Beautiful Cape Town and a Classic Wildlife Safari
South Africa Private Safari
Overview
Discover the beauty and diversity of South Africa, often called “a world in one country.” Begin in glorious Cape Town, a delightful base for exploring the Cape's striking landscapes all the way to the Cape of Good Hope, then experience the wildlife wonders of South Africa at two exclusive private game reserves for the ultimate in big-game viewing and a chance to encounter lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo, and cheetah at close range in a mosaic of spectacular habitats.
Arrive: Cape Town, South Africa
Depart: Johannesburg, South Africa
Highlights
- Cape Town's charming waterfront, choice of full day private guided tours including wine tasting and shark diving
- Up-close sightings of lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard in the wild
- Enjoy candle-lit dinners under the African sky
- Expert ranger-trackers, off-road safari exploration, optional game walks
Itinerary
Join your private guide for fascinating explorations in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Your choice of tours include the Cape Peninsula, a township, historic Robben Island, Table Mountain, the National Botanical Gardens at Kirstenbosch, or a tour of South Africa's centuries-old wine estates, with their beautiful Cape Dutch architecture.
Adjoining famed Kruger National Park, Thornybush Private Game Reserve is an unfenced area of over 40 square miles of pristine African bush. Explore by 4WD with your tracker-guide in the wooded savannas, where you can expect to see lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and other wildlife, and the birdwatching is amazing. Because you are on private land, not in a national park, enjoy off-road safaris and night drives. Overnights are at Thorybush Game Lodge, with its waterhole favored by elephants, buffalo, and other wildlife, or Shumbalala Game Lodge on the banks of the Monwana river. In the evenings, enjoy dinner in the open under the African sky.
Timbavati, Londolozi, and Mala Mala private game reserves are among South Africa's great tracts of untamed gamelands adjacent to world-famous Kruger National Park. The Big Five roam freely here, and on early morning and late afternoon game drives, you can see colorful birds, graceful antelope, giraffe, comical warthogs, zebras, and sightings of leopard, rhino, lion, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, blue wildebeest, the elusive wild dog. Overnights at Kambaku Safari Lodge, offering lovely thatched suites with private verandas, or upgrade to Varty Camp in Londolozi or Mala Mala Main Camp in Mala Mala Game Reserve. Depart via Johannesburg on Day 10.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is Level 2, Easy to Moderate, according to our trip rating system. It is a luxury camping and lodge safari with game viewing by 4WD vehicle and can be enjoyed by anyone in reasonably good health. On safari, there are long driving days over rough roads and rugged dirt tracks. Guided bush walks are available and they take place at a moderate pace.
Review Trip Level Details
The safari camps and lodges in our program offer excellent gameviewing year round. Most rainfall occurs usually between December and February in the form of afternoon or evening thunderstorms. In general, there is a warm climate with cool nights in “winter” (March-August in the Southern Hemisphere).
Cape Town's peak season is September to March, with highs of 65°F in September up to 80°F in February. September to February, there is little rain. Southeasterly winds occur in November and early December. In the cooler months, the daily highs are in the mid-60s. The highest rainfall is in July and August. For those who are interested in the shark diving option, the best season is May to August, and the intermediate season is March/April and September/October.
This is an excellent trip for children and families. The recommended minimum age is 8. Triple rooms (subject to availability) can be requested.
Client Testimonials
"Commodore has a perfect location and friendly staff. Umlani Bush camp, being totally off-grid, is not for everyone, but we loved the quiet and the staff was helpful and knowledgeable. The office staff was OUTSTANDING at working out an itinerary that worked for us, making suggestions on the order of stops and coordinating the hotel and bush camp."
Bonnie B.
Bakersfield, CA
"Our trip was fantastic. We all loved it. The kids were totally engaged from Cape Town to the very end, as were all the adults. Thank you for putting together such a wonderful trip for us. We were all mesmerized by that country."
Jeannie D.
Palo Alto, CA
"This was a trip of a lifetime. Everything was well planned and wonderful."
Mary Ellen T.
Oakland, CA
"There are no adequate words to describe Londolozi. I can only say thank you for sending us there. The warmth that came from each and every staff member was incredible. We saw the Big 5 and then some, with a fantastic guide and his incredible tracker. Thank you for that wonderful recommendation, and experience of a lifetime."
Susan L.
Swampscott, MA
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Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.