South Africa safari destinations are legion. How can you choose the South African safari that is going to provide the most value for you in terms of wildlife and service?
Well, one of the ways that works best, especially for wildlife spotting, is to ask someone who has already been there on safari what they saw and experienced.
That's an excellent way to find out what it might be like if you decide to go on your own South Africa safari. These people have heard the sounds of lion and hyena calling in the dusk and seen the crystal clarity of an African night sky.
They can tell you exactly what a South Africa safari is like and very importantly, it's independent and unbiased advice.
It might prove difficult for you to track down someone who has gone on a south African safari, so I have done it for you.
I've listed the South Africa safari journals below according to the areas in which they took place. South Africa has a wide variety of wildlife experiences to choose from.
They include wildlife pictures of South Africa of the animals that were seen and a trip report of events on each particular South Africa safari. If you read them carefully, you will pick up tips and advice you won't find in any guidebook...
South Africa Safari Trip Reviews
Grouped By Area:
Addo Elephant NP / Hluhluwe-iMfolozi / Ithala
Kgalagadi / Kruger NP / Madikwe
Ngala / Sabi Sands / Timbavati
Grouped By Company:
Kruger National Park
This national park (satellite map and distance/time calculator) covers an area the size of Wales (380km/236miles long and 60km/37miles wide) and contains a variety of wildlife that is unrivalled anywhere else in Africa. There are over 147 species of mammal to be discovered here and 517 different bird varieties.
The road and accommodation infrastructure is particularly good here too as this is arguably the best managed African national park. It's widely ranked as one of the top safari destinations on the continent.
Magnificent Kruger adventure » In total 3 leopards presented themselves to us during our time in the Kruger which was spectacular. Lions, oh the lions, we saw more than 40 of them throughout the trip and only had one day where we didn't see any...
Passionate guide makes all the difference » Neil (the guide) was passionate, knowledgeable, witty and extremely funny. He was always intuitive to the needs of the group and went the extra mile to ensure we all achieved what we wanted on the safari...
Family tour » Not many people get to see the endangered black rhino in the wilds of Kruger. These two brothers and their mom did, as well as the "usual suspects" one expects to see on a South Africa safari. Not everyone gets an all round excellent experience on safari either but they did...
Sabi Sands Game Reserve
The privately owned Sabi Sands Game Reserve shares an unfenced boundary with the Kruger Park which means the animals can move across the border at will and it contains about 30 up-market South Africa safari luxury lodges.
Off-road driving is permitted here which enhances the wildlife viewing experience because it's possible to follow the animal once the tracker has found it instead of being limited to only going where the road takes you.
This enables these lodges to specialise in finding the normally very elusive leopard so your chances of seeing this beautiful cat on a safari here is much higher than normal.
Wild Wings Review » Stig had a score to settle with a leopard because it was the only one of the big five animals that he hadn't seen yet. His trip report explains exactly how he tackled this dilemma...
Five star lodge » Monique visited three luxury lodges on her South Africa safari: Singita Boulders Lodge, Sabi Sabi and Londolozi. She explains that one should always save the best for last, or the perfect experience may spoil your judgement of other wonderful lodges...
Timbavati Nature Reserve
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is an area adjacent to the Kruger National Park, consisting of a number of private land blocks that is set aside for conservation and wildlife tourism.
Off-road game viewing ensures you can view animals up close and they also have a rule that no more than two vehicles are allowed at a sighting at any one time.
Gomo Gomo Lodge Review » The accommodation was excellent and the nice thing was that the bedroom window in the rondavel did not have any glass in it. It only had wire netting and we could lie and feel the bush breeze wafting over us in the night whilst listening to the sounds of the bush...
Ngala Game Reserve
Ecotourism is high on the agenda at Ngala, with WWF and South African National Parks in conservation partnership with the private owners. The reserve is bordered in the east by the famous Kruger National Park, and on all other sides (almost surrounded) by Timbavati Private Game Reserve.
"Ngala" means lion in Shangaan, the local culture and language, so be sure to look out for some of the resident prides when going on a South Africa safari here.
