4.7/5 Excellent
Excellent
428
Great
130
Average
9
Disappointing
2
Terrible
2
South Africa Tour & Trip Ratings
Tour Reviews
Dear Joe, Julie and I just returned from our fantastic Indus arranged 10 day trip to Cape Town and up to Piliansburg at Ivory tree. The Harbor House was good a...
Hi Joe, Justin and I have just returned from the Best of...
Hi Ayesha, Glenn and I had a most wonderful trip to South Africa and Zambia. There were 18 in the tour group and we all got along famously. Our tour guide from Johan...
Tracy: The trip was fantastic. Much more than we ever expected. * The Capetown leg you recommended was unbelievable. It was made especially great by our guide Renee....
Tordes, I cannot thank you enough for all of your hard work. We sincerely had the time of our lives. The Indus staff was soooo wonderful and all of the travel pieces...
Thanks By the way you guys are amazing!!! Aquila exceeded immensely my expectation. It's a great establishment. Everything thus far has been really smooth. This was ...
Thanks By the way you guys are amazing!!! Aquila exceeded immensely my expectation. It's a great establishment. Everything thus far has been really smooth. This was ...
I just want to let you know It was SUPER FANTASTIC! Everything went perfect! A great place to visit. Cape town was amazing though The Safari at Entabeni was even bet...
This tour definitely gave us an in-depth experience of South Africa because it had everything that you could ever want from in a visit to South Africa. First, ther...
This tour definitely gave us an in-depth experience of South Africa because it had everything that you could ever want from in a visit to South Africa. First, ther...
Sabine, I arrived back home on yesterday. I cannot describe in words what a fabulous time I had on the South Africa tour. After experiencing so much loss and sadness...
Dear Keren, I know you probably get a lot of emails when things go wrong on someone's vacation but this email to you is the opposite. We just wanted to let you know ...
Hotels 3.5* to 4* and very pleasant. Superb guide and logistics in SA. Dubai guide so-so but fine hotel. Excellent sale price, 30% to 50% less than comparable tour p...
Hello Lavina: I wanted to follow up on the trip to South Africa and Dubai that Terry and I just returned from last week It was by far the best tour that we have been...
Hi Keren, On the whole it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Peter Hess, the tour guide in South Africa, was excellent. All of the hotels and excursions were rea...
I just returned from the Indus Travel Super South Africa tour and I cannot express in words how wonderful the experience was for me. I can truly say that thanks to I...
Craig Oliver, our tour guide was excellent. He was really knowledgeable and has a gentle manner but kept us all in line, on time and well informed. Kudos to him. I t...
Our trip was fantastic. Much more than we ever expected. The Capetown leg you recommended was unbelievable. It was made especially great by our guide Renee. She was ...
I booked a trip to South Africa with National Geographic... what I thought was a reputable company. A couple weeks before I was supposed to go, they canceled the tou...
We have been on many REI trips, mainly because of the talented local guides. Our guide on this trip, Mike (a first time REI guide) has to be right at the top of the ...
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