Located on South Africa’s Highveld plateau, Johannesburg is a fast-paced, creative city shaped by gold-rush history, cultural diversity and constant reinvention. Its atmosphere is energetic and urban, with contemporary galleries, rooftop bars and leafy suburbs existing alongside powerful reminders of the country’s past. Visitors can explore the Apartheid Museum, tour Soweto’s historic streets or browse vibrant markets and design spaces in neighbourhoods such as Maboneng. The city’s soundtrack shifts from lively jazz and amapiano beats to the hum of busy streets, while the scent of grilled street food drifts through open-air cafés and market stalls. Johannesburg rewards travellers who engage with its complexity and culture, though its size, traffic and contrasts mean it is best experienced with some planning and local insight.
Situated along the southern border of the world-famous Kruger National Park, on the banks of the Crocodile River, Marloth Park is a tranquil holiday town and wildlife sanctuary in the beautiful province of Mpumalanga. This 3000-hectare park is inhabited by abundant wildlife and is home to four of the Big Five. The rhino, lion, and buffalo are kept in Marloth Park’s Lionspruit Game Reserve, while the kudu, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, ostrich, impala, and warthog roam freely between holiday houses, lodges and hotels. Visitors can watch elephants play in the river, catch a glimpse of some magnificent wildlife from the lookout points and watch the spectacular sunset over the African bushveld. This park offers a string of wonderful activities including: guided game walks, game drives, night safaris, mountain biking, fishing, quad biking, horse riding, bird watching and even golfing inside the Kruger Park at Skukuza.
The southern area of South Africa’s most famous game reserve, Kruger National Park, is separated from lush farmland by the Crocodile River, a popular area for spotting crocodiles, playful hippos and thirsty wildlife gathering along the banks. This region, known as the ‘Southern Circle’, is renowned for its excellent game viewing and high concentrations of rhinos and lions, with different prides displaying fascinating hunting techniques and behaviours. Near the Hippo Pool, visitors can also discover ancient San rock paintings that offer insight into the area’s rich cultural heritage. The Southern Kruger features magnificent landscapes of African bushveld and open savannah, dotted with acacia trees and seasonal waterholes attracting diverse wildlife. Popular activities include guided game drives, birdwatching and photography, making this one of the park’s most rewarding safari regions.
Situated in the heart of Kruger National Park, Central Kruger is a renowned safari region characterised by open savannah, rolling grasslands and the Olifants River, whose waters attract an abundance of wildlife. The area's nutrient-rich plains support large herds of buffalo, zebra and blue wildebeest, making it one of the park's best locations for spotting predators such as lions, cheetahs and leopards, alongside elephants and white rhinos. Visitors can enjoy self-drive safaris and guided game drives through this diverse landscape, where exceptional wildlife viewing and classic bushveld scenery combine to create an authentic South African safari experience.
Marking the threshold of one of South Africa’s premier safari and adventure regions, Hoedspruit rests at the foot of the Klein Drakensberg in Limpopo Province. Here, the tar road gives way to open bushveld, as the nearby Kruger National Park supports a rich diversity of wildlife, including the Big Five, cheetah, giraffe, zebra and several antelope species. Contributing to the area's wildlife attractions, the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre provides treatment and care for a wide range of species while promoting conservation awareness. Hoedspruit is also well positioned as a gateway to the Panorama Route, one of South Africa’s most scenic drives, with highlights that include the dramatic viewpoints of the Blyde River Canyon and the waterfalls of Lisbon and Berlin Falls, all set within a striking Lowveld landscape.
Manyeleti Private Game Reserve shares unfenced borders with Kruger National Park, Timbavati Game Reserve and Sabi Sands Game Reserve, forming part of a vast wilderness where wildlife roams freely. The reserve is managed by the Mnisi people, who have lived on this land for generations. In Shangaan, the language most widely spoken in the region, Manyeleti means ‘Place of Stars’, a fitting name for an area renowned for its clear night skies and brilliant stargazing. Dry for much of the year, the reserve offers exceptional wildlife viewing as animals gather around waterholes. Aside from its outstanding safari experiences, Manyeleti also provides visitors with insight into the rich culture and traditions of the Mnisi community.
