{"id":10166,"date":"2019-11-04T10:40:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-04T10:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/?p=10166"},"modified":"2025-04-30T10:06:29","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T10:06:29","slug":"how-to-plan-an-affordable-south-africa-safari","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/how-to-plan-an-affordable-south-africa-safari","title":{"rendered":"How to plan an affordable South Africa safari"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Africa<\/a> is an incredible experience for both first-time travellers (who\u2019ll get a taste for the whole continent) and seasoned safari-goers (there\u2019s always something new to discover) alike. It also has a huge range of accommodation, which will be music to the ears of anyone looking for a great deal – after all, more options always means more competitive pricing. It\u2019s also one of the only major safari destinations that doesn\u2019t charge in dollars, and paying in the local currency almost always helps to keep costs down. So if you\u2019re planning a trip to this animal and adventure packed country and looking for a good deal, read on to find out how to plan an affordable South Africa safari.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Take a road trip<\/h2>\n

South Africa<\/a> is an excellent place to visit for an epic road trip! From the Drakensberg Mountains<\/a> in the east and the wilderness of the Waterberg<\/a> region in the north, to the arid beauty of the karoo and the famous coastal views of the Garden Route<\/a>, you\u2019ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to self-drive adventures. The other excellent benefit to driving yourself is that you\u2019ll undoubtedly save some money! Flying to game reserves can sometimes add unwanted costs, but if you\u2019re willing to hop in a car instead, you\u2019ll be able to cover large distances on your own four wheels and save some pennies. If you decide to drive the Garden Route<\/a>, you\u2019ll find a host of safari options once you reach the Eastern Cape<\/a>. In the north, Joburg<\/a> to Kruger<\/a> is a five hour journey by car or you can instead head west instead and up to Madikwe<\/a> and the Waterberg. With a little bit of forward thinking, you can really save on travelling costs in the long run (more money to spend on lovely lodges!), which is what it\u2019s all about when you\u2019re planning an affordable South Africa safari.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Garden<\/figure>
Garden Route<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div>\n

\"Plan<\/a><\/p>\n

Look past the usual list of characters<\/h2>\n

One of the most famous parks in Africa, we wouldn\u2019t be surprised if Kruger<\/a> was the first word from your lips when considering a South African<\/a> safari. The park has a footprint the size of Switzerland and a larger variety of wildlife species than anywhere on the continent – including, of course, the famous Big Five<\/a>. It\u2019s no wonder that it tops most travellers\u2019 lists, and the good news is that its size means it can house a wide variety of lodges matching all sorts of different budgets. Other excellent options can be found in the private game reserves of nearby Hoedspruit too. We\u2019d also recommend exploring some of the lesser-known reserves – there are some excellent deals to be had if you fly under the radar… As we said before, Madikwe<\/a> and Waterberg<\/a> are great choices in the north.\u00a0In Kwa-Zulu Natal, look to the smaller reserves such as Hluhluwe\u2013iMfolozi or Namibiti and in the Eastern Cape<\/a> you can save some money (but still enjoy some excellent animal spotting) in Addo and Samara game reserves. There are certainly bargains to be had and we\u2019re very happy to help you find these hidden treasures.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Madikwe<\/figure>
Madikwe<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div>\n

\"Plan<\/a><\/p>\n

Go in search of unusual wildlife<\/h2>\n

You\u2019ve probably heard of the famous Big Five<\/a>, those iconic animals that every safari goer hopes to spot up close or through their binoculars. This quintuplet of creatures can be found in many reserves across South Africa<\/a>, but they\u2019re not always the most affordable to visit and can sometimes become busy with everyone searching for the same beasts. In the arid Karoo, get up early and go in search of everyone\u2019s favourite little creatures, meerkats! These friendly, chattering mammals are always entertaining and an early morning adventure out to see them can help you learn about their sociable lives. From the arid desert to the sea, why not take some time to visit Hermanus<\/a> in search of whales? A visit between June and October will almost guarantee sightings of magnificent humpback and southern right whales<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Hermanus<\/figure>
Hermanus<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"South\"South<\/figure>
South Africa<\/span>
Design your own trip<\/div>\n Choose a destination, pick your properties and we'll do the rest<\/span>\n
Design a trip<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div>\n

\"Plan<\/a><\/p>\n

Travel in shoulder season<\/h2>\n

Travelling in shoulder season is one of the best ways to save money on almost any safari and those willing to face slightly less predictable weather will be rewarded with less busy reserves and save a penny or two to boot! Between April and June you\u2019ll find it\u2019s off-season across pretty much all of South Africa<\/a> and there are some excellent safari deals around. Northern game reserves are coming to the end of their rainy season and the lush vegetation is starting to thin out – meaning a better opportunity for animal sightings! You might still experience a rainy shower here and there, and you\u2019ll need to pack for some cooler nights, but if you can do that you\u2019ll be rewarded with excellent rates and quieter parks. Cape Town<\/a> is very much headed into it\u2019s wet and wild winter (which actually extends from April to August) so again you\u2019ll find some wonderful deals if you don\u2019t mind a little rain. And when we say \u2018winter\u2019 we don\u2019t mean anything like the freezing drizzly days you\u2019ll find in the Northern Hemisphere – this is Africa after all!<\/p>\n

