South Africa Itineraries

Promising wild adventures, a diversity of cultural experiences, scenic beauty — and excellent wine — South Africa is a destination that delivers on every front. So, here we share three classic routes that that will help you navigate your way to a South Africa itinerary that’s perfect for you. Note that all these classic, big-scale itineraries can be adapted and condensed to fit the timeframe you have, be that 7 days, 10 days or 14 days.

Recommended South Africa itineraries

If you're planning your trip to South Africa, use these expert-craft itineraries as a starting point. For more inspiration, dive into our itineraries for different durations: 

• 7 days South Africa itinerary
• 10 days South Africa itinerary
• 14 days South Africa itinerary

South Africa Western Cape circuit

Duration: 10 days minimum

South Africa’s oldest urban centres are in the Western Cape, a province that packs huge variety.

While two, three — or even four weeks — would give you a more immersive experience, major highlights of the Western Cape circuit can be covered in a logical, scenic loop in a South Africa itinerary spread across ten days.

Here’s how to do exactly that. 

Cape Town: 3 days

Cape Town is the entry point for most visitors to South Africa, with stacks of direct flights coming into Cape Town International Airport.

Southern Africa’s oldest city has it all — an extraordinary setting, beautiful architecture and a buzzing urban life, so we suggest spending the first three days of your South Africa itinerary here. 

It’s one of Africa’s most beautiful, most romantic and most visited cities. Its physical setting is extraordinary, something its pre-colonial Khoi-khoi inhabitants acknowledged when they referred to Table Mountain, the city’s famous landmark, as Hoerikwaggo – the mountain in the sea.

Even more extraordinary is that so close to the national park that extends over much of the peninsula, a vibrant metropolis boasts nightlife to match the city’s wildlife. 

You can swim with penguins at Boulders Beach and see the continent’s southwestern tip at Cape Point, enjoy a lingering lunch on the chichi Atlantic seaboard and taste fine wines on a historic Constantia estate, before partying the night away in a Long Street club. 

How’s that for a thrilling start to this Western Cape South Africa trip itinerary?

Editor’s tip: to help you make the most of your time in the city, read up on the best time to visit Cape Town.

Next destination: the Winelands (approx. 1 hour)

The Winelands: 1 day

On day four of this South Africa itinerary, drive from Cape Town to the Winelands, focusing on Stellenbosch or Franschhoek for wine tasting and beautiful scenery. This drive is short, taking about 1 hour.

In essence, the Winelands are all about indulgence – eating, drinking and relaxing. Each of the Western Cape’s earliest European settlements — at Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Somerset West — has its own established wine route, packed with Dutch colonial heritage.

To top it all, the area has a disproportionate concentration of South Africa’s top restaurants.

Franschhoek is the smallest, most romantic and exclusive of all the towns: a center of culinary excellence, draped in a heavily cultivated Provençal character. 

In a region of impressive settings, it has the best – at the head of a narrow valley. This is where you aim for if you’re after a great lunch and a beautiful drive from Cape Town. 

The university town of Stellenbosch, by contrast, has some attractive historical streetscapes, a couple of decent museums and cafés, and plenty of shops to browse for artworks, clothes and high-end curios.

Next destination: Whale Coast (Hermanus), 1.5 hours

Whale Coast (Hermanus): 1 day

From the Winelands, this South Africa vacation itinerary will see you head southeast to the Whale Coast town of Hermanus, located 112km east of Cape Town. The drive takes around 1.5 hours.

Famous for seasonal whale watching, Hermanus sits at the northernmost end of Walker Bay, an inlet whose protective curve attracts calving whales as it slides south to the promontory of Danger Point.

From about July, southern right whales start appearing in the warmer sheltered bays of the Western Cape, and the town trumpets itself as the whale capital of South Africa. 

To prove it, an official whale crier (purportedly the only one in the world) struts around armed with a mobile phone and a dried kelp horn through which he yells the latest sightings. 

There’s even an annual whale festival during the last week in September, when the town puts on events ranging from ecology talks to classical music recitals.

There is still the barest trace of a once-quiet, cliff-edge fishing village around the historic harbour and in some understated seaside cottages, but for the most part the town has gorged itself on its whale-generated income, which means there’s plentiful accommodation.

