4.7/5 Excellent
Excellent
428
Great
130
Average
9
Disappointing
2
Terrible
2
South Africa Tour & Trip Ratings
Tour Reviews
Ok, so first things first, this trip isn't for you if you're not happy to travel long distances, have many early starts and put up with dust (we were there in the dr...
What a great time we had, a super group of fellow travellers and fantastic leader, cook and driver. WE SAW THE BIG FIVE which was in large part down to the crew and ...
Absolutely amazing 3 weeks - saw so much wildlife, (birds and animals), amazing scenery. Our guides (Shane and Gekko) looked after us brilliantly! Also fitted in som...
Great views, good food and informative guides. A real taster of Southern Africa! Highlights were the Victoria Falls and Etosha National Pa...
Having planned this trip for 10 years, I had high expectations of what Southern Africa had to offer; this trip blew those expectations out of the water. Any concerns...
This is a great trip if you want to see the highlights of Southern Africa. Be prepared for long days of driving, which at the end of each day, the lodge i...
This was the first group holiday I'd been on and I was a little apprehensive but I have only had good things to say about it since I've been back. The activities are...
Truly my trip of a lifetime, even when the van broke down..... The main points which I would say are the Elephant swimming in the Chobe Seeing the hippos eating Eto...
An amazing trip, my first "real" experience of Africa, and I loved every second of it! Beautiful landscapes, so much wildlife, and a few "WOW" moments to last me a l...
A very full trip, lots of travelling but worth every minute. We passed through some stunning scenery, the wildlife encounters were both frequent and memora...
Cape Town to Vic Falls was an amazing journey. Some long drives but the scenery and a him also made up for this. Incredible! Awesome! The food was superb all the tim...
This was a fantastic introduction to Southern Africa, we travelled on the reverse itinerary from Victoria Falls to Cape Town and on reflection I am glad we went that...
This really is a fantastic trip and packs an awful lot into 3 weeks - great game viewing, amazing places such as Fish River Canyon, the Sossusvlei sand dunes and of ...
A great trip, with some amazing scenery. A mixed bag of activities to make it a varied trip. For me it was the last day of the trip, spent in Livingstone...
A great holiday, extremely well run, splendid scenery and masses of game to observe. However there are some long days driving on non tarmac roads so be prepared.&nbs...
Wonderful trip, starting gently in Cape Town and building to a climax in Chobe and Victoria Falls. Really glad we chose to do the trip this way round. Stopping for l...
A great trip and intro to Africa Desert scenery and animals Ken, Lyn and Ivan were all excellent. Ken and Lyn made it feel that you were travelling with old friends...
This trip was the most amazing adventure I have ever experience, I would go again in a heartbeat! I loved every second of this trip! From seeing our first animal o...
Fantastic holiday - made the more enjoyable by Emma and Alf - our guide and driver who looked after us so well all the time - in spite of some adversities when thing...
A great road trip with a fantastic mix of cultures, landscape and wildlife. I loved the sand dunes and the dead lake in Namibia- an amateaur photographer's dream. Sk...
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 »
Top South Africa Travel Packages