Top Safari Destinations in South Africa

By Dale Wakefield – Copywriter & Brand Specialist
31 October 2025

Open skies, breathtaking landscapes, and exciting game viewings. That’s what every South African safari delivers. But with such diversity throughout the country, and so many choices, it can be hard to know where to even start. Its landscapes carry their own stories—from river bends where elephants gather at dusk, to rocky structures where leopards pause on a lookout.

This is a country of contrasts. This guide walks you through nine of the country’s most compelling parks and reserves. Showcasing the difference, what to expect, and how to approach each of these top-tier destinations. Discover the rhythm of the wild to best prepare for your holiday.

Kruger National Park: the quintessential big game stage

The Kruger is vast in a way that changes how you think about scale. Endless lowveld horizons, seasonal rivers carving green corridors, and a mosaic of mopane and acacia woodlands that host one of Africa’s most complete collections of wildlife.

Expect the Big Five alongside cheetah, wild dog, hippo and crocodile. Birdwatchers also come for more than 500 recorded species and the celebrated Kruger Big Six, the Kori Bustard, Martial Eagle, Saddle-billed Stork, Ground Hornbill, Lappet-faced Vulture, and Pel’s Fishing Owl.

What makes Kruger unforgettable is the variety: open plains where herds move like slow weather, riverbanks where life concentrates in the dry season, and rocky kopjes that throw dramatic silhouettes at sunrise and sunset. Accessibility is part of the draw—multiple airstrips and road routes make it straightforward to reach, and easy to combine with other regions.

Consider a stay at Kruger Shalati — The Train on the Bridge for an unforgettable way to experience the Kruger as you sleep on a train suspended above the river.

Travel tip: It’s very important to book accommodation and flights well in advance, as they fill up quickly.

 

Sabi Sabi: privately owned leopard capital

Within the Sabi Sands complex, Sabi Sabi provides the kind of close, cinematic big cat viewing that lives on in memory. Dense riverine thickets and the Sabie’s winding channels create the cover and corridors leopards love, so this is a place where patient, expert tracking often produces intimate encounters. You’ll also find lions, buffalo, elephants and antelopes.

Being privately owned, game drives can be tailored to travellers’ requests. Guides focus on tracking prime targets and creating photo opportunities, which often arrive since game is commonly seen at close range here.

Travel tip: Ask for a dedicated leopard drive to track these majestic creatures.

 

Greater Makalali Private Nature Reserve: koppies and quiet viewing

Makalali’s character comes from its koppies—the small rocky outcrops that punctuate the Lowveld and give the landscape dramatic angles and long shadows.

That contrast between open plains and rocky vantage points makes Makalali visually compelling. Each game drive can feel like a sequence of framed scenes. It sees fewer visitors than some of the larger parks, so you’re more likely to witness the quiet rhythm of the wildlife. The reserve supports the Big Five alongside cheetah and a lively raptor presence.

Travel tip: Your guide will likely drive around the Lowveld koppies for dramatic photos and increased predator sightings. Get your camera ready!

 

Welgevonden Game Reserve: Waterberg plateaus and panoramas

Perched in the Waterberg massif, Welgevonden is a different kind of Big Five experience. Sandstone escarpments, rolling hills and a patchwork of thornveld offer wide, elevated vistas that frame the animals against the sky. The reserve’s malaria-free status makes it a practical choice for travellers seeking close wildlife experiences without the same health concerns that come with the Lowveld.

Wildlife here moves across an architecture of ridges and valleys, and raptors are a notable part of the picture, wheeling over the plateaus with plains game in the hills below. Proximity to Johannesburg means Welgevonden is both accessible for a short escape and prized for its sense of open, panoramic space.

Travel tip: Its proximity to Johannesburg means it is ideal for shorter trips, consider 2 or 3 nights.