Next destination: drive to Knysna or Plettenberg Bay along the Garden Route (4-5 hours) 

Knysna or Plettenberg Bay along the Garden Route: 2 days

Note that the Garden Route is often explored as a whole itinerary in itself, so you could consider devoting all your time to this. For example, many folks opt to follow a Garden Route road trip itinerary.

In this case, we suggest driving from Hermanus to Knysna and/or Plettenberg Bay along the Garden Route. This journey is longer, around 4–5 hours, passing through charming coastal towns. 

At the heart of the Garden Route, the town of Knysna (pronounced “nize-na”) is nestled between wooded hills and the sparkling Knysna lagoon, which means it offers good opportunities for adventure sports, along with a pleasant waterfront. 

The town wraps around the lagoon, with its oldest part – the center – on the northern side. Here, a small historic core of Georgian and Victorian buildings gives the town a distinctive character that is enhanced by coffee shops, craft galleries, street traders and a modest nightlife.”

You could continue on to Plettenberg Bay, a serene seaside harbor where you can spot dolphins and whales and relax on expansive sandy beaches.

Next destination: drive to Oudtshoorn, Little Karoo (2 hours)

Oudtshoorn, Little Karoo: 1 day

Next, this South Africa trip itinerary will see you drive from the Garden Route inland to Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo. This drive takes about 2 hours. 

Oudtshoorn 420km from Cape Town and an arid, mountainous 180km from Barrydale, styles itself as the ostrich capital of the world. 

Indeed, the town’s environs are crammed with ostrich farms, several of which you can visit.

You’ll see flocks of them on farms and along the roadsides all over the region, standing in the sun, or pecking at the ground. 

Most people stop in Oudtshoorn to visit the nearby Cango Caves, while the town’s main visual interest lies in its grand Victorian and Edwardian sandstone buildings.

If you want to see more than ostriches, note that Buffelsdrift Game Lodge — situated just out of town on the Cango Caves road — offers a rare opportunity to see elephants, cheetahs and lions in the Western Cape, albeit in semi-captive circumstances. 

Next destination: drive from Oudtshoorn to the Swartland (3-4 hours) 

Darling, the Swartland: 1 day

Swartland means “black country”, but while the rolling countryside takes on some attractive hues at different times of year, it’s never really black. 

The accepted theory is that, before the area was cultivated, the predominant vegetation was a grey-coloured bush called renosterbos (rhinoceros bush) which gave the area a complexion sufficiently dark to justify the name.

Bordered to the west by the less fertile coastal strandveld and to the east by the tall mountain range running from Wellington to the Cederberg, Swartland is known best as a wheat-growing area, although it also supports dairy farms, horse studs, tobacco crops and vineyards famous for earthy red wines. 

The small country town of Darling is famous for its rolling countryside, vineyards and dairy products, as well as displays of wild flowers in spring.

The town boasts some handsome old buildings and is something of an artists’ colony.

Next destination: drive from Darling to Cederberg, (1.5 hours)

Cederberg: 1 day

A bold and jagged outcrop of the Western Cape fold escarpment, the Cederberg range is one of the most magical wilderness areas in the Western Cape. 

Rising with a striking presence on the eastern side of the Olifants River Valley, around 250km north of Cape Town, these high sandstone mountains and long, dry valleys manage to combine accessibility with remote harshness, offering something for hikers, campers, naturalists and rock climbers.

The Cederberg Wilderness Area, flanking the N7 between Citrusdal and Clanwilliam, was created to protect the silt-free waters of the Cederberg catchment area, but it also provides a recreational sanctuary with over 250km of hiking trails. 

In a number of places, the red-hued sandstone has been weathered into gargoyle-like shapes and a number of memorable natural features. 

Throughout the area there are also numerous San rock-art sites, an active array of Cape mountain fauna — from baboon and small antelope to leopard, caracal and aardwolf.

After exploring, drive back to Cape Town (about 2.5 hours), completing the circuit.

Best of the East

Duration: 12 days 

A 12-day itinerary is ideal for a “Best of the East” circuit in South Africa.

Covering major highlights from Johannesburg to Durban, it’s a diverse South Africa itinerary that’s loaded iconic natural, cultural, and wildlife experiences along the way.

Place: Johannesburg (2 days)

This “Best of the East” South Africa itinerary starts in Johannesburg, the graffiti capital of South Africa. 

