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Travel advice for South Africa
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to South Africa
Book your individual trip, stress-free with local travel experts
written by Kieran Meeke
updated 4.11.2019
Being an eco-friendly visitor is about more than avoiding plastic bottles (although that helps). It’s also about adding enjoyment to your holiday by learning more about your destination and giving something back, something that’s especially easy in South Africa’s Limpopo province. Here are our favourite sustainable tourism and conservation projects in this exciting region.
7 days / from4800 USD
Cape town and Garden Route - a luxury guided tour
Cape Town and the Garden Route have it all - a fascinating culture, safaris, chocolate and wine tasting, and much more. Discover the coastal city of Cape Town and the Peninsula before heading out to the Garden Route with Knysna and Mossel Bay, where you'll experience some game drives.
customize ⤍15 days / from4000 USD
The Cape Peninsula and Safaris in Kruger and Pilanesberg
Wildlife in South Africa is still truly wild, a fact that you'll be able to discover in this fascinating two weeks trip. Enjoy whale watching in Cape Town and first safaris in Aquila before heading up north: the famous Kruger and Pilanesberg national parks with all its wildlife await.
customize ⤍7 days / from3000 USD
Explore the North of South Africa: Sun City and Madikwe game reserve
For those short on time, staying close to Johannesburg may make sense. On this trip, you'll arrive and depart in South Africa's capital Johannesburg and then transfer to the theme park Lost City before continuing to Madikwe for a few days of game drives to spot plenty of wildlife.
customize ⤍17 days / from4500 USD
Secret gem in South Africa - Northern Cape Self Drive
Embark on an epic self-drive adventure from Cape Town to the Northern Cape. Witness the breathtaking floral displays of Namaqualand, marvel at the diverse wildlife in Karoo National Park, and be captivated by the awe-inspiring cascades of Augrabies Falls.
customize ⤍7 days / from950 USD
A family self drive in South Africa & Swaziland
Take the family on an African adventure in your own rental car, it's the ideal companion to discover Kruger National Park at your own pace. Further on to Swaziland and then Hluhluwe, this trip focuses on wildlife and exploration, all at your leisure.
customize ⤍3 days / from1000 USD
A Kruger adventure
Kruger National Park is one of the best known national parks in South Africa and always worth a visit. Starting and ending in Johannesburg is the most convenient one, the perfect stop to then take a domestic flight towards George or Cape Town for the rest of your trip.
customize ⤍17 days / from3650 USD
Safaris, culture & wine - South Africa's must do's
Explore cosmopolitan Johannesburg, go on safaris in Kruger NP, sip wine on the Cape Peninsula and explore the Eastern Cape - this fast-paced itinerary allows you to truly immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle of South Africa, discovering the most fascinating parts of the country.
customize ⤍8 days / from2970 USD
Cape Amazing: Cape Town Explored
Visit Cape Town, South Africa's most breathtaking city, as you follow the circular route around the stunning peninsula. Make the most of deserted sandy beaches, quaint towns and rich winelands before you fly to Kapama Private Game Reserve for an encounter with the Big Five.
customize ⤍17 days / from5000 USD
Best of South Africa
Discover the best South Africa has to offer - start with the marvelous city of Cape Town with its peninsula, further on to the wine lands with gorgeous views of the Garden Route and on to culture, heritage & wildlife in Plettenberg Bay. End your trip with an authentic Kruger experience.
customize ⤍23 days / from4100 USD
Ultimate South Africa Road Trip
The adventure of a lifetime in your own rental car. Johannesburg and Cape Town, the Garden Route and the Eastern Cape, Kruger National Park and the Panorama Route - this itinerary packs the highlights of South Africa in one, easy to follow route. Hop in and get on the road!
customize ⤍7 days / from1610 USD
Complete Cape Town: Wildlife, Wine and Whales
Discover the natural beauty all around Cape Town. Located on the southwestern tip of South Africa, the area is home to rugged coastlines, undulating vineyards, and expanses of grassland, home some of the largest, wildest and most majestic creatures on earth.
customize ⤍10 days / from4300 USD
Cycling South Africa's Garden Route
An active, cycling adventure that is perfect for nature lovers. This exhilarating and unique tour takes you through leafy forests and up magnificent mountainsides to absorb break-taking views of the South African countryside.
customize ⤍17 days / from4250 USD
City Life & Safari - South African Gems
The perfect South Africa trip in just 17 days. Start in Cape Town with Mountain Table, Robben Island, the Peninsula and more. Head further to the wine lands for a relaxed stay before proceeding to Kruger National Park - 3 days of safari await before finishing your trip in Johannesburg.
