South Africa & Eswatini

Full on tour with lots of early starts and some long drives but the transport was pretty comfortable. Our tour leader Sam was very enthusiastic and made the tour. The Kruger was a highlight - leopards, stalking lions and baby hyenas. It’s not a leisurely tour, so be prepared!

This was a fantastic trip - well-organised and run by our brilliant guide Samantha. It gave us a chance to see parts of South Africa that would be difficult to reach by public transport and plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting on game drives and walks. Highlights were Kruger National Park, where we were lucky enough to have four leopard sightings, and even see a lion kill; and St Lucia with game drives in the day and night, and the full day at Cape Vidal with a BBQ on the beach. The accommodation was all of a good standard, and staying in the beehive huts in Mlilwane was a real experience. The bus was also clean and comfortable, which was good as there’s a lot of driving on this trip. With the game drives on top be prepared for plenty of sitting, but the itinerary has opportunities for hikes and walks as well. The star of the show was our guide Samantha, who had boundless energy and enthusiasm. She even went out of her way to make sure that we were catered for being vegan. We brought some food with us as Explore recommended but always found options (in some places just one option!) thanks to Sam. This is a brilliant trip and being able to see the Big 5 and experience South Africa’s beauty was incredible.

Amazing trip with a very busy itinerary and early mornings. Must holiday for those who enjoy wildlife and photography. Tour guide was very knowledgeable!

Sam was hands down the best tour leader we could have asked for! From the moment she met us at the airport she brought an infectious energy that kept the group excited and engaged every step of the way. Always attentive and looking out for everyone, Sam made sure we were safe, informed and most importantly - having fun. Her passion for what she does truly shines through every single day. If you're lucky enough to have Sam as your guide, you'll have the most unforgettable adventure.

The best trip with Explore ever!! Our guide Samantha was fabulous, gracious, hard working, funny, informative and a great driver. We saw and did so many things that I cannot list them all but they were all fantastic. We saw the Big Five plus dozens of other species plus fabulous venues and food. I would recommend this trip for anyone who wants to get to know South Africa and have a great time.

Excellent busy trip with lots of variations. Some long days travelling. Animal viewing generally very good.

A great and affordable trip with excellent opportunities for spotting a range of animals and birds. Some quite long drives but with a good range of visits - glass makers, candle factory, Raukes Drift. Incision of Eswatini was very worthwhile.

Good itinerary for seeing the big five, there is a lot of time spent in buses or trucks however. Overall the highlight was probably Eswatini. Usual Explore group holiday MO, reasonable organisation. South Africa leader friendly , knowledgeable and mostly well organised .

Very long days in the bus travelling many km. But it also meant seeing a lot! Tour guide was very knowledgable and helpful

Fantastic trip. Saw lots of wildlife. This holiday is for travellers who don’t mind not having the height of comfort but want to have a more authentic experience and get close to wildlife. Quite and exhausting week but well worth it.

This was a really packed holiday with plenty opportunities to see wildlife, learn about the history and current events in the areas visited. Although long distances were travelled some days there were breaks to see local markets, glass factory and local crafts. The scenery was spectacular with time for walking, exploring and swimming in the Ocean There was the chance to opt in to additional excursions or to just chill The guides were all excellent- very good at spotting the wildlife and with a wide breadth of knowledge Our tour leader was especially good at keeping us organised and informed in a relaxed and fun manner Accommodation was an interesting mixture of eco villages but all with comfortable beds and en suite facilities

Great trip, some long drives but worthwhile . Crams a lot in to a short trip. Accommodation way better than the trip notes make it sound.

