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  • Cheetah, South Africa

South Africa Safari Inspiration

Why South Africa holidays and safaris are truly unique

The sheer size of South Africa alone means the habitat varies from thick coastal forests to dry sandy deserts and everything in between. Although at the very tip of the continent it still shares international borders with six African countries and is nestled between both Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

South Africa’s charms are certainly magnetic and have been so for thousands of years, encompassing historic battlegrounds, cosmopolitan cities and iconic scenery, which makes it one of the world’s most beguiling and popular destinations for exploration.

Charming cities, amazing wildlife, stunning wine and luxury accommodation. South Africa is fantastic for nature lovers, family safaris and honeymooners.

Cape Town and Table Mountain, South Africa

South Africa Highlights

Cape Town and Table Mountains: Explore one of the world’s most enigmatic cities; expect stunning scenery, wonderful restaurants and overwhelming hospitality.

Night Drives: Meet the rarer, nocturnal wildlife species on a night-time adventure.

Walking Safaris: A great way to get up close with the wildlife of Africa.

Lots of Wildlife: Kruger National Park has more wildlife species than anywhere in Africa, and the park itself is about the size of Wales.

Wine and Food: Drink some of the best wines alongside delectable cuisine in the winelands on longest wine route in the world, approximately 1,000km.

Drakensberg, South Africa

Why we like South Africa

Magical accommodation: Throughout South Africa you will find some of the most wonderful safari and city accommodation.

Amazing wildlife: South Africa’s national parks are home to the big cats, the big five, and some of Africa’s most impressive predators.

A fantastic family destination: With malaria free zones, perfectly adapted accommodation, and a great mix of culture and wildlife, South Africa is one of our favourite family safari destinations.

  • Our destination team were extraordinary, and I had a great experience with good communication, prompt responses and a very well organised booking process. This trip was a 10/10 and I don't know how to put into words the amazing experience we had in Africa. I spent my entire adult life dreaming of going to Africa and had feared that I had hyped it up so much in my head that the reality could be a disappointment. However, Africa and my experiences there DID NOT disappoint! This trip exceeded all of my expectations and it was a dream come true. The customer service was the best I've ever seen!
    5 out of 5
  • Every time I travel with NWS my trip goes without a hitch. The lodges were perfect, the animal sightings were perfect, and the trip was top-notch. I love everything about this trip and cannot wait to travel with NWS again. The specialists are incredibly knowledgeable and create an itinerary based on your likes and wants. I love the fact that I can trust their selection of parks/lodges and know that my trip will run smoothly.
    5 out of 5
  • I think the team did a great job in finding some great lodges and creating a fun itinerary!
    4 out of 5
  • The entire trip was excellent and way surpassed all our expectations. We would highly recommend NWS without hesitation - the service wasimpeccable!
    5 out of 5
  • This lived up to our anticipation of the trip of a lifetime. The guide (Tuelo), Tracker (KB) and all of the staff at Splash were exceptional. Incredible experience. Our destination specialist was very helpful, professional, patient and responsive!
    5 out of 5
  • Have done several with NWS and it provides what I expect. Already booked on the the next one!
    4 out of 5
  • We received excellent service from Ellen who was attentive to our questions and throughout all of the Covid changes. The trip was beyond our dreams, both camps were so perfect and the staff were amazing! We felt assured that we were taken care of and that our money was well spent.
    5 out of 5
  • This is my third trip with NWS and they never fail to get every detail absolutely perfect! We were so pleased with our lodges and guides. We were also impressed to see how seriously everyone in South Africa takes safety in the time of Covid -- from the daily temperature checks at the lodges to the transfer drivers who were always fully masked up without having to be asked or prompted. Though we are both vaccinated, Rob and I still had concerns about the delta variant. We felt very safe and confident that our Covid risk remained quite low during the whole trip thanks to the attention to detail that everyone showed along the way.
    5 out of 5
  • We want to thank you so much for providing us a trip of a lifetime. All of the arrangements were exactly what he asked for and provided more than we had ever dreamed! We appreciated the level of attention by the agents providing us exactly what we had asked for. We loved our accommodations and the guides throughout. It was just perfect!
    4 out of 5
  • We had very high expectations, and everything about the trip exceeded them! We would travel again with NWS because of the quality of the Destination Specialists and ability to arrange exactly what we want, the care with which the trips are put together and function in the field and the NWS App, which is really handy.
    5 out of 5
  • It wouldn’t be crazy to say that this is one of the best photo opportunities in the world (and in luxury accommodations and hides to boot).
    4 out of 5
  • Everything was well organised, and even in a problem situation things were solved immediately. Oliver knew exactly what we wanted and made the safari experience happen even better than we knew it could! In particular, Idube lodge was even better than we ever imagined it to be. We saw so many animals, while our amazing ranger and tracker taught us about life on safari. The food was amazing – some of the best we've ever had! We fully loved our time there and the staff were super helpful and lovely. Would 100% recommend.
    5 out of 5
  • We had a wonderful time - the Welgevonden is just a magical place, the undisputed highlight of our 19 days in South Africa, and our lodge was perfect for us too. I am SO emotional when it comes to animals that I am still welling up daily as I think of them all - their incredible markings, textures on skin, coats, eyes and lashes and those ever so slightly discernible noises, e.g. a baby rhino asking for mother’s milk and her obliging. Chris and I will remember our special time in the Welgevonden for many years to come. Thank you for all your help in making it all happen.
    5 out of 5
  • We couldn’t have had a better Destination Specialist than Arabella. She put together the trip I was looking for, did not overpromise anything and was very honest! Her suggestions were on point! Thank you! Furthermore, she was always available and dealt with any request very quickly!
    5 out of 5
  • Very good and well-planned itinerary. I had a great time in St Helena and my guides, Anthony and Maria, were great. I enjoyed all my trips around the island and had good interactions with the whale sharks. As for South Africa, I have never seen so many leopards on one trip before! I didn't see a chameleon unfortunately but the leopard overdose made up for that!
    5 out of 5
  • Incredible. Don't think we could have done anything to make it better. Oliver's attention to detail was very good and every day we had a new highlight. From our helicopter ride over Victoria Falls and the animal reserve, to our amazing safari camps in Botswana where all our needs were taken care of and we saw every animal possible in those areas, to our winery tours and museums in Cape Town. I've been asked how we will top this trip and I can honestly say I don't know how.
    5 out of 5
  • Our trip to S. Africa was amazing. Carina our agent did a fantastic job. Everything ran perfectly. We would definitely recommend NWS to our friends and would not hesitate to use NWS to plan another trip for us.
    5 out of 5
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SAFARI in south Africa WITH EASE

