Nine days in South Africa is enough time to complete a fast-paced loop through the country’s cities, countryside, and national parks. Spend a few days exploring the Winelands and Cape Peninsula before heading north to Johannesburg, your launching point for Chobe and Kruger National Parks. If time allows, a trip to see thundering Victoria Falls is well worth the flight. Maximize your time in the north of the country by flying open jaw from Cape Town to Johannesburg.
For more ideas, see our favorite 9-day tours of South Africa.
Nine days will give you a nice amount of time to nourish your understanding of South Africa on this itinerary. Spend your first three nights in Cape Town on a walking tour through historic city highlights, out sampling in the Winelands, and driving the scenic coast. Stop in Johannesburg for an interactive dinner evening, then keep going to Kruger National Park for a classic safari.
Take nine days to notice a curated list of some of South Africa's nicest spots. Open your outing in Cape Town, where you can check out the city from atop Table Mountain and then get down into its many attractions. Venture out to the vines of Franschhoek to sample from its renowned cellars, jump down to Johannesburg for a cultural lesson and dinner, then conclude your trip on a safari through Kruger National Park.
Go from the concrete jungle to the actual jungle with this nine-day itinerary. Start on the sophisticated city streets of Cape Town, where you'll take in city tours and scenic drives, then safari through Sabi Sands Game Reserve, a private park that shares its boundaries with larger Kruger National Park. Hop up to the top of Victoria Falls, then cruise your way into the end of your trip on a houseboat down the Zambezi.
From prehistoric cave art to the cosmopolitan streets of Cape Town, this nine-day itinerary gives you a window into some of South Africa's calling cards. Start off with a walking tour through Cape Town's history and scenic drive down to the Cape of Good Hope. Continue to the Winelands to relax and sample amid the vines, then finish up searching for cave paintings and mountain trails in the Cederberg Mountains.
Follow the winding road to some of South Africa's most popular spots on this nine-day itinerary. You'll take a sidecar tour up the coast to the Cape of Good Hope, go on a cage dive next to great whites, and cross Table Bay before you keep going up to a bike tour of the Winelands and then out to a safari along the Eastern Cape.
Explore the magic of South Africa on this nine-day, self-drive adventure. Start in Cape Town, where you'll take a cable car up Table Mountain and visit penguins on Boulders Beach. Then, it's off to the seaside town of Mossel Bay for a guided safari and close encounters with wildlife like zebras, elephants, and rhinos. Hop a flight to the beaches of Durban for some swimming and surfing, then finish your trip in St Lucia, where you'll cruise the St Lucia Estuary and see the hippos and crocodiles that live there.
Nibble on nine days of nom with this South Africa culinary outing. You'll start strolling the colorful streets of Cape Town, enjoying the farms of Elgin, and exploring the flavors of the Garden Route before you head to Johannesburg to learn about the history of the Soweto Township and Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site alongside interactive dining experiences.
Female lions in a pride will often all give birth around the same time, providing a collective parenting arrangement and plenty of play companions. Take your whole pride to South Africa with this nine-day itinerary that will take you from a pirate ship off the coast to Cape Town, to a big cat sanctuary, strawberry farm, and safari amidst other outings.
Hit the highlights of South Africa on this nine-day itinerary that takes you from the coast to the savanna. The tour kicks off in Cape Town, where you'll learn about the city's diverse history. Take a cable car to Table Mountain and enjoy panoramic views as the sun sets. Spend the day wine tasting and find out what all the fuss is about over South African wines. Finally, spot "Big Five" game animals like lions and elephants on multiple safari game drives at Thornybush Game Reserve.
This nine-day adventure seamlessly blends cultural exploration, wildlife encounters, and natural wonders across South Africa and Zimbabwe. Begin with a sidecar tour of the Cape Peninsula and a wine, cheese, and chocolate tasting in the Cape Winelands. Then, discover the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve on game drives and bush walks. Spend a day in Johannesburg before flying to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe to admire the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's largest falls from every vantage point.
Explore the best that South Africa has to offer in just nine days, starting with a scenic journey aboard the luxurious Blue Train from Johannesburg to Cape Town. Once there, you'll discover the city's highlights and tour the picturesque Cape Peninsula. Then, head to Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands for a curated wine-tasting tour before ending in Hermanus. This laid-back coastal town is your gateway to aquatic adventures like a boat cruise to Dyer Island or shark cage diving with great whites.
