Luxury safari holiday in South Africa

Luxury safari holiday in South Africa_Singita_LeBombo The five-star Singita Lebombo in the Kruger is an example of safari luxury

A must-for for anybody with a taste for bush luxury is a stay at one of the small and exclusive camps or lodges set in private reserves or concessions such as the Kruger concessions, Sabi Sand, Madikwe, Phinda and the vicinity of Addo Elephant National Park.

Typically these lodges combine chic Africa-themed accommodation with world-class cuisine, fine wines, attentive staff and most importantly, thrilling game drives led by expert guides in open-sided 4x4s. A three-night stay at any given lodge or camp is probably ideal.

Elsewhere, the likes of Cape Town, the nearby Cape Winelands and Garden Route are studded with small but superb boutique hotels that combine five-star service and amenities with individualistic decor. The most comfortable way to travel on a luxury holiday would to fly between major centres, and then to arrange airport pick-ups and drop-offs, as well as any required outings, with the lodge or hotel you book into.

When it comes to wining and dining on a generous budget, South Africa is a real treat. Any good tour operator can put together a package of this sort for those who don’t want the bother of arranging it themselves.

South African food and tipping

Restaurants operate on a similar basis to those in Europe or North America. A 10-15% tip to the waiter is standard, depending on the quality of service. At hotels, it’s usually easier to sign drinks and meals to the room than to pay cash, but you could still leave a tip for an individual waiter or bartender, or add one to the bill before you sign it. Hotel porters usually expect a tip…

South Africa in February

Turtles begin to nest in February in iSimangaliso. You can track them on a turtle tour | Credit: Thonga Beach Lodge Johannesburg and the highveld is hot by day, warm at night and receives regular rainfall often in the form of afternoon thunderstorms. Cape Town and the Western Cape is hot and dry, cooling down at night. The Kruger Park and surrounds is very hot by day, warm at night…

City and bush safari holidays in South Africa

Cape Town by night | Credit: SA Visas No other country matches South Africa when it comes to offering a world-class city and bush holiday. Cape Town is quite simply the most beautiful city in Africa, and also arguably the best equipped when it comes to urban attractions such as museums, live music, restaurants and wine-tasting venues. Cape Town also offers access to some fabulous…

Cape Town

Table Mountain from Melkbos on the West Coast Routinely lauded as to one of the world’s most beautiful cities, Cape Town offers visitors a breathtaking portfolio of natural and cultural attractions. The City Bowl is enclosed by the lofty heights of Table Mountain to the south, the dramatic outcrops known as Lion’s Head and Signal Hill to the west, and the choppy waters of the…

Big Five safari holidays in South Africa

The most elusive of the Big Five; the leopard will drag its prey high up into the trees to escape scavengers For many first time visitors to Africa, a top priority is ticking off the so-called Big Five: lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino. South Africa offers many excellent opportunities to do this, and it is the easiest place in Africa to see rhinos, since it supports more than…

The Panorama Route

The Panorama Route is a geological extension of the Drakensberg A popular add-on to Kruger safaris but also well worth exploring in its own right, the so-called Panorama Route is a loose circuit of mostly natural attractions associated with the towering cliffs that divide the highveld around Sabie and Graskop from the lowveld of the Kruger Park and Mpumalanga’s provincial capital…

Popular South Africa Safaris

These popular itineraries can be customised to match your budget and travel dates