If you’re short on time but want to have a safari experience while you’re in Johannesburg, Pilanesberg Game Reserve is the best option within driving distance (about two hours) of the city. The reserve sprawls across 580 square kilometres and is home to more than 7000 animals including the big five: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos. The site is also home to the Pilanesberg Alkaline Ring Complex – a massive, ancient volcano that is thought to have last erupted between 1200 to 1300 million years ago.

Buckle up for one of the most beautiful coastal drives in the world: the Garden Route, which follows the N2 Highway for the 800-kilometre stretch between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth on South Africa’s South Coast, packs in wildlife, beaches, mountains, lakes and all the glistening Indian Ocean photo-ops you’ll ever need. The main attraction along the route is the forest region of Knysna: go for a walk on the Elephant Trails in the Knysna forest section of the Garden Route National Park or head into the town of Knysna to join a whale or dolphin-watching tour.

Located about 45 minutes drive from Port Elizabeth, Addo is full of large elephant herds and you’re all but guaranteed to see them on a game drive. The park’s organised drives are available for children six years and older. Families with younger children can take the self-drive option. The park claims to be the only “big seven” conservation area in the world: in addition to the big five, the waters off the Aloga Bay coast are home to southern great right whales and great white sharks.

This one-of-a-kind stay is in the private Klaserie Nature Reserve bordering the Kruger National Park, which can be reached by air from Johannesburg or Cape Town via a short flight to Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport followed by a 40-minute drive from the camp. The camp has five solar-powered treehouse-style chalets, raised on wooden stilts with private decks perfectly positioned to spot the Big Five. In addition to daily game-viewing outings, guests can enjoy the grounds on guided bush walks or experience a tailored bush dinner with sustainably foraged ingredients. The communal open-air lounge, bar and dining area is a dynamic spot to visit between activities, where guests can indulge in a traditional South African braai (barbecue). 

Golfers can tick two boxes at once: Legend Golf and Safari by Sea Star is home to 55 mammal species (including the big five) and an 18-hole Championship course designed by the likes of golfing greats such as Sergio García, Gary Player and Padraig Harrington. If all that isn’t enough excitement, there’s the “Extreme 19th” hole: it’s set on top of a mountain 400 metres above the green and the longest par three hole in the world. Oh, and you’ll need to hop in a helicopter to get to the tee. Legends is located at the Entabeni Safari Conservancy 270 kilometres or a three-and-a-half-hour drive north of Johannesburg.

This stunning lodge, set on a remote savanna just under five-hours' drive northwest of Johannesburg, strikes a careful balance between polished indulgence and the rugged African wilderness. Served round the clock by 64 members of staff, there are just ten suites on the property, each featuring a cosy living room with huge slate-clad chimney (a roaring fire can be arranged on cooler nights) and a peaceful bedroom with a king size four-poster bed draped in generous layers of muslin. From the alfresco soaking tub on your private veranda, you can gaze in wonder as herds of roaming animals make their way to the watering hole in front of the resort.

Just outside of Cape Town, the Cape Winelands region is characterised by verdant mountains and charming towns that are home to world-class restaurants and vineyards. Wild Life Wine Safaris creates tailored tours that will have you tasting wine at the best cellar doors in Stellenbosch one day and spotting lions on the plains of Kruger National Park the next.

Pangolin specialises in tours and safaris across Africa that double as intense photography courses. The options are diverse – you can book an Adobe Lightroom & Creative Photography course at the Pumba Private Game Reserve outside Port Elizabeth in South Africa or base yourself high in the mountains of the Democratic Republic of Congo on a Great Apes and Volcanoes wildlife course.

For one of South Africa’s most unusual – and cute – wildlife experiences head to Simon’s Town, a 50-minute drive south of Cape Town. There, you’ll discover a colony of more than 2000 adorable African penguins waddling around amongst the massive boulders and crashing waves. A very different kind of "safari" and definitely a must-do when you’re in the area – little wonder that it attracts 60,000 visitors a year.

With over 53,000 hectares of lush South African bushveld to explore teeming with a diverse array of flora and fauna including rare species such as white lions, it’s little wonder Timbavati is one of the most in-demand exclusive safari destinations in the country. There are 18 all-inclusive luxury lodges spread across the reserve, so even during peak season, guests can feel like they have the entire savanna to themselves. In addition to offering game-viewing expeditions, the reserve also manages a range of conservation and research initiatives to preserve threatened species for future generations, so every booking helps to protect the magnificent animals that make this wilderness so remarkable.

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