South Africa Vacation

The Kruger National Park takes center stage as South Africa’s most famous and best-loved wildlife destination. With animals in the hundreds of thousands, from the Big Five to over 600 bird species, reptiles and even fish, a Kruger safari should be on everybody’s travel bucket list.

There’s something for every kind of traveler on a Kruger safari, whether it’s your first time or you’re a return visitor. Choose from luxury tented camps in private concessions or stylish safari lodges in adjacent reserves. In the park itself, the popular southern region is famous for its large rhino and lion populations. Central Kruger is the most game-rich area, abundant in plains game like giraffe and wildebeest. Naturally, these bring with them a healthy predator population. To the south, the Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve shares a fence-free border with the Kruger. This park is famous for its variety of luxury lodge-style safari accommodation. The Timbavati Private Game Reserve is also known for it’s excellent accommodation and game-viewing, including that of the rare white lion, while Kapama Private Game Reserve offers an immersive all-included safari, with a focus on wildlife and wellness.

With a year-round sunny climate, you can enjoy a Kruger safari any time of the year. Popular activities include guided game drives and bush walks. No matter how you choose to experience the Kruger, it’s a destination you’ll want to return to again and again.

Some of the nearby private reserves are also worth visiting. Klaserie Private Nature Reserve is part of the Greater Kruger Concession area, sharing an unfenced border with the Kruger National Park. There are over 20 lodges within Klaserie, including the Simbavati camps, Tuskers Safari Camp, and the Bateleurs Nest Camp, among others. The Klaserie Private Nature Reserve was founded with a mission to safeguard and sustain the final bastion of unspoiled wilderness in Southern Africa.

Spanning around 7,000,000 acres or 23,000 km² along the Olifants River in the Kruger, is Balule Game Reserve, conveniently located just an hour’s drive from two main entrances to the Kruger National Park. Nestled in the mixed woodland eco-zone, a prominent area within the lowveld, it boasts the highest diversity of fauna and flora. Balule’s odges range from luxury all-inclusive to family-friendly, affordable, and tented camps.

Best Time to Visit Kruger National Park:

Summer and winter offer different Kruger safari experiences. The dry winter season between May and October is best for game-viewing. November through February, known as the “Green Season,” is the hottest and wettest time of the year. As a result, this is the best time to visit the Kruger for bird watching. However, the humid summer climate doesn’t suit everyone. 

Travelers the world over consistently vote Cape Town as one of the globe’s top travel destinations, and with good reason. South Africa’s Mother City is a hotspot of culture, color, cuisine, and wine. And all of this set at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain.

Cape Town’s abundant offerings are encircled by some of the most breathtaking scenery you could imagine. Here, fynbos-covered mountains meet not one, but two oceans in a clash of dramatic beauty while the sun-ripened Constantia vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see. In the city itself, cafes and trendy eateries line the streets between boutiques, curio shops, and galleries.

Then there are the beaches. Along the Atlantic Seaboard, powder-white shores attract sun worshippers and people-watchers in droves, while the warmer Indian Ocean waters of False Bay are the preferred choice for families, surfers and swimmers, who love to grab a coffee in trendy Kalk Bay after their excursions. Heading further afield up the West Coast, travellers can enjoy white-sand beaches, great surf spots and fresh seafood.

Naturally, Table Mountain takes center stage, flanked by Lion’s Head and Devil’s Peak. You can’t come to Cape Town without visiting the summit of this flat-topped icon, whether by cable car or following one of the many hiking trails. Cape Town also has its very own wine route – the Constantia Wine Route in the heart of the city. The oldest wine farm on this wine route, Groot Constantia, was built in 1685.

Best Time to Visit Cape Town:

The Western Cape enjoys a Mediterranean climate. Most visitors vacation in Cape Town during the warm and dry summer months, with December to April a particularly busy season for travel. Winter, especially during July and August, is partial to being cold and wet. However, there are still plenty of activities to do in Cape Town during these cooler months.

Sprawled between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, the Garden Route in South Africa is a holiday paradise. Here, you can explore ancient forests, secluded beaches, hidden wine estates, and unique wildlife sanctuaries. It’s also one of the world’s greatest road trips, following 200 kilometres of winding tarmac from one picturesque town to the next.

Things to do in the Garden Route are varied. From bungee-jumping in Plettenberg Bay to treetop canopy tours in Tsitsikamma and lagoon cruises in the Featherbed Nature Reserve. Most visitors base themselves in Knysna, a foodie destination which languishes on a scenic lagoon. Plettenberg Bay, which is famous for its beaches, is another ideal base from which to launch your explorations.

The nearby town of Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo is also worth visiting. While not officially part of the Garden Route, this quirky town is where to go to see incredible caves and geological formations plus some of the world’s biggest ostrich farms.

Best Time to Visit the Garden Route:

Garden Route holidays are rewarding any time of the year. Temperatures peak in the summer between November and April, but as this is a coastal climate, it can rain at any time, especially during June and July.

On departing Cape Town and heading just 40 minutes into the Cape Winelands, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that you’ve arrived in the scenic Bordeaux region of France. Vineyards stretch in all directions, the leaves either a crisp green or red tinged with yellow (depending on the season); and purple-tinged mountains frame the valleys.

