While 10 days is the most popular duration for kimkim travelers, two weeks is recommended for a satisfying trip to South Africa. You can venture farther outside Cape Town, discover the Winelands, drive the Garden Route, and go on a safari (or two) in Kruger National Park. This gives you enough time to explore outside of the main cities at a more relaxed pace and cover some beautiful parts of the country.
With only five days to explore South Africa, you can focus on a single region or visit two. Thanks to the frequency of domestic flights, you can start and end your trip in Cape Town and also enjoy a safari in Kruger National Park. Or indulge in a foodie tour in the Winelands or delight in a coastal drive to the Cape of Good Hope, along the Garden Route, or into the Cederberg Mountains. These unique itineraries will help you make the most of your time.
Combining the highlights of the Cape Town area with a classic "Big 5" safari in Kruger National Park is a popular choice for a six-day trip to South Africa. Culinary travelers may want to skip the wildlife watching in favor of a food and wine tour that spans top restaurants, vineyards, and cooking classes. And if you don't mind a whirlwind itinerary, consider a multi-country itinerary that hops from Cape Town to Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park.
One week in South Africa is enough time to hit the highlights. Consider a trip split between Cape Town and Kruger National Park or a quick-paced tour that focuses on the country's southern coast. Those who like a more relaxed vacation might opt for the itinerary between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth; meanwhile, gourmands will enjoy a food and wine tour of the Winelands and Johanessburg. Then there's the two-country combo for nature lovers, featuring three days of game safari and Zimbabwe's Victoria Falls.
In eight days, you can combine the highlights of Cape Town and Johannesburg with two nights in Kruger National Park. Or, start with a tour of the windswept Western Cape, flying to the Eastern Cape province to end your trip with a safari. Yet another option is making it a multi-country itinerary, with stops at the legendary Victoria Falls and Botswana's Chobe National Park.
With nine days, you can see three of South Africa's regions or national parks, or focus on one area like the Western Cape, including the Winelands or a scenic drive along the Garden Route. Thanks to the frequency of domestic flights, you can start and end your trip in Cape Town, spend a few days in wine country, and also thrill to a classic safari in Kruger. Or, take a food-focused trip that includes detours to Johannesburg. Read on for five unique itineraries.
South Africa is a large country, but with 10 days, you see quite a bit, from the southern Cape provinces to Kruger National Park in the north. Or you can focus your energy on getting to know a particular region like Cape Town, the neighboring Winelands, and the coastal Garden Route in-depth. And safari buffs can even combine South Africa with the highlight sights of neighboring countries, such as Victoria Falls and Botswana's Chobe National Park.
South Africa is a large country, but with 11 days you see quite a bit, from the southern Cape provinces to Kruger National Park in the north. Or you can focus your energy on getting to know a particular region in-depth, like Cape Town, the neighboring Winelands, and the coastal Garden Route. And safari buffs can even combine South Africa with the highlight sights of neighboring countries, such as Victoria Falls and Botswana’s Chobe National Park.
With 12 days in South Africa, your itinerary can bring you from the southern Cape provinces to Kruger National Park in the north. Or you can focus your energy on getting to know a particular region like Cape Town, the neighboring Winelands, and the coastal Garden Route. And safari buffs can even combine South Africa with the highlight sights of neighboring countries, such as Victoria Falls and Namibia’s Chobe National Park.
With 13 days to spend in South Africa, you'll have time to see much of the country, from the southern Cape provinces to Kruger National Park in the north. Safari buffs can even combine a South Africa park or two with the highlights of neighboring countries, such as Victoria Falls, Botswana's Chobe National Park, and the Okavango Delta. Of course, you can also opt for a deep dive in a particular region, like Cape Town and the neighboring Winelands.
With two weeks, you can cover much of South Africa. Choose an action-packed adventure that takes you from the southern Cape provinces to Kruger National Park in the north. Or you can focus your energy on getting to know a particular region like Cape Town, the neighboring Winelands, and the coastal Garden Route. Safari buffs can even combine South Africa with the highlight sights of neighboring countries, such as Victoria Falls and Namibia's Chobe National Park or South Africa's own Kalahari.
With 15 days to spend in South Africa, you can choose an action-packed adventure that takes you from the southern Cape provinces to Kruger National Park in the north. Or you can focus your energy on getting to know a particular region like Cape Town, the neighboring Winelands, and the coastal Garden Route. Safari buffs can even combine South Africa with the highlight sights of neighboring countries, such as Victoria Falls and Botswana’s Chobe National Park. And 15 days allows for the ultimate road trip of South Africa end to end.
With multiple weeks in South Africa, you can truly explore far and wide, returning home with memories of the game parks, Cape Winelands, and neighboring Botswana, Namibia, and even Mauritius. Wildlife lovers can follow the Garden Route to Addo Elephant National Park and Kruger National Park or paddle the Okavango Delta and take a sunset boat ride to Victoria Falls. Or, spend your time on a wellness retreat that includes spa treatments, gourmet dining, and water activities in the Indian Ocean.
Kruger is the park with the greatest diversity of wildlife in South Africa, and you could spend up to a week enjoying safari and nature walks here. A minimum of two days will give you a real taste for the park’s stupendous wildlife viewing, but you’ll want at least five days to truly appreciate its diversity. With a park this spectacular, even two weeks isn't too long, especially when combined with Victoria Falls.
The approximately 250 mile (400 km) stretch of coastline from Heidelberg to the Tsitsikamma Forest and Jeffreys Bay boasts a remarkable kaleidoscope of topography, vegetation, and outdoor activities. This area provides as complete an experience as the country can offer, including Cape Town, wine tasting in Cape Winelands, Oudtshoorn (with its abundance of ostriches), nearby game parks, and even cage diving with great white sharks. The information below will help you plan an appropriate itinerary for your schedule and interests.
Sun, surf, great wine, and incredible vistas: these some of the things that define Cape Town, South Africa. With 24 hours you can go beyond the city and travel around the gorgeous Cape Peninsula. Spend two or three days here and add a kayak excursion and cable car ride up to iconic Table Mountain. With closer to a week you can test your mettle on a shark diving-adventure plus enjoy a bit of culture with visits to an African art museum and Robben Island, the prison where Mandela spent 18 years of his life.
You can have a great safari adventure in South Africa in as little as a long weekend. With game parks scattered throughout the nation, you can easily access one or more reserves close to Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, or Durban if you have only a few days to spare. Of course, a week or more is recommended for a more diverse experience across different parks and regions, including game drives, bush walks, and even a hot-air balloon “safari.” Two weeks would let you combine several distinct parks and reserves in South Africa as well as its neighbors, including Greater Kruger, Victoria Falls, and the Kalahari, plus other highlights of the region.