Kgalagadi Transfrontier National Park
In the northwest corner of the country is this national park with arid landscapes and red sand dunes, resulting in remarkable sunsets. Game includes gemsbok, springbok, huge black-maned lions, cheetah, leopard and a good concentration of a raptors.
This detailed Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park map and distance calculator will help you orientate yourself in the park.
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve
Among the hills, rivers and pans of one of the oldest reserves in Africa you'll find a wide variety of game and birds as well as a strong Zulu history, elements for the perfect South Africa safari. The location of the park offers an additional advantage: it is around the corner from the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Detailed Hluhluwe Imfolozi game reserve satellite map and distance calculator...
Hluhluwe-imfolozi » 10 minutes after entering Hluhluwe Imfolozi on our first day, we found a lion kill with several spotted hyenas hanging around in the hope of scavenging some scraps. We were also blessed with a cheetah sighting - these cats are not often seen in the park due to their low numbers there.
The park is ideal for a self-drive South Africa safari, with well maintained roads and sufficient picnic- and toilet stops. Unfortunately you can't camp inside the park but we found two great spots to pitch our tent during our 5-night stay...
Diverse game reserve » The park is situated in such a diverse area, which according to Beth is one of its strong points. That, and the fact that they saw lions twice and got to experience the excitement of staying in a safari tent at Mpila where there are no fences keeping the wild animals out. At nearby Cape Vidal they saw the endangered samango monkey...
Request full trip report » Walking safaris are an amazing experience and within two minutes of the walk starting they had spotted a buffalo which turned around and stormed back into the bush. The highlight of the South Africa safari trail were the encounters with the white rhinos. One was eating grass right next to their tent (no fences) and another one charged them while they were walking...
Ithala Game Reserve
A small reserve in KZN, just south of Swaziland. It is situated in a mountainous area and therefore the scenic beauty is one of its drawing cards. You'll find plenty of plains game (giraffe, zebra, tsessebe, ostriches...) and rhinos not to mention peace and tranquility. And, where else is swimming in a wilderness river permitted?
Unfenced accommodation options include a rustic camp site, bush camps, the main camp with thatched chalets and an exclusive lodge. More about Ithala Game Reserve as well as a distance and time calculator and a detailed satellite map with clickable icons...
Addo Elephant National Park
The Addo Elephant Park boasts the densest elephant population on the planet and it's one of the few places in Africa where it's possible to see the big five (elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, leopard), the southern right whale and the great white shark (the so called big seven).
Is this reserve up to scratch? » Sonia pulls no punches about her trip to the famous South African safari elephant park in the Eastern Cape. She was disappointed by the state of some of the accommodation and the fact that the park can become a little crowded during peak season. The variety of the wildlife that she experienced here was also less than she is used to...
Request full trip report » Then on the other side of the coin, Denney & Sally say they were in seventh heaven their entire stay in Addo. They found the accommodation to be very clean and spacious. The highlight for them on this South Africa safari was the night they were sitting on the stoep of their chalet enjoying cheese and wine, when they noticed a herd of kudu running on the side of the hill followed closely by some bushbuck. The reason soon became clear. Two large male lions were stalking them...
Madikwe Game Reserve
Situated in the far north of South Africa, this reserve is remarkable not only for the fact that it's one of the few malaria free safari areas in Africa but also that it was the scene of one of the largest wildlife translocation operations in the world. Over 8000 animals were reintroduced to this area which was proclaimed a game reserve by the government in 1991 in an effort to uplift the poor in the area and repatriate poorly performing farmland. Now it has become a very sought after if lesser known South Africa safari destination.
Submit Your Own South Africa Safari Experience
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More South Africa Safari Trip Reports
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South African Safari Experiences
Aquila Game Reserve is a delightful safari camp in western South Africa.
