The 13 Johannesburg Safaris Tours That Earn Their Price

1.Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Game Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,327 reviews · 12 hours · from $186Our pick

Leave Johannesburg early for Pilanesberg, then spend 4.5 to 5 hours on two open-vehicle game drives. Guides such as Petrus, Martin, Solly, and Desmond track elephants, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, and big cats. Hotel pickup, lunch, and return transport are included, but the park fee is extra.

“It was a long day but definitely worth it. We saw a lot of animals, the tour guide was very friendly and she did everything for us to see as many animals as possible. We even saw a lioness. Lunch was alright, nothing special. Can recommend the tour!”

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2.Full Day Ultimate Pilanesberg National Park Safari from Johannesburg or Pretoria

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 718 reviews · from $159

Leave Johannesburg or Pretoria early for Pilanesberg National Park, then join two open 4x4 game drives with a safari guide such as Clement or Sibu. You’ll pause for lunch beside a waterhole and return after an unusually full day of wildlife viewing, transport included.

“Very good tour, worth every penny. Seen all the animals except a lion lol but it was cool to see rhinos and leopards!! Definitely recommend”

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3.Early Morning Balloon Safari with Breakfast from Magaliesburg

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 418 reviews · from $240Top rated

Meet before sunrise at Bill Harrop’s Original Balloon Safaris near Magaliesburg for a one-hour flight above the Magaliesbergs and Cradle of Humankind. Your pilot, possibly Nic, Nick, Marc, or Eugene, provides commentary before a smooth landing, toast, certificate, and buffet breakfast.

“It was a birthday present for may daughter combined with my bucket list item flying Hang-gliders and small aircraft the balloon ride was a long outstanding thing. The Bill Harris site is well organised and recommendable for a fun morning outdoor adventure. It is not cheap but worth every penny. A day to remember for the rest of my live.”

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4.Lion & Safari Park Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 384 reviews · 5 hours · from $167

You’ll leave Johannesburg or Pretoria in a clean, air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide, then join a one-hour open-vehicle drive at Lion and Safari Park. Expect close views of lions, cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs, giraffes, and other animals, with a possible white lion sighting.

“Due to COVID we could not pet the lion cubs, we did however enjoy the park. Our 4 year old and 1 year old were very interested and enjoyed riding in the safari bus. Our driver Nick was very helpful and an excellent navigator. We would recommend this tour if you want to get up close and personal with some of the animals at the park. The Lions came right up to the bus!”

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5.Full Day Safari Tour of Pilanesberg National Park, Open Jeep experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 139 reviews · from $155

Leave Johannesburg before breakfast for Pilanesberg National Park in an open-sided safari jeep. A local driver handles the long transfer, while a park guide such as Tshepo, Ambos, Peter, or Tummy helps you search for lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, buffaloes, and more. Lunch, park fees, and water are included.

“We had a wonderful experience. Excellent guides helped us and we saw wonderful wildlife and landscapes. Can’t recommend this company more!”

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6.Cradle of Humankind Tour with Lion Safari from Johannesburg

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · from $207

Jason of Deeprift Ventours takes you from your Johannesburg, Sandton, or Rosebank hotel to the Lion and Safari Park, Sterkfontein Caves, and Maropeng. Expect a one-hour open-vehicle animal drive, guided cave visit, interactive museum exhibits, bottled water, and a maximum of 13 people.

“We had an excellent time on this tour with Jason. We were lucky that there were only the two of us booked that day, so we got our own private tour. The best part was the visit to the lion park, in fact the highlight of our trip was getting to spend time with the cutest lion cubs. This was a great tour and I would highly recommend it. Thanks Jason!”

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7.Captivating Safari Lion Park Experience (Half Day Guided Tour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 62 reviews · from $94Best value

Travel from Johannesburg with a driver such as Solly or Bryan, then spend about two hours in a guided safari vehicle at Lion and Safari Park. Expect close views of lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, giraffes, zebra, and antelopes, plus useful animal facts and strong photo chances.

“Feeding day for the big cats was exciting to watch. The lions competed over food and mates while we looked on.”

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8.3-Day Kruger National Park Open Vehicle Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 61 reviews · from $770

Travel from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park in a group of no more than nine, then switch to an open safari vehicle for flexible game drives. Stay in air-conditioned bungalows with private bathrooms, look for the Big Five, and return to Johannesburg on day three.

“September 2024 - First of all our consultant Tanja was fantastic she's very patient knowledgeable and extremely pleasant to work with. she put together a phenomenal package from Southern Kruger to kambaku Private Lodge to Cape Town to Read more”

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9.Rhino & Lion Safari and Wonder Cave Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 49 reviews · 8 hours · from $121

Travel from Johannesburg to Bothongo Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve for Wonder Cave, a four-hour reserve visit, and a game drive. Expect an English-speaking guide, small groups of up to 15, rescued predators, African wildlife, and lunch at your choice of three on-site restaurants.

“We were picked up on time and the journey there was about 50 minutes. The open vehicle safari ride was fun and we managed to see many animals within a short period of time. Only thing to note is that the safari ride was not fully 2 hours, it was closer to 1.5 hours. After our safari ride, we were whisked to the Wonder Caves and the experience was amazing. The caves were magnificent and no too strenuous, I would say it was much easier to walk inside that the Sterkfontein one. All in all a great day trip.”

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10.4 Day Lodge and Treehouse Kruger National Park Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 33 reviews · from $917

Travel from Johannesburg to Balule and Kruger National Park with Viva Safaris in a small group of up to nine. Expect sunset and night drives, a bush walk with an armed ranger, an open-sided Gameviewer, a bush braai, treehouse lodging, and Blyde River Canyon views.

“We stayed in Tremisana Lodge and Marc’s Treehouse. The accommodation is basic but an experience not to be missed - especially the tree house. The food in both locations was good. The bbq was impacted by the weather, but we still saw tRead more”

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11.5 Day Katekani Lodge Kruger National Park Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · from $1,500

Spend four nights at Katekani Lodge on a small-group safari from Johannesburg. You’ll join guided game drives, a sunrise bush walk, Kruger National Park outings, a short armed-ranger walk, and a visit to Blyde River Canyon. Pickup, park fees, meals, and transport are included.

“They tour aside the facility was run down and the food was horrible. The power was off for 2 hours every night and the water was undrinkable. The staff told us not to drink it and then they charged us for every bottle of water. Completely unaRead more”

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12.6 Day Lodge and Treehouse Kruger National Park Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · from $1,148

Spend six days between Balule, Kruger, and the Blyde River Canyon, with five nights in lodge and treehouse accommodation. You’ll join open-vehicle drives, a ranger-led bush walk, a night drive, Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre, and the Three Rondawels. Groups are limited to nine.

“From pick up to drop off, I could not have asked for a better experience. I was able to see the big five and really appreciated all the effort put in to making this such an incredible trip. Special shoutout to Andy, Nadine, and Luke who reaRead more”

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13.3-Days Ultra Luxury Safari at Kapama River Lodge

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $1,815

Travel from Johannesburg to Kapama Private Game Reserve for three days of luxury suites, guided sunrise and sunset drives, spa time, and full-board meals. Small groups of up to nine, airport pickup, and guides such as Themba and Mila make this a polished safari for first-time visitors.

“I was a bit nervous about this. My interaction with MoAfrika and it was completely by text over WhatsApp. If it wasn't for a few reviews I would not have booked it. So, I feel obligated to contribute a review. This was an excellent experience.”

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