In SA there’s an abundance of safari holidays on our doorstep. No matter where you visit, an incredible experience is available nearby. Let’s have a look at our best value safaris in South Africa. Your experience will be as incredible, and much easier on the wallet.

Best value safaris in South Africa are malaria free

One of the best ways to lower your costs before you even leave home is to choose a destination that is malaria free. This will mean fewer visits to doctors, no medication costs and an overall cheaper trip. South Africa is home to a wide variety of malaria free locations, including camps on the Garden Route and in the province of Mpumalanga.

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

Lalibela Game Reserve

Choose safaris close to main centres

Sometimes just reaching a private game reserve is expensive. If it involves a small plane ride or a long transfer by bus, it can increase costs immensely. To reduce transit costs (and time), look for safaris that are close to a main centre. One of the benefits of this approach is that you can build a city trip into your itinerary. Spend a few days exploring Cape Town and the winelands, or add a urban adventure in bustling Johannesburg onto your trip.

Gorah Elephant Camp

Choose your travel time wisely

If you’re keen to reduce the cost of your trip, plan to travel out of peak season. That is, outside of school holidays and outside of the peak visiting season of wherever you are going. You don’t have to miss the best times — often you can get great deals in the weeks following the close of peak season, without missing out on anything. Apart from saving on accommodation costs, your safari destination will also be less crowded making it easier to enjoy yourself without the bustle of people everywhere.

Madikwe Safari Lodge

Share your budget with your operator

One of the best ways to get great value is to share your budget with your tour operator. You might feel embarrassed about sharing something like that, but knowing what you’re looking to spend can help guide your operator much more effectively. They are trained to know the best places, best times to travel and the best way to get the most for your money. Sharing this one simple thing with them will help them guide you better giving you a better and more affordable holiday.

Notten’s Bush Camp, Sabi Sands

Nkorho Bush Lodge

Ask for deal

Some wildlife safari camps have associated camps, which will offer discounted rates if you choose to stay at more than one in the group. Others may offer a ‘buy 3 nights and stay 4’ or similar offer. Simply by asking, you could easily tailor your experience to take advantage of these offers.

The magic of the bush is something that everyone should be able to experience at least once in their life. The fact that our South African safari experiences are largely malaria free (as well as being more affordable than other more exotic options) just makes them some of the best value safaris in South Africa.

About the Author

Sigrid is a freelance writer based in sunny Cape Town. After spending her childhood emigrating across 3 continents, she has spent much of her adult life travelling too. These days, she spends her time writing about health, food, life, travel and everything in between.