Back in October 1886, when gold was discovered, what is now Johannesburg was an expanse of sleepy, treeless veld. 

Now the economic engine of Africa, it’s the sprawling, infuriating, invigorating home to six million people, but never the country’s seat of government or national political power.

While its size can be daunting, not least for first-time visitors to Johannesburg, once you’ve found a convenient way of getting around — either by car, Gautrain trains and buses, or in the company of a tour guide — the history, diversity and crackling energy of the city can quickly become compelling.

During your two days, be sure to explore the city’s historic sites, like Soweto, Apartheid Museum, and Constitution Hill. 

Next destination: Kruger National Park (5-hour drive; or 1-hour flight)

Kruger National Park: 3 days

From Johannesburg, it’ll take around five hours to drive to Kruger National Park, or else take a one-hour flight to Skukuza or Nelspruit airport.

Kruger National Park is arguably the emblem of South African tourism — a destination that best delivers what most visitors to Africa want to see. Namely, scores of elephants, lions and a cast of thousands of other magnificent animals roaming the savanna. 

As such, we suggest devoting three days of this 12-day South Africa itinerary to a park that stretches across Limpopo Province and Mpumalanga, and hugs the Mozambique border.

Visiting Kruger invariably means choosing between self-driving (staying either in the park itself, or in one of the nearby towns), an organized safari tour, or staying on an exclusive reserve. 

To help you decide, read our first-timers guide to Kruger National Park and the best time to visit Kruger.

How you experience the park will also largely depend on your budget – the cost of accommodation is extremely wide-ranging. But, regardless of whether you’re roughing it on a backpacker tour, or in your own luxury riverside suite, your experience of Kruger is bound to be highly memorable.

Next destination: Eswatini, Swaziland (2.5–3 hours by road)

Eswatini (Swaziland): 1 day

From Kruger, enter Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) via the southern gate of Kruger (about 2.5–3 hours by road).

A tiny landlocked kingdom, Eswatini is surrounded on three sides by South Africa, with Mozambique providing its eastern border along the Lubombo Mountains. 

Although South Africa’s influence predominates, Eswatini was a British protectorate from 1903 until its full independence in 1968, and today the country offers an intriguing mix of colonial heritage and home-grown confidence, giving the place a friendlier, more relaxed feeling than its larger neighbour. 

Though Eswatini still feels a lot more commercialized than, say, Lesotho, its outstanding scenery, along with its commitment to wildlife conservation (Eswatini has six national parks) makes it well worth a visit. 

Eswatini is also something of a draw for backpackers, with an inexpensive network of minibus Kombi taxis covering all corners of the country, and some good backpacker lodges to boot. 

There are also plenty of adventure activities on offer – from mountain biking and horse-riding to white-water rafting and treetop canopy gliding. 

With a car and more time, you can explore some of the less trampled reserves, make overnight stops in unspoilt, out-of-the-way villages and — if you time your visit well — take in something of Eswatini’s well-preserved cultural traditions.

Next destination: drive to iSimangaliso Wetland Park (4-5 hours)

iSimangaliso Wetland Park: 1 day

On the next day of this east-focussed South Africa itinerary, drive south from Eswatini to iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s known for its biodiversity. It’ll take 4–5 hours by road.

The most striking feature of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park is the 360-square-kilometre Lake St Lucia — South Africa’s largest inland body of water, which formed 25,000 years ago when the oceans receded. Be sure to take a boat trip during your visit.

The lake is flanked by mountainous dunes covered by forest and grassland, whose peaks soar to an astonishing 200m above the beach to form a slender rampart against the Indian Ocean. 

Aside from the lake and dune ecosystems, the reserve protects a marine zone of warm tropical seas, coral reefs and endless sandy beaches. 

In addition, the north of the lake plays hosts to the papyrus and reed wetland of the Mkhuze swamp, with dry savanna and thornveld on the western shore.

The real prize of the area is Cape Vidal inside the wetland park, though limited accommodation may necessitate staying in St Lucia town.

Next destination: drive from St Lucia to KwaZulu-Natal game reserves (1 hour)

KwaZulu-Natal game reserves: 2 days

After iSimangaliso, it’s time to explore KwaZulu-Natal’s game reserves. 

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi (1 hour from St Lucia) is famous for rhino conservation, while Mkhuze, Ithala, and Phinda offer more diverse wildlife experiences — all are well worth visiting, which is why this itinerary suggests spending 2 days in the area.

