South Africa is at least five destinations wearing a trench coat and pretending to be one country. Safari in Kruger and Pilanesberg. Lovely wine in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. One of the most beautiful cities on earth in Cape Town. The emotional power of Johannesburg and Soweto. And a coastline that makes the Mediterranean look understated.
After five trips and a lot of planning and on-the-ground time, I'm giving you everything I know. This is the guide I wish someone had handed me before my first trip.
How do you plan a luxury South Africa trip? Pick your season first: May to September for safari, October to March for Cape Town and the Winelands, or September to November for both. Then pair Johannesburg and Soweto with a malaria-free safari, finish in Cape Town and Stellenbosch, and give yourself ten nights or more.
Key facts
- Best months: September to November gives you good safari and a warming Cape Town without the holiday crowds.
- Getting there: nonstop to Johannesburg from Atlanta (Delta) or Newark (United), roughly 15 hours, then about 2 hours on to Cape Town.
- Entry: U.S. citizens can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. Bring two consecutive completely blank visa pages.
- Malaria: Cape Town, Johannesburg, the Winelands and Pilanesberg are malaria-free. Kruger is not.
- Caviar trip: the 11-day South Africa Experience. Dates are to be announced, and the waitlist is open.
When to Visit South Africa
South Africa works year-round, but timing matters depending on what you want:
For Safari (May to September): The dry winter months are ideal for game viewing. Vegetation thins out, animals gather around water and visibility is at its best. Mornings are cool (think layers, not parkas), and in malaria areas like Kruger the risk is lower in the dry season.
For Cape Town & Wine Country (October to March): Southern Hemisphere summer brings warm, dry weather for beaches, wine tasting and long outdoor dinners. December and January are peak season, so plan ahead.
For the Sweet Spot (September to November): Spring gives you the best of both. Safari conditions are still very good, Cape Town is warming up and you miss the holiday crowds.
Our South Africa Experience is on a waitlist while dates are set.
Where to Stay: Our Recommendations
Johannesburg & Soweto
Four Seasons Westcliff. Terraced into a ridge with the city laid out below, this is where our group stays in Johannesburg. Gardens, views, a spa and a calm place to settle in after the long flight.
The Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa. Before it became a hotel, this was the private home where Nelson Mandela worked on his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom after his release from prison. The suites are beautiful and it sits in leafy Sandhurst, an easy drive from Rosebank and Sandton.
Safari
Shepherd's Tree Game Lodge. In malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park, about a two to two-and-a-half-hour drive from Johannesburg. Glass-walled suites, private decks, an infinity pool and Big Five game drives. This is our trip's safari lodge.
Singita Lebombo Lodge. Inside Kruger National Park, with glass-walled suites that make you feel like you're sleeping in the bush without giving up an ounce of comfort. Singita's conservation work is a big part of the story.
Royal Malewane. For a more intimate stay in the Greater Kruger area, with a well-regarded guiding team, the Africa House suite and a bush spa.
Cape Town
12 Apostles Hotel and Spa. Set between the mountains and the Atlantic, just past Camps Bay. Our group stays here.
The Silo Hotel. Built into the old grain silo above the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA). The pillowed glass windows, the rooftop pool and the art throughout make it a cultural experience as much as a hotel.
Winelands
Lanzerac Wine Estate. A historic Stellenbosch estate dating to 1692, with Cape Dutch gables, oak-shaded terraces and vineyards to the horizon. This is where our trip ends.
Delaire Graff Estate. Laurence Graff's estate above Stellenbosch, with big views, good wine and a serious art collection.
Top Things to Do in South Africa
What are the top things to do in South Africa? The Apartheid Museum and Soweto with a local guide in Johannesburg, a Big Five safari in Pilanesberg, Robben Island and the Bo-Kaap in Cape Town, Table Mountain at sunset, and a cellar tasting in the Stellenbosch Winelands.
1. Apartheid Museum (Johannesburg)
Don't skip it. Even if you think you know the history, this museum will teach you something. Give it at least three hours and don't rush. The exhibits are meant to be taken in order, and each section builds on the one before. It's part of our Soweto day.