Safari holidays in South Africa are usually concentrated in private game reserves around the Kruger National Park. These elegant and luxurious lodges offer first class game viewing and with regular ‘Big Five’ sightings you are likely to be on the edge of your seat with awe-inspiring wildlife experiences.  Great infrastructure, regular air connections, superb accommodation, malaria-free zones and a focus on service quality make South Africa perfect for family safaris, as well as a fantastic honeymoon destination.

For further information on when's the best time to go to South Africa, what currency to take to South Africa, is it safe to drink the tap water, contact our Southern Africa specialist who can help you design your perfect safari.

South Africa is essentially very easy to travel, making it a great choice for those looking for some family time, or even a romantic getaway.

Hannah South Africa Lions

Diverse South Africa

Due to its scenic and cultural diversity, plus some of the best wildlife viewing anywhere in Africa, South Africa has something to offer every type of visitor. Be it wildlife viewing, wine tasting, beach relaxation or cultural interaction, there is something to please all tastes. If your main aim is to swim with penguins on Boulders Beach or walk with lions in the Kruger National Park, we can put you in the right place at the right time to maximise your enjoyment of your South Africa holiday 

You will also experience one of the friendliest and most welcoming nations in Africa and are bound to be greeted with broad smiles everywhere you go.  Generally the weather on the east coast is tropical with hot summers and mild winters with most of the rain falling between October and March. Cape Town, with its enticing mix of modern vibrancy and fascinating history, is almost opposite to this with warm dry summers and cold wet winters, and the areas around the Kruger National Park are generally the same as Durban with less humidity in the air. 

With 11 official languages, South Africa is rich in culture, supporting several tribes including the mighty Zulus of the East Coast.

South Africa Family Safari, Tswalu

GREAT FOR FAMILIES

South Africa provides an excellent experience for families, from learning bush skills to more adrenaline pumping activities; we’ve outlined some of our favourite family activities below:

  • Visit the ostrich farms on the garden route.
  • Head to De Zeekoe to meet the meerkats.
  • Explore Addo Elephant Park via a self-drive safari or enjoy the hiking trails.
  • Venture through private nature reserves and meet the elephants at Knysna.
  • We can arrange family safaris including accommodation with safari kids clubs so they can learn bush survival techniques, track animals and take part in conservation projects.
  • Enjoy Boulders Beach in Cape Town, home to about 3,000 penguins on their own sandy beach.

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Why book with us

We are destination specialists

Our team of specialists have extensive on-the-ground knowledge and have all lived, guided or explored in great detail the destinations that they sell. They will design your journey around you, at the right place at the right time.

We are wildlife specialists

As a leading specialist operator we have excellent partnerships with naturalists and conservationists. We know our wildlife and do what we can to preserve its natural habitat.

We really care about our destinations

At Natural World Safaris we frequently monitor the social, economic and environmental impact of our travel operations to ensure we are at the forefront of a sustainable and ethical tourism industry. 

Cheetah, South Africa

Your Next Steps

View our South Africa safaris, or talk to one of our specialists for more details on travelling to South Africa. Please note we recommend a budget of from £7,000 / $10,000 USD per person for our style of trip to this destination.