Johannesburg Tours in October 2027

The trip was incredible - the cultural activities, the scenery, the people, the animals, the food, and everything else South Africa had to offer. We got remarkably lucky with some of the animal sightings which made the trip extra special. While there were some long travel days and it was fast-paced, the itinerary was a good mix of safaris and other experiences that kept it feeling fresh, and the accommodations were fantastic. Our trip manager was amazing. He was organized and good at communicating the day's activities, made sure everyone was having fun and kept the good vibes going, and gave us great recommendations during free time, as well as provided unique insight on the history of South Africa. Our drivers and game drive guides were also wonderful and full of knowledge. This was my first Contiki trip and it was an amazing experience, I'd recommend it to anyone.

This truly was a South Africa highlights tour. We saw the big 5 in Kruger, whales at Hermanus, penguins, coastline, Table Mountain.....the list is endless. We had an amazing guide, Tshepo, who was a fount of knowledge, always helpful and in a good humour. I would definitely recommend this trip.

Kruger National Park was absolutely awesome. We were near the end of the dry season, so everything was dusty, but animals were everywhere. We literally saw thousands of Impalas, hundreds of Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras, and many, many Lions, Water buffalo, elands, Kudus, Hippos, plus lots more. We took in all of the excursion extras, and were very pleased. Our group of 4 would give this trip a Thumbs-Up. Accommodations were pleasant, guides were great, and safari equipment was in great condition.

Covers lot of ground and this is the one disadvantage. One day we did not arrive at our destination until past 8pm. Plenty of opportunities to get to grips with wildlife but some trips underwhelming, such as Rorke's Drift and the Hippo cruise at St Lucia. Good to have three nights at St Lucia to get over the earlier long trip, but with a couple of changes this trip could be extended a day or so and give pause for breath.

My first ever escorted trip by myself but definitely won’t be my last! Sydney our tour leader was amazing and looked after us so well. Our driver John got us to everywhere safely, in what were some very challenging journeys! Lots of pot holes and speed bumps in SA!! They made a great team together. The full packed itinerary suited me and although fast paced we covered a lot of the country and gave a great flavour of what SA has to offer. Finally the group on the tour were so friendly and great company - I couldn’t be happier!

Many good things about this trip. We saw lots of animals - lions, leopards, hippos, rhinos, crocs, monkeys, giraffes, elephants etc. Birding was also very good, with eagles and kingfishers as well as vultures and many other very colourful species. One of the early starts seemed a bit pointless when we arrived at 5pm at the next accommodation- breakfast is better when eaten at a table and not packed. The bus and driver were excellent, plenty of space for the long drives. The chaos at OR Tambo JNB airport meant a late start on the first day, it took an hour for immigration control. Ideally fly in the day before (or earlier) and take some local tours beforehand. If you arrive at the last lodge before it closes at 5pm, take a look at the nearby gorge, well worth doing. Buy milk at the Spar stops on the journey, the powdered stuff does not work in tea. The afternoon game drives tended to be „get them back to the bus on time“, so sightings were fewer then. Do not expect luxury from the lodges, the locations make up for it. The best guide was on the hippo cruise and night safari optionals, he really knew, and could explain, a lot about the animals and birds we saw. We came away with happy memories and a stack of photos.