When looking for a top safari lodge, the first step is to choose an excellent game reserve deep in the heart of the bush. Professional guides from the lodge will ensure excellent game-viewing with drives and bushwalks, birding, and tracking. Indulge in luxurious facilities with heated pools, spas, outdoor showers, king-sized beds, exquisite décor, excellent cuisine, and dining under the stars.
Although the days are shortening, there's no doubt May is one of the best months to visit South Africa, especially if your main focus is a safari. While temperatures vary depending on the region, the mild weather will likely be pleasant, with sunshine and clear skies. Plus, you're not competing with summer crowds in most areas, except in the game parks, which are beginning to reach their prime.
Maria Yee and her boyfriend Aloysius booked flights to South Africa with their sights set on the abundant wildlife in Kruger National Park. Read on for Maria's advice to travelers and some of her favorite moments in South Africa.
South Africa is home to world-famous national game reserves such as the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park, recognized for rhino conservation, and the Kruger National Park, the largest game reserve in the country. Shamwari in the Eastern Cape and the Tswalu-Kalahari in the Northern Cape are among the biggest and best private game reserves. The best time to visit is during the dry winter season (May to October), when it is cooler, and the animals are more visible in the dry vegetation.
Travelers to South Africa typically plan a trip for eight to 11 days when combining Kruger National Park with Cape Town and Johannesburg. If you're not interested in Cape Town and Johannesburg, four to five days are enough for your Kruger National Park trip. For the best itineraries, including Kruger National Park, keep reading below.
Thirteen to 16 days is the most popular trip length for travelers visiting South Africa's Cape Town and Franschhoek, especially when including Johannesburg and Kruger National Park. If you're only headed to Cape Town and Franschhoek, you can enjoy a well-paced trip in six to eight days. Even travelers with limited time can see the highlights in as few as five days. For the best itineraries, including Cape Town and Franschhoek, keep reading below.
With warm weather throughout the country and low off-season rates without the crowds, what's not to like about South Africa in November? Even the northern game parks are worthwhile, despite increasing rainfall and thickening vegetation that makes wildlife harder to spot. This is your last month to view whales and the perfect month to view nesting leatherback turtles. Plus, it's a great time for a Cape Town beach holiday before the crowds pack the sands.
January is a great month to visit South Africa: it's right in the middle of the bone-dry summer, offering lovely weather in the Western Cape. However, this region—where southeasterly breezes and often gale-force winds take the edge off the heat—is at its busiest, while Kruger National Park is at its hottest and rainiest, making off-the-beaten-track venues so much more appealing.
By late April, the crowds have disappeared, and fall is here, with warm, generally dry weather throughout South Africa. In the north, safari destinations like Kruger emerge from months of heavy rain while the summer season of Cape Town is winding down. It's an excellent month for a more extended tour that combines regions, balancing the dry weather of the safari areas with still-warm sunny days in the Cape.
With its expansive size, varied topography, and coastlines bordering the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, South Africa conjures diverse weather patterns. While summer sun shines on the cloudless Cape Provinces, rain deluges the safari parks of KwaZulu Natal and Greater Kruger. Consequently, with game reserves scattered throughout the country, choosing where and when to visit can leave you scratching your head. The following information will help you weigh your priorities and determine which season and destination is right for you in this country of many climates.