The best of South Africa - all you need to know when planning a trip to South Africa

Looking for a spectacular destination that has activities for all tastes, delicious food, friendly people, is easy to get around, and won't cost you an arm and a leg?

South Africa! We were in the country a few years ago and to say that we really liked South Africa is a lie. We simply loved South Africa!

Of all the countries I've visited (and there are more than 4 dozen), when someone asks me for a destination suggestion that has it all – from museums to bungee jumping, from wildlife to nightlife, wineries and beaches – and is easy easy to reach and easy on the wallet, the answer is on the tip of your tongue: South Africa.

Here I share our itinerary and what you need to know before visiting South Africa, check it out!



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What to do in South Africa

South Africa is one of the largest countries in Africa, so you will have to carefully design your travel itinerary to make the most of your visit to the country.

But even with a short amount of time, if you plan well, you can do many incredible things and fulfill those long-standing dreams.South Africa has incredible landscapes, safaris and game drives, amazing beaches, top wineries, first class museums, and many adventures to please all tastes - and the best part - with one of the best cost/benefit ratios at the moment.

I would say that a visit to South Africa would be complete if it included:

  • wildlife, on safaris in national parks such as Kruger and Addo
  • culture and gastronomy, in the country's main cities, Johannesburg and Cape Town
  • incredible landscapes, in the Blyde River Canyon and Garden Route (Panoramic Route and Garden Route)
  • Discover one of the best wine regions in the world, Franschhoek and Stellenbosh

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South Africa itinerary

We spent a total of 20 days in South Africa, here is our summarized itinerary – click on the links to find out more about each specific destination:

- 4 days in Pretoria

With a round trip to Johannesburg – check out the full report 20 day trip to South Africa because we stayed in Pretoria for so long and I recommend you do the same.

- 2 days in Graskop

visiting Blyde River Canyon, Lowveld View, Three Rondavels and Bourke's Luck Potholes and Pilgrim's Rest.

Where to stay in Graskop? We stayed in Graskop Hotel,right in the center of the city, with a great location, excellent quadruple room and a pool that the children loved.

- 2 days in Kruger National Park

Without a doubt one of the highlights of the trip! We spent staying inside Kruger and I recommend that you do the same: it's easy and doesn't cost a kidney.

But if you prefer to stay at a hotel outside the park, there are several options for all tastes and budgets. The city of Hazyview is often used as a base for exploring the park.

Check options and availability here:

 

- 5 days in Cape Town (Cape Town)

One of the most cosmopolitan and beautiful cities in Africa, with lots of activities to do. We stayed at an excellent apartment, located in the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront area – during the day we walked there, but at night, as a precaution, we returned by uber/taxi.

- 2 days in Franschhoek, South Africa's wine region

It leaves nothing to be desired compared to any other equivalent in the world: delicious wines, charming wineries, incredible views, pleasant weather and many activities for all age groups.

We stayed at Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa, which had a great family room and a delicious pool, which we made a point of taking advantage of in the late afternoon.

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Camps Bay Beach, Cape Town, South Africa

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- 2 days in Knysna, on the Garden Route

With several stopping points at viewpoints, beaches and parks. There is lots of options for accommodation in Knysna. Friends had recommend staying on the “island” (Thesen Island), but we ended up opting for a house with more space, with a beautiful view of the lagoon, which unfortunately is no longer available on rental platforms.

- 1 day in Storms River, in Tsitsikama National Park

One of the main national parks on the Garden Route and a must-visit on any trip to the region.

The accommodation we choose was the friendly Tsisikama Village Inn, in the center of the village and with an excellent balcony to enjoy wine after the children go to sleep.

- 2 days at Addo Elephant National Park

Where we took the last game drives of the trip. We stayed at the camp inside the park, but as it is a park with a smaller area than Kruger, even though it is in hotels outside the parkIt is possible to visit it during the day without rushing. Is it possible to visit the park staying in Porth Elizabeth, about 40 km separates the city center from the southern entrance to the park.

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Suggestions for adaptations to the itinerary

If we had less time

– We stayed in Pretoria for 4 days with friends. If we hadn't had these friends there, we would have excluded Pretoria from the itinerary and only stayed 1 or 2 days in Johannesburg.

– The Graskop area is really cool, and makes a good stop on the way between Johannesburg and Kruger. But, if I had little time, I would have skipped this stop and just go straight from Johanesburg to Kruger (it's a long drive but easily doable in a few hours).

– Garden Route (Knysna & Storms River) & Addo Elephant Park: If you have a really tight schedule, you can skip these destinations. While they offer amazing experiences, Kruger National Park should be the top priority due to its diverse wildlife and iconic status in South Africa.

If we had more time

– It would include an extra day to explore other areas of the Tsitsikama National Park, taking advantage of other activities in the region, such as trekking, stand-up, kayaking, biking, etc. If you don't enjoy that, an extra day at the wineries would be a great idea.

– If I had 3 to 4 more days, one would be in Tsitsikama and the others in Kruger: the park is very big, there are several “camps” (check out the post about how to visit Kruger you will see that these camps are absurdly cool and well structured), so I would take the opportunity to visit other areas of the park and stay in other camps

– With an extra week,I would do everything I've already mentioned, and also explore in more detail the region between Franschhoek and Knysna (Cape Agulhas, Mossel Bay, etc). Or, I would take advantage of this extra time to go to Lesotho, a mountainous country nestled in South African territory, which promises incredible landscapes.

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What do you need to know before visiting South Africa?

How to get to South Africa?