But the Cape Winelands are distinctly South African. Century-old Cape Dutch manor houses form part of many the estates, each bringing with them a heritage stretching back to the early 1600s when settlers first arrived in the Cape, plus unique experiences (wine-tasting cycling expeditions and leisurely tram tours anyone?) add to the ambience.

The Winelands are pegged by three main towns… Stellenbosch, famously a university-town and filled with pretty oak-lined avenues. Paarl, situated under the Paarl Rock mountain and well known for its robust, hearty red wines. And Franschhoek, the upmarket Huguenot village dotted with gorgeous vineyards, food and wine-tasting opportunities and a town square.

The Cape Winelands are filled to the brim with internationally award-winning estates and wines. They are also well known for their excellent restaurants, spas, markets and gardens. Come and visit! If you’re based exclusively in Cape Town, be sure to visit the Constantia Winelands for delectable wine tasting and fine dining.

Best Time to Visit the Cape Winelands:

The Cape Winelands are worth a visit all year round. While the look of the vines may differ (green leaves in the height of summer, and red and yellow-tinged ones at the turn of the season), the wine-tasting, cuisine and spa treatments remain incredible. December through February is particularly hot though and can reach temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius.

A trip to KwaZulu Natal, South Africa offers an eclectic mix of vacation experiences. From a sun kissed beach holiday to a family game safari or a chalet stay in front of the fire in the mountains; you can literally experience it all in the space of a week. So, if variety is the spice of your life, KwaZulu Natal is the perfect holiday destination for you. 

Amongst the many places to visit in KwaZulu, Natal, Durban’s’ beachfront, (or the Golden Mile as it is colloquially known), is probably the biggest draw card for holiday vacations. However, depending on your tastes, you can book beach accommodation at any number of quieter seaside towns like Southbroom or Pennington to the South or the trendier towns of uMhlanga and Ballito on the North Coast. Continuing even further North past the sugar cane plantations, you can enjoy a wildlife safari at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve or wonder at the extraordinary diversity of the iSimangaliso Wetlands, before crossing into Mozambique. 

Driving inland across the rolling green hills of the Natal Midlands is also breathtakingly scenic, especially if you take the road less travelled along the foot of the Drakensburg Mountains through village eateries, road-side farm stalls and art and craft studios.  Stop off at the farmlands of Underberg, lunch at the Cathedral Peak Wine Estate or, if you are more adventurous, climb the adrenaline-pumping, chain-ladders at Mont Aux Sources and camp atop one of the highest peaks of the magnificent Drakensburg Mountain Range. 

Best Time to Visit KwaZulu Natal in South Africa:

Tropical KwaZulu Natal is warm all year round with hot and humid summers and mild dry winters, dropping slightly in temperature as you travel inland. Many travelers prefer to visit the coast during the temperate shoulder months of Spring (Sept to Nov) and Autumn (March to May), but the dry season from July to September offers superb game viewing in the reserves and less slippery mountaineering 

Take a walk on the wild side! South Africa’s ‘wild’ Eastern Cape is an untouched province of pristine beaches, scenic bush landscapes, and coastal dune forests. Among the exciting attractions is the Addo Elephant National Park, which boasts the densest elephant population in the world. It’s also the only reserve on earth with the distinction of being home to the Big Seven. Here you can see elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard, plus great white sharks and southern right whales!

There is something for everyone in the Eastern Cape. For travellers chasing adrenaline-fueled thrills, there’s tubing down the Storm’s River Gorge and skydiving in Grahamstown. Alternatively, take a leap from the world’s highest commercially operated bridge bungee at Bloukrans. Culture vultures will enjoy uncovering the province’s unique history, from the 1820 Settlers to the birth and life of Nelson Mandela. The Eastern Cape is home to several of South Africa’s most important persons in the fight against Apartheid, including Thabo Mbeki, Steve Biko, and Oliver Tambo.

When to Go:

Average temperatures in the Eastern Cape are moderate year-round. There are a few cold weeks in the winter (June through August). The hottest months are from January to March, when the humidity at the coast becomes uncomfortable, though far less so than other more tropical destinations.

Stretching along the Indian Ocean coastline in the Overberg against a spectacular mountainous backdrop, the Cape Whale Coast is made up of bays, coves, and river mouths. The area plays host to quaint farming towns, orchards, and vineyards. However, it’s the spectacular whale watching opportunities here that have earned the Whale Coast its name.

Hermanus enjoys its much-deserved reputation as the world’s best land-based whale-watching destination. Expect generous sightings during Whale Season, which runs from July until November (peaking in September). This is when migrating southern right whales take shelter in the warm waters of the Cape to mate and breed, entertaining onlookers with their breaching antics.

Other than whale watching, you can explore the area on long coastal drives and mountain hikes. Spend time in tranquil sandy bays, or stroll along rocky beaches. You also have the opportunity to visit the southernmost tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas, and the nearby charming fishing village of Arniston.

When to Go:

For whale watching, visit during Whale Season, which runs from July until November (peaking in September). If you’re looking for a beach holiday, visit Hermanus between December and February, when the weather is sunny and warm.