Sea, Safari, South Africa

Our trip was amazing. Going off our guides, we had some of the best sightings they had seen in a very long time and got the big 5 plus more. We got really lucky with that but even without the animals the experience was amazing. The cultural experiences were fantastic and are just as exciting, if not better. My one criticism that brings it down to 4 stars, is that there is a lot of driving. I didn't make the connection in my head, but safari rides are all sitting. So be prepared for that.

Just incredible. Must do adventure! Accomodation was really nice. Many opportunities for Safari’s but they were all a bit different which made each one unique and worthwhile. Adding in the beaches too you get the best of everything. Highly recommend.

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.

We had great and unique lodging and food, great excursions, and knowledgeable guides and leaders! Overall we were well cared for and shown a good time. A few of the days we were stuck on the bus or van for almost all of the day, and while there were brief stops to break this up it still felt like we were seeing South Africa from afar instead of experiencing it on these days. If there is a way to tweak the schedule for less bus time that would improve this tour.

This trip was everything we hoped for and more. The itinerary was fast paced and sometimes meant a lot of time on the bus, but it was worth it to be able to see and do so much. I'd recommend this trip to everyone.

The trip was amazing was incredible and really knowledgeable about his home. All the game drivers were lovely and had amazing knowledge as well! The downfalls, basically the whole trip were add ons. Not alot was included, eswatini dinner was frustrating as we had no other option so we had to buy dinner there and believe it should have been included.

This is my 3rd contiki and is the most down to earth and incredible trip manager I've had. Beautiful soul, so knowledgeable, caring and amazing stories to share.

The trip was beyond amazing is a phenomenal trip manager and brought South Africa to life.

Sea Safari South Africa was an unforgettable trip! The wildlife encounters were incredible, and seeing elephant calves and lion cubs up close was such a highlight. Our tour manager was not only professional but also incredibly knowledgeable, which made the experience even better. I also really enjoyed the surfing, kayaking, and cooking class free time add-ons. That said, there are a few things to be aware of. The itinerary includes quite a bit of bus travel, and much of the trip revolves around free time add-ons. If you choose not to take part in a free time add-on, there isn’t always a great alternative for free time, so I’d recommend budgeting with that in mind. The upside is that the add-ons are excellent and definitely feel worthwhile. Personally, I would have loved to see a couple more game drives and dinners included, particularly during the Eswatini portion of the trip. Most accommodations offer Wi-Fi, though at Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary it is capped at 500 MB and only available in the dining area. At Kruger National Park there is no Wi-Fi and very limited cell service, so it’s best to plan ahead. I also recommend setting aside a few days in Cape Town before the tour begins, as there’s very little time built into the itinerary to explore the city otherwise. Overall, a fantastic trip!

Brilliant trip with a wide range of different activities and scenery to be seen. Hotels were all really clean and good, food was fantastic throughout the stay in South Africa. Only one comment to make on the flying to johannasberg then a lot of travelling the next couple of days with out as many activities. I think it’s been talked about flying into Durban for future tours.

Well thought out trip, you definitely get to see almost all the South African highlights in a quick time frame. I would definitely budget to do all the add on activities because they are so worth the money. A great first solo trip to Africa for me!

This trip was amazing. was an incredible tour guide and I loved all of the safari trips plus day excursions. I thought it was the right mix of activities and free time, plus the accomodations were all very good.

The trip was unbelievable. The country was beautiful, the people were amazing, and the animals incredible! The trip manager went above and beyond to make it a great trip. They were extremely passionate and knowledgeable and got along really well with everyone! Can not recommend this trip enough. If you're thinking of doing any Africa trip make sure it is with .

It was amazing! So much culture and wildlife it was a whole mother world. Definitely worth the trip, pretty safe and exciting place to be.

I had an awesome experience. The tour was well organized and I had an amazing and well read tour guide who could answer all of my questions. It was a perfect mix of cultural and Safari. I can definitely recommend the tour!!!

This trip itself is awesome and we had the time of our lives. Our guide, was also the best we could've ever asked for. In 14 days we covered so much ground and saw so much of this beautiful country. The accommodations are mostly decent with a few really good ones like in St Lucia, and the itinerary is pretty well thought out to see a lot of this country in this amount of time. If you ever wanted to do safaris, this is the trip for you. The cultural elements were also great, and it was awesome to see Contiki ensure that the people we met and places we see are ethical and helping with positive change in some of these communities. However, compared to Contiki trips we've taken previously, there isn't much included as far as experiences go. Pretty much everything exciting is an add-on, so budget accordingly. I can understand that hotels and travel are expensive, but a few things like the final campfire dinner or the cooking class at the end of the first leg could've been included. For those two experiences specifically, while fun, we felt that we were overpaying for what is essentially fun dinners with the rest of the group. I also thought it was strange that we flew from Capetown to Jo-berg and then drove 7 hours to near Durban. It would've saved us a lot of time to see stuff if we were simply flying to Durban. Lastly, the Kruger camping was very cool and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, however the group Contiki partners with will only stick to the main roads, often competing with heavy traffic from the general public. We didn't get to see that much of Kruger considering it's such a massive park; we essentially kept to one small corner of it. We found that in contrast the private game reserves allowed us to get much closer to the animals and went off the "beaten path" much more. All-in-all, we had the absolute best time and the value here is top-notch for travelling SA. We do not have any regrets, just want to ensure we note some of the things that could've been a bit better. But that's all in hindsight. We could not have asked for a better package for travelling through this beautiful country for a reasonable budget, and from the research we did prior, I don't think that you could find better value for money to give you the best South Africa experience.

This trip was one of the best trips that I have ever been on, from the culture, food, people and of course the animals. Being able to see the big 5 was something that I will never forget. My trip manager was honestly the best person I could of had for this tour, from his knowledge, stories, personality and overall just making me feel safe in a country I have never been to before and my first as a solo female traveler. That is something I’ll always remember I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to get out of their comfort zone, the add on activities allowed for me to accomplish things I never thought I would do.