Did you know that with a standard ‘highlights of South Africa’ tour from other travel agents, you spend 3500-4000 km on the road? On average that is 2 to 3 hours per day, but because you will not be traveling every day, you will have a 6- to 8-hour drive every third day. If you include the time of checking in en out at your accommodation, your entire day will be consumed by transiting from the one place to the next. That’s a waste of time if you ask us.
A company and competitors analysis conducted by students from the Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, shows that in our tours you drive on average only 1400 km and only 49 minutes per day. So the travelling days every third day will be limited on average to a 3-hour drive, allowing you time to still do some fun activities that same day! We do have some longer drive days occasionally, but they are few and far between and often followed by several days at your next destination.
A company and competitors analysis conducted by students from the Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, shows that in our tours you drive on average only 1400 km and only 49 minutes per day. So the travelling days every third day will be limited on average to a 3-hour drive, allowing you time to still do some fun activities that same day! We do have some longer drive days occasionally, but they are few and far between and often followed by several days at your next destination.
South Africa vs Europe
We believe that you do not come to South Africa to spend half the time in the car on the highway, so we try to minimise time spent on the road. Unlike most travel agents, we usually choose to stay somewhere for several days so you get a real 'experience'. This means that you do not need to unpack your suitcase everyday, which also allows for a more relaxing holiday experience. South Africa is a big country, more than 32 x larger than the Netherlands for example. Let's see what that actually means: below left is the route of a 20-day trip of one of the many well-known travel agents. The map on the right shows exactly the same distance (albeit mirrored) through Europe. Such a journey through South Africa is basically the same as driving from Amsterdam to Berlin, from where the next morning drive is into Poland, followed by a day’s drive to Milan via the Czech Republic and Austria. After a night there you go to Monaco for a night at the casino and then two nights in Marseille to recover. Then on to Barcelona and so on, ending with two days in the Belgian Ardennes. Our question to you: Does anyone travelling through Europe in such a way actually see and experience Europe? We don’t think so. This person has, at most, seen and photographed a few famous sights.
We believe that you do not come to South Africa to spend half the time in the car on the highway, so we try to minimise time spent on the road. Unlike most travel agents, we usually choose to stay somewhere for several days so you get a real 'experience'. This means that you do not need to unpack your suitcase everyday, which also allows for a more relaxing holiday experience. South Africa is a big country, more than 32 x larger than the Netherlands for example. Let's see what that actually means: below left is the route of a 20-day trip of one of the many well-known travel agents. The map on the right shows exactly the same distance (albeit mirrored) through Europe. Such a journey through South Africa is basically the same as driving from Amsterdam to Berlin, from where the next morning drive is into Poland, followed by a day’s drive to Milan via the Czech Republic and Austria. After a night there you go to Monaco for a night at the casino and then two nights in Marseille to recover. Then on to Barcelona and so on, ending with two days in the Belgian Ardennes. Our question to you: Does anyone travelling through Europe in such a way actually see and experience Europe? We don’t think so. This person has, at most, seen and photographed a few famous sights.
We are not letting you travel through South Africa like this
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Simply because you also would not want to travel through Europe like this
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We ask you to choose one or maybe two regions and then we make your tailor made safari that you actually will experience, instead of just travelling through
Which Region of South Africa Should You Explore?
South Africa is vast, so to truly experience its magic, it’s best to focus on one or two regions at a time. Our bespoke holidays typically centre around a single, richly diverse area — giving you more time to experience and less time on the road driving.
🐘 The Elephant Coast (Dark Blue):
This malaria-free gem in northern KwaZulu-Natal offers everything you’d expect from a dream South African safari holiday. Appropriately called the Elephant Coast it offers everything one would expect from a safari: impressive wildlife parks with the Big 5, AND sun-sea-beach, coral reefs, whales, dolphins, turtles, plus Zulu & Thonga culture. Advantageously, all these destinations are close together, so you hardly need to travel. It pairs perfectly with the nearby Drakensbergen (light blue) where you can enjoy the magnificent views and do amazing hikes.
🦁 Kruger and Surrounds (Black Circle)
'Kruger and more' region. Ideal for traditional safari holidays, this region is rich in national parks and private reserves. It's also home to beautiful mountain scenery (Blyde River Canyon, Panorama Route), making it perfect for nature lovers and first-time safari travellers.
🌿 Cape Town & Garden Route (Yellow Circle)
Cape Town and Garden route. South Africa’s most iconic region blends world-class food and wine, dramatic coastlines, adventure activities, and cultural attractions. You can add a safari at Addo Elephant Park or Amakhala Private Game Reserve to finish your trip with a wild touch.
🌵 The Northern Cape (Red Circle)
Northern Cape. Off the beaten track and full of adventure, this lesser-known region offers desert landscapes, wildlife, and cultural encounters in the Kalahari Desert. Ideal for returning visitors or those seeking something different.
South Africa is vast, so to truly experience its magic, it’s best to focus on one or two regions at a time. Our bespoke holidays typically centre around a single, richly diverse area — giving you more time to experience and less time on the road driving.
🐘 The Elephant Coast (Dark Blue):
This malaria-free gem in northern KwaZulu-Natal offers everything you’d expect from a dream South African safari holiday. Appropriately called the Elephant Coast it offers everything one would expect from a safari: impressive wildlife parks with the Big 5, AND sun-sea-beach, coral reefs, whales, dolphins, turtles, plus Zulu & Thonga culture. Advantageously, all these destinations are close together, so you hardly need to travel. It pairs perfectly with the nearby Drakensbergen (light blue) where you can enjoy the magnificent views and do amazing hikes.
🦁 Kruger and Surrounds (Black Circle)
'Kruger and more' region. Ideal for traditional safari holidays, this region is rich in national parks and private reserves. It's also home to beautiful mountain scenery (Blyde River Canyon, Panorama Route), making it perfect for nature lovers and first-time safari travellers.
🌿 Cape Town & Garden Route (Yellow Circle)
Cape Town and Garden route. South Africa’s most iconic region blends world-class food and wine, dramatic coastlines, adventure activities, and cultural attractions. You can add a safari at Addo Elephant Park or Amakhala Private Game Reserve to finish your trip with a wild touch.
🌵 The Northern Cape (Red Circle)
Northern Cape. Off the beaten track and full of adventure, this lesser-known region offers desert landscapes, wildlife, and cultural encounters in the Kalahari Desert. Ideal for returning visitors or those seeking something different.
Don’t you see much less on such a trip? Of course not. The difference is this: With us, you have more ‘purposeful’ sightings, i.e. wildlife, culture, marine life, whereas on the larger travel agents’ trips you will see much more of the highway... It's as simple as that.
Combining regions? Of course that's possible! By taking affordable domestic flights these regions can be easily combined. But also in this case we stick to our concept, a relaxed itinerary, with multiple days at each destination. We will give honest advice on what to do. So wherever you want to go, just let us know, it is your tailor made safari after all!
