South Africa
Overland through the hilly landscapes of South Africa
Dec 13, 2026
South Africa Safari: Kruger, Garden Route and Cape Town
A South Africa safari means the Big Five in Kruger National Park, whales off Hermanus, penguins at the Cape and mountain passes in Lesotho, all on good roads.
South Africa safaris.
13 trips through South Africa, guided in small groups: lodge, camping or overland. Every card names the length, the dates and the price.
South Africa
Garden Route & Lesotho - South Africa Lodge Safari
Nov 22, 2026
Dec 20, 2026
Namibia
Namibia Small Group Tour: Namib & Sossusvlei
Nov 24, 2026
Dec 15, 2026
Namibia
Namibia adventure tour from Cape Town to Windhoek
Oct 27, 2026
Oct 31, 2026
Nov 3, 2026
Nov 7, 2026
Nov 14, 2026
South Africa
Sustainable Garden Route Safari in Overland Truck
Oct 31, 2026
Nov 28, 2026
Dec 26, 2026
South Africa
Eswatini & Kruger National Park - Camping or Lodge Safari
Nov 15, 2026
Dec 13, 2026
South Africa
Africa's largest national park and unique landscapes
South Africa
Desert Explorer Camping Safari South Africa & Namibia
Jun 13, 2027
Jul 10, 2027
South Africa
Group travel through South African countries
Jul 24, 2027
South Africa
African adventure across the entire continent
Apr 18, 2027
May 15, 2027
Jun 5, 2027
South Africa
Discover safari experiences, Big Five & cultural treasures - South Africa and East Africa
Zimbabwe
Highlights of Zimbabwe
Nov 27, 2026
South Africa
Family Adventure in Kruger National Park
Country Profile
South Africa Safari: the widest choice and the easiest way in
South Africa is the safari country with the best infrastructure in Africa: motorways up to the gate, lodges at every price, drinking water from the tap. Kruger National Park covers 19,623 km², about the size of Israel, and holds more than 31,000 elephants and 1,500 to 1,700 lions; the rhinos have fallen from 9,383 animals in 2013 to about 2,060. Private reserves adjoin it to the east, where the vehicles are allowed to leave the tracks.
A South Africa safari is rarely only Kruger. From there our tours run through Eswatini and Lesotho, the highest country in Africa with passes above 3,000 m, on to the Garden Route with its forests and whales, and to Cape Town. The reserves on the Eastern Cape are malaria free, which is where our family trip goes. If you want more, take one of the overland tours: 36 days from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam, 42 days to Nairobi, 45 days from the Okavango to the gorillas.
Thirteen tours between 4 and 45 days, the shortest a 4-day camping or lodge safari in Kruger from 869 €, the smallest a lodge safari with 6 guests. Guide, vehicle, accommodation and park fees are in the price; the Kruger fee is R 602 per person per day, about 30 €, a fraction of what Tanzania and Kenya charge.
Joe Kuster
Founder & Lead Motorcycle Guide
Overcross® Tours
National parks in South Africa
Every park has its season and its animals. This is what awaits you where in South Africa.
Kruger National Park
13 tripsHow you travel on this safari
In South Africa you travel by minibus, by 4x4 or by overland truck, depending on the tour. The Kruger safaris use open safari vehicles with 9 seats, the round trips a minibus with 12, the overland tours the truck with 20. The guide drives and speaks English. Roads are tarred, the tracks inside the park are gravel, and the Lesotho highlands are stony.
You sleep in rest camp bungalows inside Kruger, which have a kitchen and a bathroom, in lodges along the Garden Route, in guest houses in Cape Town, and on the camping tours in a two-person tent on sites with showers and power. The family trip sleeps in lodges with family rooms only, the ecotourism trip in the Greater Kruger in a lodge with 6 guests.
Driving days are medium length, 200 to 400 km on good roads, with stops. In Kruger the day starts at 5:30, because the gates open at sunrise and the predators are still out. Only Lesotho asks anything physical of you: two days above 2,500 m and a walk at the Sani Pass.
Who it suits
For everyone, and for families with children from 6 years in the malaria free reserves on the Eastern Cape. The 36 to 45 day overland tours are for guests who sleep in a tent.
Where you sleep
Rest camp bungalows in Kruger, lodges along the Garden Route, a guest house in Cape Town; on the camping tours a two-person tent on sites with showers and power.
Vehicle and legs
Open safari vehicle with 9 seats inside the park, a minibus with 12 or an overland truck with 20 on the road. Driving days of 200 to 400 km, mostly tarred.
A day on safari
In Kruger: gate at 5:30, game drive until 10, breakfast in camp, a break, second drive from 15 to 18, braai in the evening. On the road: leave at 8, arrive at 16.
Regions and parks
Safari regions in South Africa
From Kruger National Park through Lesotho and the Garden Route to Cape Town: South Africa lines its safari regions up along good roads. Here is which ones you can combine on one trip.
Safari & wilderness
Kruger National Park and the Big Five
Kruger National Park covers 19,623 km² and carries more than 31,000 elephants and 1,500 to 1,700 lions; the rhinos have fallen from 9,383 animals in 2013 to about 2,060, and in the private reserves next door the vehicles may leave the tracks. Four of our tours start here, from 4 days of camping to a lodge with 6 guests.