Our tip is to visit the small Ithala Game Reserve. West of Maputaland and close to the Eswatini border, it’s little known, despite being one of the country’s most uncrowded and spectacularly scenic places to watch wildlife. 

Like the rest of the KwaZulu-Natal game reserves, Ithala is excellent for white rhino and there’s plenty of plains game, including zebra and giraffe. 

Of the predators, you could, if you’re very lucky, encounter brown hyena, cheetah and leopard. If want to see the Big Five, note there are no lions in Ithala, though the other four make periodic appearances. 

The best idea is to take a slow drive around the mountains into the valleys and along the watercourses. One of the most rewarding drives is along Ngubhu Loop, with a detour to Ngubhu picnic site.

if you only have 10 days in South Africa, rather than 12, you could spend just a day here, and also skip the next destination. Talking of which...

Next destination: drive to the Zulu heartland (2 hours)

Zulu heartland: 1 day

Unless you’re limited to a 10 day South Africa itinerary, next travel to the Zulu heartland around Ulundi and Nongoma (approximately 2 hours) to visit traditional homesteads and cultural sites.

Central Zululand – the Zulu heartland – radiates out from the modern town of Ulundi, some 30km west of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. 

At the height of its influence in the 1820s and 1830s, under King Shaka, the core of the Zulu state lay between the Black Mfolozi River in the north and the Tugela River in the south

Contained in a relatively small area to the west of the heartland is a series of nineteenth-century battlefield sites, where Zulus and Boers, then Zulus and the British, and finally Boers and Brits came to blows. 

Ulundi, the former capital of the KwaZulu Bantustan, lies at the centre of the eMakhosini Valley (Valley of the Kings), which holds a semi-mythical status among Zulu nationalists as the birthplace of the Zulu state and the area where several of its founding fathers lived and are now buried. 

Ulundi itself is home to the KwaZulu Cultural Museum, which houses the reconstruction of the royal residence of King Cetshwayo.

Next destination: drive to uKhahlamba-Drakensberg (3 hours)

uKhahlamba-Drakensberg: 1 day

Hugging the border with Lesotho, South Africa’s premier mountain wilderness is officially known as the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park. From the Zulu heartland, it’ll take around 3 hours to drive here. 

The tallest range in Southern Africa, the “Dragon Mountains” (or, in Zulu, the “barrier of spears”) reach their highest peaks along the border with Lesotho. 

For elating scenery — massive spires, rock buttresses, wide grasslands, glorious waterfalls, rivers, pools and fern-carpeted forests — the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg is unrivalled. 

Wild and unpopulated, it’s a paradise for hiking. One of the richest San rock-art repositories in the world, the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg is also a World Heritage Site, with 600+ recorded sites hidden all over the mountains featuring over 22,000 individual paintings by the original inhabitants of the area.

Visitors to the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg can stay either in the self-catering and camping options provided by KZN Wildlife, or in hotels or backpacker hostels outside the park (the most feasible option if you don’t have your own transport).

Next destination: drive to Durban (2 hours)

Durban: 1 day

End this South Africa itinerary with a 2-hour drive to Durban — South Africa’s third-largest city, and the continent’s largest port.

The subtropical vegetation, popular beachfront and cocktail of Zulu, Indian, South African and English cultures make it a compelling place to visit.

In fact, there are plenty of reasons your next trip should be to Durban.

Although the beachfront pulls thousands of Jo’burgers down to “Durbs” every year, the city’s main interest lies in its gritty urbanity, a seemingly endless struggle to reconcile competing cultures. 

There’s enough here to keep you busy for a while. The pulsing warren of bazaars, alleyways and mosques that makes up the Indian area around Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street is ripe for exploration, and Durban’s bustling harbour area is always photogenic. 

The Frontier

Duration: 10 days

Taking you from Nelson Mandela Bay, to the Wild Coast via the Great Karoo, this South Africa Itinerary is nothing but diverse.

Gqeberha: 2 days

Located at the western end of Nelson Mandela Bay, the 4000 thousand English settlers who made landfall here in 1820 christened it Port Elizabeth. 

Today known as Gqeberha, the city boasts some of the safest city beaches in the country, with those to the south offering great walks and trails. 