2. Soweto with a Local Guide
Skip the big bus tours. Walk the streets with someone who knows them. Visit Vilakazi Street, home at different times to two Nobel Peace Prize winners (Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu). Eat at a local spot. Talk to people. I've written about why Soweto matters so much for Black American travelers. On our trip, the guided Soweto tour ends with a braai lunch in the neighborhood.
3. Big Five Safari
On safari in South Africa, on an earlier Caviar trip. Photo: Caviar in the Air
A sunrise game drive is one of life's great privileges. Your ranger tracks animals with skill, experience and radio contact with other guides. The Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and Cape buffalo) are the headline acts, but the supporting cast is just as good: giraffes at sunset, hippos at dawn, the eerie call of a hyena at night.
I've written separately about what nobody tells you about safari. Read it before you go, and see what to wear on safari in South Africa. Our trip spends two nights in malaria-free Pilanesberg, with evening, sunrise and sundowner drives.
4. Cape Winelands
South Africa makes some of the world's best-value wine, and the tasting experience holds its own against Napa or Bordeaux for a lot less money.
Photo: Caviar in the Air
Focus on:
- Pinotage. South Africa's signature grape, a local cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Love it or hate it, try it at home.
- Chenin Blanc. South Africa grows more of it than any other country, and its old-vine bottles are worth seeking out.
- Méthode Cap Classique (MCC). South Africa's traditional-method sparkling wine. Lovely quality, very good value.
Our trip finishes in Stellenbosch, with a cellar tour and tasting.
5. Table Mountain at Sunset
Take the cable car up (or hike if you're feeling ambitious) and time it for golden hour.
Photo: Caviar in the Air The views over Cape Town, Robben Island and the Atlantic at sunset are among the most beautiful I've ever seen. Bring a jacket, it's windy up there. On our trip, the cable car is part of the full-day Cape Peninsula tour, which is optional and not included.
6. Robben Island
The prison island where Nelson Mandela spent eighteen of his twenty-seven years behind bars. The ferry crossing from the V&A Waterfront takes about half an hour, and former political prisoners have long guided the tour of the cells. Our trip includes a private Robben Island tour, ferry crossing included.
7. The Bo-Kaap
Cape Town's historic Cape Malay quarter, with its candy-colored houses on cobbled streets at the foot of Signal Hill. On our trip, a guided walk through the Bo-Kaap comes with a Cape Malay cooking class.
What to Know Before You Go
Visa: U.S. citizens can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. Your passport needs at least two blank pages and must be valid for at least 30 days after you leave South Africa. Check the U.S. State Department's South Africa page before you go.
Health: Kruger and the Lowveld are malaria areas, so talk to your travel doctor about prophylaxis 4 to 6 weeks before you leave. Cape Town, Johannesburg, the Winelands and Pilanesberg are malaria-free.
Safety: I cover this in my post Is South Africa Safe?. The short answer: with good planning, awareness and a reputable travel partner, South Africa is absolutely worth it. The long answer has nuance you deserve to hear.
Currency: South African Rand (ZAR). The rand usually stretches a U.S. dollar a long way, so luxury here often costs less than the same level in Europe.
Getting There: Nonstop flights to Johannesburg run from Atlanta on Delta and from Newark on United, roughly 15 hours. Some routes also fly nonstop to Cape Town. From Johannesburg, a domestic flight to Cape Town takes about 2 hours.
Why Travel with Caviar in the Air
South Africa rewards expertise. Combining Johannesburg, safari, Cape Town and the Winelands takes careful coordination, and the difference between a good trip and a great one comes down to details.
If you want to see how it all fits together day by day, read inside our 11-day itinerary. Our South Africa Experience handles the domestic flight, ground transfers, game drives and cultural experiences, so all you have to do is show up.
Browse Our South Africa Trip →
Claire B. Soares is a 6X Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist and the founder of Caviar in the Air. She has traveled to 65+ countries across all seven continents.
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