Luxury and the Big Five
in South Africa
is that you never have to compromise on quality. Not only do the country’s reserves offer some of the very best game viewing in Africa — including outstanding opportunities for Big Five sightings — but the lodges and camps are also sublime. The guiding and service, not to mention the facilities and activities, are simply superb.
Here we highlight some of the best private reserves to visit on your next trip.
- Kruger National Park and Nearby Private Reserves
- Phinda: KwaZulu Natal’s Premier Private Reserve
- Malaria-Free Madikwe Game Reserve: A Success Story of Wildlife Reintroduction
- Leobo Private Reserve - Stargazing in Luxury
- Tswalu Kalahari - Perfect for Families
Solitude and exclusivity are just two of the reserves’ benefits over national parks; they often have additional strengths, such as stronger partnerships with local communities, permission for night drives and nature walks, and support for experimental conservation initiatives.
Singita Sabi Sands has been owned and protected by the Bailes family since 1926, and you can opt to stay either at Singita Ebony Lodge, or at Singita Boulders Lodge. The reserve is renowned for its high concentration of big game, and in particular for the frequency of leopard sightings, something you may struggle to get elsewhere.
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There are no fences here to restrict the abundant wildlife or spoil your views of the landscape, and you can easily combine your land based adventures with diving beneath the waves of the nearby Indian Ocean.
Combine safari drives with elements of the ranger training curriculum and selected conservation activities or for a truly eye opening experience, track the endangered black rhino on foot.
For an extraordinarily close elephant encounter, join one of the reserve’s conservation teams as they dart herd members from a helicopter to change their radio collar. This is vital work for monitoring the elephants’ whereabouts and implementing the immunocontraceptive programme. It is possible to touch the sleeping elephant, an absolutely magical moment.
In season, it’s also possible to watch turtle nesting during a night drive, or to enjoy a scuba dive, making this the ideal location to combine the wonders of the woodlands and the coast.
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There is now also a magnificent selection of lodges within the reserve, including the stunning Madikwe Hills. The lodge combines comfort with adventure, making it an ideal destination for those seeking both relaxation and thrilling wildlife encounters.
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By day, it’s an action-packed adventure. Try mountain rope climbing, quad biking, or fly by helicopter to a secluded picnic spot. The lodge is booked for only one group at a time, ensuring you have this wild playground all to yourself.
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The property features the Motse legae and Tarkuni homestead, providing private and elegantly designed accommodations ideal for families. Guests can engage in activities such as game drives, horseback riding, and quad bike adventures.
Children can participate in the Junior Ranger program, while the entire family enjoys exploring the varied landscapes and learning about the San Bushmen's heritage, ensuring an unforgettable family safari adventure.
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We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.
An experienced team of well-travelled individuals, passionate about crafting journeys that are as exceptional as they are personal, while maximising our positive impact on the places in which we work.
While the evolution of travel and technology has seen much change at Journeysmiths over the years, our fundamental beliefs about the perfect holiday have not.
Journeysmiths mission is to inspire and expand peoples horizons through exceptional travel experiences, while preserving the natural world for future generations.
The only country able to offer malaria-free safaris, South Africa is a wonderful choice for many looking for a luxury safari experience. Enjoy the abundance of wildlife on offer in some of the most exclusive private reserves, before exploring cosmopolitan Cape Town, where the glamour of the city meets the rugged outdoors.
See the splendour of South Africa as a family on this exclusive safari. Spend your days exploring captivating Cape Town, enjoying the delights of the Winelands and on safari, seeking out the abundant wildlife that roams the wilderness. No matter your age, this iconic safari will leave you with memories for a lifetime.
With opportunities to see the Big Five of both land and sea, along with incredible scenery, enormous national parks, world-class vineyards, a fascinating history and vibrant, friendly people, South Africa frequently tops the lists of the world’s best holiday destinations. Even so, less than 1% of the world's travellers make it here, so it’s a place where you’ll find yourself with a few select, like-minded and discerning adventurers who have discovered this gem of a country. It’s a place you could return to for the whole of your life and never tire of it.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
If you’re looking for a country that’s got everything, choose South Africa. Renowned for the spectacular views of the Garden Route, vibrant Cape Town, malaria free safaris, fascinating history and outstanding wildlife, the whole family will fall under the alluring spell of this diverse country.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the first person to call South Africa “the rainbow nation”. It’s a reflection on the fascinating diversity of this country, not only in the identities of its people but in the landscapes, wildlife, cultures, and activities it offers. South Africa is a country which, because of its variety, can be all things to all people, truly a rainbow of varied opportunities and experiences.
in South Africa
Without a shadow of a doubt, South Africa is one of the very best places to watch wildlife in the world. The Kruger National Park — a protected area the size of Wales — is certainly the most famous and popular safari destination, but with Journeysmiths you’ll escape the crowds to explore vast, wildlife-filled private reserves, in the company of the best guides.
Cape Town is one of the world’s great cities with a unique setting beneath Table Mountain.
To experience a little bit of everything that South Africa has to offer, you can hardly do better than to drive along the coastal road of the Garden Route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. It’s an extraordinary journey, and there’s wildlife on both land and shore, endless beaches, historic battlefields, and the vineyards are never far away. One day you might be whale spotting at Hermanus — renowned as one of the best whale watching locations in the world — and the next you could be learning about the Battle of Rorke’s Drift, handling antique weapons and scrambling over the British and Zulu positions.
Formerly the Zulu Kingdom, the province of KwaZulu Natal runs along South Africa’s dramatic Indian Ocean coastline. The Drakensberg Mountains create a natural border between Lesotho and the Eastern Cape, and offer some excellent hiking routes.
For families of all ages there is so much to see and do in South Africa, making it an excellent and diverse travel destination. We’ve chosen 20 of the best experiences to immerse you in the culture, wildlife and beautiful places of this remarkable country.
South Africa is an excellent choice for family travel with children of all ages. Its wildlife is abundant, with a great diversity of species, including the Big Five: rhino, leopard, lion, elephant and buffalo. There are vast malaria-free reserves and it’s easy to get from safari regions to Cape Town and the beach.
Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary
Working in partnership with globally recognised conservation organisation; Care for Wild, the world’s largest rhino orphanage, we have curated a truly unique and exclusive experience giving a privileged few behind-the-scenes access to this otherwise incredibly private sanctuary.