Why we love it
South Africa combines superb Big Five reserves with winelands and effortless logistics.
We shape the journey around the season, the right places to stay and the way you like to travel, pairing it beautifully with Mauritius or Cape Town where it suits.
the plains at first light
Best for
Big Five, families, malaria-free options
Best time
May to September
Style
Polished, accessible, lodge-led
Pair with
Mauritius or Cape Town
Atlas note
We tailor the routing, the stays and the pace entirely around you.
the plains at first light
Out where the maps run thin and the wild sets the pace.
Where to stay
The hotels we recommend in South Africa.
A handful of stays we would book first, each arranged as part of a bespoke itinerary shaped around you.
Swipe to explore · the stays we would book first
The places
Where to go in South Africa.
The corners of South Africa we know best, what to see in each, when to go and how we would shape the days. Swipe each card for more, and open the panels for the detail.
Swipe to explore · the regions worth knowing
The Lowveld · prime leopard country
Sabi Sand
The most reliable leopard sightings in Africa, on a private reserve bordering Kruger. Open vehicles, off-road tracking and a handful of the country's finest lodges make this the heart of any first safari.
Don't miss
- Leopard tracking
- Big Five drives
- Open-vehicle safaris
- Sundowners in the bush
- Night drives
- Singita and Royal Malewane
The Cape · the Mother City
Cape Town
One of the great cities of the world, framed by Table Mountain and two oceans. Cape Town pairs design-led hotels and a celebrated food scene with beaches, vineyards and dramatic coastal drives on its doorstep.
Don't miss
- Table Mountain
- The V&A Waterfront
- Cape Point
- The Cape beaches
- Robben Island
- Kirstenbosch Gardens
The Cape · Stellenbosch and Franschhoek
The Winelands
Cape-Dutch estates, oak-lined avenues and some of the finest wines in the southern hemisphere. Stellenbosch and Franschhoek offer cellar lunches, gracious manor houses and a slow, vineyard-framed pace.
Don't miss
- Stellenbosch estates
- Franschhoek
- Cellar lunches
- The wine tram
- Cape-Dutch architecture
- Delaire Graff and La Residence
The Lowveld · iconic big game
Greater Kruger
The vast wilderness that defines South African safari, where the private reserves meet the national park. Big herds, all of the Big Five and a choice of lodges from classic to contemporary make it endlessly rewarding.
Don't miss
- The Big Five
- Elephant herds
- Rhino on foot
- Walking safaris
- Private concessions
- Lion Sands and Londolozi
The southern coast · a scenic road trip
The Garden Route
A spectacular coastal drive of forests, lagoons and empty beaches between Cape Town and the Eastern Cape. The Garden Route adds whale watching, marine reserves and malaria-free game to a polished, easy journey.
Don't miss
- The coastal drive
- Whale watching at Hermanus
- Knysna lagoon
- Tsitsikamma forest
- Marine reserves
- Grootbos
Signature experiences
Once in a lifetime.
The rare days we open up across South Africa, from the famous to the few-ever-see. Each one arranged privately, as part of your journey.
Swipe to explore · rare days out
Sabi Sand · the great cats
The Big Five on a private reserve
Off-road tracking with a private ranger and a skilled tracker, on a reserve where leopard sightings are all but assured.
Cape Town · from the air
A helicopter over the Cape
Lift off from the waterfront for Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles and Cape Point laid out beneath you.
The Winelands · among the vines
A private cellar lunch
A long lunch at a celebrated estate, the cellar opened just for you and each course paired by the winemaker.
Greater Kruger · on foot
Tracking rhino on foot
A walking safari with an armed ranger, reading the bush at ground level and approaching rhino quietly on foot.
The Cape coast · below the surface
A great white cage dive
A private charter to Shark Alley, then a steel cage lowered into the cold Atlantic to meet a great white face to face.
The bush · at first light
A balloon safari at sunrise
Drift silently over the plains as the sun comes up, then a champagne breakfast laid out in the bush below.
The Lowveld · under the stars
A boma dinner under the stars
A private chef and a fire-lit table in the open bush, the southern sky overhead and the sounds of the wild around you.
The Garden Route · on the water
Whale watching off Hermanus
A private boat in season to meet southern right whales close to the coast, with breaching and tail-slaps at arm's reach.
Things to do
What to do in South Africa.
The icons worth seeing, and the rare, one-off experiences we can quietly open up for you.
Not to be missed
- Big Five drives in the Sabi Sand
- Table Mountain and Cape Town
- Tasting in the Cape Winelands
- Drive the Garden Route
Rare & remarkable · by private arrangement
Beyond the obvious.
The experiences we quietly open up for travellers who want something few others will ever have.
- A private helicopter to a winelands lunch
- A walking safari tracking rhino on foot
- A privately guided great-white or whale encounter
In frames
South Africa, in frames.
A few moments to set the mood. Click any image to view it larger.
Good to know
South Africa, answered.
When is the best time to visit South Africa?
May to September. We will refine the timing around your dates, the weather and the wider journey.
Who is South Africa best suited to?
Big Five, families, malaria-free options. Tell us how you like to travel and we will tell you, honestly, whether it is the one.
Can Atlas&Co. arrange the full South Africa itinerary?
Yes. We shape the whole journey, including the stays, transfers, guides and the details, and can pair it beautifully with Mauritius or Cape Town.
shall we?
Every South Africa journey we plan is private and made to measure.
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel, and we will shape the stays, the routing and the details around you.