Why should you take a South African Safari? How Much Does an African Safari Cost?

How much does an African Safari cost?

This is the first question most travelers will ask. When looking at an African safari from an outsider’s perspective the cost can feel very overwhelming. However, they don’t have to be. In this blog article, I’ll discuss how Kruger National Park is the primary spot for African safaris but there are cheaper options that can be found a few hours from Cape Town. 

South African Safari to See the Big 5

South Africa provides so many amazing opportunities to interact with nature. A South African Safari is one that is talked about a lot. There are two big spots for South African Safaris. The most well know is Kruger National Park which is located in NorthEast South Africa. To get to Kruger National Park you would most likely want to fly into Johannesburg. The next option is to travel a few hours from Cape Town. The ride was around 3-4 hours and they pick you up from your hotel. The trip I went on was an overnight trip and they offer several options for multiple night trips. Both of these safaris will allow you to see some amazing animals and will certainly make South Africa unforgettable.

Kruger National Park versus Southwest Game Reserves

Both of these safaris provided an opportunity to see “The Big Game 5.”  What are the Big Game 5 animals? The Big Game 5  animals consist of the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. Kruger National Park offers a chance to see all of these and more and that is why they are clearly the number one choice. Kruger National Park is home to so many amazing species. The park is approximately 1,948 528 million hectares. That is the same size as the country of Wales. However, Kruger National Park is also more expensive so keep that in mind.

On to Cape Town

Once I got to Cape Town there was so much to do but I hadn’t seen all of the animals I want to yet. The leopard was proving to be quite difficult to spot. the leopard is often the hardest because a leopard can be a very solitary animal and it is nocturnal. So, I decided to find another opportunity. The two safaris locations that I came across were the Inverdoorn Game Reserve and Aquila Private Game Reserve. Both of these locations offer a great opportunity to see the Big 5. 

Both of the parks I mentioned above are very well-reviewed with thousands of reviews and are within 2-3 hours from Cape Town. Many of the trips are scheduled as 1,2 or 3 nights tours but there are many options that you can find with minimal effort. So, open up the laptop or jump on the smartphone and begin your journey. Just click on either of the links in the article to check out both of the mention safari options. 

P.S. I never got to see that darn leopard 😆

Enjoy your South African journey 😀

Be Sure to Check Out “Is there a best time to visit Cape Town South Africa”