Your Trip to South Africa
South Africa is the perfect place for an unforgettable vacation, offering incredible wildlife safari opportunities, interesting people, thriving cities, and phenomenal wine.
Your time in South Africa is an inviting blend of nature, adventure, culture, art, community, and spending quality time together.
Cape Town | January 7 - 9, 2025
Franschhoek | January 9 - 12, 2025
Thornybush Reserve | January 12 - 14, 2025
Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve | January 14 - 17, 2025
We have put together this Destination Guide for you, full of unique insights and ways to get excited before you travel, such as:
- Spotify playlists
- Movies to watch
- Books to read
- Dishes to try
- Helpful phrases
- Packing guide
- Tipping guides
Plus more!
For safari, we recommend layering your clothing. Game drives take place early morning and evenings and it is quite cold before the sun rises and after it sets. The day-time temperatures can be warm and sunny and it can get quite hot. Light, natural fabrics like cotton and linen are recommended for during the day (shorts, t-shirts, summer dresses around the lodge) and in the evenings, layer up with long trousers, long sleeve vests and a warm jacket. Formal wear is not required at any of our lodges – you are free to come straight from game drive into dinner.
- Long trousers or denim jeans
- Long sleeve vests/t-shirts
- Shorts, t-shirts, summer dresses
- A warm jacket, fleece or windbreaker
- Woolen hat/beanie, gloves and scarf for morning drives
- A good pair of walking shoes
- Longer socks to wear with walking shoes – especially if you plan on going on Bush Walks
- Sandals or flip-flops for during the day at the lodge and some closed shoes or sneakers for evenings
- Wide-brimmed sun hat, sunglasses and a good sunscreen
- Bathing suit
- Camera, video camera, binoculars, spare memory cards and charging equipment. Some lodges do provide spare sets of binoculars on game vehicles and at the lodges if you don’t have your own.
- A small flashlight or headlamp for walking around camp
- Anti-allergen medication such as Zyrtec
- Insect Repellent with DEET
- Lotions, tissues, moisturizers, chapstick
- Personal cosmetics, toiletries
- Money belt or fanny pack for cash and travel documents
- Power bank for charging of phone on safari drives
- A good book to read during down time at the safari lodge
- Passport
- Cash for personal expenses
Check-in is 1 1⁄2 hours prior to departure for domestic flights and 3 hours prior to departure for international flights.
Some scheduled regional and inter-lodge flights may involve multiple stops before reaching the final destination. Many flights are operated as air shuttle transfers and therefore departure times may vary by up to one hour.
When traveling on normal scheduled international or domestic flights, the luggage limit is usually 20kgs (approx. 44 lbs.) per person.
Tips are always appreciated and enthusiastically received. Tipping is only recommended if you are satisfied with the service you have received and is entirely at your discretion. Tipping guidelines are as follows:
- Airport or hotel porters: per bag
- Transfers: tips not expected
- Day Tours: per person for full day tour
- Restaurants: 10% - 15% of total value of bill depending on service
- Car guards and filling stations in South Africa: tip for fuelling attendant or ‘donation’ for car guard (in urban areas you’ll find formal and informal characters offering to watch your vehicle)
On Safari: For rangers between per person per day and trackers between per person per day. General lodge staff gratuity is between per day. All tips can be paid over by credit card as opposed to cash
Depart on your flight out of Panama City, Florida for Cape Town through Atlanta.
Booked independently by client
Upon arrival at Cape Town International Airport (CPT), you will be met at the door of your aircraft with your name on a paging board. Should your aircraft be directed to the apron and not the terminal building, you will be transported to the terminal by bus where your Meet and Greet representative will be waiting for you as you step off the bus. You will then be assisted through immigration, baggage collection and customs and on to the arrivals hall to meet your private driver.
Booked by Scenset
You will be privately transferred to your hotel for check-in.
Booked by a travel agent
Scenically beautiful, Cape Town is a compelling mix of trendy modern and old-world elegance. Glamorous hotels, world-class dining and stunning vistas merge seamlessly with dynamic student suburbs and vibrant nightlife. Malay and African heritage is evident in the cuisine, traditions and entertainment while the architecture reveals a strong Dutch, German and English flavour and style. Contemporary art is proudly displayed in a variety of galleries and modern boutique hotels, and wine bars and brandy tasting lounges will appeal to the fashionable set. For the well-heeled, the finest in opera, ballet, drama and music can be appreciated in style.
