Simple stays with essential amenities. Typically guesthouses, hostels or hotels rated below 3 stars — clean, no-frills, and great for value-conscious travelers.
Comfortable and reliable 3-star stays. Expect private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and solid amenities — a great balance between comfort and cost.
Upscale 4-5 star hotels and lodges. Enjoy high-end service, refined comfort, and premium locations — ideal for travelers seeking extra indulgence.
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Page 2 of 23 Small Group Trips in Southern Africa with 202 Reviews
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Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Camping, Hotel, Resort
Age Range
18-75 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Dar Es Salaam, Pretoria, Hazyvie
Dar Es Salaam, Pretoria, Hazyview, South Luangwa National Park, Kande Beach, Chitimba Beach, Iringa, Mikumi National Park, Zanzibar, Tshipise, Bulawayo, Matobo National Park, Livingstone, Lusaka
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Highlights -
Stunning landscapes, especially around the Namib desert/Sossusvlei, Brandberg area and Walvis Bay/Swakopmund.
Wildlife viewing was excellent - plenty of time to view and observe and search both mammals and birds throughout the trip. You will get some amazing photos and memories!
A knowledgeable guide who sorted everything that needed doing and had a great understanding of the wildlife/country.
A couple of the lodges were above expectations (NB the app stated that there might be changes and there were).
Things that surprised me:
One of the lodges was disappointing but we were only there for one night (Brandberg White Lady Lodge - no proper AC and nowhere to charge anything plus very basic room and the food was also below par).
There wasn't much time to decompress and just enjoy the areas without being on the move - ideally this should be a 14 or 15 day trip with Toshari or Makuti and Swapokmund stays being extended by a further day.
Water is not provided at many of the lodges or at the inclusive meals so you end up buying plastic bottles of water (more costly than a beer!) that you then can't keep chilled as the rooms often did not have a fridge.
One of the recommended excursions in Walvis Bay was a waste of time and very expensive. The Shifting Sands excursion to Sandwich Harbour was vastly more costly (x3) than the Desert Discovery trip (both 3 hours) and yet covered much the same but at a much lower standard. The Desert Discovery Trip had much better guides, much more to see and a far superior dune driving experience. The Sandwich Harbour trip just gave the "dunes meeting the sea" and a fraction of the elements covered in the other trip but for the time/cost and drive it would have been better to have stayed in Walvis Bay and appreciate all the birdlife and coast there. Avoid that if offered.
What I needed on the trip:
The following items were really useful:
A sarong - to sit on a very hot seat or use as a sunshield in various locations; a water bottle flask that kept my water chilled all day;
A broad brimmed hat - in summer a baseball cap did not cut it at Sossusvlei;
Binoculars - even a basic pair;
A power bank for your phone as some days you are on the road for 12 hours and with all the photos you'll need an extra power source.;
A usb adaptor for your phone charger as a few lodges had these in the socket spaces;
Washing powder as you may end up hand washing a lot;
A basic set of general medications..... you never know!
Additionally I would recommend going at least one day earlier so you have time to take in a township and Windhoek tour. The on-cost of the hotel was minimal (arranged directly) but it meant we had no stress of being late and we had a chance to acclimatise, plus had a good look around prior to meeting the rest of the group and the guide. The Mercure has full access to the sister Movenpick which has a great pool area, other restaurants and spa/gym for use by all residents.
If you fly through Germany and direct on to Windhoek, you travel overnight and arrive morning time giving you a whole afternoon plus a whole day before you meet the group at 6pm. Plus your return flight is early evening so you get the departure day too if you extend your room at the Mercure. Well worth it!
Overall a truly great and varied trip even if you have done safaris before.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Windhoek, Otjiwarongo, Sesriem
Windhoek, Otjiwarongo, Sesriem, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Uis, Etosha National Park
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Lovely trip, this is my second explore trip, the first was a very experienced guide in Costa Rica, Nathi was our guide for this one he said he was new to explore, what he lacked in explore experience he gained in his buzzing personality and local knowledge, he was a great kind and considerate guide nothing was too much trouble. He arranged things and recommend things sharing his knowledge freely. As he gets more experience he’ll be a great asset to Explore. You never know what people you’ll get on such a holiday and I’m always a bit apprehensive since I don’t suffer fools. Fortunately everyone seemed to bond by the end of the 2 weeks. Re the itinerary it was a good balance, maybe include the wine tasting as part of it instead of an option.