To the park: Kruger National Park
Coast & nature
Garden Route and the Eastern Cape
Between Tsitsikamma, Knysna and Addo Elephant National Park, forest, lagoon and cliff coast run together over some 300 km, and the reserves on the Eastern Cape are malaria free. Three tours drive this stretch, 6, 12 and 14 days long.
City & Cape
Cape Town and the Cape region
Cape Town sits at the foot of the 1,086 m Table Mountain and is the start or the finish of most routes; from there it is 70 km to the Cape of Good Hope and an hour to the vineyards of Stellenbosch. Three tours begin or end here, among them the 36 and 42 day overland runs into East Africa.
Tours where you can visit this area
Group trip Cape Town to Dar es Salaam Adventure trip from Cape Town to Nairobi Camping safari in South Africa & Namibia
Neighbours
Lesotho, Eswatini and further north
Lesotho lies entirely above 1,400 m and reaches 2,876 m at the Sani Pass; Eswatini pushes a kingdom of 17,364 km² in between Kruger and the coast. Four tours cross these borders, the longest running 45 days to the gorillas in Uganda.
What guests say and what we write
Other safari countries, other animals
7 more countries our safaris travel through. Every card opens the country page with all trips, parks and dates.
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6 tours
Tanzania safari
Serengeti and Ngorongoro, the great migration Safaris in Tanzania -
5 tours
Kenya safari
Masai Mara and Amboseli, Kilimanjaro on the horizon Safaris in Kenya -
5 tours
Namibia safari
Etosha, Sossusvlei and the gravel roads of the Namib Safaris in Namibia -
5 tours
Botswana safari
Okavango Delta and Chobe, by boat and by 4x4 Safaris in Botswana -
4 tours
Uganda safari
Mountain gorillas in Bwindi, chimpanzees in Kibale Safaris in Uganda -
2 tours
Zambia safari
Walking safaris in South Luangwa, camp by the river Safaris in Zambia -
4 tours
Zimbabwe safari
Victoria Falls, Hwange and Mana Pools Safaris in Zimbabwe
Talk to us
Tell us how you want
Tell us how you want
the journey to feel.
Guided, self-guided, or fully tailor-made - book a free 30-minute call with a real route expert. We'll match your style, budget, and timeline to a specific motorcycle trip.
Booking questions
What is the difference between lodge and camping?
In a lodge you sleep in a solid building with your own bathroom, camping means a two-person tent on sites with showers and power. The game drives are the same either way. Two of the thirteen tours let you choose, the 4-day Kruger trip and the 8-day one with Eswatini; the rest are built either as lodge or as camping tours.
Can I combine South Africa with its neighbours?
Yes, nine of the thirteen tours cross at least one border. Lesotho and Eswatini sit on the round trips, Namibia on the camping safari, Zimbabwe and Botswana on the trip from Victoria Falls to Kruger. The two overland runs go 36 days to Dar es Salaam and 42 days to Nairobi, and the longest goes 45 days to the gorillas in Uganda.
How large are the groups?
Between 6 and 24 guests, depending on the tour. The ecotourism lodge in the Greater Kruger takes 6, the family trip 10, the round trips through Lesotho and Eswatini 12, the overland runs 20 and the camping safari to Namibia 24. The guide drives himself and speaks English.
What is included in the price?
Guide, vehicle, accommodation, the meals listed in the itinerary and the national park entry fees along the route. Not included are flights, drinks, tips and optional activities such as the pony trekking in Lesotho. The Kruger park fee is R 602 per person per day, about 30 €, and is already covered.
When is the best time for a South Africa safari?
For Kruger May to October, dry and cool, the animals stand at the rivers, and you see most in September and October. For Cape Town and the Garden Route October to April, when it is summer there. The whales come to Hermanus from June to November. If you want both, travel in September or October.
Do I need a visa for South Africa?
Most European, British, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passport holders enter South Africa without a visa for up to 90 days. Your passport has to be valid for 30 days beyond your departure and carry two free pages. The same applies to Eswatini and Lesotho, and both borders are crossed during the day. Check the current rules for your own passport before you book.
Is South Africa malaria free?
Cape Town, the Garden Route, the Eastern Cape and Lesotho are. Kruger and the reserves around it are a malaria area, stronger in the rainy season from November to April, which is why our family trip goes to the malaria free reserves on the Eastern Cape, where the Big Five live as well. Ask your travel doctor about prophylaxis before you book.
Can I go on a South Africa safari with children?
Yes, South Africa is the easiest country for it: short distances, lodges with family rooms, malaria free reserves with the Big Five on the Eastern Cape. Our Family and Friends trip is built for families with children from 6 years, 14 days in lodges with no more than 10 guests. On the camping tours children travel from 12.
Is South Africa safe?
On our routes yes. Crime is concentrated in the townships and in the city centres of Johannesburg and Durban at night, and none of our tours stops there. In Cape Town the group stays together and the guide says where to go in the evening. In the park and along the Garden Route there are no restrictions.
What does a South Africa safari cost?
From 869 € for 4 days of camping or lodge in Kruger to 8,339 € for the 45 days from the Okavango to the gorillas. A round trip of 12 to 14 days with Kruger, Lesotho and Eswatini or the Garden Route costs 2,329 to 2,859 €, the family trip 2,399 €. Guide, vehicle, accommodation and the park fees are in the price.
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