Elevated above the vibrant Camps Bay Beach strip, The Marly Boutique Hotel and Spa offers guests an urban hideaway that celebrates sophisticated design, beachfront living and five-star service. Set the tone of your stay with a sea-facing or mountain-facing suite and experience the essence of the Mother City.
Meet your private guide this morning for a tour of beautiful Table Mountain. You'll take the cable car up for incredible panoramas enjoyed along with freshly brewed coffee and home-baked treats (after a short hike away from the crowds).
Booked by Scenset
Choose with your private guide the best spots to visit on your neighborhood tour. This fully customized private tour may visit the Bo-Kaap with its brightly colored 17th century houses and visit a selection of fascinating historical, artistic or culinary highlights. Touch on politics when you view Parliament and the Company’s Garden or awaken your taste buds with samples from the food artisans in Bree Street. Discover both fine art and street art in Cape Town galleries or perhaps meet trend-setting local fashion designers. Finally, enjoy sundowners at a local hang-out or underground gin bar.
Booked by Scenset
After breakfast and check-out, meet your guide for a transfer to the beautiful Cape Town Winelands.
Booked by Scenset
Franschhoek, a charming town with French Hugenot heritage, is arguably the culinary headquarters of the country and home to the creative genius of a number of resident chefs. Framed by a majestic backdrop of the Helderberg Mountains, Paarl lies peacefully nestled amongst vineyards laden with the harvest's finest offerings. Enjoy gourmet meals lovingly prepared by experienced chefs and served in lush gardens, or stylish restaurants.
Enjoy dinner tonight at Babel at Babylonstoren. We suggest coordinating transfers directly with your hotel.
Reservation Time: Evening
Address: Babylonstoren,
Babylonstoren Road,
Franschhoek, 7690
Reserved by Scenset. Dinner will be paid on own.
The spacious rooms and suites, which are individually styled and luxuriously appointed, feature bespoke furniture, wool-and-sisal carpets, and textured layers of linen, horsehair, leather, wood and stone in a calm colour palette. The rooms all have underfloor heating. The generous marble-clad en-suite bathrooms have rain showers and heated towel rails as standard. Careful attention to detail is prevalent throughout the property.
Studio Room
Inclusions: Breakfast, limited mini bar, one complimentary wine tasting per guest per stay of Mullineu & Leeu Family Wines at Leeu Estate and a complimentary scheduled shuttle service between the Leeu Collection properties
Booked by someone
Meet your private guide this morning for a custom wine tour tailored around your interests. You will visit 3-4 wine estates tailored around your preferred wine varietal. A visit to Babylonstoren is included per your request.
Overview of your day:
- Explore – Babylonstoren Gardens
- Wine Tasting – Boutique Wine Farm off the Beaten Track
- Explore – Franschhoek, boutique shops, galleries & cafes
- Wine Tasting - Oldenburg Wine Estate (off the beaten track, boutique wine farm)
- Wine Tasting - Muratie Wine Estate
Includes: Fine dining lunch, and all tasting and entry fees.
Booked by Scenset
Studio Room
Booked by someone
You have a free day today to spend at your leisure. You may wish to relax on the idyllic grounds of your hotel to enjoy a wine tasting or embark on a self-guided tour of the fabulous vineyards around Franschhoek on the wine tram.
Any touring arrangements for this day can be organized directly with the Concierge Team at Leeu Estates.
In Franschhoek, enjoy South Africa's greatest export, wine! The Purple Line tour for example starts on a modified tram-bus and ends with the double-decker railway tram. The tour allows you to experience breathtaking mountain views while stopping at as many as eight of the following wine estates. Hop on and off as you experience the wine tasting (payable on site at each estate), cellar tours, picnic lunches in the vineyards and al fresco dining.
Passengers may dine at one of several restaurants on the tour. It is highly recommended that passengers make reservations for lunch/picnic at least 24-48 hours in advance.
Studio Room
Booked by someone
After breakfast and check-out, you will transfer to the airport for your flight out of Cape Town.
This is a transfer of approximately 1 hour, traffic permitting.