Active and outdoorWildlife
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hut, Lodge
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Hermanu
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Hermanus, Kruger National Park, Stellenbosch, Garden Route National Park, Cape Winelands, Tsitsikamma National Park, Table Mountain, Blyde River Canyon, Port Elizabeth, Knysna
It was a great trip with fantastic game viewing and knowledgeable guides. The accommodation was unique & comfortable, but Rhino lodge at Kosi bay was the poorest -the rooms etc were lovely but there was a decidedly run down aspect to the site and the dinning room service was notable lacking -2-3hr wait after ordering but the food when it came was fine -very understaffed and pushed, not helped by sharing facilities with an inebriated wedding group. Wernan the guide was competent, knowledgeable and did all he could to facilitate the experience -including re driving thro the mountains so we could see Gods Window etc as our first journey was thro thick fog etc with no visibility. Great trip, especially for the kids.
Active and outdoorWildlife
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hut, Eco Lodge, Guest House
Age Range
7-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Johannesburg, Durban, Kosi Bay
Johannesburg, Durban, Kosi Bay, St. Lucia, Graskop, Tshukudu Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, Mlilwane
Great trip with good mixture of activities and wildlife. The weather was perfect for an August trip - warm during day, cooler at night, and fortunately only 10 minutes of rain in 2 weeks. Well looked after by our guide Bianca. Food was very good value. Expect some flexibility in the itinerary - we couldn’t sea kayak due to choppy sea but alternative hike was great. Highlights were climbing Table Mountain (2-3h strenuous hike), surfing lesson, optional Whale Watching boat trip, Addo Elephant National Park and optional Schotia Private Game Reserve drive on the morning of departure.
Active and outdoorExplorer
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort, Hut, Lodge, Camping
Age Range
7-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Tsits
Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Tsitsikamma Forest, Addo Elephant National Park, Robben Island, Breede River, Cango Caves, Plettenberg Bay, Robberg Nature Reserve
This was a great tour - albeit full on and with a lot of travelling involved. However this was outweighed by seeing such a diverse range of landscapes and wildlife and experiencing so much in a short space of time. The game drives were the stand out for me, we were lucky enough to see the big 5 and it was honestly an incredible experience. I'd have loved to have had more time in the Kruger National Park, as our time was limited.
Highlights include: The incredible landscapes in the Drankensberg Mountains, the hippo cruise in St Lucia and the game drives in Kruger. Seeing lions in their natural habitat was a dream come true, but the elephants have to be the star of the show.
As someone who has never been on safari, this was the perfect introduction to this type of holiday and I'm already planning the next. Thanks Explore!
ExplorerActive and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hut, Guest House, Hotel
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Johannesburg, Drakensberg Mounta
Johannesburg, Drakensberg Mountains, St. Lucia, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, Eswatini, Mlilwane, Kruger National Park, Graskop
22% OFF TODAY
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From the rolling hills of Lesotho to the untamed reserves of Eswatini, the 20-day South Africa, Lesotho & Eswatini Explorer Accommodated tour is a comprehensive journey for families eager to discover southern Africa’s diversity. Departing from Pretoria and concluding in Cape Town, this small group adventure encompasses Saint Lucia, Sani Pass, and 13 additional destinations across South Africa. With every detail—from accommodation to meals—covered, it’s an accessible way for families to explore at their own pace. The real standout? The rare opportunity to experience three distinct countries in one seamless tour package, offering ecological, cultural, and scenic variety.
ExplorerActive and outdoor
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
18-75 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Cape Town, Pretoria, Hazyview, S
Cape Town, Pretoria, Hazyview, Sani Pass, Drakensberg, Malealea, Mountain Zebra National Park, Port Elizabeth, Plettenberg Bay, Oudtshoorn, Hermanus, Kruger National Park, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, Saint Lucia, Durban, Underberg
15% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
