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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"We had an amazing time at our safari place(Kapama Karula) organized by Susan from Discover Africa! She is very professional and gave us unforgettable time in South Africa! I highly recommend Susan and discover Africa!"

Luana, Brazil•21 Apr 2026•

"We had an amazing experience at Walkers Plains Camp. The wildlife viewing was superb from start to finish. Our guide Millie and tracker were super friendly, extremely knowledgeable and made the game drives an absolute pleasure. The camp was very luxuriou..."

Sue Panayiotes, United Kingdom•28 Dec 2025•

"I started planning my Africa safari/vacation about two years ago with the help of Diane, and was transitioned to Chrizaan about halfway through my timeline. There was zero issues with changing my guide, and both ladies were SUPER lovely to work with. I was ..."

Kaleigh Gray, United States•02 Oct 2025•

"Susan and the team from Discover Africa you have excelled yourself through the initial contact to the very end of our journey. We were dazzled with the views of Cape Town. Victoria Falls and of course the game parks. The animals did not disappoint the spect..."

Andrew Wales, Australia•29 Sep 2025•

"Justin helped me book my camp experience with short notice, he made the whole process very easy, took care of everything, was easy to contact and my trip was perfect."

Jen Flack, Australia•09 Sep 2025•