With 12 days in South Africa, travelers can explore the country’s many diverse regions while personalizing the itinerary for themselves. Wildlife enthusiasts should build an itinerary with more time in safari hotspots: see lions and giraffes on the savannahs of Kruger, spot hippos and elephants in Chobe, and swim with great white sharks off the Atlantic coast. If you love food and wine, focus your time in the Winelands, drive the Garden Route, and visit Johannesburg to get a taste for South Africa’s diverse flavors.
Of course, you can always roll everything into an immersive trip: fly open-jaw from Cape Town to Johannesburg, with plenty of time for a road trip in between. See more options below, or check out our 12-day trips in South Africa.
Combine a city break and a classic road trip with this 12-day itinerary. Stroll through Cape Town's many attractions, whether on sandy Bloubergstrand Beach or the shops of the V&A Waterfront, before you duck under the vines of the Winelands' vineyards. Then get in your car for a drive filled with whale-watching, wildlife, and more.
Try out some of the most popular experiences in South Africa with this 12-day trip plan. From atop Table Mountain, out amid the political history of Robben Island, or within the Winelands, you'll see the span of Cape Town before you continue to Johannesburg to learn about the city and its history from people who have lived it. Finish your trip in Kruger National Park with a classic safari and wildlife rehabilitation experience.
Wind your way through South Africa with this 12-day trip plan. Your start in Cape Town will walk you through the city views and varietals with wine tastings and scenic tours. Head up to the Winelands to sample their winning wines, then keep going through Johannesburg and all the way to Kruger National Park for a walk on the wild side. Wind down amid the waves on the west coast at Tonga Beach Lodge.
Sample some of South Africa's favorite family spots over the course of 12 days. You'll start with three nights in Cape Town to settle in and explore the city before you hop on the road toward farms in Franschhoek, extreme sports in Elgin, animal encounters in Oudtshoorn, and more, all topped off with a safari.
Painted dogs may look pettable, but they're actually one of the most efficient hunters of any large predator. You'll visit a painted dog conservation center along with two national parks and a game reserve on this 12-day trip, with some Cape Town city time in the mix, to see how many potential four-legged fuzzballs southern Africa has to offer. Just keep your hands to yourself.
Go off the beaten path in South Africa on this diverse trip which explores the southern tip of the country and its plentiful wildlife. Start in Cape Town and learn its living history, then visit West Coast National Park to discover aquatic life along with rock formations, wildflowers, and prehistoric cave art. Take a series of big game drives in search of the "Big Five" at Kruger National Park, and finish up your journey marveling at the sumptuous vistas of Blyde River Canyon.
Spend twelve days touring some of southern Africa's wildlife hotspots with this itinerary. You'll begin with three nights in Cape Town to take in the city's wine and cheese samples along with its surrounding natural landscapes, then move to Sabi Sands Reserve for a safari. Continue to Zimbabwe feel the rush of Victoria Falls before you cruise into the end of your journey on a second safari onboard a houseboat.
Take 12 days to saunter through South Africa with this itinerary. You'll start in Cape Town, driving the scenic route out to the Cape of Good Hope and penguins of Boulders Beach, before you get in the water on a great white cage dive and sunrise sea kayak (separately, of course). From there you'll continue to Franschhoek for some time among the grape vines, followed by a safari through the Kalahari reserve before you return home.
Take 12 days to travel through Cape Town and some of its nearby standouts with this itinerary. Whether you're atop Table Mountain, underwater next to great white sharks, or paragliding through the sky, you'll get a good look at the city. Leave Cape Town for its neighboring scenic Winelands, followed by a safari in the Eastern Cape to wrap up your adventure.
Taste 12 days of South African traditions on this tour that combines education and eateries. Whether you're making your way through the streets of Cape Town to relevant restaurants in the city's history, sipping wine and shucking oysters along the Garden Route, or trading tales around the barbecue in Johannesburg's Soweto township, you'll stimulate both your taste buds and your brain.
