinct. In 2004, Samara reintroduced the beautiful cheetah as apex predator in the Karoo. When wildlife feels unthreatened, you can experience them up-close in their natural habitat, knowing that you’re not interfering with them in any way.
Samara also introduced a family herd of six elephants to the reserve – an area they would have naturally have occurred in – returning them to their historic range. The elephants will have time to settle in and make the area their own, before they’re joined by a mature bull. We didn’t have the opportunity to see them this time, which I actually appreciate. It always feels special to embark on a drive, not knowing if you will spot an animal or not. It’s important to remember that it’s not a zoo, but a wild environment. In August 2018, the reserve re-introduced lions to the area – where they also used to occur naturally – making it a Big 5 reserve. They are the first free-roaming lions back on the Plains of Camdeboo in 180 years!
6 Eco-Safari in the Northern Kruger: Pel’s Post Lodge
Where in South Africa is it?
Way up in the north of South Africa, on the border between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, you’ll find a luxurious eco-lodge called Pel’s Post. Situated within The Outpost Lodge’s 26 500 hectares of wild African bush, this Kruger Park property sleeps 8 people in an exclusive-use sanctuary. Overlooking the Levuvhu river, the lodge combines mega views, every luxury you could wish for and a light footprint on the earth.
Pel’s Post offers luxury experience and service, with added exclusivity. Four private rooms are connected by a wooden walkway and open up completely to views that will make your jaw drop. Designed with groups of friends or family in mind, the lodge comes with a personal chef, private vehicle and a private guide. If eco-conscious design gets you excited, you will feel really inspired by Pel’s Post. With eco-friendly design elements like wood and solar power, this lodge steps lightly and sits snugly on its perch above the river. Not to mention, having the option to take over the entire lodge with 6 of your friends has its own appeal.
What’s special about it?
After a day out in the bush, being welcomed back by this sunset and a G&T is a special way to end the day. As an exclusive-use lodge, guests have a completely customisable experience. So whether you’d like your lunch out on safari, or your dinner served fireside, it’s totally up to you. I highly recommend waking up before sunrise to head to Lanner Gorge with your guide. Wrapped in scarves, beanies and jackets, climb up to the view point just in time to see the first orange rays pierce the sky.
What makes Pel’s Post special is the fact that you can experience all the luxury your heart desires while treading lightly on the planet. To me, this is the way forward. Luxurious rooms, above five-star service and of course incredible views, combined with state of the art eco-practises are what dream holidays are made of. It’s what is going to make Pel’s Post one of the Kruger’s most appealing properties for millennial and eco-conscious travellers. A beautiful example of how you can still enjoy your luxurious holiday while respecting the nature around you.
7 Luxury Safari in the Northern Kruger: The Outpost Lodge
Where in South Africa is it?
Driving to The Outpost Lodge from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg is easy, with good roads connecting the lodge to the city. It’s quite a drive, at around 650km (about 6,5 – 8 hours depending on traffic) so I recommend leaving Johannesburg early in the morning to arrive by lunch time. This will give you enough time to settle into your beautiful room before heading out on your afternoon game drive. The charter flight from Johannesburg is just 1 hour and 40 minutes long, so if you have the budget and you’re short on time, this is the way to go. You can ask the lodge to assist with booking your charter – just make sure to check the plane’s luggage specifications before you leave home as most charters require luggage to be soft, small and under 20kgs in weight.
What’s special about it?
The Outpost Lodge is like no other bush lodge I’ve ever stayed at. Set on the Big 5 Makuleke Contractual Park, spreading across 26 500 hectares, it’s way up north and shares a border with both Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It’s a uniquely un-hurried part of the Kruger, where you’re unlikely to spot other vehicles while on a game drive.
The lodge itself is open and airy, with the whole property incorporating the bush and amplifying the amazing views at every opportunity. The reception area, dining space and bar feel like a spacious, luxurious tree house, with trees poking into the space. It’s all luxury from the moment you arrive. We were greeted with cold towels and a drink, as our car was valet parked. The staff greeted us by name and asked about what we were hoping to see and experience during our stay, which would help them to curate our experience.
The rooms, or “spaces”, are all separate and very private. Our room, space 12, was set right at the top of the property and I actually gasped as we opened the automated blinds to an uninterrupted view that encompassed mountains, the Levuvhu river, a sprinkling of Baobab trees and the vast blue sky. A deep bath overlooking it all was waiting for me to the left, and to the right, a day bed with a chilled bottle of Kay & Monty bubbly conveniently placed. Our bed was canopied by romantic netting (which is obviously functional during mosquito season but feels very romantic either way) and set right in the middle of the space, with more than 180° views.
Within our first couple of hours, we were treated to two teenage elephants putting on a trumpet show just below us, down by the river. A warm wind was blowing through the space as we sipped our bubbly, read our books, and stared at the view. I wasn’t wasting any time and drew a bath just as the sun was starting to set. From my warm bubble bath, I watched the setting sun paint the African sky pink, then orange, then dark blue before the first pin pricks of stars began to scatter the sky with light.
Here again, your experience is entirely customisable. We chose to skip the option of pre-dawn game drive so that we could watch the sunrise from our room. Our absolutely fantastic guide, Nick Smith, packed us a picnic and we set off to explore the bush just after 7am. We were preparing for a day of landscape hunting, but a short while into our drive we were lucky enough to see something incredibly rare – three beautiful cheetahs. This group hadn’t been spotted in the area for the last 10 years, and even Nick, who is in the bush for hours every single day, hadn’t seen cheetahs in the 3 years he’s been in the area. It was very special to be part of a small group of only 5 people in the presence of the cheetahs – something unique to the north.
If you’ve already visited the southern Kruger and you’d like to explore more of the South African bush, The Outpost is a must-visit destination. Their attention to detail starts as soon as you arrive and does not stop until after you’ve arrived home. It’s the kind of place where everyone remembers your name, where nothing is too much to ask. I’ve stayed at many of South Africa’s top properties, and The Outpost is in a league of its own. Especially in the summer months, the southern Kruger can feel very crowded, so being up north would be a more authentic experience, for sure.
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3 comments
Wow, what a beautiful written post. SA has so much to offer! After each experience I was sure that’s the one, but then I read the next one and that became the one.
WHAT!!! I didn’t realize you did a train trip through Africa!! I really want to do one. Looks absolutely amazing!
Yes! Me too…. the rail system is so perfect in Scotland and there is so much to see there… but I would so love to see my own country by train! On my bucket list now! Thank you.