4.7/5 Excellent
Excellent
428
Great
130
Average
9
Disappointing
2
Terrible
2
South Africa Tour & Trip Ratings
Tour Reviews
Alfred and Emma made this a great trip. Their patience, sense...
Trusted Customer
Oct 2023
The amazing wildlife with stunning and varied scenery. Andrew our guide / driver / cook couldn't do enough for us. This was our first family Explore holiday (althoug...
Gill
Sep 2023
We had an amazing trip which I think was a combination of good planning, so that the journeys weren't ever too long for the kids, nice accommodation with swimming po...
Trusted Customer
Aug 2023
A wonderful holiday with a great group and leader. Kids really enjoye...
Trusted Customer
Aug 2023
Trip of a lifetime. We did so much and saw so many animals that it really exceeded our expectations. We also appreciated the exposure to the local culture and the di...
Emma
Aug 2023
The trips to Kuger and Kosi bay were highlights . Our trip organiser Andrew m...
Yasmeen
Aug 2023
What an AMAZING trip! LOVED every minute of it....we had the best gude ever in Andrew and would not hesitate to do another trip with him. The best part was seeing th...
Jennifer
Aug 2022
Our guide was fantastic and made the trip fun. And the selection of ...
Quite possibly the best holiday of my life (and I've had a few). There were many. The majesty of the Drakensberg mountains, seeing a leopard drink from a river, the ...
The trip was a fantastic introduction to South Africa. The scenery and wildlife was excellent. The trip was very well organised and ticked all the boxes for me. The ...
I really enjoyed this tour and would highly recommend it- the tour offered the opportunity to see a lot of Southern Africa - I started the reverse itinerary in Cape ...
Much better than would or could ever have thought. An all round brilliant experience that ticked every box and more. The highlights just kept getting better and bett...
This was a great trip, showing off the main sights of South Africa, with the added bonus of Lesotho & Swaziland. Although there were some long driving days,...
We both joined this trip with some trepidation as up to now we have always organised our own world-wide trips making bookings independently. We need not have been co...
This was a fantastic trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg, showing off the scenery and wildlife of South Africa at its best. Blessed with fantastic weather throughout...
The scenery was amazing and intrepid's choice of venues were very good but Emma and Alf made this trip the best. They made us feel more like friends than clients. I ...
Editor’s Take
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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