Just north of the central Market Square (look out its striking mid-Victorian buildings), you’ll find the dramatic Campanile Memorial — a tall bell tower built in 1920 to commemorate the centenary of the first British settlers.

A walk uphill from the Campanile takes you to the Donkin Reserve, an open space topped by a lighthouse and pyramid — a memorial to Elizabeth Donkin, the deceased wife of the colony’s acting governor, Sir Rufane Donkin, who named the settlement after her. 

The walk is also rich in anti-apartheid history, with information plaques relating to Nelson Mandela, and several sculptures. 

The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum is also well worth a visit.

Next destination: drive to Addo Elephant National Park in Big Game Country (1 hour) 

Addo Elephant National Park, Big Game Country: 1 day

Drive 1 hour from Gqeberha to Addo Elephant National Park — the only Big Five national park in the southern half of the country.

Home to all the Big Five, and now the third-largest national park in South Africa, Addo calls itself a “Big Seven Reserve” due to the fact that the Alexandra State Forest/Woody Cape section of the park (south of the elephant park, and reached via a separate entrance gate) has whales and great white sharks.

While elephants remain the park’s most obvious attraction, with the reintroduction of a small number of lions, as well as the presence of the rest of the Big Five – buffalo, black rhino and leopard – it has become a game reserve to be reckoned with. 

Spotted hyenas have also been introduced as part of a programme to re-establish predators in the local ecosystem. 

Other species to look out for include cheetah, hippo, eland, kudu, warthog, ostrich and red hartebeest.

Editor’s tip: stay at one of the nearby private reserves, especially if you want to be pampered. Lalibela Game Reserve is the most luxurious, while Amakhala Game Reserve has a fantastic, family-friendly vibe.

Next destination: drive to Graaff-Reinet (3 hours)

Graaff-Reinet: 1 day

From Addo, head to Graaff-Reinet in the Great Karoo, which will take around three hours by car. 

It’s a beautiful town, centred around the imposing 1886 Dutch Reformed Church on Church Street, with some excellent guesthouses and a few good restaurants. 

Totally surrounded by the mountainous, low-lying Camdeboo National Park, this eighteenth-century Cape-Dutch Karoo outpost is perfect for exploring on foot before heading to the park itself — its entrance is 5km north of the town center.

Camdeboo’s highlight is the strikingly deep Valley of Desolation, which you can gaze into by driving the narrow road from the reserve’s entrance and ascending the bush-flecked mountainside.

The views from the lip of the canyon, beyond the rocks and into the plains of Camdeboo, are truly thrilling. It’s especially exciting when black eagles circle the dolomite towers, scanning the crevices for prey.

Next destination: drive to Cradock (2 hours)

Cradock: 1 day

Drive 2 hours to Cradock, a charming frontier Karoo town that sits on the banks of the Great Fish River — the fractious nineteenth-century border between the English-governed Cape Colony and the traditional Xhosa chiefdoms.

As you enter town, you’ll Xhosa hawkers selling intricately crafted wire model windmills – the silvery windmills on the surrounding sheep farms having become the unofficial symbol of the town. 

Just 26km west of Cradock lies one of the most beautiful, but least known, of South Africa’s parks — Mountain Zebra National Park

Created in 1937, when there were only five Cape mountain zebras left on its 65 square kilometres, today, the park supports several hundred in the spectacular mountainous Karoo landscape.

Next destination: drive to Makhanda AKA Grahamstown (1.5 hours)

Makhanda (Grahamstown): 1 day

Continue south for 1.5 hours to Makhanda (Grahamstown). Known for its cultural and academic heritage, Makhanda is home to Rhodes University and the National Arts Festival.

Dominated by its cathedral, prestigious private boarding schools and one of South Africa’s best universities, Makhanda is pleasant to wander, with Georgian and Victorian buildings lining the streets, and pretty suburban gardens.

As elsewhere in South Africa, there are reminders of conquest and dispossession. Climb up Gunfire Hill, where the 1820 Settlers Monument celebrates the achievement of South Africa’s English-speaking immigrants, and you’ll see Makhanda’s (or Makana’s) kop. This is the hill from which the Xhosa made their last stand against British invaders in April 1819.

If you’ve time for only one museum, head for the Natural Science Museum, just south of the university entrance. 

The display of Eastern Cape fauna and flora from 250 million years ago is excellent, with intriguing plant fossils and the bones of dinosaurs that once roamed these parts.