<strong>From North America</strong>- Traveling to South Africa from North America usually involves a long-haul flight, typically with one stopover. The most common route is via major airlines like Delta, United, and South African Airways, which offer direct flights from major U.S. hubs such as New York (JFK) and Atlanta (ATL) to Johannesburg (JNB). These direct flights take around 15-16 hours. Alternatively, you can fly with other carriers like British Airways, Lufthansa, or Emirates, which require a layover in cities like London, Frankfurt, or Dubai.</strong></strong>

There are direct flights from São Paulo to Johannesburg with TAM, and to Cape Town (Cape Town) with South African. In this post I talk about travel planning and has a complete section with tips for searching for the best flights and fares on Google Flights. Do your research when planning your trip, as routes are implemented and suspended all the time.

From Europe - Getting to South Africa from Europe is relatively straightforward, with many direct flights available. Major European cities like London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam offer non-stop flights to Johannesburg (JNB), Cape Town (CPT), and Durban (DUR). Airlines such as British Airways, Air France, KLM, and Lufthansa provide daily services, with flight times ranging from 10 to 12 hours.

<strong>From Australia and New Zealand</strong> - Flights from Australia and New Zealand to South Africa are also lengthy, typically requiring a stopover. The most popular route is via Qantas or South African Airways, with direct flights from Sydney (SYD) or Perth (PER) to Johannesburg. These direct flights take approximately 11-14 hours, depending on your departure city. If you're flying from New Zealand, there are no direct flights, so you'll need to connect through Australia or a Middle Eastern hub like Dubai or Doha.

<strong>From South America</strong> - There are direct flights from São Paulo to Johannesburg with TAM and to Cape Town with South African, please check the Portuguese version of this post for detailed information, and make sure to research when planning your trip, as routes are frequently added and suspended

How to get around within South Africa?

We rented a car on the last day we were in Pretoria and returned it to Nelspruit Airport (closest to the Crocodile Bridge entrance to the Kruger National Park).

From Nelspruit we took a direct flight via South African to Cape Town (on an Embraer 190 aircraft, manufactured in my hometown, São José dos Campos). At Cape Town airport we picked up another rental car, which we returned at the end of the trip at Port Elizabeth Airport.

We rented two cars on the trip: one for the first part of the itinerary, in the northeast of the country (Johanesburg-Kruger section) and another in the south of the country (Cape Town – Port Elizabeth section).

From Port Elizabeth we took a flight to Johannesburg, by British Airways, and from there we continued on our flight back home (São Paulo, Brazil), with two flights on TAAG (Angola airline). While the aircraft were older and poorly maintained, we arrived home safely.

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Is it worth renting a car in South Africa?

Yes, it is really worth renting a car in South Africa.

Except for the days you spend in Cape Town and Johannesburg (cities where you can get around based on public transport, Uber or taxi) I don't see the possibility of visiting South Africa without a rental car.

If you don't have time constraints, then you can go at a slower pace, using public transportation and transfers. Now if you, like us, have a limited number of vacation days and want to make the most of them, it's definitely worth renting a car – especially if there are more than 2 people. Do the math and evaluate.

Another option is to use large cities as a base and take day-tours, going from one city to another by bus or plane. There are several day-trip options from Johannesburg or Cape Town, take a look at the table below and see if it works for your situation:

Traffic in South Africa follows the English way, driving on the left, that is, unlike what it is in USA, Brazil or mainland Europe. An extra challenge for the drivers (in this case, my husband!), but it's easy to get used to, don't worry. Drive slowly and pay extra attention in the first few days and in a short time you will be used to it and taking it all in stride.

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Is it expensive to travel in South Africa?

The South African currency is the Rand, whose exchange rate (in August/2024) was US$1,00 = $18,20 Rands.

In general, we found that the cost of traveling in South Africa is significantly lower than traveling in the USA and Eastern Europe.

Cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town end up having more expensive accommodation and restaurants, but even there it is possible to find reasonably priced options. We ate for much less than we would in Western Europe and USA.

We carried dollars in currency, which we exchanged for Rands at a bank, but most of our spending was done with a prepaid debit card – like Wise, Revolut etc. – which are widely accepted. We only used money for small expenses, street food and the occasional attraction that didn't accept cards.

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Is it safe to travel in South Africa?

We found the country to be quite safe for tourism, we didn't have any problems of any kind. It's always wise to exercise the same caution you would in any tourist destination worldwide, and avoid venturing into isolated areas after dark. Often thought of as a risky city, even Johannesburg is safe to visit when you adhere to basic safety measures.

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Can you visit South Africa with children?

Yes, of course!

South Africa is a perfect destination for families! With careful planning and preparation, your South African adventure with children will be an unforgettable experience!

Our daughters were 7 and 8 years old when we went and they enjoyed every moment of the trip! There are activities in the country for children of all ages.

Imagine your son or daughter's happiness when they see the wild animals roaming free, just a few meters away! I don't know who was happier, my daughters or me, when I saw their excitement.

In national parks managed by SanParks (the official body of the South African government), the minimum age to take official park game drives is 6 years old; but it is possible to visit the parks with your private car and there is no age limit. In other words, you can enter parks, such as Kruger and Addo, with children of any age in your car and take a stroll with them along all the park's internal roads and you will see A LOT of animals. Many indeed. Nas accommodation within the parks there is no age limit, we saw several families with babies and young children in the “camps” where we stayed.

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To find out more about our itinerary in South Africa

Here you will find a detailed account of our 20 day trip to South Africa and here below is the Google Maps map with our detailed itinerary, to help you plan your next trip to South Africa.

On the map you can see details of everything we did, where we stayed and the best places we went. There are different layers, with different colors, one for each area we visit. If you have any doubts, here I explain how I use Google MyMaps to plan my trips.

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