South Africa is home to some of the world’s most spectacular safari destinations, offering unforgettable wildlife experiences in diverse landscapes. From the vast plains of Kruger National Park to the exclusive reserves of Sabi Sands, the malaria-free game lodges of the Eastern Cape, and the biodiverse wetlands of KwaZulu-Natal, each region presents a unique safari adventure. Whether you seek close-up encounters with the Big Five, off-road game drives in private reserves, or the opportunity to explore conservation-focused lodges, South Africa caters safaris to every type of traveller.
South Africa is a diverse safari destination, offering multiple regions to explore, each with its own unique appeal. The country’s varied landscapes support a rich array of wildlife, ensuring incredible sightings across different ecosystems.
This guide explores South Africa’s’s top safari destinations, highlighting their wildlife, landscapes, and accessibility, ensuring you find the perfect safari experience to suit your travel style.
1. Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park, spanning nearly 2 million hectares in northeastern South Africa, boasts the country’s highest density of Big Five wildlife—lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo. Home to around 147 mammal species and over 500 bird species, the park also hosts hippos, giraffes, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, and various antelope and cat species. Its vast landscapes include rivers and waterholes that attract abundant wildlife year-round.
The private game reserves within Greater Kruger offer exclusive safaris, featuring off-road game drives, night drives, and guided bush walks led by expert rangers and trackers. Unlike the public sector, these reserves allow vehicles to follow wildlife closely, providing exceptional sightings. Strict traverse rules ensure an intimate experience, with a maximum of two vehicles per sighting. Guests can choose from a range of luxury lodges, from family-friendly retreats to ultra-exclusive adult-only escapes.
As a premier year-round safari destination, Kruger’s private reserves promise world-class accommodations, exceptional service, and thrilling Big Five encounters. Whether exploring on a sunrise drive, tracking nocturnal predators at night, or enjoying a bush walk, visitors can expect a truly immersive African safari experience in one of the world’s top wildlife destinations.
Location
Kruger National Park is located in northeastern South Africa, spanning the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. It stretches nearly 360 km from north to south along the border with Mozambique and approximately 65 km from west to east.
Getting There
The best way to reach Kruger National Park is by flying into one of its three airports. Flights take 60 minutes from Johannesburg and 2.5 hours from Cape Town. Private charters are available to select reserves from the Kruger airports.
Road transfers from the airports take 30 to 120 minutes. Alternatively, travellers can drive from Johannesburg in 5 to 7 hours via the N12 and N4 highways.
Useful Information
If you are planning a luxury safari in the Kruger, we recommend reading these articles to find out when to go and where to stay.
2. Sabi Sands Game Reserve
Sabi Sands Game Reserve, spanning 65,000 hectares in northeastern South Africa, shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park, allowing wildlife to roam freely. As one of the world’s premier safari destinations, it offers exclusive access to private reserves, ensuring intimate and uncrowded safari experiences. Guests can enjoy off-road game drives, night drives, guided bush walks, and outdoor dining, which are not permitted in Kruger. The reserve is renowned for its exceptional leopard sightings and high density of Big Five wildlife, with expert rangers and Shangaan trackers providing world-class guided safaris.
Due to its unfenced border with Kruger National Park, wildlife roams freely between the two reserves, resulting in one of the highest Big Five population densities in South Africa. Other notable species include hippos, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, warthogs, and various antelope and cat species. Together, Sabi Sands and Kruger support approximately 147 mammal species and over 500 bird species, making the region a top destination for wildlife enthusiasts.
Sabi Sands is known for its award-winning luxury accommodations, featuring world-class service, fine dining, and top-tier facilities. Exclusive lodges cater to a variety of travellers, from intimate adults-only retreats to family-friendly options with specialised activities for children. Whether overlooking the Sabie and Sands rivers or nestled deep in the wilderness, Sabi Sands guarantees a premier safari experience in South Africa’s most exclusive private game reserve.
Location
Sabi Sands is in northeastern South Africa’s Mpumalanga province, bordering Kruger National Park. Part of the Greater Kruger, it lies west of Kruger near Hazyview and Hoedspruit, within a larger transboundary ecosystem extending toward Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Getting There
The best way to reach Sabi Sands is by flying into Skukuza Airport, followed by a 1- to 3-hour road transfer. Scheduled charter flights operate twice daily to private airstrips, which are better suited for remote locations. Flight times are 60 minutes from Johannesburg and 2 hours 30 minutes from Cape Town. Alternatively, the reserve is a 5- to 7-hour drive from Johannesburg via the N12 and N4 highways.
Useful Information
If you are planning a family safari in the Sabi Sands, we recommend reading these articles to find out when to go and where else to stay.
- Best time to go on Safari to the Sabi Sands
- View all Sabi Sands lodges
- View all Sabi Sands holiday packages
3. Madikwe Game Reserve
Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa’s fifth-largest game reserve, spans over 750 km² in the North West Province, near the Botswana border. This malaria-free reserve is a unique transition zone between Kalahari thornveld and Lowveld bushveld, creating a diverse ecosystem with a mix of arid and savanna vegetation. The landscape features volcanic inselbergs, open grasslands, woodlands, and riverine habitats, attracting a wide variety of wildlife and birdlife.
