South Africa · NATIONAL PARKS

National Park Trips in South Africa: Our 15, in Order

98 tours  ·  from $14

Distances here are long and a wasted day is expensive. These 15 national park trips are priced and timed so the choice takes a few minutes rather than an evening.

From Johannesburg: Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Game Safari - Morning safari: your best chance for active animals
National Parks, Pilanesberg & Sun City Tours, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Pilanesberg & Sun City, Tour Reviews

From Johannesburg: Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Game Safari

1.From Johannesburg: Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Game Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,327 reviews · 12 hours · from $186Our pick

Leave Johannesburg early for Pilanesberg Nature Reserve, about two hours away. You get 4.5 to 5 hours of open-vehicle game drives, a park lunch, and guides such as Petrus, Martin, or Desmond who explain animal behavior and help track sightings. Expect elephants, rhinos, zebras, giraffes, hippos, and perhaps lions or leopards.

“A very enjoyable day with lunch included. Our guide Doreen was very knowledgeable. We got to see a fair few animals in their natural habitat. Around five hours on the game drive, plenty of opportunities to see the big 5 if you are lucky. Unfortunately we didn’t see any of the big cats but that’s the nature of a Safari”

Check availability →Read our full review

Addo Elephant National Park All Inclusive Full-Day Safari - Morning pickup from Port Elizabeth and beyond
Addo & the Eastern Cape Tours, Elephant Tours, Elephant Tours in Addo & the Eastern Cape, Full-Day, National Parks, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Addo & the Eastern Cape, Tour Reviews

Addo Elephant National Park All Inclusive Full-Day Safari

2.Addo Elephant National Park All Inclusive Full-Day Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 872 reviews · 9 hours · from $186

Join Afroventures Tours and Safaris for a nine-hour Addo safari from Port Elizabeth, Bluewater Bay, Colchester, or Addo. Ride in an air-conditioned 4x4 Jeep with a window seat for every passenger, search for elephants, lions, rhinos, buffalo, and zebra, and break for lunch inside the park. Guides such as John, Freddy, Sidwell, and King Elvis are known for sharp animal spotting.

“Great safari in Addo! Our guide was excellent, we saw many animals, and learned a lot about the area. Highly recommended!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Kruger National Park Full Day Private safari - Leaving Hazyview at 5:30 am
Full-Day, Kruger National Park Tours, National Parks, Private, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Kruger National Park, Tour Reviews

Kruger National Park Full Day Private safari

3.Kruger National Park Full Day Private safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 799 reviews · from $158Top rated

Leave Hazyview at 5:30 am for a private Kruger safari with a professional guide. You will spend the day searching for lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, buffalo, cheetahs, wild dogs, and birds, with breakfast and lunch stops at rest camps. Bring breakfast from your lodge, and budget separately for food, drinks, and conservation fees.

“Didi proved to be quite an awesome guide—he was very knowledgeable about so many things in the park, and was able to answer all of our questions. He also got us up close and personal with white rhinos, elephants, leapards, zebras, giraffes, and countless other small gaRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Full Day Ultimate Pilanesberg National Park Safari from Johannesburg or Pretoria - The early pickup and drive to the reserve
Full-Day, National Parks, Pilanesberg & Sun City Tours, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Pilanesberg & Sun City, Tour Reviews

Full Day Ultimate Pilanesberg National Park Safari from Johannesburg or Pretoria

4.Full Day Ultimate Pilanesberg National Park Safari from Johannesburg or Pretoria

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 718 reviews · from $159

Leave Johannesburg or Pretoria early for Pilanesberg National Park, where a professional guide leads morning and afternoon open-vehicle safaris. You will have time for lunch beside a busy waterhole, with chances to see elephants, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, zebras, antelope, and perhaps lions or leopards. Hotel pickup, park fees, transport, and lunch are included.

“The ease of being picked up and driven back was wonderful. The actual safari was also great. Saw zebras, elephants and lots of impalas. It rained the day before so it wasn’t dusty at all. Try to see as much as you can with the first run because after lunch we could barely keep our eyes open!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Storms River: Tsitsikamma National Park Zipline Canopy Tour - Moving through the Outeniqua Yellowwoods
Garden Route Tours, National Parks, Tour Reviews, Tours, Zip Lines

Storms River: Tsitsikamma National Park Zipline Canopy Tour

5.Storms River: Tsitsikamma National Park Zipline Canopy Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 481 reviews · 2h 30m · from $55

Spend 150 minutes gliding between tree platforms in Tsitsikamma National Park, often high in Outeniqua Yellowwoods. Two English or Afrikaans-speaking guides handle the safety work and share stories about birds, ferns, and forest ecology. The small groups, capped at eight, suit first-timers, families with older children, and nervous flyers.

“super much fun! I was a bit scared in tje beginning but after some time I really enjoyed it”

Check availability →Read our full review

Kruger National Park - Private full day Safari trip. - Passing through Pabeni Gate
Full-Day, Kruger National Park Tours, National Parks, Private, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Kruger National Park, Tour Reviews

Kruger National Park – Private full day Safari trip.

