10 Days in South Africa: Cape Town, Safari and Coast

Ten days in South Africa is the sweet spot for a first visit. This itinerary combines three days in Cape Town, three days on the Garden Route, three days on safari in the Greater Kruger area, and a final day in Johannesburg before departure.

The route works because of one well-timed internal flight — Port Elizabeth to Hoedspruit — which eliminates a 14-hour drive and gives you maximum time in each region.

10-Day Overview

Day	Location	Highlights
1	Cape Town	Arrive, V&A Waterfront
2	Cape Town	Table Mountain, Bo-Kaap
3	Cape Town	Cape Peninsula drive
4	Hermanus	Whale coast, wine tasting
5	Knysna	Lagoon, Knysna Heads, oysters
6	Tsitsikamma / Addo	Storms River, Addo elephants
7	Fly to Kruger	Port Elizabeth → Hoedspruit, afternoon safari
8	Kruger / Greater Kruger	Full-day safari
9	Kruger / Greater Kruger	Full-day safari
10	Kruger → Johannesburg	Morning drive, fly to JNB, depart

Internal flights needed: Port Elizabeth → Hoedspruit (Day 7), Hoedspruit → Johannesburg OR Tambo (Day 10).

Days 1–3: Cape Town

Base yourself in the City Bowl or Waterfront for easy access to all major sights.

Stay: Derwent House Boutique Hotel (Tamboerskloof) — from ZAR 2,500 per night as of 2026. Budget: Never at Home — dorms from ZAR 450.

Day 1 — Arrive and V&A Waterfront

Uber from the airport (ZAR 200–350). Walk the Waterfront, lunch at Makers Landing food market (ZAR 60–120). Evening dinner at The Pot Luck Club (Woodstock) — tapas-style sharing plates from ZAR 120–180 each, best views in the city from the top of the Old Biscuit Mill.

Day 2 — Table Mountain and Bo-Kaap

• Table Mountain cable car: ZAR 430 return. Opens 08:00 in summer. Book online.
• Bo-Kaap: Walk the streets, Bo-Kaap Museum (ZAR 40). Lunch at Cape Malay Kitchen (ZAR 120–180).
• Afternoon: Zeitz MOCAA (ZAR 200) or Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden (ZAR 220).

Day 3 — Cape Peninsula

Full-day drive: Chapman’s Peak (toll ZAR 55) → Boulders Beach (ZAR 220) → Cape Point (ZAR 353). Lunch at The Meeting Place, Simon’s Town (ZAR 100–160). Dinner at Harbour House, Kalk Bay (ZAR 200–320).

Days 4–6: Garden Route

Pick up your rental car on Day 4 morning (or keep the Cape Town rental and drop at PE airport on Day 7).

Day 4 — Cape Town to Hermanus (120 km, 1.5 hours)

Take the R44 coastal road via Gordon’s Bay.

• Cliff Path Walk: 12 km along Walker Bay coast, free
• Whale watching boat trip: From ZAR 950 (Southern Right Charters, 2 hours)
• Creation Wines: Tasting from ZAR 120 on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge Road

Stay: Harbour House Hotel — from ZAR 2,200 per night. Budget: Zoete Inval Travellers Lodge — from ZAR 900 per private room.

Dinner: Bientang’s Cave (mains ZAR 180–280), built into the cliff face above the waves.

Day 5 — Hermanus to Knysna (280 km, 3.5 hours)

The longest driving day. Stop at Swellendam for coffee if needed.

• Knysna Heads: Eastern Head viewpoint (free) for lagoon views
• Knysna Forest: Garden of Eden boardwalk (free, 20 minutes)
• Oysters: 34 South Restaurant — a dozen Knysna oysters from ZAR 180–220

Stay: Turbine Hotel & Spa (Thesen Island) — from ZAR 2,800 per night.

Dinner: Île de Païn Bakery & Café (Thesen Island) — mains ZAR 140–220.

Day 6 — Knysna to Tsitsikamma and Addo (280 km total)

Drive to Tsitsikamma in the morning (100 km, 1.5 hours).

• Garden Route National Park entry: ZAR 353
• Storms River Mouth Trail: Suspension bridge walk, 45 minutes return
• Lunch at Storms River rest camp (ZAR 80–150)

Continue to Addo area in the afternoon (180 km, 2 hours). If time allows, enter Addo Elephant National Park (ZAR 353) for an afternoon game drive — elephants are most active at the waterholes in late afternoon.

Stay: Addo Dung Beetle Guest Farm — from ZAR 1,200 per night (just outside the park gate).

Day 7: Fly to Kruger

Return your rental car at Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) airport. The drive from Addo to PE airport takes approximately 1 hour (70 km).

Flight: Port Elizabeth to Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport. Airlink operates daily flights, often via Johannesburg. Expect to pay approximately ZAR 2,500–4,000 one way as of 2026. The flight takes approximately 2 hours direct.

Hoedspruit is the gateway to the Greater Kruger private reserves — Timbavati, Klaserie, Thornybush, and Balule — which share unfenced borders with Kruger National Park.

Afternoon: Most lodges include an afternoon game drive departing at 15:30–16:00. You will have your first safari hours before dinner.

