Safari & Wildlife
South Africa is home to some of the world’s best Big 5 safari experiences. Whether you’re dreaming of a private lodge in Sabi Sands or a family-friendly adventure in Madikwe, we help you choose the right destination based on your travel style, budget and time of year. Our team works with handpicked lodges and local guides to craft a seamless, ethical, and unforgettable wildlife experience.
From game drives and bush walks to star-lit dinners in the wild, we match your expectations with real local insight. Safari & City creates safaris for honeymooners, multi-generational families, photographers, solo travellers, and first-timers – all tailor-made.
Where to Safari in South Africa
South Africa offers several safari regions, each with its own character, landscape, and experience.
Here’s a quick guide to the best-known:
The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s most iconic wildlife destination – a place that attracts over 1.5 million visitors a year and offers one of the most accessible, affordable, and rewarding safari experiences in Africa.
It’s vast – nearly 20,000 square kilometres – with a dense concentration of wildlife, including the Big 5, cheetah, hyena, wild dog, and hundreds of bird species.
Inside the National Park:
Kruger is one of the few major parks in Africa where you can self-drive, stay in affordable rest camps, and still have exceptional sightings. Camps range from large, thatched rondawel-style properties to smaller, quieter satellite camps.
Most rest camps offer:
- Basic but well-maintained accommodation (rondawels and bungalows are air-conditioned and ensuite.
- For smaller rondawels, permanent tent accommodation and camping there are communal kitchens and spotless ablution blocks
- Camps often have grocery and souvenir shops, fuel stations, and swimming pools, small museums, walking trails and lookout points
- You can book additional early morning and night drives with SANParks rangers and enjoy the park outside of camp hours.
It’s an experience many South Africans grow up with – nostalgic, communal, and wild in all the right ways.
These include Sabi Sands, Timbavati, Klaserie, Manyeleti, and others – all bordering Kruger with no fences, so wildlife roams freely across both areas.
In contrast to the public SANPARKS:
- These are fully guided, luxury safari experiences
- Game drives go off-road and have fewer restrictions
- Sightings are uncrowded – usually just 2–3 vehicles per sighting
- Lodges include all meals, drinks, and two daily guided drives
- Many offer walking safaris, photographic safaris, and private plunge pools
Choose the public Kruger for an authentic, affordable self-drive adventure.
Choose Greater Kruger for a polished, all-inclusive guided safari with incredible guides and sightings.
Best all year round, especially May–October.
Malaria-free and known for excellent game viewing, especially wild dogs, rhino, and lion. Ideal for families or anyone flying in/out of Johannesburg.
Scenic and accessible, this malaria-free region offers less-crowded safaris with good accommodation options and family-friendly lodges.
Perfect as an add-on after a Cape Town visit with a trip along the Garden Route If time is limited you don’t have to leave the Western and Eastern Cape regions. They are Malaria-free, with Big 5 sightings and excellent accessibility from Gqeberha Airport (Port Elizabeth).
KwaZulu-Natal Reserves Rich in history and biodiversity, KZN offers Big 5 safaris with a sub-tropical twist.
Expect lush bushveld, strong rhino conservation work, and easy beach-safari combos (especially do-able in the Winter months). Phinda Private Game Reserve is particularly luxurious and close to the coast, while Hluhluwe–iMfolozi is South Africa’s oldest game reserve.
Ideal for travellers flying into Durban or those adding safari to a North Coast or Drakensberg stay.
Sample Safari Experiences
Every safari is different — and that’s the magic. But here are some of the signature moments our travellers consistently love:
Sunrise Game Drives
Early starts with coffee and rusks, as you head out to track lions, elephants or rhinos as they move at dawn.
Sundowners in the Bush
G&Ts, snacks and golden light — nothing beats a sunset stop on the open plains.
Copyright@ SATSA
Walking Safaris
Explore the details: tracks, insects, birds and the small things most people miss. Always with an armed guide.
Conservation & Community Projects
Some lodges offer behind-the-scenes access to rhino monitoring, anti-poaching units or local school visits.
Private Dinners Under the Stars
Whether it’s a boma fire pit, lantern-lit deck, or surprise location in the bush – you’ll never forget the silence.
Kids on Safari
Junior ranger programmes, animal tracking games, family guides – tailored for learning and fun.
Safari FAQs
What You Should Know Before You Go
Yes – especially in malaria-free reserves like Madikwe, Waterberg, or the Eastern Cape. Some lodges have age restrictions for game drives (typically 6+), but many offer tailored family options or private vehicles.
Only in certain areas (mainly Kruger and Limpopo regions). We’ll help you choose the right reserve based on season, traveller age, and health preferences. For most travellers, no medication is needed – especially if you choose the right region.
Only if you’re visiting a malaria zone – and even then, the decision depends on the region, time of year, and your comfort level.
Most first-time safari travellers are understandably concerned about malaria, but here’s what you should know:
- Not all safari areas are malaria zones
Regions like Madikwe, the Waterberg, and the Eastern Cape are malaria-free year-round. - If you’re visiting Kruger or the Lowveld in summer, some GPs may recommend a short course of prophylactics (like Malarone or Doxycycline). These are well-tolerated for most people and taken only for a short period before and after your trip.
- Most South Africans don’t take medication – we use Peaceful Sleep spray, wear light long sleeves at dawn and dusk, and sleep under nets or in screened rooms.
- Lodges in high-risk zones quietly operate professional spraying cycles to keep mosquito populations low (even if they don’t advertise it).
- Malaria cases are extremely rare among travellers using repellent, and taking basic precautions.
Any time of year. Winter, the dry season (May to September), offers the best visibility, especially in Kruger, Madikwe, and the Natal Parks.
Summer (October to March) brings lush green landscapes, baby animals, and dramatic skies – beautiful, but slightly trickier for spotting wildlife.
Yes, in National Parks like Kruger and Addo – but in private reserves, game drives are guided and included in your stay.