South Africa tours combining Drakensberg peaks, Big Five safaris and Indian Ocean coastline — with overland crossings into Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique.
South Africa tours offer one of Africa's most varied journeys, threading mountain kingdoms, Big Five reserves and Indian Ocean coastline together in a single overland adventure. The Drakensberg's basalt escarpment rises towards Lesotho in the east, while the bushveld of Hluhluwe–iMfolozi and Kruger National Park shelters lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo in the north. The Indian Ocean coast unspools past the wetlands of St Lucia and the reed lakes of Kosi Bay — each landscape utterly different from the last.
Our small group South Africa holidays travel from Johannesburg into the heart of the Northern Drakensberg, crossing the nearly 3,000-metre Sani Pass by 4×4 into Lesotho before turning east to Hluhluwe–iMfolozi, the St Lucia Estuary, Cape Vidal and Kosi Bay. The route extends into Mozambique — taking in Maputo and the Maputo Special Reserve — before a walking safari in Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary in Eswatini and a final full-day game drive in Kruger along the Panorama Route.
South Africa
Small-group departures led by local experts, plus private tailor-made itineraries shaped around your interests, pace and dates.
South Africa is home to some of Africa's finest game reserves. Our tour visits both Hluhluwe–iMfolozi - Africa's oldest proclaimed reserve - and Kruger National Park, giving you two full safari experiences in a single trip.
Our South Africa travel packages cross into Lesotho via the Sani Pass, continue into Mozambique for Maputo and the Maputo Special Reserve, and take in a walking safari in Eswatini — four countries, each distinct, in 15 days.
From the Midlands Meander and Howick Falls to the Panorama Route and Blyde River Canyon, the overland journey is as rewarding as the destinations — every day's drive delivers something new.
The Indian Ocean coastline along St Lucia, Cape Vidal and Kosi Bay offers snorkelling, boat cruising, turtle nesting and birdwatching — a complete contrast to the dry bushveld and mountain landscapes inland.
See itinerariesSouth Africa rewards travellers who slow down — the best stories are found off the tour-bus route.
From the field
The best time for South Africa tours and travel packages is during the dry winter months of April to September, when clear skies and lower vegetation make wildlife easier to spot in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi and Kruger. April and September are the shoulder months — warm days, cool nights and fewer crowds — which is why our departures run in April and September. The KwaZulu-Natal coast around St Lucia and Kosi Bay is warmest from October to March, but remains pleasant year-round. The Drakensberg and Sani Pass are best crossed in the drier months.
Looking to travel outside the typical windows? Our South Africa tailor-made team can advise on the best time for you.
Dispatches, field notes and practical advice from our specialists.
Reviews from across our small-group programme. Independently rated 4.9 Excellent on AITO by 250+ travellers.
Every one of our South Africa journeys can be rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests — or we’ll design something entirely new.
We’ll build one around you.
Tailor-made South Africa holidays let you build a journey around your pace and priorities. We can combine the Drakensberg - based at The Cavern Resort & Spa - with game drives in Hluhluwe–iMfolozi and Kruger, time on the Indian Ocean coast at St Lucia and Kosi Bay, and cultural immersion in Eswatini's Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. An extension into Mozambique to explore Maputo and the Maputo Special Reserve is also possible. Whether your focus is Big Five safaris, mountain hiking, coastal relaxation or all three, we'll design an itinerary to match. Private guides, comfortable lodges, safari vehicles and all internal transfers are arranged, so you travel with confidence from the Drakensberg to the Panorama Route and everything in between.
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Our South Africa tour packages use private minibuses and safari vehicles throughout, with a 4×4 transfer over the Sani Pass into Lesotho - one of the most scenic overland crossings in southern Africa. All road transfers between South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique and Eswatini are fully included and handled by your English-speaking guide.
Shared across all tours that visit this destination. Read alongside your individual tour dossier for trip-specific details.
Before travelling, consult the latest UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office foreign travel advice - south-africa and also at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/lesotho, /mozambique and /eswatini. We constantly monitor FCDO guidance and will advise clients of any relevant warnings. At the time of writing there are no warnings against travel to the parts of South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini or Mozambique visited on this tour. US travellers should check travel.state.gov for current guidance relevant to their nationality.
Join a small-group departure, or let our South Africa specialists craft a private journey shaped around your dates and interests.
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