The reserve is a vast area of open valleys and shrub covered hills. Among …
Incredible Safari Experience
It was an outstanding safari! I learned more about the African bush in six days from Neil Heron than I had on two previous trips, one for 17 days and …
Plenty of Wildlife on Self Guided Safari
We were thrilled with the 44 animal species we saw. Neil is a birder, so he was thrilled with the variety of bird life. I can't imagine seeing more on …
Independent Pilanesberg Safari
We spent one early morning at Mankwe Hide and were rewarded with a fishing frenzy by the local population of African darters. This behaviour, coupled with …
Pretoriuskop Safari Review
The highlight was on the day we were leaving we saw a male lion walking right past our car, on the way out to go back home we saw a leopard which is hard …
African Budget Safaris Review
Thanks again for your site's help in making me realize Africa was within reach for someone like me trying to arrange via the internet. We had a great time …
Leopard Causes Traffic Jam
We actually got to see the Big 5 in ONE day and that was thanks to an unknown driver who stopped us turning right at the H1 – S114 junction to say there …
Jambo Tours Review
One special wildlife sighting was five lions 1-2 metres from the car; another was wild dogs feasting on a newly (2 minutes ago) killed young impala. We …
Mushinda Safari Review
At Jabulani, we went on safari by jeep and by elephant… what an experience. I got to ride Jabulani on our first night trip… all I can say it was the most …
Kirkman's Kamp Review
I really enjoyed Kirkman's Kamp. Can't forget the rose petals and champagne they put out for me the first night after dinner – if only my honey had been …
Self Guided Garden Route Road Trip
Our Garden Route holiday was very rewarding and satisfying. Self guiding was easier after reading your e-books. My only regret is that we did not have …
Black Rhino Charge
Meeting Neil Heron, getting to know him and learning so much about the Kruger and all of the fantastic wildlife that this magnificent place supports, was …
Rissington Inn and Kruger Safari
We went on three night drives in total, the one from Lower Sabie was absolutely fantastic - the guide was really knowledgeable and we saw the Big Five …
Northern Kruger Safari
The highlight of our trip was Neil and his unbelievable knowledge of animal behaviour, biology, and African history. He was an amazing guide and one of …
Kruger Safari with the Maestro
Every moment provided a highlight – from the glimpse of a baby elephant as we entered the park, the sighting of our first beautiful blue Kingfisher, the …
Personal Attention on South Africa Safari
The highlight of our trip was meeting Neil and Marco. Neil's sheer enthusiasm and passion for Africa and its wildlife and people is unending! He does a …
Slow Paced Kruger Safari
We saw leopards, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, buffalo, lions, leopards, kudu, impala, warthogs, bushbucks, monkeys, tons of birds, and hyenas. An array …
Wild Dogs on Kruger Safari
It was our first visit to South Africa. It was a joy meeting new people and experiencing a slice of your culture. Neil and Tina went far beyond the call …
Entertaining Safari Guide
I have to say a highlight was watching a dung beetle try and roll the ball up a little hill with Neil narrating…so hilarious!! We watched him for ages …
Third Safari With Bearded Heron
We were very lucky to see some extraordinary behaviour, like the sparing of the Giraffes and a very nice meeting with a young female leopard trying not …
Kruger Safari Better Than Private Lodge
The highlight of my trip was seeing a baby elephant and the family of elephants that the baby was with. The baby was so small, he stayed right by his mother's …
Family Safari With Bearded Heron
Neil, our guide and the owner/operator of Bearded Heron Safari, was a better guide than we could have imagined, he did an absolutely wonderful job. He …
Review Of Bearded Heron Safaris
We had several experiences which for us were much more than just a "sighting" for example a young leopard losing its kill and two cheetah enjoying theirs. …
Kariega Game Reserve
One evening we were walking back to our room just behind a giraffe – the guide walked with us. We could just see the enormous, magnificent giraffe outlined …
Garden Route Safari
We saw so much more than any tour operator could have shown us. We stayed 4 hours by Carol's Rest waterhole (your suggestion) and saw two ostriches chase …
Hands On South Africa Safari
