We've put together a guidebook with everything you need to know about South Africa. Written by our specialists, it details destination information, a wildlife guide, some suggested itineraries and plenty more to inspire your holiday. Fill in the form below and if you live in UK, your guidebook will arrive by post within the next couple of days. For those who live abroad, we will send you a link by email which will allow you to download your own copy.
A superb family holiday combining culture, beach and safari with minimal hassle. Beginning in Cape Town, discover the sights and beaches of this magnificent city before heading to the Eastern Cape for a few days on safari in Addo Elephant National Park.
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The numerous private game reserves of the Eastern Cape are the main attraction to visitors, and work well in combination with a self-drive Garden Route holiday. This makes the province a particularly family-friendly destination with malaria-free safari options as well as golden Indian Ocean beaches.
As well as being home to the big five, the Eastern Cape can also lay claim to being the only place in South Africa where you can observe the big seven – the two additions being great white sharks and southern right whales. The main national park to visit here is Addo, which is famed for its extensive elephant population. Founded in 1931 with only 11 elephants, it is now the third largest national park in the country with an elephant population in excess of 600, as well as the other species that comprise the big five. Sightings of lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino are more limited here, so our recommendation is that if time and budget allow, combine a visit to Addo with a stay in a big five private game reserve.
Whilst it is the safari experience that attracts many to the Eastern Cape, the interior is well worth exploring, with the Karoo offering a particularly evocative landscape of barren, craggy mountains – resulting in beautiful sunsets! The Valley of Desolation, close to Graaff-Reinet, would be our top recommendation for experiencing this epically bleak yet beautiful landscape.
The Eastern Cape coast is less popular than the chicness of Cape Town, the activity-filled Garden Route and the delightful diving on offer on the KwaZulu Natal coast, but to us it is the perfect choice for those looking to escape the crowds and enjoy untouched beauty. The Wild Coast is a surfer’s paradise, providing breath-taking seascapes, a great spot for catching the annual sardine run and a strong insight into Xhosa culture – with Nelson Mandela’s final resting place being found at Qunu.
Compared to the more popular areas of South Africa, the Eastern Cape accommodation outside of the private game reserves tends to be more basic, but there are certainly some hidden gems which we can’t wait to share with you.