South Africa is often described as a “World in One Country”! At more than five times the size of the British Isles and known as the great 'rainbow' nation, South Africa is one of the most geographically diverse countries on the African continent. This magnificent land has three major regions: the Coastal Belt running from Cape Town along the Garden Route up to Kwazulu Natal in the northeast; the stunning Drakensberg Mountains that stretch unbroken for over six hundred miles and the Central Plateau, covered by rolling grasslands known as ‘highveld’ starting east of Johannesburg and stretching to the Swaziland border.

This is a land of many experiences - from a traditional safari watching the 'big five' in one of the world’s biggest national parks to relaxing on blue flag beaches or surfing at some of the world’s best super tubes. You can discover the unmatched tastes and ambience of exquisite wine routes or experience the architectural delights and hustle and bustle of some of the world's most exciting cities. Here, you can watch whales doing acrobatics at the world’s whale watching capital, come up close and personal with the 'great whites' or  take part in any of the endless adventure sports on offer by air, sea or on land.

Hartley's Safaris provide an unequalled choice and range of locations and accommodation from the length and breadth of the country, offering a diverse and all encompassing itinerary to ensure that you enjoy the ultimate South African adventure!

Key:
1 Cape Winelands, 2 Garden Route, 3 Battlefields Route, 4 Kruger, 5 Drakensberg, 6 Waterberg, 7 Kgalagadi, 8 Richtersveld, 9 Augrabies Falls,
10 Cederberg, 11 Karoo, 12 De Hoop, 13 Addo, 14 Shamwari, 15 Umfolozi, 16 St Lucia, 17 Mkuzi, 18 Kosi Bay, 19 Itala, 20 Pilansberg, 21 Madikwe

Click map for enlargement

Accommodation

There is a wide variety of accommodation, from international 5 star luxury hotels and country houses, to good value bed and breakfasts, enabling a choice that reflects personal preferences and specialist requirements. Safari accommodation is generally “luxury” tented or lodge style with en-suite facilities, or it can be more basic traditional tented style with shared facilities. Some lodges offer such incredible comfort and service, that the accommodation itself is a part of the experience.  Some guests have a preference for lodges with air-conditioning and / or swimming pools and others prefer to sleep under the stars in the middle of nowhere.

Getting Around

South Africa has an extensive international, regional and domestic scheduled airline network, as well as a professional and reliable private charter flight industry. Itineraries can also be easily combined with Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and the Mozambique islands.  Most visitors to South Africa hire a car for part of the trip to explore the country at their own pace.

Areas of interest

The main areas of interest in South Africa are: