South Africa Tours in April 2027

I loved this trip, it was the trip of a lifetime for me. It was so incredibly beautiful it was almost spiritual. The opportunity to see these animals with my own eyes was something I will never forget! Penya (at Ivory Tree), was my safari guide and his information was invaluable. Being immersed into the culture by having dinner with two families was extraordinary! As far as accommodations I enjoyed Ivory Tree Game Lodge best. Very nice stay and it was nice to choose meals off a menu. I did tire of cafeteria style food of other places we stayed. Our tour director seemed more into the history and teaching us though. There were times I just wanted him to be quiet, or talk more about the present than the past. Victoria Falls was more amazing than I could even imagine. Loved seeing the penquins of course, but spotting a leopard and her cub was a highlight for all of us! I loved seeing all the recycling in the art that made everywhere you turned. Table mountain - wow! This senior citizen even paraglided off Signal Mountain! I had my life’s first massage also on this trip. The group of people that traveled from Pittsburgh were a pearl on this trip. I left with 18 new friends. I’m not even a birder, and I was fascinated by all the beautiful birds all around, all the colors of the rainbow! There is nothing that can be done about all the visa checks, passport checks, and plane trips but it did get tiresome being in so many airport lines. Only thing I would have done differently would have been to pack a few more smart casual outfits. I packed mostly safari clothes, and the last few days in Capetown left me wearing some of my safari outfits another time. Thank you for providing me with an easy way to travel with a group of people and navigating all of the travel with none of the worries!

What a trip, we can highly recommend it! We booked an extra night pre-tour in Cape Town and could easily have filled an extra 2 nights, there is so much to see and do in Cape Town that isn't covered in the tour itininary. A Hop On Hop Off bus is a good option on arrival day, the red route will take you to the cable car for Table Mountain. Ubers are incredibly cheap and the best way to get around. We were pleased that we made the boat trip out to Robben Island, if we'd had an extra day we would have visited the Kirstenbosch National Botancial Gardens. Bee (Bianca) is an exceptional, top rate guide, she made our trip super special for us, particularly as we ended being the only 2 travellers and not the usual Explore small group experience. Although we stuck pretty much to the itininary Bee's flexibility ensured that we got the very most out of everywhere that we visited. We loved our additional stop at the Ostrich farm in Oudtshoorn - an ostrich neck massage is a must-do once in a lifetime experience! The hiking trails in the Robberg Nature Reserve involve steep uneven and precipitous climbs and descents, not for the faint hearted, so instead we opted for a fun boat trip spotting many fur seals and cormorants at the foot of the Robberg cliffs and a trip to the Monkeyland sancturay - both excellent alternatives that we were very pleased that we visited. The accommodation lived up to all expectations, each place unique in its own way; comfy beds, good showers, plenty of hot water and good breakfasts including the novelty of a 'bagged' breakfast from Elna, our fabulous host at De Poort. The sheer variety of this trip, the great hospiltality from the South African people and our superb guide made this a very memorable holiday. Practical notes: power sockets - you need the fat round 3 pin plugs not the skinnier ones that Amazon sell as compatable, not all usb sockets work, many hotels also have European 2 pin sockets; not all accommodation provide hairdryers in the room but you can probably borrow from reception; you can pay for everything with credit card even at Sedgefield market, no surcharge for small purchases, we only used cash for tips; expect to pay roughly half of what you would pay for food and drink in the UK.

Excellent trip, enjoyed the people, places, the little things make a big difference on these trips, you guys did that very well, for instance, having someone collect me at the hotel on the day to go to cape town airport, and having somebody meet me at the airport to take me to the check in desk. also the standard of the hotels were top notch, the food offering was generally very good. I thought the trip was great value for the money . The bus driver was a lovely man, and the tour guide had a lot of information and did his best to manage his audience. The extra tours not included were good value.

Overall wonderful experience Victoria Falls and Botswana were my favorite sites Pilanesberg was scenic but the experience was less representative of Africa than the other two sites Ending in Capetown and the excursions there was excellent

I loved all of the Game Drives. The drivers were very knowledgeable. Victoria Falls was great too. The hotels were so nice. Very clean and luxurious. Food was plentiful and so delicious.

Exceptional customer service from Explore from start to finish. Excellent itinerary: really varied - with lovely walks, history, culture and LOTS of wildlife. Accommodation was superb - interesting hotels/lodges all in remarkable locations. Be prepared for long drives though.