My highlight was staying at the bush camp at Kruger national park, having no phone, no electricity and no indoor shower or kitchen. It was a welcome break …
First Time Self Drive Safari
The freedom of a self-drive safari was great!! It allows you to go when you want, where you want. We could stop when we wanted and it was fabulous. We …
Wildlife Safari and Whale Watching Combo
The boat ride itself was probably the highlight of my trip, other than the wildlife. It was a thrill ride just trying to get out to see the whales. You …
Mala Mala Review
Saw all the big five on the first day and every day thereafter. This safari was my trip life experience, well beyond a vacation. Being able to be within …
Pilanesberg Safari Review
The highlight of the trip was the sighting of 6 elephants (3 adults and 3 babies) who came down to the waterhole at dusk to drink and play around in the …
Shamwari Safari Review
We saw loads of wildlife! Black rhinos, giraffe, elephant, springbok, impala, hippos, lions, zebras, baboons, big spiders, warthogs, ostrich, wildebeest …
Jackalberry in Thornybush is Tops
Jackalberry Lodge in Thornybush was one of the best run operations. Their guides are extremely friendly, tried incredibly hard to find the big 5 for us …
Edeni Safari Review
One of the highlights was watching a boomslang in a tree above us when we parked for a sundowner. A beautiful green, potentially lethal, snake to watch. …
KNP Self Drive Safari
At 7:45pm we heard a rustling and thinking it was Davey fiddling around in his tog bag we ignored it – but it soon got louder so we jumped up to see an …
Satara Safari
On our sunset game drive we had a family of elephants cross in front of us and after sunset we came upon a leopard eating a kill. Accommodation We stayed …
African Sands Review
We recently went on an Africa holiday with African Sands. We found them on the internet and were a little nervous about booking a holiday with a company …
Cape Town Day Safari
I went to Aquila Game Reserve near Cape Town for a day visit. I found out about them in a brochure. It was the most beautiful place and we would like to …
KZN Safari Review
If the trip had any shortcomings, I missed them. I always believe in being 'open to change' and have learned that this is a definite prerequisite for 'anything …
Lions At Breakfast
At the breakfast spot we saw a large group of Vultures that had gathered at a fresh carcass. Little did we know a pride of Lions were just below us in …
Addo Camping Safari
We saw lions on three separate occasions and saw two young males fighting over a female. Being right there when they came out of the bush fighting was …
Leopard Hills Review - Part 2
I would say the highlight of the trip was probably my birthday, but really every single thing about it was a highlight as far as we were both concerned. …
Leopard Hills Review
The leopard is our favourite animal, and one drank from our suite's pool one night. It was the most amazing experience I have ever had! Accommodation We …
Independent South Africa Trip
On our elephant tour, I took an elephant named 'Marula' for a walk. She was just amazing, so careful and gentle. Her skin was so soft and smooth with a …
Self Drive Lodge Safari
Arnaud Melchior from France arrived in Johannesburg on the evening of 24 September 2008 and spent one night at Africa Sky Guest House near the airport, …
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Better Than Kruger
It was a wonderful experience to have Jeff on our safari. Beside the vegetation, animals Jeff is a part of the park with his five senses involved. He has …
Hluhluwe Safari
The wildlife and the scenery on the trip were everything... everyone should experience Africa! I saw everything I wanted and have no regrets or disappointments …
Euro Zulu Safari
We can't fault Euro Zulu - from Annemarie in the office to the guides and the good food provided. All were warm and friendly ready to answer questions …
Biyamiti Bush Camp
I'm a very keen amateur wildlife photographer and achieved my APSSA in 1972 "Nature Photography". Hoping that other wildlife photographers will benefit …
Rain On Safari
We saw about 5 giraffes on the side of the road. We stopped and watched them then decided to move on as there was a car behind us. One of the giraffes …
Self Guided Kruger
I would not exchange for anything the magic sounds of Africa at night time and the wonderful pictures I took back which allow me to revive the holiday …
Tinga Safari Lodge
The Sabie River has the highest recorded density of leopards in Africa, and one of the highest predator densities. All the game comes to you, although …
Addo and Sabi Sands Safari
