South Africa

Visit South Africa

Welcome to the gateway of Africa.

If there’s one certainty about a visit to South Africa, it is that it will capture your heart with its sensational scenery, exotic wildlife, colourful culture, and natural splendour, which is seemingly boundless. A country like no other, that will leave even the most seasoned traveller lost for words and desperate for more.

As the name suggests, South Africa is located at the southern end of the world’s most epic continent, Africa. Filled with unique landscapes, awe-inspiring scenery, and huge biodiversity across numerous national parks it’s easy to understand how it’s become such a popular tourist destination – with 18 million visitors to this spectacular country in 2021, many in search of the perfect African safari destination.

This colourful country is often referred to as the “Rainbow Nation” because of the diversity of its people and what it has to offer, including wildlife that rivals any country on the planet, breathtaking coastlines, a fascinating and chequered history, and a variety of cultures that have fused to create modern South Africa.

South Africa blends the old with the new, wild and remote areas that are renowned for exceptional game viewing, with modern cities that have world-class facilities and rich history.

Although there is a great deal to see in South Africa, safariFRANK, in line with its “we’re for wild” philosophy, focuses on a few select areas that we feel are still truly wild and which showcase the real Africa

And for those who have heard of the legendary Southern Cape, we also include awesome tours of Cape Town and all that the area has to offer.

South Africa Safari Highlights

Scenic beauty, magnificent outdoors, wild animals, sunny climate, cultural diversity, and excellent value for money – no wonder South Africa is one of the fastest growing travel destinations.

South Africa has an overwhelming amount to offer and choosing where to go can be a real challenge. We feel that since you have travelled so far to see Africa you need to experience the ‘Real Africa’.

We have carefully selected just two wildlife areas that offer value for money and truly showcase the offerings of this beautiful continent.

These are the private reserves in the central Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP) and the Makuleke Concession inside the northern Kruger Park. Both are different but are equally beautiful and memorable in their own ways – guaranteed to provide that spectacular safari experience you’ve always dreamt of.

Greater Kruger National Park

Simply one of the world’s great national parks. At 19,485 km2, it is also one of the largest and provides fantastic opportunities to view the Big Five in the wild, all without any fences.

The Greater Kruger National Park is home to 12,000 elephants, 27,000 African Buffalo, and 1,000 leopards, among countless other species and varieties, including the endangered black rhino. It is also by far the most popular park in South Africa and draws roughly 1 million visitors each year.

Kruger National Park has 21 rest camps, 2 private lodge concessions, and 15 private safari lodges, but because of the vast spaces – the GKNP is only slightly smaller than the whole of Belgium – you rarely feel crowded.

Makuleke

Smaller, more intimate, but still providing breathtaking experiences, the Makuleke Conservancy is considered the jewel of Northern Kruger.

Located between the Limpopo and the Luvuvhu Rivers, Makuleke is a favourite winter grazing ground for elephants and also comes with abundant populations of leopards, hippos, and crocodiles that patrol the rivers with devastating effects.

But we can’t talk about Makuleke without talking about birds. Bird watching anywhere in Makuleke is superb, with local specialities being the Pel’s fishing owl, black-throated wattle-eye, orange-winged pytilia, African crowned eagle, and racket-tailed roller, to mention just a few. If you love your birds, you’ve come to the right place.

Cape Town

What hasn’t already been said about South Africa’s titan Cape Town?

Cape Town is everything you imagine it to be – and then more. From the iconic Table Mountain to the exquisite beaches and from the vibrantly coloured downtown to the sombre and yet deeply moving Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison, Cape Town’s highlights are too numerous to note everything here.

Easily one of the world’s great cities, Cape Town offers travellers something of everything and delivers in style. South Africa shouldn’t be visited without a visit to this pearl at the bottom of the world – Cape Town is really that good.

The Garden Route

If you’ve had your fill of national parks and when Cape Town’s alluring sights have all been well and truly ticked off, one of the world’s great road trips awaits.

The Garden Route, which winds for 200 km from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth along a stretch of coastline that will leave you constantly needing to pick your jaw up from the floor, is an unforgettable experience and a perfect countermeasure to your safari trip and city stay.

Where to go

“Scenic beauty, magnificent outdoors, wild animals, sunny climate, cultural diversity and value for money, no wonder South Africa is one of the fastest growing travel destinations.”

South Africa has an overwhelming amount to offer and choosing where to go can be a real challenge. We feel that since you have travelled so far to see Africa you need to experience the “REAL AFRICA”. We have carefully selected only two wildlife areas that offer value for money and truly showcase the offerings of this beautiful continent. These are the private reserves in the central Greater Kruger National Park (GKNP) and the Makuleke Concession inside the northern Kruger Park. Both are very different but equally beautiful and special. The GKNP provides fantastic viewings of the BIG5 in the wild (no fences) and Makuleke is primarily concerned with the beautiful landscapes, wildlife and birds, birds and more BIRDS!

It’s difficult to forget about Cape Town! The beautiful city is a must-see. It’s the perfect way to end your holiday (perhaps with a glass or two of wine in the vineyards of Stellenbosch).

Best time to visit South Africa for a safari

South Africa is generally mild throughout the year with many clear, sunny days. Overall, it is a dry country with an average annual rainfall of around 500mm. Days are warm to hot but nights can be quite cold. Deciding when to go will depend on personal interests and preferences.

Wet Season (November to April)

Summer is the peak season in South Africa and for good reason, as the country is green and full of new life. It’s a good time to visit for photographers, with great light, colour, and vivid subject matter providing all the ingredients for those to die for safari photos.

It is also the time to go if you have an interest in birds as all the migrants are present with beautiful breeding plumage and calls. Summer temperatures can soar to 40°C in the African bush which also brings frequent and heavy thunderstorms. If you plan to travel during this time make sure to book well in advance as it can get busy – and don’t forget your waterproofs.

Dry season (May to October)

Winter is the low season and therefore a great time to get a better deal and avoid the crowds. It’s also the time for optimal game viewing, as there is less water around, which naturally concentrates the animals around established waterholes. Winter days are beautiful and warm, however, nights and early mornings can be very cold making game drives in an open safari vehicle a real experience.

Explore South Africa

There is simply nowhere else on the planet quite like South Africa. A country that effortlessly manages to blend everything you’re looking for in a holiday.

A South African safari destination is unquestionably one of the best places in the entire continent when it comes to viewing the big five, but that’s just the start. With an astonishing array of birds on show, the odd white rhino, one of only 18,000 left in the world and one of the highest numbers of elephants anywhere in Africa, a visit to one of South Africa’s many national parks or game reserves certainly won’t disappoint.

But as we’ve said, that’s just the tip of the iceberg as to what’s on offer. With the regal Cape Town still delighting with its easy-going charm and the Garden Route maintaining its mantle as one of the world’s most popular drives, it’s not hard to see why tourist numbers are climbing year in and year out.