When it comes to a safari holiday in Aaaafrica (say it in a deep, James Earl Jones voice) Kenya and  Tanzania often steal the… ahem… lion's share of the limelight. With their wide open savannahs, enormous herds of wildebeest thundering across the plains and alluring names like the Ngorongoro Crater it's no wonder they attract thousands of safari-seekers each year.
Although South Africa may not match them for grandeur, what we lack in size we more than make up for in diversity. From homesteads in the Cape mountains to the last-word in luxury tents and gravity-defying lodges that will take your breath (and a healthy chunk of your bank balance) away, there are idyllic wilderness areas spread across South Africa just waiting to be explored…
Western Cape
Tell anyone that you're going on a safari holiday and my bet is that the last place they'll expect you to be going is the Western Cape. More famous for its vineyards and beaches, the Western Cape is slowly building a name for itself as a great place to enjoy a wilderness – with a bit of safari thrown in – escape.
With Cape Town far and away the country's most popular tourist destination it's easy to see why visitors would far rather have their safari cake in the Cape than fly 1500-kilometres to the more famous game parks of the Lowveld. Throw in the lack of malaria, dramatic mountain scenery and a host of attractions within easy reach and it's no surprise that the province now boasts some excellent wilderness escapes. With hot sunny summers and chilly wet winters, Spring and Autumn are the 'secret season' in the Western Cape, when the weather is (usually) fine and the tourists are few and far between.
Tucked away in the far reaches of the Cederberg mountains (about 270km north of Cape Town), Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve & Retreat (www.bushmanskloof.com) is undoubtedly one of the Western Cape's hidden gems, although a stay here is less about the wildlife and more about the wilderness. Yes, it's a 7500-hectare private reserve and sure, it's got antelope and a selection of game… but don't expect the big five or many toothy predators, even if there are elusive Cape Mountain Leopard in these hills.
A regular highlight (especially for locals) is the annual selection of speciality weekends. Whether it's star-gazing under the crystal clear Cederberg skies, learning more about the region's diverse fynbos (the reserve is a stone's throw from the floral wonderland of the Biedouw Valley) or getting gastronomic with a Food & Wine weekend, the special breaks offer great value for money as well as another good reason to leave the big city for the big mountains.
Just over some more southerly big mountains from Cape Town (an easy 90-minute drive through the picturesque winelands) is a good place to squeeze a wildlife experience into a trip to Cape Town. The four-star Aquila Private Game Reserve (www.aquilasafari.com) offers a quick and easy way to get up close to the Big Five, with a wide variety of animals on offer, but at just 4500 hectares don't come to Aquila expecting wide open wilderness. It's a good (and affordable) spot to tick a few sightings off your list, but if you've got a few Rands to spare and are looking for that idyllic safari escape you'd do well to try the luxurious Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in the Klein Karoo.
The scenic Route 62 from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn is probably better known for its lush vineyards and quaint country towns than Big Five safaris, but when a rather large earthquake in 1969 (the same one that flattened Tulbagh) shifted the tectonic plates and turned off the springs that fed many of the fields of fruit trees between Montagu and Barrydale, the Klein Karoo reclaimed its own.
Sanbona (www.sanbona.com) has two lodges, but the historic Tilney Manor is without doubt the main attraction. Once the manor house of a thriving fruit farm dating back to the 1800s, there are just six luxurious suites on offer, so first-name service and homely hospitality is guaranteed. The manor house has comfortable lounges and a cosy dining room, but the suites are the real highlight here.
Private verandahs overlooking the vastness of the Klein Karoo, beds big enough for Jacob Zuma and all his wives, romantic free-standing baths and naughty outdoor showers make this a fantastic romantic getaway.
Given the harsh landscape you're unlikely to see large herds of game stampeding across the horizon, but the magic of Sanbona is that this is the only real Big Five reserve in the Western Cape, where the ecosystem by and large looks after itself. There are no animals in large bomas, no feeding and no tour buses pulling in for their zoofari experience.
Swing south off Route 62 and the N2 freeway will bring you to the lush foothills of the Langeberg Mountains near the town of George. Here, the Garden Route Game Lodge (www.grgamelodge.co.za) marks the entrance to South Africa's world famous Garden Route coast. This malaria-free private game reserve is home to an abundance of animal and bird life including the Big Five, and is a popular stop for visitors touring from Cape Town up the east coast.
