Top South Africa Day Trips

Instead of spreading your sightseeing over several days, this tour helps you save time by ticking off multiple Johannesburg and Soweto landmarks in a day—including Constitution Hill, the Maboneng Precinct, Mandela House, and Orlando Towers. No need to worry about sharing the trip with other travelers, as you’ll have a private driver for just your group.

The Pilanesberg National Park is home to Africa’s Big Five—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. On this full-day tour, increase your chance of wildlife sightings with two guided game drives in an open safari vehicle, tuck into a delicious lunch looking out over a popular waterhole, and perhaps spot giraffe, hippos, zebras, and antelope in their natural environment.

This tour is the perfect way to explore the beauty of the Cape Peninsula as well as local wildlife. Travel around in a small-group tour—an intimate alternative to crowded bus tours. Along the way, see the colorful buildings of Bo-Kaap, and admire the natural beauty of the Cape of Good Hope. The tour also visits the pretty town of Hout Bay, as well as the African Penguin colony at Boulders Beach (entrance fees extra).

This full-day tour makes it easy to check off Bo-Kaap, Hout Bay, the Cape of Good Hope, and Boulders Beach Penguin Colony without planning an itinerary or managing logistics. Enjoy hotel pickup and a scenic route with plenty of photo stops and entertaining commentary from your guide along the way.

Getting to Robben Island doesn’t need to involve complicated logistics. This half-day tour simplifies the experience with pickup directly from your Cape Town hotel and admission to the Robben Island Museum included. To help you get more from your visit, a tour led by a former political prisoner is part of the experience, including the chance to see Nelson Mandela’s former prison cell.

Maximize your chances of spotting the “Big Five”, as well as wild dogs and cheetahs by visiting Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park with a game ranger. Board open-air safari vehicles directly from your St. Lucia hotel and set off as the sun rises and the bush begins to come alive. Snap photos of African wildlife from up close and learn about how this park brought back the rhino population in the 1960s.

Go in search of wildlife, even if you have limited time, with this small-group half-day tour from Johannesburg. Enjoy hotel pickup from your accommodations in the morning and transfer to the Rhino and Lion Reserve in Krugersdorp, home to more than 30 species of wildlife, including lions, rhinos, cheetahs, tigers, and leopards.

5 hours in the world-famous Kruger Park inclusive of water. Where our guide will do most of the spotting of animals and will explain the behavior of the animals.

Cape Town and its surrounding area is loved for its abundance of spectacular nature spots, but without a car, it can be tricky to get between dispersed outdoor sites. On this private tour, enjoy the luxury of a dedicated driver and a customizable route tailored to your needs. The ideal way to tick off highlights like Bo-Kaap, Camps Bay, and Hout Bay in a day with convenient hotel pickup included.

If you’ve only got limited time to explore the highlights of Cape Town, then this guided tour is a perfect choice. Rather than being stuck on a sightseeing bus with large tourist crowds, you can benefit from the luxury of a private tour for just your personal group. Check off Bo-Kaap, Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope, and plenty more sights, with transport included along the way.

Discover the renowned South African township of Soweto on this small-group guided tour from Johannesburg. You'll first visit the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg to get a better understanding of that dark period in South African history, then head for Soweto for a walking tour, which takes in both Nelson Mandela's and Desmond Tutu's houses.

This comprehensive Johannesburg tour is a great pick for travelers with limited time. Enjoy a guided tour that reveals more about the city’s history, and ticks off multiple famous sights in a day—such as the township of Soweto, the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation. No need to worry organizing transport, as the trip includes travel between sites in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle.

The Sani Pass Full Day Tour departs from Durban to Underberg where your 4 x 4 tour begins. At Underberg, you are transferred into a 4 x 4 vehicle and from here you go up a gravel winding pass that is higher and steeper and much tougher than any of its Southern African competitors. This Pass offers the most exceptional views in South Africa. As the altitude increases, the road becomes narrower and more treacherous. All signs of human habitation disappear as you come face to face with the vast, desolate beauty of the Drakensberg Mountains. As part of this tour, you visit a traditional Sotho village and interact with local Sotho people and learn about their culture. You also dine and drink in Africa's highest pub (own expense). This is an exceptional tour not to be missed.

Go back to the earliest history of humanity at the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site—and fit two attractions into just half a day out—on this private tour. With round-trip transit from your Pretoria or Johannesburg hotel, getting around is made simple. Head first to the Sterkfontein Caves, known for their fossils and early human history, for a guided tour; then take in the interactive exhibits at the Maropeng Visitor Center.

Save time, avoid crowds, and see the highlights of the Cape Town and Western Cape area in a single day with this small-group tour from Cape Town. Admire the colorful houses of Bo Kaap, ride a cable car ride up and down Table Mountain, embark on a scenic drive along Chapman's Peak, see the penguin colony of Boulder's Beach, and visit the Cape of Good Hope.

Take a leisurely exploration of the amazing scenery and fascinating wildlife of the Cape Peninsula on this flexible-length private tour. Travel by private vehicle and call the shots on what to see and do. Among the potential sights you might pick are a wine tasting at Cape Point Vineyards, a visit to the penguins of Boulders Beach, or a visit to the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. A private guide, private vehicle, and round-trip hotel transport are covered.

Get to know South Africa’s biggest city on a full-day tour that covers all the highlights of Johannesburg and Soweto. Take in the views from the Top of Africa, learn about the city’s history as you visit Constitutional Hill and the Apartheid Museum, then follow in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela in Soweto, with a tour of the Nelson Mandela House, Hector Pieterson Museum, and Freedom Square.

Combine wine tastings, cheese tastings, a biltong tasting, and time in the town of Stellenbosch on this action-packed half-day tour of the Cape winelands. Enjoy included hotel pickup and round-trip transport from your Cape Town hotel. You’ll visit two wine farms, one for a wine and cheese tasting, one for a wine and biltong tasting, with options for kids and vegans as well.

Get more from your visit to Johannesburg by booking this Soweto and Johannesburg Full Day Tour that gives you an intimate look at the largest township in South Africa and the City of Johannesburg along with convenient hotel pickup and drop-off from either Johannesburg or Pretoria, this experience also dives into the history and culture of the area with a guide who knows Johannesburg best.

Save hours reading reviews and researching local wineries, and opt for this hassle-free guided wine tour instead. Spend a full day traveling between some of the area’s best wine estates, with stops at Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl. Along the way, enjoy cellar tours and exclusive tastings with sommeliers. The experience includes special pairings with cheese and chocolate, plus convenient hotel pickup for a seamless day out.

Explore the Franschhoek wine region on a hop-on hop-off tram tour, which allows you to explore the wineries that interest you at your leisure. Sit back and enjoy the scenery while you ride through vineyards dotting rolling hills; you're able to taste as much wine (own expense) as you like without worrying about driving. Includes convenient transfers from Cape Town.

An ideal way to tick off multiple nature spots and a wildlife attraction in a day—this tour includes stops at Gordon’s Bay, the Cheetah Outreach preservation center, and Strand Beach. To save you the hassle of finding a parking spot, the tour includes round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, making it the ultimate stress-free day with hotel pickup included.

This wine tour is the ideal pick for travelers with limited time in Cape Town. In just half a day, explore the Cape Winelands with a small group and a driver-guide—a peaceful alternative to larger bus tours. Along the way, enjoy beautiful scenery, and have the chance to try a selection of wines—with tastings included to simplify your day.