customize ⤍18 days / from10488 USD
Five Star South Africa
Start your trip in Johannesburg with a few days exploring the city. Afterwards, take the exclusive Rovos Rail to Cape Town with several stops on the way. From Cape Town you will explore the peninsula as well as the wine lands. The Garden Route rounds up this luxurious trip.
customize ⤍Lions in their natural habitat © Limpopo Tourism Agency
HESC works to conserve rare and endangered species, being most noted for its work with cheetah. With only some 7,000 cheetahs left in the wild, the work here is vital in supporting gene diversity. Particularly tragic are the centre’s rhino, some orphaned when their mothers were killed by poachers. As important as caring for the animals is the centre’s educational programmes for visitors, local farmers and communities, and support for anti-poaching initiatives.
When wildlife or birds are injured, abandoned or poisoned, Moholoholo offers the hope of healing and a return to the wild. If that’s not possible, many are “adopted” to act as an educational opportunity for visitors. Serval, leopard and vultures are a special focus of the centre’s work but you might see anything from an orphaned rhino to a cheetah hit by a car.
This wildlife centre, part of the Sondela Nature Reserve & Spa, cares for sick, injured and orphaned animals. As with Moholoholo, those who cannot be released back into the wild are well looked after and offer a means to educate people in caring for our natural heritage.
Kolo Lodge © Limpopo Tourism Agency
Kololo’s mission is to give guests a once in a lifetime wildlife experience, while upholding the African way of life. It does this by buying goods and services locally in the community, and by protecting the wildlife of this Waterberg Biosphere – you can see all the Big Five here. It also has a range of accommodation to suit all budgets.
This private game reserve nests in a valley of the Soutpansberg mountains – noted for its bio-diversity – and offers luxurious lodges and bush camps among some unique flora and fauna. It works closely with the local Vha Venda people and has set up a Centre for Indigenous Knowledge so traditional skills such as woodcarving, pottery, healing and medicinal plants can be passed on. Its gallery is dedicated to local artist Noria Mabasa, now internationally renowned for her colourful sculptures in wood and ceramic.
The Ant Collection © Limpopo Tourism Agency
Ant’s Nest and Ant’s Hill are two lodges built of local materials in a private game reserve, enjoying remarkable views of the Waterberg. The reserve supports sustainable tourism by conserving the environment, supporting the local community and enriching the lives of both guests and staff. Among the more than 40 species of game you might see here are the rare sable antelope, which has grown over several decades of work by the reserve into a viable breeding herd.
Motswari Lodge © Limpopo Tourism Agency
Motswari means “to conserve and protect” in Tswana and this private game reserve, part of Greater Kruger Park, takes that to heart in its work with wildlife. Guests are equally well looked after, with fine wines and cuisine, luxury accommodation and traditional African hospitality. This is all built on a regard for its staff and neighbours, with a family-friendly staff village and support for community health and education.
Mashovhela Lodge © Limpopo Tourism Agency
Built in traditional Venda style, this lodge uses alternative, renewable and sustainable energy, including water heated by solar power, to minimize its impact on the environment. Its connections to the local community are equally thoughtful. The lodge is tucked away in a hidden wooded valley, where you fall asleep at night to the sound of owls, frogs and insects, and wake to the cry of monkeys and baboons.
Umlani Bushcamp © Limpopo Tourism Agency
Umlani is dedicated to the principles of Fair Trade, with all staff having a say in the running of the camp. Many have been here for more than a decade, working their way up to senior management roles.
Green initiatives include using 100% alternative energy, 100% biodegradable cleaning products, recycling and composting, using fresh, local organic produce in the kitchens and planting five indigenous trees every month.
Awelani Lodge © Limpopo Tourism Agency
Near the north end of Kruger National Park, Awelani offers a wide range of accommodation and a chance to walk or mountain bike among a wide range of trees, including Baobab, Mopani and Lobombo Ironwood. It’s especially popular with birdwatchers, with some 700 species on its sightings list. Certified as a Fair Trade Tourism Lodge, Awelani also works with the community by offering visitors a chance to enjoy dancing, watch craftworkers or share a meal with a local family.
Keen to find out more about eco-friendly travel to South Africa? Check out the official Limpopo microsite for more inspiration.
written by Kieran Meeke
updated 4.11.2019
Kieran has lived in 12 countries – including Yemen and Mozambique – and written about countless others, specialising in long-form features that get beneath the surface. This love of exploring the quirky and hidden in every destination saw him run the Secret London website for 15 years, but more recently has taken him on long distance walking and horse-riding adventures. Follow him on Instagram @kieran_meeke.
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