Next destination: drive to Hogsback (1.5 hours) 

Hogsback: 1 day

Next up in this South Africa itinerary is a 1.5-hour drive to Hogsback — a name that comes from the high rocky ridge (actually three peaks) resembling a bushpig’s spine, which runs above the settlement.

Known for its lush scenery, waterfalls, and hiking trails, Hogsback is place of mists, pine plantations, and occasional snowfall.

The real attraction around these parts is the Afro-montane cloud forest, dense with trees, filled with bird calls and waterfalls, and populated by the odd troop of samango monkeys, colourful Knysna turacos and endangered Cape parrots.

While here, spend the day exploring the forest, waterfalls, and local art shops, and stay overnight in a charming forest cabin

Editor’s tip: Hogsback can be wet and cold, even in summer, so bring a warm pullover, sturdy shoes and rain gear.

Next destination: drive to Qunu, Madiba Country (3.5 hours)

Qunu, Madiba Country: 1 day

Drive 3.5 hours to Qunu, the heart of Madiba Country, where Nelson Mandela grew up. 

Signs from the N2 direct you to the Nelson Mandela Youth and Heritage Centre. 

Here you can look around the craft centre, and arrange a free guide to accompany you in your car to visit the remains of Mandela’s primary school and the rock he used to slide down with friends. 

Mandela’s grave can be seen in the distance, but it’s situated on private land and currently inaccessible, though there are plans to create a visitor site.

Next destination: drive to the Wild Coast (2-3 hours)

Wild Coast: 2 days

From Qunu, drive 2–3 hours to the Wild Coast.

Here you can spend the last two days of this South African vacation itinerary enjoying the rugged coastline.

This region is certainly aptly named — it’s one of South Africa’s most unspoilt areas, a vast stretch of undulating hills, lush forest and spectacular beaches skirting a section of the Indian Ocean.

Its undeveloped sandy beaches stretch for hundreds of kilometres, punctuated by rivers and several wonderful, reasonably priced hotels geared to family holidays, and brilliant backpacker lodges. 

The Wild Coast region’s inhabitants are predominantly Xhosa, and those in rural areas live mostly in traditional rondavels dotting the landscape for as far as the eye can see.

For insights into Xhosa culture, visit places like Mdumbi Backpackers or Buccaneers Lodge.

Safari Highlights Itinerary

Duration: 14 days

A 14-day South Africa safari itinerary can cover a range of top national parks and reserves, including doing a deep dive into Kruger National Park, and exploring Kariega Game Reserve on the Eastern Cape.

Here’s a day-by-day breakdown for an unforgettable safari experience that will also be enhanced by reading up on how to safari safely. 

Editor’s tip: get The Rough Guide to the Game Parks of South Africa for in-depth information. 

Kruger National Park: 5 days

Kruger National Park, stretching for 414km along the border with Mozambique, remains South Africa’s biggest wildlife draw. 

How you experience the park – or Greater Kruger – depends to a large extent on what you can afford.

At the top end, expect exclusivity and a greater sense of the wilderness, while those on a tight budget may want to consider either a self-drive visit or an organized tour.

Whatever you choose, don’t get too obsessed with seeing the Big Five — wildlife-viewing always involves an element of luck, and the very experience of being in Kruger is undeniably exciting in itself. 

Large carnivores such as spotted hyenas, cheetahs and African wild dogs, are well represented, as are impala, zebra and wildebeest. 

Keep your eyes open and you’ll also see a variety of reptiles, amphibians and insects.

Editor’s tip: wise up on the best time to visit Kruger National Park, depending on what you most want to see.

Next destination: drive from Kruger to Golden Gate Highlands National Park (5-6 hours)

Golden Gate Highlands National Park: 1 day

Located in South Africa’s Free State province, Golden Gate Highlands National Park is known for its dramatic sandstone cliffs, especially the golden-hued formations that give the park its name. 

The landscapes are breath-taking, with rolling grasslands, towering mountains, and iconic rock formations like Brandwag Buttress, which glows at sunrise and sunset. 

Situated in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains, the park offers unique, high-altitude scenery unlike any other South African reserve.

As for its wildlife, expect to see black wildebeest, eland, blesbok and burchell's zebra during your 1-day safari, while birdwatchers will be able to sight species like the bearded vulture and Cape vulture soaring above the cliffs. 

