Planning a bucket list trip to Southern Africa requires you to gather plenty of information in advance. Africa is a huge continent, second only in size to Asia. The kind of travel you can do across this geographical area is limited only by your imagination. Mountains, jungles, deserts, and oceans are all within reach, but where you go depends on what you want to see and do. If you want to make the most of your trip to Southern Africa, this post is for you! Click here to read about our own Southern Africa experience.
What is Your Budget?
Well darn, we do have to talk a little bit about money. Like any other place you travel in the world, you can spend as much or as little as you like in Southern Africa. If you are booking a safari, it can cost $150 per day per person for a budget experience and exceed $3000 per day per person for an ultra-luxurious experience. If you can afford it, we suggest finding a safari for about $350 per person per day. This should give you nice, comfortable accommodations, daily meals, and at least two game drives a day.
Identify Your Goals
Identifying your goals (and your budget) need to come first, and everything else will follow. We love luxurious experiences but can’t always afford the highest end so will opt for something in between. To make the most of your trip to Southern Africa, decide what is most important to you and what you can live with or without and still have a terrific experience. Do you want to stay in a lodge or tented camp? Do you need a bathroom inside your accommodation, or can you use the flushable toilet down the path? If your vision of a safari is having a butler bring you breakfast in bed while watching an elephant drink from a watering hole, you will need to spend more money. The truth is that most safari companies will provide magnificent opportunities to see animals in the wild. We have found it is really the accommodations, food, and so forth that make the difference between a budget and high-end safari experience.
Choose a Safari That is Right for You
An African safari is often a bucket list, once in a lifetime experience, and the primary reason many travelers want to visit. We know this is a major investment of cash and time and you want to make the most of your trip to Southern Africa. This is why it is important to choose a safari that is right for you. Travel agents experienced in organizing safaris are available to help and provide advice. However, we believe you can also have a great experience and save money by doing a little of your own research and planning first. Then, if you need them, the travel agents and safari companies are there to help you do the rest.
Kruger National Park
If you want a chance to see the big five (lion, leopard, elephant, black rhinoceros, and African buffalo), we suggest you visit at least two countries in Southern Africa. But where do you start?
Our recommendation is Kruger National Park in South Africa. Kruger is a four-hour drive or a 50-minute flight from Johannesburg, which is likely where you will arrive into the country anyway. The city has numerous international flights a day and serves as the financial and industrial metropolis of South Africa.
How to See Kruger
To make the most of your trip to Southern Africa, you should plan to spend 2 to 3 days in and around Kruger. It has over 7,000 square miles so there is a lot of area to cover, and you want to increase your chances of seeing all of the big five.
South Africans typically plan a self-drive vacation through Kruger. This is certainly the most cost efficient and flexible way to explore the park. If you are not skittish about driving on the left side of the road and are feeling a bit adventurous, rent a car. The drive through Kruger takes about 9 hours, which allows time for stops and photographic opportunities, but this makes for a really long day. We suggest you break up the journey to Kruger into at least two half day excursions.
If a self-drive through Kruger is a bit too much or if you want a knowledgeable guide to travel along, no worries — you have other options! Here are four reasonable alternatives to consider, depending on your budget, interest, and level of comfort.
Alternatives to a Self-Drive Experience
These alternatives include guides.
- open 4WD vehicles – carry 6 to 8 people, allow you to really experience the sounds and smells of the bush, and provide the best unobstructed views.
- overlanding – closed vehicles, carry 20 to 30 people and equipment for camping, typically cost less than other options (except self-drive).
- luxury lodges within Kruger which offer meals, accommodations, and game drives.
- private lodges adjacent to Kruger (may or may not include an actual drive in Kruger), also offer meals, accommodations, and game drives.
We recommend reviewing TripAdvisor or another trusted source before making any final decisions about hiring an operator or booking a lodge.
If your safari adventure includes Kruger, then where else might you want to visit?
Botswana, Zambia, or Zimbabwe?
These are the other three countries you will want to consider to make the most of your trip to Southern Africa. To choose a country that is right for you, do some research. Each place offers similar experiences, but also something different. And the landscapes and terrain vary widely from one country to another.
If the Okavango Delta is on your must see list, then visit Botswana. Is Victoria Falls calling you? Then head to Zimbabwe or Zambia. The views are generally best from Zimbabwe, but it depends on the time of year you visit, so read up to make sure you head to the best place.
Our guess is that you will be happy with whichever country or countries you choose to visit if it aligns with the goals for your bucket list trip.
