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…”
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.”
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.”
3 days from Cape Town for Big Five safari, Cape Peninsula viewpoints, penguins at Boulders Beach, and Cango Caves, with small-group comfort.
“We were lucky that we had a wonderful tour guide to help us. He was very energetic, jovial and took the time to explain everything in detail. He answered questions that we didn’t even know to ask. It was an excellent tour. Thank you, aviator.”
Cape Town to the West Coast for a guided game drive, olive and wine tasting, Darling Brew craft beers, toffee, and Bloubergstrand views.
“Ian is a nice chap doing his best to make the excursion a success Ian is punctual with a comfy car. the excursion was not too touristy and we enjoyed the conversation and the activities of the day. thanks Ian for this memorable day”
Horseback wildlife safari near Stellenbosch in gentle horses through a 240ha reserve, small groups, helmets included, strict 75kg limit.
“Ein wunderbarer Ausritt. Es wird genau geschaut, welches Pferd zu einem passt und die Pferde sind in einem sehr guten Zustand. Man sieht viele Tiere.”
Half-day Addo safari from Port Elizabeth. Guided game drive with chances at the Big Five, elephant close-ups, and a short bush lunch.
“We were right in the middle of the elephants. It was fantastic. Especially in the car. It was a great place to take photos.”
Two days of open-4x4 safaris in Addo and Schotia, with luxury lodge, guided bush walk, meals, and small-group guiding.
Half-day Kruger open-vehicle safari at sunrise or afternoon, guided wildlife spotting with big-five chances and hotel pickup.
“Our lodge is very close to Crocodile Gate, so pickup and drop-off were possible (by prior arrangement). Our guide Jerry was great. He was very well connected with other drivers and tried to get the best possible sightings for us. (Cheetah and lions) He also responded to our special request to look for a leopard, but we just missed it each time. There was also a lot of theory and expert knowledge about the animals. A very successful morning. Highly recommended! :)”
From the cableway to the Kruger gate, sorted by the kind of day you want.