6.Private full day Safari trip.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 347 reviews · from $166

Set out from Perry’s Bridge Trading Post in Hazyview for a private, full-day Kruger safari with a personal driver-guide. You’ll enter through Pabeni Gate and spend about nine hours searching for lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, buffalo, birds, and smaller wildlife. Guides such as Gerri Smith and Keegan tailor the day to your interests, while bottled water and private transport are included.

“We saw 4 of the big 5. Gerrie was amazing. We were extremely happy with this tour. It made our trip.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Addo Elephant National Park All Inclusive Full-Day Safari - Morning pickup from Port Elizabeth and beyond
Addo & the Eastern Cape Tours, Elephant Tours, Elephant Tours in Addo & the Eastern Cape, Full-Day, National Parks, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Addo & the Eastern Cape, Tour Reviews

Addo Elephant National Park All Inclusive Full-Day Safari

7.Addo Elephant National Park All Inclusive Full-Day Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 256 reviews · from $147

Spend about nine hours exploring Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth in an air-conditioned 4x4 or minivan. A guide such as John, Sidwell, Wanele, or Elvis leads the search for elephants, lions, buffalo, rhino, zebra, and more. Hotel pickup, park fees, transport, and lunch are included.

“Being with the driver John. He was so good at finding the animals and know all the history of the area”

Check availability →Read our full review

From Sun City: Pilanesberg National Park 3-Hour Game Drive - What the three-hour drive is like
3-Hour Experiences, National Parks, Pilanesberg & Sun City Tours, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Pilanesberg & Sun City, Tour Reviews

From Sun City: Pilanesberg National Park 3-Hour Game Drive

8.Pilanesberg National Park 3-Hour Game Drive

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 216 reviews · from $49Best value

From Sun City, join Mankwe GAMETRACKERS for a 3-hour drive through Pilanesberg National Park, an extinct volcanic crater. You ride in a 25-seater open safari vehicle with an English-speaking field guide. Guides such as Jeremy, BY, Peter, MK, and Mr Ponto have earned praise for spotting animals and explaining the bush.

“Our guide, BY was amazing. He was so knowledgeable, helpful and skilled at finding where the animals were hiding. He was fabulous and our experience was unforgettable.”

Check availability →Read our full review

From Hazyview: Kruger National Park Full-Day Safari - Entering Kruger through Phabeni Gate
Full-Day, Kruger National Park Tours, National Parks, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Kruger National Park, Tour Reviews

From Hazyview: Kruger National Park Full-Day Safari

9.Kruger National Park Full-Day Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 205 reviews · 10 hours · from $105

Start before sunrise from Hazyview and enter Kruger through Phabeni Gate in an open safari vehicle. Spend about 10 hours searching for lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffalo, cheetahs, and wild dogs with guides such as Bradley, Stephen, Sipho, and Remember. Breakfast, lunch, park fees, and souvenirs cost extra.

“Our guide, Remember, was the best!! He tried so hard to show us the big 5 that he managed to do so (even after waiting some 45 minutes for the leopard to come out of its hideout)!! I strongly recommend the tour, and even harder, to do it with Remember!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Kruger National Park sunrise Morning Private safari - From Hazyview to the park gates
Kruger National Park Tours, National Parks, Private, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Kruger National Park, Tour Reviews

Kruger National Park sunrise Morning Private safari

10.Kruger National Park sunrise Morning Private safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 185 reviews · from $131

Start at 5:30 a.m. from Hazyview or a nearby Kruger gate, then spend about six to six and a half hours in an open safari vehicle. Your private group travels with a guide, bottled water, and fuel included. Guides named in past trips include Abraham N, Patrick, and Evenick.

“Fantastic ! Whole experience amazing ! Great company .. very friendly .. wanted us to have the best experience and we did ! Thank you Evenick ! Fantastic !”

Check availability →Read our full review

Addo National Park: Guided Half-Day Safari - Inside the closed Toyota Land Cruiser
Addo & the Eastern Cape Tours, Guided, Half-Day, National Parks, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Addo & the Eastern Cape, Tour Reviews

Addo National Park: Guided Half-Day Safari

11.Addo National Park: Guided Half-Day Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 175 reviews · 4 hours · from $81

Spend four hours exploring Addo National Park’s northern Big 5 viewing area in a closed Toyota Land Cruiser. Guides such as Steven, Donald, Stevie, and Tanya share wildlife knowledge, local stories, and help you find good viewing angles. Drinks and snacks are included, with optional pickup from Addo village.

“We had an awesome day, with our great guide Donald. He did his outmost to contact other guides finding out the different sightings to make the safari the best ever. Thanks Donald 👍”

Check availability →Read our full review

Full Day Safari Tour of Pilanesberg National Park, Open Jeep experience - What the game drive is really like
Full-Day, National Parks, Pilanesberg & Sun City Tours, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Pilanesberg & Sun City, Tour Reviews, Tours

Full Day Safari Tour of Pilanesberg National Park, Open Jeep experience

12.Full Day Safari Tour of Pilanesberg National Park, Open Jeep experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 139 reviews · from $155

Leave Johannesburg before sunrise for Pilanesberg National Park, where an open safari jeep gives you wide views of lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, leopards, giraffes, zebras, and more. Your day includes hotel pickup, transport, park fees, lunch, and water. Guides such as Peter, Tummy, and Ambos have helped guests spot wildlife and understand animal behavior.

