Safaris in South Africa

May to September is the dry winter and by far the best for game viewing: thin bush, animals concentrated at water, no malaria pressure and no rain. It is cold on early morning drives, so bring layers. Summer, from October to March, is green, hot and better for birding, and it is the right season for Cape Town.

Kruger proper is far cheaper and you can self-drive, but you must stay on the roads and sightings get crowded. The private reserves permit off-road following and night drives, cap vehicles at a sighting and include a guide and tracker, which is why leopard sightings there are so much better. Many itineraries do a few nights of each.

It is the best in Africa for young families. Madikwe, Addo and Pilanesberg are malaria-free, drive times are short, many lodges have family units and dedicated children's programmes, and medical care is excellent. Note that some private lodges set minimum ages for game drives. Tell us your children's ages and we will only propose properties that genuinely accommodate them.

For the Kruger region and KwaZulu-Natal lowveld, yes. The risk is seasonal and low in winter but prophylaxis is standard advice. Madikwe, Addo, Pilanesberg and the entire Cape are malaria-free. Confirm with your travel clinic.

Yes: South Africa is the one African safari country where self-drive is genuinely straightforward, on good roads with clear signage and driving on the left. We routinely build self-drive Garden Route legs with guided lodge stays for the safari portion. City-centre driving at night is the one thing we advise against.

The tourist regions are heavily travelled and the reserves and Garden Route are unproblematic. Cities require normal urban caution. Do not walk with valuables at night, use ride-hailing or hotel transport rather than hailing on the street, and keep car doors locked in traffic. Your guide will brief you on specifics for each place you stay.