South Africa · WILDLIFE
The 15 best wildlife tours you can book today, with what each one costs, how long it takes and who it suits. Number one is first for a reason; start there and work down.
Cape Town marine wildlife eco-cruise from the V&A Waterfront, a hydrofoil ride in Table Bay for whales, dolphins, seals, penguins and more.
“Super knowledgeable and funny guide who made this experience unforgettable. The whales were just stunning as well as other marine life 1000% would do it again”
Big Five day safari from Cape Town to malaria-free Aquila Game Reserve with hotel pickup, lunch, and a 3-hour open-vehicle drive.
“Long drive there and back however our driver Denver provided notes of interest and drove with real care and attention. Delicious and varied buffet lunch was provided. Our safari guide Abriel was knowledgeable and passionate about his subjRead more”
2-day safari from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn with open-top 4x4 drives, bush drive wildlife, and optional elephant observation.
“The whole trip was great. We visited 2 safaris and saw 4 out of big 5s. The backpackers hostel where we slept was very nice. During driving we had enough stops for refreshment. It was great experience and I definitely recommend!”
Ocean wildlife safari by speed boat from Green Point, searching for dolphins, seals, whales, plus Table Mountain and Robben Island views.
“Dear Paul. Thank you so much for these amazing 2 hours. Sharing not just your knowledge and experience about ocean wildlife but also about waves, weather, wind, clouds combined with a speed boat body workout was really enriching and max fun. Thanks to your ability to read the ocean we saw dolphins, seals, penguins, moonfish and even whales on a perfect day. All the best for you and see you next time.”
2-day 4x4 safari from Cape Town to Botlierskop and Buffelsdrift, plus Oudtshoorn and a Route 62 return drive.
“This was a great experience - our tour guide Neville was attentive and great story teller! Gave great history about South Africa and pointed out sights during our drive to and from the game reserves. Overall very accommodating and open to all of our questions!”
One-hour Tenikwa wild cat walk in Plettenberg Bay: lions, cheetahs, servals, the white lion, Blue Crane sightings and conservation.
“The guide was very knowledgable and gave us so much info. He genuinely cares for animals he looks after. They have all been rescued from various places and they cannot be returned to the Wild as they would be unable to look after themselves”
Cruise from Port Elizabeth to Schotia Private Game Reserve for a 4x4 open-vehicle safari, snacks, and expert guiding, focused on big wildlife.
“Mir ist klar, dass es in einem Reservat keine "normalen" Straßen gibt, dass es eben einfache Wege sind. Aber in diesem Reservat sind die Wege dermaßen stark ausgefahren, dass riesige Löcher und Fahrrillen entstanden sind. OK - das kommt vor. Aber wenn dann der Fahrer mit Vollgas in diese reinfährt, damit er auf der anderen Seite auch wieder rauskommt, dann passiert es leider mehrfach, dass es einen aus dem Sitz katapultiert und man mit dem Kopf gegen das Dach des Fahrzeuges knallt. Das hätte ich nun wirklich nicht gebraucht. Wir haben mit anderen Besuchern gesprochen, die die Safari in diesem Reservat über einen anderen Veranstalter gebucht hatten - die hatten…”
Paddle Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard for 2 hours to spot dolphins, penguins, seals, and whales, with Table Mountain views and smoothies.
“Amazing! The surfski and paddle are almost new. The guides are professional. We enjoyed it much”
Cape Town to Oudtshoorn for Big Five 4x4 safaris, luxury canvas glamping, optional rescued elephant viewing, plus a Route 62 road trip.
“Sehr gut organisierte Safari Tour in einem Sprinter Bus. Gute Unterkünfte und Game Drives. Ein besonderes Lob an unseren Guide Maudi,freundlich , gut organisiert ,hat uns alle Fragen beantwortet und war immer für uns da, jederzeit wieder würde ich mit diesem Veranstalter buchen.”
Skip the ticket line for a small-group guided walking safari at Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Cape, with entrance included.
“We booked the Boma and night tour with wildcats. Our experience was good but there were quite a few frustrations.”
Private 2-hour wildlife photography tour at Tenikwa in Plettenberg Bay, featuring leopards, cheetahs, meerkats and white lions.
“This is a working conservation establishment so what you see depends on what they are caring for at the time. We saw more animals than anticipated. All looked well cared for & our guide clearly has a love of animals. He was knowledgeable and informative.”
4x4 wildlife safari plus Donkin Reserve, Cape Recife Lighthouse, SANCCOB penguins, and city stops in Port Elizabeth, with hotel pickup.
“Nina made our day, everything was so perfect. We saw the Hotspots of Port Elizabeth, Had an exiting Safari, nice wines to try, and the beautyful Beach at the Lighthouse. We had so many awesome impressions and a lot of fun.”
Tenikwa Western Cape wildlife and Tsitsikamma forest walk combo, spot white lions, enjoy a lunch platter and photos, 4 hours.
“We had a wonderful experience. Sandile was a great guide, so knowledgeable. All the staff were fantastic & so passionate about the animals at Tenikwa, as well as the flora. So good to experience this superb educational facility. We will be back!! Thank you one & all.”
Small-group West Coast day trip from Cape Town with Buffelsfontein safari, Darling olives, toffee, and carbon-neutral beer tasting.
“Our tour with guide Ian could not have been better. Ian is knowledgeable, and accommodating guide and we would not hesitate to recommend him and expect to ask for him when we return to South Africa. Tour content exceeded our expectations. Wildlife spotting was way better than we expected and safari tour vehicle was comfortable and safe.”
Full-day Big Five safari at Pilanesberg from Johannesburg with open-jeep game drives, lunch, and air-conditioned transport for a small group.
“Nosso transporte feito pelo sr. Jason foi tranquilo e pontual, ida e vinda. Muito atencioso e solícito. Nosso tour pelo parque foi muito legal, não vimos os Big Five, apenas w deles, mas vimos muitos outros animais. E o mais divertido foi a briga de girafas e os elefantes invadindo a rua, passando ao lado do carro e até indo atrás. O motorista Peter foi muito bem nas explicações.”
From the cableway to the Kruger gate, sorted by the kind of day you want.