“Such an amazing day being out of the city and with such a wide variety of animals! The driver (Tshepo) from the hotel to the park was so friendly and helpful in learning about South Africa. The guide (Ambos) was very fun and incredible in his knowledge of all the animals. Highly recommend this excursion!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Kruger National Park: Full-Day Game Drive with Pickup - Pickup, park entry, and the first cold hours
Full-Day, Kruger National Park Tours, National Parks, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Kruger National Park, Tour Reviews

Kruger National Park: Full-Day Game Drive with Pickup

13.Full-Day Game Drive with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 136 reviews · 1 day · from $109

Spend a full day in Kruger National Park in an open safari vehicle, with pickup from your hotel or selected park gate. Guides such as Jerry and Advocat track lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo, while explaining birds, plants, and park history. Breakfast and lunch stops are included in the day, but food costs and the conservation fee are extra.

“We had a great time in the Kruger park, thanks to our guide Advocat. He found lions and even a leopard. There was also always time for some background stories about the animals, which he would tell with good humor. Thank you for a lovely day!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Kruger National Park: Full-Day Private Safari With Pickup - The open safari vehicle changes the view
Full-Day, Kruger National Park Tours, National Parks, Private, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Kruger National Park, Tour Reviews

Kruger National Park: Full-Day Private Safari With Pickup

14.Full-Day Private Safari With Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 122 reviews · 10 hours

Spend 10 hours in Kruger National Park with a private open safari vehicle, English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, and bottled water. Guides such as Steven, Muzi, Lucky, and Marinda are praised for sharp animal spotting and lively nature commentary. The tour suits couples, families, and photographers, with space for up to 10 people.

“Muzi was everything that one could want in a guide - knowledgeable, patient and a wonder raconteur. We saw the big 5 in the morning - including a pride of 15 lions. It was a fantastic experience all round.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Marloth Park: Kruger National Park Safari Game Drives - Entering Kruger through Crocodile Bridge
Kruger National Park Tours, National Parks, Safari Tours, Safari Tours in Kruger National Park, Tour Reviews

Marloth Park: Kruger National Park Safari Game Drives

15.Marloth Park: Kruger National Park Safari Game Drives

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 115 reviews · 6 hours · from $61

Set out from Marloth Park before sunrise for a six-hour Kruger safari in a high, open vehicle. Guides such as Jerry, Lucky, Max, and Advocate explain the animals, birds, trees, and park roads. Expect impalas, elephants, lions, hippos, crocodiles, and a chance of cheetahs, leopards, or wild dogs. Water and lodge pickup are included.

“We booked drives on 2 separate occasions, and Gloria was excellent at organising our pickups. She was very prompt to respond to messages and was flexible with pickup locations. Our guide, Advocate, had excellent info about both the animals and plants we saw as well as great banter. Would highly recommend InnAfrica for future travellers.”

Check availability →Read our full review

New in National Parks

★ 5.0Cape Agulhas | Stony Point Nature Reserve4 reviews
★ 5.07-day Cape Town, Winelands, Garden Route and Addo National ParkFrom $1,9905 reviews
★ 3.7Pilanesberg National Park Bush WalkFrom $583 reviews
★ 5.0South Africa Joburg: Pilanesberg National Park Day TourFrom $1984 reviews
★ 5.0Private Safari Tour: Pilansberg National Park Big 5From $1557 reviews
★ 5.0Private Addo Elephant National Park Half Day TourFrom $1744 reviews
★ 5.03-Day Addo Elephant National Park SafariFrom $1,1773 reviews
★ 4.8Pilanesberg National ParkFrom $2488 reviews
★ 4.7Malelane & Komtipoort: Kruger National Park Full-Day SafariFrom $1053 reviews
★ 4.6Malelane & Komatipoort: Kruger National Park Half-Day SafariFrom $8012 reviews
★ 5.0Wildlife-Watching SafariFrom $633 reviews
★ 5.0Kruger National Park Safari (Full Day)From $1263 reviews
★ 5.0Morning Safari22 reviews
★ 3.6Kruger National Park half dayFrom $4415 reviews
★ 4.3Kruger National Park Game Drive (Half-Day PM)From $1043 reviews

Keep browsing

Safari Tours290Big 5 Safaris44Elephant Tours41Lion & Rhino Parks21Aquila Game Reserve Tours33Cheetah Encounters9Wildlife28Wildlife Sanctuaries10
Scroll to Top

Where the tours are

Pick a mountain, a reserve or a vineyard.

In the bush

Safari ToursBig Five SafarisElephantsLion & Rhino ParksNational Parks

On the water

Boat TripsPenguinsWhale WatchingShark CagesSeal Swims

Food and wine

Wine TastingsFood ToursLong LunchesCooking ClassesBars & Breweries

History and city

Robben IslandApartheid HistoryTownship ToursThe Bo-KaapMuseums