Madikwe is home to the Big Five, as well as endangered wild dogs, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, and over 66 large mammal species. The reserve also boasts more than 350 bird species, making it a prime destination for birdwatching. Unlike national parks, Madikwe is a private game reserve, restricting access to lodge guests only, ensuring exclusive and uncrowded safari experiences.
Visitors can enjoy off-road game drives, night safaris, and guided bush walks led by expert rangers, offering exceptional wildlife encounters. The reserve also has a strong commitment to conservation and community upliftment, supporting local education and environmental sustainability initiatives. With luxury safari lodges, family-friendly accommodations, and private villas, Madikwe provides a world-class, malaria-free safari experience year-round.
Location
Madikwe Game Reserve is in South Africa’s North West Province, bordering Botswana. It lies within a transition zone between the Kalahari Desert and Lowveld bushveld and is located about 90 km north of Zeerust, 40 km south of Gaborone, and 350 km from Johannesburg.
Getting There
Madikwe Game Reserve is served by two airstrips: Madikwe East Airstrip and Madikwe West Airstrip, with two daily flights from Johannesburg (60-minute flight). Road transfers from the airstrips take 15–30 minutes, while driving from Johannesburg takes approximately 4–4.5 hours.
For visitors entering from Botswana, the Derdepoort Border Post near Gaborone provides direct access to Madikwe’s eastern side.
Useful Information
If you are planning a safari at Madikwe Game Reserve, we recommend reading these articles to find out when to go and where to stay.
4. Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape, located at the end of South Africa’s Garden Route, is a premier malaria-free safari destination known for its diverse landscapes and thriving wildlife. The region is home to the Big Five, with one of the world’s densest African elephant populations, along with cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and over 400 bird species. While leopard sightings are rare, visitors can expect incredible close-up encounters with elephants and other wildlife.
Game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, guided bush walks, and night safaris provide immersive wildlife experiences. Unlike Kruger National Park, the Eastern Cape’s fenced reserves maintain controlled ecosystems, ensuring reliable game viewing. The reserves are also deeply committed to conservation, with many lodges actively involved in protecting endangered species like rhinos.
With a variety of luxury lodges, family-friendly accommodations, and adventure-driven experiences, the Eastern Cape caters to all types of travelers. Its accessibility from Port Elizabeth Airport and proximity to the Garden Route make it a convenient safari option. Beyond wildlife, visitors can explore 800 km of pristine coastline, stunning rivers, and lush mountain landscapes, offering a perfect blend of beach and bush experiences.
Location
Situated on South Africa’s east coast at the top end of the Garden Route, the Eastern Cape’s game reserves are located inland from Port Elizabeth, extending towards Grahamstown and the Great Fish River.
Getting There
The closest commercial airport to the Eastern Cape reserves is Port Elizabeth (PLZ), with flight times of 1 hour 10 minutes from Cape Town and 1 hour 35 minutes from Johannesburg. The reserves are a 1–2 hour drive from the airport.
Useful Information
If you are planning a safari in the Eastern Cape, we recommend reading these articles to find out when to go and where to stay.
- Best time to go on Safari to the Eastern Cape
- View all Eastern Cape lodges
- View all Eastern Cape holiday packages
5. KwaZulu Natal
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), on South Africa’s east coast, is a top safari destination known for its diverse landscapes and abundant wildlife. Home to nearly 100 protected reserves, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites—the Drakensberg Mountains and iSimangaliso Wetland Park—the region offers everything from savannahs and bushveld to beaches, wetlands, and alpine highlands. This variety creates unique ecosystems that support an impressive range of fauna and flora, making it one of the most biodiverse areas in the country.
The province is home to the Big Five, along with black rhinos, cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, and over 400 bird species. Game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, guided by expert rangers, take place twice daily, featuring scenic coffee stops in the morning and sundowners in the evening. Walking safaris and birdwatching provide a closer look at the region’s natural wonders, while private reserves emphasize conservation and community engagement, particularly in rhino protection efforts.
Beyond safaris, KZN offers world-class scuba diving along the northern coast, particularly at Sodwana Bay, a premier diving destination known for its coral reefs and marine biodiversity. Visitors can also explore St Lucia’s waterways by boat or kayak, embark on guided hikes through the dramatic Drakensberg mountains, or immerse themselves in Zulu culture through interactive village experiences. With its commitment to conservation, rich heritage, and wide range of activities, KwaZulu-Natal provides an unforgettable safari adventure that blends wildlife, culture, and outdoor exploration.
Location
KwaZulu-Natal lies on South Africa’s warm east coast, stretching from the Drakensberg Mountains in the west to the Indian Ocean in the east. The province’s game reserves are mainly located in the northern regions, particularly in Zululand and the Maputaland area, near the borders of Eswatini and Mozambique.
Getting There
The nearest commercial airports are Durban (DUR) and Richards Bay (RCB). Flights from Cape Town to Durban take 2 hours, while flights from Johannesburg to either Durban or Richards Bay take 70 minutes. The reserves are a 2–4 hour drive from Durban and 1–2 hours from Richards Bay.
Useful Information
If you are planning a safari in KwaZulu Natal, we recommend reading these articles to find out when to go and where to stay.
As you leave the wild behind, the memories of close wildlife encounters, golden sunsets, and the sounds of the African bush will stay with you forever, calling you back for another adventure.
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