 

Madikwe Game Reserve: Kalahari edge and endangered wild dogs

Madikwe sits on the fringes of the Kalahari. That influence is visible in wide, semi-arid plains, sky-heavy horizons and a sparse, beautiful resilience in the vegetation. You’ll see the Big Five and others; the reserve is fortunate to host two healthy wild-dog packs. Encounters with these endangered predators add a potent conservation dimension to any visit.

The landscape’s openness rewards long, patient drives and the light here—especially at dawn and dusk—turns dust and breath into theatre. Madikwe’s combination of malaria-free convenience and serious conservation work means guests can feel safe at the frontier of wildlife recovery efforts.

Travel tip: Seeing the wild dogs is deeply special. Coordinate with your guide to track them. They monitor the packs and can share viewing opportunities.

 

Kariega Game Reserve: river wildlife and active safaris

Kariega and Bushmans rivers thread through the reserve and attract a plethora of life where hippo and elephant gather, and birds populate branches and reeds. That riverine focus changes the experiences: game drives are only part of it when canoe trips, river cruises and guided walks reveal animals and birds from different angles.

The terrain is a mix of rolling hills and water corridors that encourage varied activity. Mornings might be for tracking on land, afternoons for watching the river’s edge and evenings for listening to nocturnal calls. There’s a strong sense here that wildlife is best appreciated by changing vantage points.

Travel tip: Book a river cruise for different wildlife angles and birding opportunities.

 

Shamwari Private Game Reserve: high-end accommodation with Eastern Cape ease

The reserve is known as much for its sustained conservation and rehabilitation work as for the Big Five and the everyday detail of birds and plains game. Here, the story of wildlife is explicitly tied to recovery, education and community partnerships. Shamwari’s rolling, malaria-free plains and river valleys are flowing with wild sightings waiting to be seen.

The lodges and accommodation in Shamwari are outstanding, and the variety of options caters to different tastes and different travellers’ needs. Its proximity to Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) also means Shamwari is easy to combine with coastal or Garden Route travel.

Travel tip: Due to its location, Shamwari is an ideal combination with the Garden Route and a Cape Town stay.

 

Pumba Private Game Reserve: water, bush, and the night sky

The bush and waterholes make this a restful, intimate reserve where animals come down to drink, and the landscape’s gentle contours bring comfort. It is home to a flourishing pride of free-roaming white and split lions. There are fewer than 500 white lions worldwide, making this free-roaming pride a deeply special sight.

The reserve’s two distinct lodge experiences are principal to the appeal, offering guests a choice of mood and perspective. Wildlife is reliable, and the presence of water features means good, close viewing year-round.

The nights here are open and dark: far from city lights, the sky becomes part of the experience. On clear evenings, the stars feel achingly close. The Eastern Cape setting also makes Pumba accessible from coastal hubs like Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha).

Travel tip: Join a stargazing activity where you’ll explore the African night sky.

 

Amakhala Game Reserve: compact river country

This compact reserve delivers consistent sightings since animals concentrate around the Bushman’s River. The reserve hosts the Big Five alongside lively antelope populations and rich birdlife. Its semi-arid river valley scenery provides an intimate, easily navigable safari experience.

Because it sits close to the Garden Route and Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), Amakhala maps well into many South African itineraries. It’s a good introduction to wildlife for first-time visitors and families who want reliable encounters without long transfers.

Travel tip: Take a day trip to Addo Elephant National Park for diverse elephant experiences.

 

South Africa safari

What binds these places is variety: South Africa lets you move between Kalahari-edge plains, lowveld river corridors and Waterberg escarpments in a few hours. Each landscape rearranges the rules of watching wildlife. If you want the intensity of leopard tracking, follow the river thickets. If you crave wide skies and wild dogs, head to Madikwe. If you prefer riverside calm and birdlife, the Eastern Cape reserves provide that in abundance. Keep the seasons in mind, pack patience, and expect moments that quietly stay with you long after the journey ends.

At Somak Luxury Travel, South Africa is one of our favourite destinations to sell. We’ve been crafting holidays for over 50 years—if you want unforgettable experiences tailored to you, contact us at 020 8423 3000.