4.7/5 Excellent
Excellent
428
Great
130
Average
9
Disappointing
2
Terrible
2
South Africa Tour & Trip Reviews
South Africa Tour & Trip Ratings
Tour Reviews
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I found a good balance of scheduled activities/travel and personal time on this trip to South Africa.
I found a good balance of scheduled activities/travel and personal time on this trip to South Africa. CharlieTheTraveler did not overwhelm me with too much to do and...
This was a great addition to a wonderful trip!
I always thought South Africa to be a hub of cultural experiences. When CharlieTheTraveler promised a trip of natural site tours, I was intrigued. I was amazed at ho...
T
Trusted Customer
Apr 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
Excellent busy trip with lots of variations. Some lon...
M
Marion
Mar 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
A great and affordable trip with excellent opportunities for spotting a range of animals and birds. Some quite long drives but with a good range of visits - glass m...
South Africa Reviews
A
Alison
Mar 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
Good itinerary for seeing the big five, there is a lot of time spent in buses or trucks however. Overall the highlight was probably Eswatini. Usual Explore group hol...
T
Trusted Customer
Mar 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
Very long days in the bus travelling many km. But it also mea...
T
Trusted Customer
Mar 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
Fantastic trip. Saw lots of wildlife. This holiday is for travellers who don’t mind not having the height of comfort but want to have a more authentic experience and...
T
Trusted Customer
Feb 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
This was a really packed holiday with plenty opportunities to see wildlife, learn about the history and current events in the areas visited. Although long distances ...
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4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviewsSmall Group Tour
4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviewsGroup Tour
4.9/5 Excellent
100+ reviewsGroup Tour
South Africa Reviews
G
GW
Feb 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
Great trip, some long drives but worthwhile . Crams a lot in to a sh...
N
Nichola
Jan 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
Another wonderful trip with Explore! Our trip was delayed due to a British Airways flight and both Explore and the team in South Africa were brilliant at rearranging...
D
David
Jan 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
My first trip with Explore and an overwhelmingly positive experience. Good pre-departure support, a very well organised trip, great accommodation and accompanied by ...
P
Peter
Jan 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
It was necessary for my daughter and I to miss the last two days of the tour and we received a great deal of help from Explore with making extra arrangements.. Explo...
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Trusted Customer
Jan 2025
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
The holiday was very successful due to having Andrew, a very experienced leader and guide. He was well organised and very efficient. He also knew all the roads and w...
South Africa Reviews
T
Trusted Customer
Dec 2024
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
This trip was made great by our excellent tour leader Andrew, but I understand this will be his last trip with explore due to an agent change. The trip itinerary was...
C
Charlotte
Dec 2024
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
This was a great tour - albeit full on and with a lot of travelling involved. However this was outweighed by seeing such a diverse range of landscapes and wildlife a...
M
Maria
Dec 2024
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
Great trip with lots to see and do……..unfortunately the weather in eswatini curtailed our explorations. The food in eswatini was a very limited choice and thought it...
O
OC
Dec 2024
Written on
South Africa and Eswatini
The trip itself, the countries and the experience was all amazing. But the booking process and customer service was poor and the onsite tour leader was not cut out f...
Editor’s Take
What to Look For in South Africa Tour Reviews
Most trip reviews tend to focus on some or all of these 5 key areas, not all of which may be relevant to you: the tour guide, travel company, service level, country or countries traveled in, and the trip itinerary.
Remember, just because you see a 1 star review doesn’t necessarily mean that person disliked the country.
First, for a majority of travelers, the flight to South Africa is long. From many spots in the United States, you’ll spend near 21 hours each direction in the air. Australia and Asia experience similarly long flights. For travelers who find themselves having a layover, consider an overnight layover, where you can spend a night sleeping in a bed. This helps ease exhaustion, especially for those who can’t sleep on planes. You’ll arrive ready for your South African adventure.
There are some security issues when it comes to South Africa, which can be a shock for some travelers. Especially if you go to Johannesburg, you’ll feel the more “dangerous” sides just by being outside and driving through the city. This should not discourage you from traveling to South Africa!
Being prepared and knowing your surroundings, it can help immensely. Many homes have bars on the windows, and security guards, even in the higher end areas. Violence was a huge concern, and can still be, but don’t let this break your trip. There will be a shock but shortly after, travelers see this is just the way of life in South Africa.
Many travelers have mentioned South Africa as one of the best experiences of their life, which is no surprise. Between the ocean, the mountains, the wineries in the capelands, and the wildlife, it’s pretty hard to not enjoy yourself. There is surely something that everyone will enjoy. South Africa is filled with history, art, and great food. There are endless adventures, and the pace of life is very relaxed.
Many reviewers mentioned the safari. Some may say a day or two is enough for a safari. You can see these animals at the zoo. This is far from the truth. There are very few things that beat seeing a family of elephants strolling during sunrise, or watching the hippo crossings between dusk.
Looking in the brush for the lions trying to hide from the hot sun, and zebras running through the grass. All of it is amazing and every game drive is different. Every animal encounter is magical.
Another South Africa “hot spot” among reviewers is Cape Town with a side trip to the wine area, either Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. Stroll through the cute towns filled with restaurants, shops, and markets. Hop on the wine tram, that transports you between wineries in the region.
Consider a stay in a bed and breakfast. Transportation between wine country and Cape Town is about an hour, and there are numerous buses that leave each day between the two. While this is an easy day trip, you may want to consider staying overnight. The region makes for a great weekend trip!
If you want a professional take on traveling in South Africa, see the Travelstride South Africa Guide »
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