Cape Town, the Winelands and a private Kruger reserve in one trip, with direct flights and barely any jet lag.
South Africa fits a city, wine country and a serious safari into one trip. Fly overnight to Cape Town, spend a few days between Table Mountain, the Atlantic beaches and the Cape Peninsula, then drive an hour to the vineyards of Franschhoek or Stellenbosch. A short flight takes you to the private reserves on Kruger's western edge.
The Sabi Sand and its neighbours are known for leopards that are unusually relaxed around vehicles, habituated over decades and followed off-road by tracker and guide. For young children, the malaria-free Madikwe and the Eastern Cape reserves are good alternatives.
The time difference is one or two hours, so there is no jet lag to speak of. The caveat is personal security in the cities: we plan transfers door to door and advise where to walk.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
The Sabi Sand shares an unfenced border with Kruger, so animals move freely, but vehicles are few and guides can drive off-road. Leopards here are unusually relaxed around vehicles. Morning and evening drives last three to four hours, with a bush breakfast or sundowners. Three or four nights is ideal.
Take the cableway or hike up Platteklip Gorge early, before the tablecloth of cloud rolls in. Then drive the peninsula via Chapman's Peak to Cape Point and the penguins at Boulders Beach. The fynbos here belongs to the Cape Floral Region, one of the richest plant kingdoms on Earth.
An hour from Cape Town, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch sit beneath granite mountains, with Cape Dutch homesteads and restaurants among the vines. A driver lets you taste properly. Harvest runs from about February to March; autumn colours follow in April and May.
Every winter and spring, southern right whales come into Walker Bay to calve and nurse. From the Hermanus cliff path you can watch them close to shore, or take a licensed boat. It is an easy day trip or overnight from Cape Town, and combines well with the Overberg wine route.
Madikwe, on the Botswana border a short flight from Johannesburg, has the big five, wild dogs and lodges that welcome young children. It is outside the malaria area, which makes it our first choice for families with toddlers. The Eastern Cape reserves near Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) are an alternative close to the Garden Route.
Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years, is reached by ferry from the V&A Waterfront. Former political prisoners have long guided tours of the prison. Pair it with the District Six Museum and the Bo-Kaap. Book ahead, as sailings sell out and depend on the weather.
In Cape Town, choose the V&A Waterfront for convenience, the Atlantic Seaboard for sunsets, or the quieter Constantia valley. In the Winelands, pick between a village hotel in Franschhoek and a vineyard estate. On safari, we think the private reserves bordering Kruger give you the most for your money in guiding.
Six suites between sand forest and a wetland in Zululand, with rhino tracking, the Indian Ocean coast and turtle nesting within reach.
A 1906 Edwardian house above Bantry Bay, full of South African art, with a wine gallery, sea-view pool and two villas cut into the granite.
A 30-acre estate of vines and orchards below the Franschhoek mountains, with bold interiors, its own wine and suites with private pools for families.
Four lodges of different moods in unfenced Thornybush, from a classic thatched lodge to a tented camp, with guiding at the centre of everything.
Stone, glass and river light on the Sand River, with some of the most reliable leopard viewing in southern Africa on the doorstep.
Nine suites in 118,000 hectares of red dunes and grassland, with a private vehicle, guide and tracker for every booking.
Sample routes to start from. Every one can be changed.
Three nights above the Atlantic in Cape Town, three among the vineyards of Franschhoek, then four in the Sabi Sand for leopard. Little jet lag from the UK and a good first safari for couples.
South Africa's two halves have opposite seasons. The Cape has a Mediterranean climate, dry and warm from November to March and wet and windy in winter. The Kruger area gets its rain in summer, so June to September is dry, cool and ideal for game viewing.
That makes spring, from late August to October, the sweet spot for combining both: whales off Hermanus, wild flowers up the West Coast, dry bush in Kruger and warming weather in the Cape. February and March suit people who want Cape sunshine above all.
Four nights in Cape Town, two among the vines in Franschhoek and four in a private reserve on Kruger's edge, with one internal flight. 10 nights.
Fly direct to Cape Town. Take Table Mountain early, drive the peninsula to Cape Point and Boulders Beach, and ferry out to Robben Island.
Drive an hour inland for estate tastings, long lunches and a walk or cycle through the vineyards.
Fly from Cape Town to Skukuza for four nights of morning and evening drives, bush walks and meals under the stars.
Fly an hour to Johannesburg to connect with the overnight direct flight to London.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for South Africa (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly direct from Heathrow to Cape Town and Johannesburg in about 11 to 12 hours. Airlink connects both cities to Skukuza and Hoedspruit for the Kruger reserves.
UK passport holders can currently visit South Africa for tourism without a visa. Read the FCDO entry requirements (opens in a new tab) before you book and again before you fly, especially if travelling with children.
Read the FCDO entry requirements for South Africa (opens in a new tab)
Cape Town, the Winelands, Madikwe and the Eastern Cape are outside malaria areas. Parts of the Kruger region carry a low risk from September to May. Check TravelHealthPro (opens in a new tab) before you go.
TravelHealthPro advice for South Africa (opens in a new tab)
The currency is the rand, and the exchange rate usually makes eating out good value. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but keep some cash for tips and markets.
Mobile coverage is good in cities and along main roads, and networks such as Vodacom sell SIM cards and data at the airports. Hotels and lodges generally have wifi.
South Africa has a strong tipping culture. Restaurant staff expect around 10 per cent, and car guards and fuel attendants are tipped in coins. On safari, guides and trackers are tipped separately. We include current guidance with your documents.
Yes, and it is one of the easiest. The flight is overnight with little time change, the malaria-free reserves of Madikwe and the Eastern Cape suit young children, and many lodges run children's programmes and offer private vehicles. You can combine the safari with Cape Town beaches and penguins, which keeps everyone happy.
Kruger itself is huge and good value, but vehicles must stay on roads and sightings can draw a crowd. The private reserves on its western edge, such as the Sabi Sand and Timbavati, share the same wildlife without fences, but limit vehicles and allow off-road tracking and night drives. For a short safari, the private reserves are worth it.
September to November works best for both: the Cape is warming up, whales are in Walker Bay and the bush is still dry for game viewing. February and March are best for Cape weather, with a greener, hotter safari. June and July are ideal on safari but wet in Cape Town.
Most visitors have trouble-free trips, but crime is a real issue in the cities. We arrange private transfers, choose hotels in well-located areas and brief you on where to walk. Read the FCDO safety advice before you travel. Safari lodges and the Winelands feel relaxed.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: January to March and August to October.
Small camps, private concessions and a flood that arrives in the dry season: the Okavango is safari at its quietest.
Red dunes at Sossusvlei, desert elephants in Damaraland and Etosha's waterholes: a classic self-drive, or flown in by light aircraft.
Dhows, dugongs and empty sandbars in the Bazaruto Archipelago: the Indian Ocean beach that pairs with a Kruger safari.
One island with lagoon beaches, forest gorges and Creole cooking, where the coast you choose matters as much as the hotel.