Another wonderful trip with Explore! Our trip was delayed due to a British Airways flight and both Explore and the team in South Africa were brilliant at rearranging transfers and getting us to the rest of the group. We were lucky to see three of the Big Five on our first Safari and ticked off the rest later in the trip where we were also lucky to see Leopard on three separate occasions. We covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time and our guide Suzanne and driver Charl were wonderful at keeping us on track and providing useful information. The early starts are needed to make the most of the opportunities to view all of the wonderful wildlife and a good camera with a long zoom and a decent pair of binoculars really make a difference. The accommodation was all very good and excellently placed for the days activities. Stand out accommodation was Sungabala Eco Camp and the beehive huts in Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary. We took every opportunity to join all optional activities to get the most from the trip and enjoyed all of them. As vegetarians we were well catered for and didn't have any issues with any of the options on offer and the breakfast picnics in the bush were always lovely. We were lucky to be a part of a wonderful group who bonded well and we had plenty of laughter with. Having never visited Africa (other than Marrakech) before this was a wonderful introduction to this beautiful country and we can't wait to see more of it.

My first trip with Explore and an overwhelmingly positive experience. Good pre-departure support, a very well organised trip, great accommodation and accompanied by a knowledgeable and friendly tour leader. As a single traveller there was no problem integrating with the other members of the tour and we all bonded in to a great group.

It was necessary for my daughter and I to miss the last two days of the tour and we received a great deal of help from Explore with making extra arrangements.. Explore provided us with a transfer to the airport in Eswatini and also a tour of Soweto in Johannesburg. The tour provided a variety of habitats, mountain foothills, a coastal environment and game reserves. There was a lot of travelling but the coach was comfortable.

The holiday was very successful due to having Andrew, a very experienced leader and guide. He was well organised and very efficient. He also knew all the roads and where to visit in Kruger National Park to find the best chances of different sightings of animals. He is also is very knowledgeable and passionate.,

This trip was made great by our excellent tour leader Andrew, but I understand this will be his last trip with explore due to an agent change. The trip itinerary was good but included many very long drives and without our tour leaders intervention the accommodation provided in Kruger wouldn't have been acceptable. The tour leader is driver, cook, guide and game spotter, and his skill meant all of these functions were expertly managed. We saw a large assortment of wildlife and were well looked after.

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!

Great trip with lots to see and do……..unfortunately the weather in eswatini curtailed our explorations. The food in eswatini was a very limited choice and thought it was poor also! However the company of the group made up for that!

The trip itself, the countries and the experience was all amazing. But the booking process and customer service was poor and the onsite tour leader was not cut out for the job. To arrive on your own in Johannesburg after a long flight to find that the tour leader isn’t there (was over an hour late with no apology) is unacceptable and such a disappointing anxiety-inducing start to the trip. It did improve but not enough to make me think twice about booking again

This trip was great! Many opportunities to experience the scenic beauty and wildlife of South Africa. Accommodations were truly rustic when noted in the trip notes which made sleeping a challenge in high temperatures. Overall, great fellow travelers helped make this a wonderful trip.

You are exceptionally lucky to have Andrew K as your guide on this trip. The trip is made by him. He is totally professional and goes well out of his way to deliver well above quality experiences. He is knowledgeable and passionate about his country. He is humorous and kind and always delivers his best. The long drive from Drackensburg mountains to St Lucia, via Battlefields is too long and should take place over two days. Mlilwane camp is a bit inauthentic.

This is the perfect holiday for anybody wanting to experience the real South Africa and have the chance to do as many game viewing safari as they can. The accommodation is perfect, my favourite was Sungunbala, a peaceful oasis in the Drakensberg. Staying in the beehives in Mlilwane is a truly unique experience and one I would highly recommend. It is a full on trip, but it means you can experience and see so much.

Definitely would recommend this trip. All the games drive was amazing seen loads of animals. Safari was on my bucket list for a long time and to do it was amazing.

This trip is definitely full-on with early starts and late evening activities. That said, it’s packed with great experiences, sights, sounds and smells ! If you want to explore as much as you can of South Africa and Eswatini in as short a time as possible then this holiday is for you !

My favourite ever Explore trip, and possibly my favourite ever trip! I wished it was longer and if I went back, I'd go during the dry season so it was easier to spot wildlife in Kruger (it was very green and lush, making it a little hard to see much), but other than that, I wouldn't change anything... but PLEASE use a bigger minibus!!

Werner was a very good leader. The trip offered great value for money.