When visiting South Africa on holiday, we rented a car and visited Addo Elephant NP, Sabi Sands private game reserve as well as Swaziland, St Lucia, Drakensberg, …
Private Group Self-Drive Safari
Trying to get out of the park at sundown going toward the Orpen gate was stressful yet amazing. Every breed seemed to parade right across the road in front …
Day Safari In Hluhluwe-Imfolozi
We saw bushbuck, waterbuck, impala, gnu, buffalo, nyala, zebra, giraffe, kudu, lion, cheetah, wild dog, white rhino and elephant. We spotted an elephant …
Tshukudu Safari
23 September We left Barberton in the early morning, passed through White River, Hazyview and finally Hoedspruit and entered the security gate of Tshukudu …
Hyena Raids Cheetah Kill
We saw a huge Python cross the road, and a rhino fifty feet away on foot while we were on our guided walk. The rhino ran away. We also saw a cheetah before …
Kwazulu Natal Safari
On our night safari we saw an aardvark which is a very rare sighting. We saw a spotted hyena mother and her two young ones and a mother rhino and her calf …
Addo Self Drive
Lots of elephants seen on our Addo self drive safari, tortoises, zebras, monkeys, baboons, hartebeest, warthogs, goshawk, ostrich, kudu, lions, hippo, …
Kruger Park Self Drive
We stayed in the Kruger Park at Crocodile Bridge, Berg en Dal, Sirheni, Letaba ( where thieving vervet monkeys stole apples from our fridge ), Satara ( …
Day Safari Perfection
Our Hluhluwe-Imfolozi day safari was extremely well organised. A blanket and added jacket were provided during the trip from the B&B (in St Lucia) to the …
EuroZulu Safari Marriage Proposal
I took the opportunity to propose to my partner at the breakfast stop on a Eurozulu safari in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game reserve. Jeff ( the owner guide …
Ulusaba Sabi Sands Review
Everything was perfect - the travelling, the accommodation, the service, the guides are two lovely gentleman who were extremely knowledgeable and very …
Africa On Foot Safari
Not too far into our walk we came across three bull elephants! We managed to get within 15-20 metres of them. That was an amazing experience - they truly …
Self Drive Kruger Safari - Travel Opinion
A safari has always been my dream holiday - I adore animals in any form and there is no doubt in my mind that the flora and fauna of South Africa is as …
A Kruger Park Holiday Worth Waiting For
16 years!! That's how long it took for us to return to the Kruger National Park. 2006 was our year. The twins had outgrown their hyperactivity and the …
Kruger Park Big Five In One Hour
400m into the Kruger National Park, we spot a male leopard relaxing in a Marula tree right next to the road. It all started when my 4 clients from Sydney …
Twilight in the Kruger National Park
It happened many, many years ago but in my mind it's like it happened last weekend. I was about 8 years old, about 33 years ago, when my father took …
A World In One
South Africa certainly is like the whole world in one country. We left Heathrow for Johannesburg on 17 April 2005 and after a city tour we went to the …
Kruger park » We spent another magnificent weekend in the Kruger. Our first day was amazing and packed with really great wildlife sightings. The second day was much quieter and it rained most of the time. We also paid a visit to the newest branch of The Elephant Sanctuary in Hazyview town, conveniently close to the Phabeni Gate. After meeting the two gentle giants of the sanctuary, it was hard to imagine elephants can be dangerous, but they will always get my greatest respect in the wild...
Kruger park self drive » Ralph & Lenny wanted the freedom and independence of a self-drive safari but didn't have the time to plan it, so we arranged it for them. They were amazed at the amount and variety of wildlife they saw in the Kruger as well as the peace and tranquility they found there. They supplemented their self-driving South Africa safari with a few guided activities like night drives and a morning walk....
Wildlife bonanza » I thought our day was made when we spotted the elusive leopard taking a rest on an exposed rock... little did I know what was still in store for us. Our pictures and video shows that the Kruger can deliver a super South Africa safari even if your time is limited...
The "Big 5" Twice In One Day » The end of the dry season is an excellent time to visit the Kruger, like our day visit proved. This ranks as one of the best short trips to the Kruger Park in terms of wildlife sightings that we have ever been on and we visit the park often...
