Best South Africa Tours & Holidays

We offer a variety of tour styles in South Africa to suit different travel preferences:

Classic Tours: Offering great value while covering South Africa's iconic highlights, these tours balance must-see attractions with excellent pricing.

Small Group Tours: These tours allow you to get to know your fellow travellers and expert local guide while experiencing South Africa's highlights in a comfortable, social atmosphere. It's especially beneficial in Africa where sharing those first wildlife sightings and evening conversations enhances the experience.

Independent Tours: For those who don't want to travel in an organised group, these packages include pre-arranged accommodations, transfers, and sightseeing without a full-time tour leader. 

Tailormade Tours: If our regular itineraries don't exactly match what you want or if you're travelling for a special occasion like an anniversary or milestone birthday, our Tailormade team  can create a custom trip that perfectly suits your requirements.

Our South Africa tours reflect the country's incredible variety. Picture yourself tracking lions across golden savannas at sunrise, tasting exquisite wines as the sun dips behind craggy mountains.We've created experiences from wildlife safaris that bring you face-to-face with the Big Five–African lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants, and Cape buffalo—to cultural journeys that uncover the nation's rich tapestry of traditions. 

You might choose a fully escorted tour where expert local guides handle every detail, a partially escorted journey mixing guidance with free time, or a self-guided experience with local experts on call.

Our group tours of South Africa typically include between 4 and 20 fellow travellers, with an average of around 12 travellers per group. These small group sizes hit the sweet spot between making new friends and getting personal attention from your guides. Many travellers tell us that the friendships formed while watching elephants at a waterhole or chatting over a campfire dinner become unexpected treasures from their African adventure.

Smart travellers lock in their guided tours of South Africa about 9-18 months ahead, especially for the prime wildlife viewing months (May through October). Planning ahead not only secures your preferred dates but often unlocks early booking discounts—sometimes saving you up to half off standard prices. The most sought-after experiences, particularly those with luxury train journeys or exclusive safari lodges, tend to fill up quickly.

Our guided tours to South Africa come in several thoughtfully designed formats: 

• Fully Escorted tours give you comprehensive guidance with experts by your side throughout. Tours that venture  to more remote locations will be fully escorted to ensure all logistics are seamless and wildlife sightings are maximised. 

• Partially Escorted journeys mix expert guidance during key experiences like game drives with free time for your own discoveries—maybe an afternoon browsing a local  market or watching the sunset with a drink. 

• Independent tours offer the freedom to travel at your own pace without being tied to a group, plus support behind the scenes.You'll have staff on luxury trains ready to help when needed, safari lodge teams making sure everything runs smoothly during your stay, and local experts on hand for any included city tours. 

When you join our South Africa group tours, you'll get great value without hidden costs. Your tour price typically covers comfortable accommodations in well-positioned hotels and lodges that showcase local charm, all transportation between destinations (including internal flights where listed), entrance fees to scheduled attractions, game drives with expert trackers, and insights from experienced guides. Some journeys also include amazing experiences like luxury train travel through stunning landscapes. Each tour page clearly shows every inclusion so you can budget confidently. 

Many itineraries  also offer optional activities  that can be added to your tour for an additional cost—perfect for customising your experience with special interests or additional game drives.

We design our South Africa tours with a range of fitness levels in mind. Each itinerary clearly shows if it's "Leisurely," "Balanced," or "Active", so you can choose what fits your comfort zone. 

Even our wildlife adventures offer options—from traditional game drives in comfortable vehicles to walking safaris for those wanting more active experiences. If you’re unsure, our team can give honest feedback about terrain and walking distances for any tour you're considering. 

Our South Africa tours open doors to places that often miss the spotlight. Beyond the amazing Kruger National Park (where close-up meetings with elephants, lions and rhinos create lifelong memories), you'll want to explore the colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood in Cape Town with its bright houses and rich Cape Malay culture. 

From the iconic Table Mountain in Cape Town to the wine regions of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, our tours balance famous landmarks with authentic local encounters that create lasting memories of your South African adventure.

For more information, see our guide on what to expect on your first visit to South Africa.

South Africa's incredible wildlife goes far beyond what most visitors expect. While the Big Five grab headlines on most group tours of South Africa, the unexpected encounters often create the best stories. Be sure to check out the optional tours available, too. For instance, the charming African penguin colony at Boulders Beach lets you get surprisingly close to these tuxedo-clad birds as they waddle comically across the sand.