We also suggest flying as opposed to driving unless you have a driver highly familiar with the countries and their entry requirements. From Johannesburg you can take regional flights to just about any other country in southern Africa. Flying is by far the best, quickest, and safest option.
Beyond Booking a Safari
Visit Cape Town and Surroundings
To make the most of your trip to Southern Africa, you will want to explore the limitless possibilities of South Africa. First on our list would be a visit to Cape Town, where you have the Indian Ocean on one side and Table Mountain on the other. Visit Cape Good Hope, where the warm waters of the Indian Ocean meet the cold waters of the Atlantic. The vistas from the top are outstanding! Also, a visit to Cape Town is not complete without taking the cable car to the top of Table Mountain. If you go later in the day, the experience will give you sunset views you will remember for a lifetime.
Go Winetasting in Stellenbosch
Are you a wine lover? Head over to Stellenbosch and the Franschhoek Valley. It is only 30 miles from Cape Town and an easy drive. Park your car and hop on the wine tram for an unforgettable day. If you want, find a lovely hotel and stay a couple of days before heading back to Cape Town where you can dine along the water for fresh seafood and a beautiful view.
Ferry to Robben Island
Daily ferry tours operate to Robben Island, located four miles off the coast of Cape Town. The island is most famous for being a maximum-security prison where anti-apartheid activists were held, including Nelson Mandela. President Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison on Robben Island. Former prisoners now give tours of the facility and museum. You will need about four hours to visit and tour the island.
Don’t Miss the African Penguins
One of our favorite stops was a visit to see the African Penguins at Boulders Beach, less than one hour from Cape Town. These guys are adorable and sadly, becoming extinct. There are boardwalks so the area is easy to navigate and you have the ability to see the penguins up close and in their natural habitat.
Still have time in Cape Town? Consider a shark cage diving tour. We have not done this, but know people who rave about being nose to nose with a Great White. Or, if you happen to be in Cape Town during the summer, by all means go lounge on the beach and stare at the Indian Ocean!
Johannesburg, South Africa
When visitors think of Johannesburg, it is seen mostly as a place to land and quickly move on. But while the city may not rate highly as a travel destination, primarily due to safety concerns, there are reasons to visit for a couple of days. If you spend three hours at the Apartheid Museum, you will not leave untouched by the atrocities that occurred to non-white, mostly black, South Africans from 1948 to 1994. Also, don’t miss a visit to Constitution Hill. This former prison housed thousands of persons over its one hundred year history, including Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Albertina Sisulu.
Finally, we suggest a visit to Soweto. The township has evolved over the years since the end of Apartheid. Tour guides will take you on a walk through the home where Nelson Mandela once lived and show you where Mahatma Gandhi started his legal career. Driving the streets you will see boys and men playing football (soccer), open markets, and food stalls. It is an experience you won’t soon forget.
The safety concerns of Johannesburg are real, but don’t let this stop you from taking a couple of days to see an important part of the history and culture of South Africa. Do not walk alone, pay attention to your surroundings, and hire a guide to see the sites. Uber and taxis are the best way to get around the city. In spite of these concerns, you will find the South African people to be kind and welcoming. Johannesburg is a cosmopolitan city, just enjoy it safely.
When Do You Plan to Travel to Southern Africa?
The time of year you travel to Southern Africa depends a lot on what you want to do. If a safari adventure is the most important part of your trip, you will find traveling May – September is best. These are the winter months of the southern hemisphere, which usually means cool nights and mild days. The leaves are off the trees and the animals are much easier to spot. You should also have little to no rain in the dry areas. The same is true for visiting Johannesburg during this time. There will be cold, some wind, but no rain. In general, you want to avoid high tourist season, November to March, unless your primary goal is to swim in the Indian Ocean and lie on the beach soaking in the rays in Cape Town. Trust us, you don’t want to try swimming in the ocean in June! When you decide to travel does affect what you can do, so have your priorities identified.
Tips for Planning Your Trip to Southern Africa
When planning your trip, keep the following tips in mind.
- Identify your priorities – what you can and cannot live without on this lifetime adventure.
- Determine how to match your budget and your priorities.
- Explore whether you have any credit card points or airline miles you can use to pay for any portion of the trip.
- Consider inviting friends along so you can plan a private group tour.
- Fly between cities and countries (mostly).
- Be prepared not to see all of the Big Five but get really excited if you do.
- Spend a few days in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
- Research, research, research.
Conclusion
Flying to Southern Africa is a quite a journey, never mind once you get there! Is it worth it? Absolutely. The African sunsets are amazing. The wild animals will thrill you beyond belief. It is a country that will leave you breathless and make you want to never go home.
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