Next destination: drive from Golden Gate to Royal Natal National Park (around 2 hours).

Royal Natal National Park, Drakensberg Mountains: 2 days

A 2-day safari in Royal Natal National Park — located in the Drakensberg Mountains offers a unique experience focused on breath-taking landscapes, hiking, and wildlife. 

Unlike traditional safaris, Royal Natal is known for its towering cliffs, including the iconic Amphitheatre, a 5-kilometer-long rock wall that dominates the skyline.

Spend your first day here hiking to Tugela Gorge for stunning views of Tugela Falls, one of the world’s highest waterfalls. 

Along the trail, you might spot eland, baboons, and numerous bird species like the Cape vulture. 

Come day two, explore the park’s shorter trails — such as the Otter Trail and Gudu Falls — for scenic views, rock pools, rare flora, and endemic bird species. 

Next destination: drive from Drakensberg to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi (5 hours)

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi: 2 days

One of South Africa’s oldest and most renowned game reserves, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park is especially famous for its successful rhino conservation efforts

On your first day, we suggest going for an early morning game drive to spot white and black rhinos, elephants and buffalo in the iMfolozi section of the park. Its rolling hills and savannah landscapes also provide excellent opportunities to see lions and cheetahs.

In the afternoon, explore riverside areas, where hippos and crocodiles are often spotted.hc

On your second day here, head to the lush landscapes and dense bushveld of the park’s Hluhluwe section. 

You could take a guided walking safari to learn about smaller flora and fauna, or embark on a self-drive route through scenic valleys and viewpoints, such as Hilltop Camp.

Either way, end your day with a sunset drive for a chance to see nocturnal wildlife like leopards if you get lucky.

Next destination: drive 1 hour from Hluhluwe to St Lucia, gateway to iSimangaliso.

iSimangaliso Wetland Park: 2 days

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of iSimangaliso Wetland Park is celebrated for its remarkable biodiversity and range of landscapes.

While Lake St Lucia is South Africa’s largest inland body of water, this is also a place of mountainous dunes covered by forest and grassland, and wetland areas that play host to thousands of birds. 

It’s well worth going on a lake cruise during one of your days here — you’ll stand an excellent chance of seeing crocodiles and hippos, as well as pelicans, fish eagles, kingfishers and storks. 

In addition, knowledgeable Zulu guides host two- to three-hour cycle tours through the southern part of the estuary, taking you along the beach and around town.

Next destination: Addo Elephant National Park — fly from Durban (2.5-hour drive from iSimangaliso) to Port Elizabeth, then drive 1 hour to Addo.

Addo Elephant National Park: 1 day

As mentioned earlier, Addo is the third-largest national park in South Africa, and likes to call itself a “Big Seven Reserve” as a result of visitors being able to see whales and great white sharks here, in addition to the standard Big Five. 

While its 600 resident elephants remain the most obvious attraction, Addo is also home to a small number of lions, plus buffalo, black rhino, leopard, spotted hyena, cheetah, hippo, eland, kudu, warthog, ostrich and red hartebeest.

As the Addo bush is thick, dry and prickly, it’s sometimes hard to spot the wildlife, so it’s best to book a guided game drive with a knowledgeable national park driver.

Guided sundowner game drives — including drinks and snacks — and night game drives are available, and offer the best chance of seeing nocturnal creatures, 

Next destination: drive from Addo to Kariega Game Reserve (around 1.5 hours)

Kariega Game Reserve, Eastern Cape: 1 day

Located in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, a 90-minute drive from Port Elizabeth, the private Kariega Game Reserve covers 10,000 hectares of riverine forests, rolling hills, open grasslands and bushveld.

Start your day with a morning game drive to search for the Big Five, plus 280+ bird species, including fish eagles and kingfishers along the Bushman’s and Kariega Rivers.

After lunch at the lodge, take a boat cruise along the Kariega River for scenic views and a unique perspective on wildlife, before finishing the day — and this South Africa safari itinerary — with a sunset game drive.

Ahead of planning your own South Africa itinerary, read our South Africa travel tips.

It's also worth bearing in mind that whether you have 7 day in South Africa available, or are looking to spend 10 days in South Africa, 14 days in South Africa — or longer — our local experts can curate your perfect trip, and free you up from the hassle of planning.