WATCH: South Africa’s Garden Route vs Kruger National Park

South Africa is more than just a country, it’s a world on its own. From the semi-desert landscapes of the Karoo, to the big game country of its world-class national parks and reserves, South Africa has a plethora of safari options that suit almost any traveller.

The 200 km stretch of coast connecting Mossel Bay to the Storms River Mouth is commonly referred to as the Garden Route in reference to its beguiling diversity of wide sandy beaches, lovely lakes and lagoons, shady evergreen forests and protea-studded slopes.

The Kruger National Park on the other hand, extends over a mind-boggling 19,485 km² and is one of Africa’s largest and most iconic safari destinations, comparable in area to Wales or the state of New Jersey, and sharing open borders with several smaller private reserves as well as two transfrontier national parks in the form of Gonarezhou (Zimbabwe) and Limpopo (Mozambique). It vies with with Cape Town as South Africa’s top destination, attracting more than one million visitors annually.

Which premium destination would you choose? Take a look:

WATCH: South Africa’s Garden Route vs Kruger National Park

Both of these South African destinations offer their own unique experiences. The Garden Route’s proximity to fabulous Cape Town means that self-drive adventures are more popular. Enjoy the charm of old towns as well as meet amazing people with their own unique cultural identity and plenty of stories to tell. Spending days on the pristine beaches along the coast is another highlight of the region.

The Kruger National Park is obviously geared more towards wildlife experiences. These are matched by exceptional lodges and a reconnection with nature.

Take your pick:

Having trouble deciding? Contact us for travel advice about how to create an itinerary that will take you to both destinations.

Written by Tiffany Bowers

• Travel Writer

Verified by Chrizaan Troch

• Africa Safari Expert

Chrizaan combines her passion for wildlife with extensive experience to create perfectly tailored itineraries for her clients.

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"My wife and I and two of our friends took this trip, which covered South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The trip was customized based on our needs and our Tour Manager/ Coordinator, Vihann, planned and executed with such ease and precision, I cannot think o..."

Ashesh, United States•08 Jul 2026•

"Amazing and truly unique experience! Susan was absolutely wonderful from start to finish. She was incredibly friendly, professional, and always available to help with every detail. Her knowledge, organization, and passion made the entire safari unforgett..."

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"I had a great trip organised by Chrizaan. Everything went very smoothly including all of the pickups, flights and accommodation. I visited Namibia and loved seeing the dunes, springboks and oryx. I also visited the Okavango Delta and saw so many anim..."

Leanne Harrison, South Africa•03 Feb 2026•

"Justin Van Wyk from Discover Africa Safari did an outstanding job in planning our perfect Safari. All travel and transfers between airports and game lodges have been flawless! The lodges and safari experiences have been awesome."

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"Very professional; quick to respond. The trip itself was fantastic. The lodging and the game drives were great. Guide was great; he anticipated where hard-to-find animals would show up. Lodge staff were very friendly. Food was great. "

Akos Ledeczi, United States•12 Nov 2025•

"I had 2 months lead time to plan a Botswana safari so I googled tour companies. After emailing a few, I chose Discover Africa. Susan Veldman responded quickly and was able to figure out an 8 night safari, with stays in 3 different camps. Each one was amazin..."

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