Eastern Cape
Hop to the eastern end of the Garden Route, past Port Elizabeth, and you reach what is perhaps the fastest growing safari destination in South Africa. Since Shamwari Game Reserve first brought the Big Five experience to the Eastern Cape in 1992, the stretch of N2 between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown has mushroomed into one of the most popular game-viewing areas in the country; a malaria-free book-end to the traditional tourist route up the Garden Route from Cape Town.
Shamwari (www.shamwari.com) certainly lays claim to having the most land given over to big game in this part of the world, but there are a host of lodges offering top-notch accommodation with decent game-viewing to boot. One of my favourites is Pumba Private Game Reserve (www.pehotels.co.za/pumba), about 75 minutes drive from PE. The Eastern Cape has never been a hotbed of chic design and innovation, but evidently the designers of Pumba Water Lodge had some brought in special.
The 12 thatched cottages all open onto their own private timber deck with outdoor shower and plunge pool just a stone's throw from the Kariega Lake. Was that a hippo in the night, or your partner snoring? You're close enough to wonder which…
The Addo Elephant National Park (www.sanparks.org/parks/addo) is also in the area, so if pachyderms are your pet favourite then you'd do well to stop by. The reserve also offers a range of self-catering accommodation to suit all pockets.
KwaZulu-Natal
Speaking of elephants, the Elephant Coast in the far northern reaches of KwaZulu-Natal is the place to zoom to for a 'beach-and-bush-safari'. There are safari lodges spread throughout Zululand and the Elephant Coast offering everything from Zulu history to scuba diving and whale-watching along with your safari getaway.
Amakhosi, in the heart of Zululand, is a pretty regal place to end up. Meaning 'Place of Kings', the lodge is situated on the banks of the Mkuze River surrounded by the 12 000ha AmaZulu Private Game Reserve and offers just six luxurious River Suites, along with two Umntwana river suites for that special romantic getaway.
A touch further north, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park has been renamed the iSimangaliso Wetland Park to reflect the various attractions that make up this enormous World Heritage site, which include Kosi Bay, Lake Sibaya, Sodwana Bay, Mkhuze Game Reserve, Lake St Lucia, Cape Vidal and Kosi Bay.
Unless you're working on your tan, the heat of summer in KZN could see you spending your safari at the poolside to escape the heat and humidity, and with balmy weather almost year-round there's no reason to suffer in the mid-summer sun. Only mad dogs and Englishmen, remember…
There's no threat of malaria in KZN except for the far northern corner bordering Mozambique, but even that is only really a problem in the height of summer.
Limpopo & North West
Completely malaria-free is the Waterberg region of Limpopo; a wild part of the province which is proving popular as a weekend getaway for stressed out Gauties. The heart of the area is the Waterberg Biosphere, which was declared a protected area by UNESCO in 2001, and the reserves in the area are bringing conservation and eco-tourism to an area better-known for hunting farms and biltong makers.
Tucked away near Vaalwater, Ka’Ingo Private Reserve & Spa is the kind of place where you leave your airs and graces at the door. No stuck-up tourists allowed. It may be five-star, and it is part of the prestigious African Pride portfolio (www.africanpridehotels.com), but Ka'Ingo is the kind of place where kids can run on the grass (the lodge is fenced, in case you were worried) and the rangers join you for a beer after your game drive. There's no haute cuisine here either… it's potjies, barbecues and South African favourites all the way, whipped up from morning till night. It's good rib-sticking stuff that'll ward off the icy nights in Limpopo – it gets cold up here in winter, so don't be shy to pack your woollies.
Also popular as a weekend getaway from Gauteng is the Pilanesberg National Park near Sun City, where you'll find lodges such as Ivory Tree and Kwa Maritane. A little further afield, the Madikwe Game Reserve is famous for its packs of wild dogs. Also malaria-free, Madikwe covers 75 000 hectares of prime game-viewing bush where you can also expect to see Black and White Rhino, plains game and over 300 species of birds.
Kruger National Park
Last, but certainly not least, there is the Kruger National Park. Covering an area the size of Israel, Kruger is South Africa's premier game reserve. If you want to experience the diversity of the African bush, Kruger is the place to be: the reserve is home to 336 varieties of tree, 49 types of fish, 114 species of reptiles, 507 types of birds and an impressive 147 species of mammals.