Where to Stay in the Greater Kruger

Your lodge choice defines your safari experience and budget.

• Luxury: Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge (Sabi Sand Reserve) — from approximately ZAR 12,000 per person per night, all-inclusive with twice-daily guided drives. Big Five territory with excellent leopard sightings.
• Mid-range: nDzuti Safari Camp (Klaserie Private Reserve) — from approximately ZAR 5,500 per person per night, all-inclusive. Smaller camp (8 rooms), good guiding, unfenced.
• Budget (Kruger rest camps): Skukuza Rest Camp — SANParks self-catering chalets from approximately ZAR 1,800 per night for a 2-bed unit. You self-drive and the experience is less guided, but the wildlife is the same.

Kruger National Park entry (if staying in the park): ZAR 440 per adult per day (SANParks international visitor rate as of 2026).

Days 8–9: Full Safari Days

Two full days on safari — this is enough for serious wildlife watching without fatigue.

Daily Safari Schedule (Private Lodge)

• 05:00: Wake-up call, coffee and rusks
• 05:30–09:00: Morning game drive (best for predator activity)
• 09:00–10:00: Full brunch at the lodge
• 10:00–15:30: Rest, pool, optional bush walk
• 15:30–19:00: Afternoon/evening drive (sundowner stop included)
• 19:30: Dinner at the lodge (typically a boma dinner under the stars)

What You Can Expect to See

The Greater Kruger area supports all of the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, rhino (both black and white), and buffalo. Leopard sightings are most reliable in the Sabi Sand Reserve. Elephant and buffalo are common throughout. White rhino sightings are increasingly affected by poaching but still possible, particularly in the southern sections.

Other highlights: wild dog (one of the rarest predators in Africa, seen regularly in the northern Klaserie and Timbavati), cheetah, hippo, giraffe, zebra, and over 500 bird species.

Self-Drive Option (Kruger Rest Camps)

If staying in the park itself rather than a private reserve:

• Gate opening times: 05:30 in summer, 06:00 in winter
• Gate closing: 18:30 in summer, 17:30 in winter — you must be in camp by closing time
• Drive the S1, S28, and H4-1 roads near Skukuza for the best concentration of wildlife
• Sunrise drives along the Sabie River between Skukuza and Lower Sabie are reliably excellent

Meals (self-catering): The Skukuza camp shop stocks basics — bread, meat for braai (barbecue), tinned food. Mugg & Bean at Skukuza serves sit-down meals from ZAR 100–180.

Day 10: Kruger to Johannesburg

Take a final sunrise game drive (05:30 departure, back by 09:00).

Flight: Hoedspruit to OR Tambo International Airport (Johannesburg). Airlink flies this route daily — approximately ZAR 2,000–3,500 one way, 1 hour flight time as of 2026.

If your international flight departs in the evening, you have time for a half-day in Johannesburg:

• Apartheid Museum: Entry ZAR 125. Open 09:00–17:00 daily except Mondays. Allow 2–3 hours. One of the best museums in Africa.
• Neighbourgoods Market (Braamfontein): Saturdays only, 09:00–15:00. Street food, live music, craft stalls.
• Lunch: Marble Restaurant (Keyes Art Mile, Rosebank) — wood-fired grills, mains from ZAR 180–300.

OR Tambo International Airport is 30 minutes by Uber from Rosebank/Sandton (ZAR 200–350).

Practical Details

Flights Summary

Route	Airline	Approx. cost (one way, 2026)	Duration
International → Cape Town	Various	Varies	—
Port Elizabeth → Hoedspruit	Airlink	ZAR 2,500–4,000	2 hours
Hoedspruit → Johannesburg	Airlink	ZAR 2,000–3,500	1 hour
Johannesburg → International	Various	Varies	—

Car Hire

You need a car for Days 1–7 (Cape Town to Port Elizabeth). Hire a car from approximately ZAR 500–800 per day for a compact car. One-way drop-off fee (Cape Town → PE): ZAR 500–1,500. Total car hire for 7 days: approximately ZAR 5,000–7,500.

No car needed for Days 7–10 — lodges provide airport transfers and game drives.

Total Budget Estimate (10 days, per person sharing)

Category	Budget	Mid-range	Upscale
Accommodation	ZAR 18,000	ZAR 38,000	ZAR 85,000
Meals (included at lodge Days 7–10)	ZAR 6,000	ZAR 10,000	ZAR 5,000
Activities & park entry	ZAR 5,000	ZAR 8,000	ZAR 3,000
Domestic flights	ZAR 4,500	ZAR 5,500	ZAR 7,000
Car hire + fuel (7 days)	ZAR 6,000	ZAR 8,000	ZAR 12,000
Total	ZAR 39,500	ZAR 69,500	ZAR 112,000
In USD (approx.)	USD 2,080	USD 3,660	USD 5,900

All prices approximate as of 2026. Upscale lodge rates typically include all meals, drinks, and game drives, which reduces the separate meals and activities costs.

Malaria Note

Kruger National Park is in a malaria zone. Consult your doctor about prophylaxis 4–6 weeks before departure. Malarone, doxycycline, and mefloquine are the common options. Cape Town, the Garden Route, and Addo are malaria-free.