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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Excellent sale price
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...
Everyone on the tour absolutely loved
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...
Enjoyable experience.
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...
Some amazing places
The trip was well prepared, organized and going into some amazing places.
What a great experience
What a great experience. I did and seen things I thought I would never be able to do. A lot things I never even thought about. Just great. Leaders were amazing , kno...
South Africa Reviews
Loved the various adventures
Loved the various adventures and not having to arrange the logistics of the adventure. The days were really full and yet there were some down holiday days too. A nic...
One of the most amazing things I've ever done.
One of the most amazing things I've ever done. Never had so much fun and I can't wait to go again!!
Exceeded my expectations in every way.
Exceeded my expectations in every way. You have a very hard working crew who are a credit to your organisation. I loved Vic Falls but I'm a cataractophile. Canoeing ...
Wonderful the experience was for me
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...
We enjoyed our trip so much.
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...
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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
amazing safari experience
I can't thank the team at Selinda and Duba Plains for amazing safari experience and for helping me through an unexpected difficult time. I highly recommend Great Pla...
A dream come true!!
A dream come true!! Thank You team Selinda. Thank You Botswana and all the amazing animals.
First of all, the staff at Duba and Selinda are all outstanding
I cannot begin to describe our trip. First of all, the staff at Duba and Selinda are all outstanding. Our guides, BT and Spike, were unbelievably talented spotters a...
amazing travel experience that we will always cherish.
We had a wonderful family adventure arranged through Chris at Hands Up Holidays in our recent trip to Africa. We knew we wanted to accommodate the varying interests ...
Traveling with Hands Up Holidays was a remarkable experience!
Traveling with Hands Up Holidays was a remarkable experience! During a trip to South Africa in 2009 with Toms Shoes, I had an opportunity to meet Christopher Hill a...
South Africa Reviews
What a wonderful and fulfilling experience!
My first solo trip outside of the U.S. was in the summer of 2012 to Sabi Sand in South Africa. Although I had been to Africa several times before, I was leery about ...
the staff and food and rustic luxury were wonderful
We stayed at Mara Expedition camp in mid Feb 2018 after having to be switched from our original planned location at Mara Plains Camp due to a lioness and her cubs de...
the best locations in the Mara
I have been at Mara Plains Camp in Kenya. It is one of the best locations in ...
Good for tourism, not so much for learning
I did the GVI internship on April last year - which is basically the expedition but with a few extras. For that I spent 3 months on a game reserve and another 3 mont...
Fantastic trip!
I enjoyed 1 mouth out in South Africa on Karongwe game reserve. I can say I had the time of my life, getting involved with wildlife research. I really enjoyed Telem ...
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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