Luxury Safari Holidays in South Africa
The kind of early start you won’t complain about.
There’s something about safari that’s difficult to explain until you’ve done it.
The 5am wake-up. Coffee in the dark. That first drive into the bush when nobody quite knows what the morning will bring.
Then someone spots something.
The vehicle stops. Conversations disappear. And suddenly, nothing else feels particularly important.
South Africa does safari exceptionally well — extraordinary wildlife, beautiful lodges, brilliant guides and experiences that can work just as wonderfully for a first safari as they can for someone already planning their fifth.
We’ll just make sure you do it the right way.
Because choosing a Safari is the easy part.
Choosing your Safari is where we come in.
Your first Safari?
How many nights do you need?
Will you actually see anything?
What happens if it rains?
Are there toilets on game drives?
Is 5am really necessary?
Can children come?
Do you need to dress entirely in khaki?
And — the question everybody is thinking — what happens if a lion comes near the vehicle?
We'll talk you through all of it.
Because safari should feel exciting before you go. Not slightly terrifying because you've spent three evenings reading contradictory advice on the internet.
Good. We love a first safari.
Considering a safari with
little travelers?
Kids on safari?
Yes, you can take children on safari.
But choosing the right lodge becomes much more important.
Age restrictions on game drives vary. Some lodges are wonderfully set up for children; others are unapologetically designed for adults. Private vehicles can sometimes be worth every penny, particularly with younger children.
We also think about things that aren't quite as exciting as spotting elephants but make a huge difference:
Malaria risk. Drive times. Pools. Interconnecting rooms. Fencing. Children's programs. Meal times. And whether your six-year-old is realistically going to enjoy four hours in a Land Cruiser.
This is exactly where the right advice matters.
The lodges our clients are always returning to
-
![]()
Londolozi
The one that gets under your skin.
Set on the Sand River in the Sabi Sand, Londolozi has been welcoming guests to this corner of the wilderness for generations. The wildlife viewing is exceptional — it’s particularly celebrated for leopard encounters — but it’s the combination of guiding, warmth, conservation and genuine sense of place that makes it special. This is safari with soul, and exactly the sort of place that turns a first safari into a lifelong problem.
-
![]()
Singita Boulders Lodge
Wild outside. Very polished inside.
Sitting in the Sabi Sand, Boulders combines serious safari with everything Singita does so beautifully: privacy, thoughtful service and contemporary design that never competes with the landscape. Days revolve around twice-daily game drives, with plenty of time in between to slow down and enjoy being somewhere rather extraordinary.
-
![]()
&Beyond Ngala Safari Lodge
The one we’d happily take the whole family to.
Within Ngala Private Game Reserve, adjoining Kruger, this is a brilliant all-rounder. There are classic cottages, interconnecting family accommodation and a three-bedroom Family Villa with its own pool and private safari vehicle. Add excellent wildlife, &Beyond service and the option of a night in the extraordinary Ngala Treehouse, and it’s easy to see why people come back.
-
![]()
Singita Lebombo Lodge
For people who thought safari lodges all looked the same.
In Kruger National Park, Lebombo is Singita’s more architectural, contemporary take on safari. It’s a very different proposition from the traditional lodge aesthetic — dramatic, design-led and immersed in a private wilderness setting. One for clients who care just as much about where they stay as what they spot on the morning game drive.
South Africa, beyond safari.
Don't fly all that way and only do safari.
A luxury safari in South Africa might be the reason you start planning the trip, but it rarely needs to be the whole story. Cape Town, the Winelands and the Garden Route combine beautifully with the country’s private game reserves, making South Africa one of our favourite destinations for a tailor-made, multi-centre journey.
The difficult bit? Deciding how much to squeeze in.
-
There aren’t many cities where you can spend the morning on a mountain, the afternoon beside the sea and the evening working your way through one of the best restaurant scenes in the country.
A few nights in Cape Town before or after your South African safari gives you time for Table Mountain, the colourful streets of Bo-Kaap, the V&A Waterfront and the beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton. Venture further and you’ve got the spectacular Cape Peninsula, with Chapman’s Peak, Cape Point and the penguins at Boulders Beach.
We usually recommend giving Cape Town enough time to enjoy rather than treating it as a quick stopover.
-
Just beyond Cape Town, South Africa’s Cape Winelands are home to rolling vineyards, historic estates, exceptional restaurants and some seriously lovely places to stay.
Franschhoek and Stellenbosch are the names you’ll hear most often, but choosing where to base yourself — and which hotel — can completely change the experience.
Spend your days wine tasting, wandering between galleries and boutiques, lingering over extremely long lunches or doing very little beside the pool with a mountain view.
The Winelands work particularly well as part of a Cape Town, Winelands and safari holiday, giving you a few slower days before swapping vineyards for game drives.
Come for the wine. Stay because leaving Franschhoek suddenly feels entirely unnecessary.
-
Once you’re already in this part of the world, stopping at South Africa’s border can feel rather arbitrary.
A South Africa safari can be combined with Victoria Falls, the waterways of Botswana, the landscapes of Namibia or another safari experience entirely — particularly if this isn't your first time in Africa.
For something completely different, follow the early mornings and game drives with a few days on the beach. South Africa and Mauritius is a particularly lovely combination for honeymoons: safari first, then somewhere warm where the biggest decision of the morning is pool or beach.
After several 5am starts, you've earned it.
Frequently asked Cape Town holiday questions
-
We would recommend at least three to four nights for a first visit. Four or five nights does let you explore at a more relaxed pace, particularly if you want to visit the Cape Town Peninsula.
-
It depends on the Cape Town holiday you want. The V&A Waterfront is convenient and polished, Camps Bay and the Atlantic Seaboard put the ocean centre stage, while areas around Constantia offer more space and a quieter residential feel.
We are here to advise on what we think would work best for you.
-
There isn’t a best month for everybody. The warmer summer period from November to March is particularly popular, but the right time depends on what you want to do and where else you might be travelling in South Africa.
-
We prefer to keep some flexibility around Table Mountain because weather conditions can change quickly. If you wake to a beautifully clear morning, that might be the moment to go rather than waiting for the day you originally had in mind.
-
For the city’s most sought-after restaurants, yes. Some reservations are worth trying to secure before you travel, particularly during the busier summer months. This is something the team can assist with.