\n
\"Kruger<\/figure>
Kruger<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div>\n

\"Plan<\/a><\/p>\n

Stay longer, pay less<\/h2>\n

You\u2019ll find this special offer across many safari lodges on the continent and South Africa<\/a> is no exception! Plenty of spots will reward you for spending more time with them by offering stay longer deals – usually pay for three nights and stay for four. It\u2019s a great way to save money and also explore an area in more depth. It can be tempting to limit time in lodges so you can zip about and see as much as possible, and whilst we love a multi-stop adventure as much as the next person, there\u2019s something lovely about taking the time and enjoying one spot. Not only will you take more safari drives but you\u2019ll also have a chance to explore some of the lodge\u2019s other delights – sunbathing on a deck overlooking the reserve or taking a dip in the plunge pool, anyone? At the time of writing, Fugitive\u2019s Drift<\/a> in KZN is running both a stay 3 pay 2, and a stay 4 pay 3 offer, and Chitwa Chitwa<\/a> in the luxury Sabi Sands has a stay 4 pay 3 as well as a stay 5 pay 4 offer running. If you\u2019re looking to combine some time in the winelands<\/a> with your safari (and why wouldn\u2019t you?), Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa<\/a> is also offering a stay longer deal. Special offers change all the time but there is almost always something running so be sure to chat to our sales team about the deals you could make use of.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Cape<\/figure>
Cape Winelands<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div>\n

\"Plan<\/a><\/p>\n

Explore all lodge options<\/h2>\n

Whilst you might have heard of the luxe Silo<\/a> and Mount Nelson<\/a> hotels in Cape Town<\/a> or Singita Boulders Lodge<\/a> in the Kruger<\/a>, they unfortunately might not always fit in with your budget. Don\u2019t despair though, for South Africa<\/a> has an astonishing array of options when it comes to places to stay and you\u2019ll almost always be able to find an alternative that works with your wallet. In Cape Town there are so many other options aside from the high-end. We love boutique hotel Mannabay<\/a> for its incredible views across the city, Welgelegen<\/a> for its trendy, homely charm and new kid on the block Labotessa<\/a> for city-centre chic. In the Kruger, we love nThambo Tree Camp<\/a> and Garonga Safari Camp<\/a>, Madikwe<\/a> serves charm with its Thakadu River Camp<\/a>, and in the Eastern Cape<\/a> you\u2019ll find Kariega Main Lodge<\/a> and Amakhlala Woodbury Lodge<\/a> more than delightful. All fit well into a range of budgets and leave out none of the perks. You can also use our site to find yourself some safari steals; just head to the lodge finder<\/a> and use the search bar on the left hand side to filter by destination and then simply order the search by \u2018price (low to high)\u2019. You can also design your trip using one of our itineraries<\/a> (swapping out regions, lodges and countries as you fancy), which you\u2019ll see all offer \u2018on a shoestring\u2019, \u2018mid-range\u2019 and \u2018luxury\u2019 options. Have a go and see what you can build!<\/p>\n

\n
\"Cape<\/figure>
Cape Town<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div>\n
\n
\"Wizard\"Wizard<\/figure>
Not sure where to go?<\/div>\n Answer a few simple questions to get instant trip recommendations<\/span>\n
Start the wizard<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

See the Big Five AND save some pennies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":10173,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[112,173],"tags":[3348,3258,3986,2139,4705,4814,40,42,4826,4502,52,3985,134,1239,4819,3845,56,4559,536,3998,2546,4817,4810,4800,3314,4825,139,4816,4560,4822,4820,75,3704,4652,4818,4823,3660,1519,87,2448,3284,3289,4821,93,4824,3147,4815,3233,3504,3763,3270,2586,1312,1429],"class_list":["post-10166","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","category-safari","tag-aardvark","tag-active","tag-addo","tag-adventure","tag-affordable-safari","tag-affordable-south-africa-safari","tag-africa","tag-african-safari","tag-amakhala-woodbury-lodge","tag-beaches","tag-big-five","tag-big-five-safari","tag-cape-town","tag-cape-winelands","tag-chitwa-chitwa","tag-drakensberg-mountains","tag-eastern-cape","tag-fugitives-drift","tag-garden-route","tag-garonga-safari-camp","tag-hermanus","tag-hluhluwe-imfolozi","tag-hoedspruit","tag-joburg","tag-johannesburg","tag-kariega-main-lodge","tag-kruger","tag-kwa-zulu-natal","tag-kzn","tag-labotessa","tag-le-franschhoek-hotel-spa","tag-madikwe","tag-mannabay","tag-mount-nelson","tag-namibiti","tag-nthambo-tree-camp","tag-pangolin","tag-planning-guides","tag-safari","tag-silo","tag-silo-hotel","tag-singita-boulders","tag-singita-boulders-lodge","tag-south-africa","tag-thakadu-river-camp","tag-travel-africa","tag-travel-south-africa","tag-waterberg","tag-welgelegen","tag-welgelegen-boutique-hotel","tag-whale-watching","tag-whales","tag-wildlife","tag-winelands"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow 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