Hiking in the bush » Detailed account of a 3-night bush hike followed by a self-guided family tour, and a testament to the variety of wildlife in the Kruger. If you've ever wondered what would happen if you met lions while on foot, I shot some video footage of our lion encounter on this wilderness trail...
Amazing Kruger safari » How would you rate a South Africa safari where you see the elephant with the biggest tusks in the Park, leopard twice, lion close enough to touch and over 30 rhino? Just goes to prove again that September/October is one of the best times to visit the Kruger National Park for fantastic wildlife sightings...
Family journey » George arranged a week-long self catering holiday for his family to the Kruger and the nearby Panorama Route. There had been a bush fire in the park just before they arrived which was actually a bonus because it meant that they could see further into the bush to spot the wildlife...
Kruger diary » "At the Orpen dam we saw 2 giant plated lizards - really prehistoric. This is the advantage of going to the Kruger at a relatively quiet time." Includes a detailed description of the accommodation you can expect at some of the camps in the Kruger park...
Camping in the wild » Norman had an amazing South Africa safari, camping in the Kruger. He says no two days were alike. Even though getting up at 05:30 every morning can wear you out a bit, the varied wildlife sightings make up for it and leaves you wanting more. Norman vows to be back...
Travel review » Kim had a fun trip touring the park, meeting people from all over the world and seeing all the wildlife. Even though she now lives in South Africa and can do a self drive through the park with her own vehicle, she would rather use Bundu Bus again because she enjoyed it so much...
Skukuza camp insight » What's it like staying at the biggest South African safari camp in the Kruger Park? This report gives you a pretty good idea...
Holiday adventure » These two Aussie ladies had a fantastic time seeing South African safari wildlife for the first time in the Kruger as well as an adjacent private game reserve. Their highlight was seeing African elephants for the first time in the wild. They were amazed by the sheer size of the animal...
Amazing tour » Lion, leopard, getting close to a cheetah, charged by a rhino and whale watching in this action packed South African safari trip journal. The walking safari was a highlight of this trip even though they had to beat a hasty retreat when the rhino ran towards them at top speed...
Vacation to Africa » Listen to or read this trip report to find out where your chances are the best in Africa for finding leopard. Amazingly, Hilde saw six of the elusive cats in Simbambile and she really enjoyed her stay in Kings & Honeyguide camps in the Timbavati and Manyeleti game reserves too...
Connie Ebright's tour » Find out what the absolute pinnacle in luxury safari travel is like by reading Connie's trip report as she visits the most luxurious and up-market lodges that its possible to find in the South Africa safari game...
Edeni Game Reserve review » Lion cubs, a baby elephant and lazy cheetahs were only some of the game Maria saw during her safari at Edeni's Hoyo Lodge. There was also enough time to relax, making it a restful South Africa safari which she will not hesitate to recommend to others...
Spotted cats weekend » Lizette shares one of her most exciting self-drive trips to the park yet. She warns you should never go on a South Africa safari without your camera. If you are travelling on a budget it might be a better idea to find accommodation in the nearby town of St Lucia rather than staying in the park itself which can be more expensive...
Bakubung » Jodi loves the Pilanesberg so much that she goes back there every year. It's a small reserve in comparison to some of the other areas but it does pack a larger punch in terms of the wildlife that you can see. It does have a real wilderness feel to it none the less and if you want a change of pace the bright lights of Sun City are only a few kilometers away...
Scotia lion park » Julia made a brief stop at Addo on her South Africa safari, as well as a nearby lion park. She loved every minute of the action-packed day. She advises anyone who's planning a similar day trip to be well rested and not to forget to take in the moment and not get lost behind the camera lens...
Phinda Game Reserve » Along with some other pilots, Candy visited this top reserve and a local Zulu village. She says hearing a lion roar with your own ears moves your blood like nothing else. The leopard returning to a kill that it had made the previous day also captivated them and she became pretty aggressive towards the jeep because it was too close to her meal...
Mthethomusha Game Reserve » Detailed Bongani Mountain Lodge game drive descriptions including a lion family feeding on their kill. Other highlights were seeing ancient rock art and visiting the Vredefort Dome (a World Heritage Site) elsewhere in South Africa...