Booked by Scenset
Upon arrival, your safari will begin immediately as you are met by your safari guide for transfer via game vehicle to your hotel for check-in. Get your cameras ready as you look out for wildlife during your drive to the Thornybush Reserve!
Booked by Scenset
As you bump along the park roads, the sun warm upon your face and air dry in the back of your throat, your senses are on high alert. This is the real Africa, cut away from the hectic pace of life, home to Africa's Big 5. The Kruger is alive, from the nervously twitching herd of impala after a night of predator action, to the wild dog cavorting like domestic pets alongside the road. Marvel as a herd of elephant simply appear from out the bush, then silently vanish back into the landscape.
With over 2 million hectares of pristine wilderness, the Kruger's biodiversity sustains numerous species of game and birds. The dry north consists of Baobab trees, scrubland and rocky outcroppings which can be seen for miles and animals tend to gather around water sources. As you come south, the park gets busier, animal numbers increase and the backdrop changes to grassland and acacia woodlands.
On the western borders, private reserves such as Sabi Sands and the Timbavati open onto the Kruger, offering an exclusive game experience with the flexibility of night drives and off-road 4 x 4 safaris. Swaying to the movement of an open vehicle while wrapped warmly against the night chills, is an unforgettable experience. The call of a Nightjar darting overhead and the flash of eyes reflected from the bushes brings an entirely different twist to your safari and as you drop your head back and look up - the crisp night skies go on forever.
Perched on a bend of the seasonal Monwana River, Saseka Tented Camp is one of the most sought-after luxury safari destinations in the Greater Kruger Park area. Saseka means ‘beautiful’ in the local Tsonga language, and everything here from the tented suites to the relaxed atmosphere, the food and personal service, is just that.
Luxury Tent
Inclusions: All meals, all local drinks, laundry, minibar drinks, and all morning/afternoon game drives and walks.
Booked by a guest
Thornybush's purpose is to give each guest a life-changing safari experience in this treasured part of the world. We also know everyone enjoys spending their time in their own way, whether it’s a guided bush walk or wellness treatment, interacting with our local communities or dining by candlelight on a private deck.
With a steady stream of the Big Five roaming freely under the vast skies of the Greater Kruger Park, we’re able to give our guests consistent and thrilling sightings of these iconic animals on twice-daily game drives, guided bush walks or even from the comfort of your Greater Kruger Park safari lodge.
From giraffes and zebra, hippos, hyenas, wild dogs, antelope and hundreds of bird species, to name a few, the diversity of wildlife in this area is astounding. You’ll get close to them all with our expert guide-and-tracker teams, who have a deep understanding of the bush and an inherent knack for finding the action in our open-air safari vehicles.
Booked by Scenset
Private wellness treatments at Saseka Tented Camp are easily arranged. We can arrange for this for you closer to your departure.
Luxury Tent
Booked by a guest
After breakfast and check-out, meet your driver for your private transfer to Sabi Sabi.
You'll be driven from Thornybush Game Reserve to Southern Sabi Sands to your beautiful accommodation at Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge.
Booked by Scenset
A masterpiece of organic design, architecture and dramatic minimalism, our award-winning Earth Lodge seamlessly integrates with nature. This living gallery of the senses is a must for those who appreciate the art of luxuriating among the animals of the African continent.
Luxury Suite
Inclusions:
- All meals, local brand drinks, return transfers from Sabi Sabi airstrip and limited laundry. Activities: Game drives and walking safari.
Booked by a client
Head out for an early morning game drive in open vehicles, stopping for a refreshing coffee break and a chance to listen to the sounds of the bush whilst admiring the landscape. After some down-time and a siesta back at camp, set off again in the late afternoon when the bush comes alive. Sundowners as night falls, then spotlights come out in search of a new range of creatures. For those needing to expend some energy, a guided walking safari is an ideal way to learn about smaller animals and plants.
Luxury Suite
Inclusions:
- All meals, local brand drinks, return transfers from Sabi Sabi airstrip and limited laundry. Activities: Game drives and walking safari.
Booked by a client
Say good-bye to the Sabi Sabi Reserve as you will be transferred on a final game drive to the Skukuza airport for your onward flight to Cape Town.
Booked by Scenset
Depart on your flight out of Cape Town for home.
To be booked independently by client
Please refer to our terms & conditions here.