South Africa's food scene tells a delicious story of its mixed heritage. Here are must-try dishes and experiences to look for during your South Africa travel:

• Bobotie, a fragrant Cape Malay dish similar to moussaka, with spiced minced meat topped with an egg layer

• Biltong, air-dried, spiced meat that makes regular beef jerky seem boring

• Boerewors, spicy sausage cooked over open flames at a braai (South African barbecue)

• Bunny chow, a hollow bread loaf filled with curry, created by Durban's Indian community

• Malva pudding, a sweet, sticky sponge dessert usually served warm with custard

• Cape wines, excellent wines from Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, often paired with local cheeses

• Rooibos tea, a caffeine-free herbal tea that only grows in the Cederberg region

• Game meats, responsibly sourced kudu, ostrich, or springbok offering tasty alternatives to regular meats

• Fresh seafood, just-caught line fish, West Coast mussels, or famous Knysna oysters

• Milk tart, a cinnamon-sprinkled custard tart showing Dutch colonial influences.

Explore our Taste of South Africa guide for more insider culinary tips for your trip.

Visa requirements for South Africa vary depending on your nationality, purpose of visit, and length of stay. Some passport holders may be exempt from visa requirements for tourism purposes, while others will need to apply in advance.

We recommend:

• Checking our Visa Entry Requirements page shortly after booking

• Ensuring your passport has at least six months of validity from your return date

• Making sure  your passport has at least two blank pages for entry stamps

• If visiting multiple countries, checking the requirements for each destination.

Most travellers prefer sorting these details 3-4 months before departure, giving plenty of time to handle any unexpected paperwork without last-minute stress.

South Africa's regional climates create different magic in each season.

• Wildlife fans often prefer the dry winter months (May-September) when vegetation thins out and animals gather predictably around water holes, making them easier to spot

• Photographers love the August through October wildflower bloom when seemingly empty landscapes burst into colourful carpets stretching to the horizon

• The Western Cape shows off during summer (November-March) with warm, sunny days perfect for exploring Cape Town and enjoying wine tastings in beautiful vineyard settings. 

Still wondering about the ideal time for your South African journey? Our detailed guide, when is the best time to visit Southern Africa? breaks down the seasonal highlights to help you plan your perfect tour.

South Africa's layered cultural story adds real meaning to any visit beyond the gorgeous landscapes and wildlife. Learning about "Ubuntu" (which roughly means "I am because we are")—a philosophy highlighting how we're all connected—helps you understand the values you'll see throughout your journey.

The country's history weaves together ancient San rock art from thousands of years ago, early Dutch colonial influences, strong Zulu kingdom traditions, and the recent struggle against apartheid. Travellers on our South Africa tours find visits to living cultural villages, community art projects, and township tours especially touching, giving them chances to enjoy traditional music, modern dance, beautiful crafts, and fusion food while supporting local communities. These real cultural connections often become the emotional heart of a South African journey, creating bonds that go beyond typical tourism.

South Africa's famous rail journeys offer a unique part of your tour that perfectly balances wildlife adventures and city explorations. Picture sitting in an elegant wood-panelled compartment with big windows framing constantly changing scenery you couldn't see from a road—the dramatic slopes of the Drakensberg Mountains, the vast Karoo semi-desert glowing in sunset light, or giraffes munching on acacia trees right next to the tracks. 

On the train, you'll enjoy wonderful service reminiscent of travel's golden age, delicious meals featuring regional specialties paired with excellent South African wines, and fascinating historical stories from knowledgeable staff. A South African train experience perfectly contrasts the safari experiences—offering luxurious relaxation between more active adventures while showing off the country’s  diversity from a fresh perspective.

All lodges offer laundry service at reasonable prices, making it easy to pack lighter and have clothes cleaned during your stay. 

The local currency is the South African Rand (ZAR). Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, and shops in cities and tourist areas. It's good to have some cash for small purchases, tips, and markets. ATMs are readily available in cities and towns but may be limited in remote safari areas.

Here's a quick list of what we recommend for wildlife viewing, comfort and capturing those magical South African moments:

• Clothing: Neutral-colored clothing, sun hat, sunglasses, comfortable walking shoes

• Electronics: Universal adapter (Type M), camera with zoom, flashlight

• Medical: Medications, insect repellent, sunscreen

• Must-Haves: Binoculars, daypack, water bottle

On some of our tours to South Africa, soft luggage (such as soft duffel bags with wheels) is compulsory due to limited storage space in safari vehicles. Some tours, especially those including light aircraft flights, have a luggage weight restriction of 15kgs. A comfortable day pack is also recommended for your daily essentials.

Please refer to the tour’s Fine Print section to check whether an itinerary has luggage restrictions.

Planning your perfect South African adventure with Inspiring Vacations couldn't be easier. Look through our full range of South Africa tour packages on our website, where you'll find detailed daily itineraries and clear pricing. When you're ready to turn dreams into solid plans, you can book online or call our friendly team at 1300 88 66 88. 

Available 24/7, our team really enjoys matching travellers with a tour that suits interests, preferred pace, and travel style. They can help with practical concerns from mobility issues to food requirements and often share personal insights you won't find in guidebooks.