South Africa · BIG 5 SAFARIS
Lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo — and the reserves near Cape Town and Johannesburg that hold all five. These 15 give the drive time, the price and how long you actually spend in the vehicle.
Big Five safari day trip from Cape Town to Aquila with an open-vehicle drive, lunch included, and serious birdwatching.
“Great trip. Nice game reserve. 100% chance to see animals. Good lunch. Some welcome and intermediate sparkling drinks are great.”
Gansbaai Marine Big 5 boat tour from Kleinbaai to spot whales, sharks, seals, dolphins and penguins, with a biologist and penguin rehab.
“We could not hear well what the guide was telling us through the loudspeakers but we could ask her if we wanted to know something. Apart from that we saw whales for a lot of time (unbeatable experience), sharks, playful seals and penguins (from a distance). We are very satisfied and we highly recommend it”
Big Five safari day trip from Cape Town to malaria-free Aquila Game Reserve, with hotel pickup, 3-hour open vehicle drive, and lunch.
“We are not really animal friendly but the whole experience of this safari was amazing, from the friendly and helpful driver/tour guide to the guide on the safari bus. Had an amazing day”
Big Five day trip from Cape Town with guided safari at Aquila, Breede and Hex winelands stops, buffet lunch and champagne included.
“Amazing Tour! Our tour guide was fantastic! You won’t be disappointed. Viator for the win! Thank you”
Sunrise Big Five safari from St Lucia into Hluhluwe-iMfolozi, with ranger spotting, breakfast, braai lunch, transport, and conservation levies.
“It was a fantastic day! Without going into the animals we saw, as that depends on luck, let me share the good and bad points of this tour. Arnaud, our guide, always had a smile on his face, answered every question, and provided a lot of inforRead more”
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Big 5 safari from St Lucia with early sunrise drives, ranger-led game viewing, and a traditional braai lunch.
“We had a beautiful safari tour with Sifiso. It was beyond our expectations! The pickup in St.Lucia was flawless and overall we had a pleasant ride. Sifiso always made sure to take good care of us (it was a rainy day and he kept us dry and warm). The breakfast and lunch were absolutely lovely and delicious. Nothing was missing. As for the tour - he has a lot of experience and knowledge. He told us many interesting facts about the flora and fauna. And also things we wouldn’t think about asking, but were really important and interesting. You can feel the passion he has for the animals and wild…”
Cape Town Marine Big 5 ocean safari from V&A Waterfront. 90 minutes on a luxury catamaran spotting Atlantic wildlife and mountain views.
“Great tour, great guys. 10/10 tour. Love the sunfish and muffins”
Guided Marine Big 5 safari by boat from Cape Town, with a biologist onboard, penguin rescue visit, and warm food after the sea.
“The first thing anyone thinking of taking this trip should know is that the depart time is the time of the boat, not the pickup time. We booked this thinking we’d have a 10am pick up from Cape Town, not the 5.30am pick up we did have. I think if we’d known this we probaRead more”
A 6-hour Big Five style safari with guide Otto at Addo Elephant Park, plus entry fees, transport, picnic lunch, and refreshment stops.
“Otto hat hat sich super um uns gekümmert und versucht alle Tiere für uns zu sichten. Das Picnic war auch hervorragend. Alles in Allm empfehlenswert.”
Self-drive marine safari from Gansbaai for the Marine Big Five, guided by a marine biologist, plus penguin sanctuary and a warm meal.
“A great way to experience marine life in South Africa while supporting conservation and research efforts. The area is beautiful from the boat. Come during whale season if you can. If not you may still see the Bryde’s Whale. Be sure to visit the South African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary. These birds are threatened with becoming extinct in the wild soon and need support.”
Big Five safari day trip from Durban to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Reserve with guide, entrance fees, and pickup, starting at 6am.
“Our tour guide Nikolas was amazing. Very knowledgeable and a great person. 10/10 would recommend again!”
Marine Big 5 cruise from Hermanus with safety gear, coffee and soup, plus a visit to APSS for African penguins and seabirds.
“friendly marine biologist on board, crew knows the area, everything needed is provided. Fotos take a little bit long to be online. You also have to see that your shuttle driver takes you with, at the main house you have to ask the staff where to go, else you might be left there without a shuttle.”
Big Five safari near Cape Town with hotel pickup, halal buffet lunch, and a 2.5 to 3 hour ranger-led drive. Short day for $137.
“Our trip to Aquila was better than we could’ve imagined thanks to our tour guide Collen. We were picked up promptly by Collen who introduced himself to us and was very witty and chatty. The whole drive to Aquila we felt very safe, Collen drove perfectly despite the long journey and during transport explained the plan of the day in depth, including top tips for us to get the maximum enjoyment out of our day. Collen shared such a mass of knowledge, about the animals, passing and lots about the general history of Cape Town which was so insightful. He really went above and beyond, tailoring his service to our…”
4-hour Big Five safari from Hoedspruit in an open vehicle, small group of 10, expert guides, snacks, and coffee or sundowners.
“Die Safari war wirklich ein tolles Erlebnis. Man wurde überpünktlich am Hotel abgeholt und super nett empfangen. Anfangs hatten wir wenig Glück mit Tiersichtungen, woraufhin die beiden Guides wirklich alles gegeben haben um uns möglichst viele Tiere zeigen zu können. Außerdem wurde viel Interessantes erklärt, insgesamt einfach eine sehr sympathische Atmosphäre!”
Golden-hour Big Five safari from Cape Town, with hotel pickup, an open-air 4x4 drive, light snacks, and a calm sunset vibe.
“0 goede communicatie qua vervoer, heel ingewikkeld met nagevolg enkel extra kosten.”
The mountain, the parks, the coast and the cities — and the best of each.