Stretching some 350 kilometres from north to south, Kruger is vast and offers seemingly limitless places to stay. If you're on a budget the self-catering accommodation (everything from campsites to well-equipped cottages) run by South African National Parks is probably the best way to stretch your Rands. If you've got some cash to spoil yourself with though, the Park is your oyster.
Your first port of call should be one of the private concessions within Kruger. These are on land leased out by SANParks to private operators, and offer the best game-viewing Kruger has to offer combined with luxurious accommodation, great food and excellent guides. Because you're on a private concession you'll also get to explore off the beaten track and enjoy sightings without the traffic jams.
One of the best on offer is the Mantis Collection's luxurious Jock Safari Lodge (www.jocksafarilodge.com), boasting 12 air-conditioned suites which combine the wilderness with just a touch of elegance. Throw in romantic mozzie nets, a bottle of wine in the fridge and stylish décor and you've got the perfect honeymoon getaway. Feeling hot? No need to take a dip in the Mitomeni or Biyamiti Rivers (the lodge sits on the confluence)… your suite has a private plunge pool where you can cool off between game drives. Tired of rolling through the bushveld? Pull up a comfy chair on your private deck and watch the wildlife stroll by. This southern section of the Kruger National Park is one of the most famous game viewing areas in the world, and you won't be disappointed… especially if you want to see elephant.
Just outside the southern Malelane gate you'll also find the four-star Pestana Kruger Lodge (www.pestana.com), offering an affordable option right on the Park's doorstep. It's less than a kilometre from the gate, but you will need to pay entrance fees each time you enter the Park.
50 kilometres from the Orpen Gate you'll find the interesting Hoyo Hoyo Tsonga Lodge (www.capemilner.com/hoyo-hoyo), which offers a more cultural safari experience. Set in its own 10 000 hectare concession, a stay at the lodge combines great game viewing with intriguing suites in the form of traditional Tsonga 'beehive' huts. What's more, all fabrics, décor and objet d’art have been sourced from the local Tsonga community.
On the eastern border of the park, Singita Lebombo (and the neighbouring Singita Sweni) has exclusive traversing rights to a large chunk of the Kruger National Park and, as you'd expect, the game viewing is excellent with plains game and rhino in abundance.
The jewel in the Singita group's safari crown, each of the 15 suites at Singita Lebombo has been designed to resemble an eagle's nest, perched on the craggy cliff-tops of the Lebombo Mountains on the border with Mozambique. A five-star eagle with impeccable taste who likes their home comforts in jaw-dropping style, that is. A stay at Singita Lebombo (www.singita.com) is not cheap by any means, but it is certainly worth every cent… this is one of those 'before-I-die' places to add to your list.
If that's a little rich for your blood, the private reserves bordering Kruger offer similar luxury with slightly less damage to your credit card.
There are a number of private reserves which share borders with Kruger, many of which have dropped fences between their property and the park which means that the game-viewing is as good as in Kruger itself. Except you have the whole place to yourself. And you see more animals. And your ranger will point out a hundred things you've just missed on the side of the road. And, after all that, you have a lovely lodge to come back to.
One of my favourites is Ngala Private Game Reserve (www.ngala.co.za) whose tented camp on the banks of the Timbavati River offers the tent to end all tents. A tent with lofty canvas ceilings, elephantine bed, wicker armchairs on the porch, flickering paraffin lamps winking hello after dinner and an outdoor shower simply made for watching heavenly bodies. Stars… I mean.
The Ngala (which means 'lion' in Shangaan) reserve itself is a modest 14 000ha, but with fences dropped with the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve to the West and Kruger to the East, it’s as diverse as if you were in the National Park.
The Timbavati is one of the most famous private reserves in the country and is home to a wide selection of excellent lodges. For somewhere that's child-friendly, try the Gomo Gomo Game Lodge (www.gomogomo.co.za) built on the banks of the Nhlaralumi River, which offers five fully-furnished thatched chalets and four East African-style luxury tents in the shade of age-old Jackalberry and Leadwood trees. South of the Timbavati, the Sabi Sand is another well-known private reserve famous for its excellent game-viewing, where you'll find lodges such as Elephant Plains, Leopard Hills, Ulusaba and the iconic Londolozi,
Whether it's mountainous or malaria-free, bushveld or by the beach, South Africa's vast range of safari getaways means you'll never have to leave the country to enjoy some of the best wildlife safaris the world has to offer.
» This article originally appeared in travelideas magazine.
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