Cape Town
14-day self-drive tour of South Africa's West Coast
14 days
from US$1,760 per person
South Africa tours & tailor-made trips
Plan your dream trip to South Africa with a local expert
See a different side to South Africa on a trip built just for you, by someone who lives there.
Custom itinerary planningHandpicked local experts
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A fairer way to travelBenefiting local communities
South Africa is the only country with an entire floral kingdom inside its borders, from Table Mountain's fynbos to Namaqualand's spring flowers.
Take the cable car up Table Mountain, walk the colorful streets of the Bo-Kaap and taste Cape Malay curries, then spend a few days among the gabled wine estates of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. The Garden Route follows the coast past Knysna and Tsitsikamma, and from July southern right whales come close to the cliffs at Hermanus. In the northeast, Kruger National Park and the private reserves beside it are among the best places in Africa to see the Big Five.
Our local experts live in South Africa and balance safari, wine and coast to suit you, adding touches such as a sunrise balloon flight over the Cradle of Humankind or a self-drive route up the West Coast to Paternoster. Booking with them directly means more of your spending supports local people, from township guides to small lodge owners.
Your South Africa adventure awaits
Best time to visit
Dry season for safaris: May to September
Summer in the Cape: November to March
Whales at Hermanus: July to November
Destination highlights
In Cape Town, ride the cable car up Table Mountain and visit the African penguins at Boulders Beach. Spend a day tasting Chenin Blanc and Pinotage in Stellenbosch, then drive the Garden Route to Tsitsikamma. Watch whales from the clifftop path in Hermanus between July and November. Further north, game drives in Kruger or a private reserve such as Sabi Sands bring close views of lions, leopards and elephants.
Price overview
US $1,500 - $2,000+
All of our tailor-made trips can be 100% customized to your style—from budget stays to higher-end escapes. Prices are per person, based on a 7-day trip.
Best time to visit
How it works
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Meet your local experts
Your trip, planned by someone who actually lives there
Our local experts aren’t travel agents working from a brochure. They’re people who live locally and know the destination like the back of their hand. Alongside them, you’ll craft an authentic and immersive trip, filled with intimate knowledge and passion for the place they call home.
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MonikaSouth Africa has a total of 42 game reserves! Kruger National Park is one of the largest in the country and ideal for encounters with the Big Five in their natural habitat.
LouiseWorking with TravelLocal has helped us grow our business and support our local community.
- Monika
Spend a day getting to know Stellenbosch, one of South Africa's oldest cities, and visit a nearby wine farm for a tasting tour!
Traveler stories
What our travelers are saying
Everything worked out smoothly and we had a wonderful stay in South Africa.
Out two weeks' trip through South Africa along garden route was excellently composed and planned. Louise of TravelLocal did a great job.
My South African holiday was arranged for me alone. It was excellently organised. The staff, accommodation, divers, golf, forays, wild beasts were all superb. It was exactly as I asked.
+78k78,000+ travelers have had a more authentic, tailor-made vacation
Places & highlights
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Good to know
Frequently asked questions about South Africa
It depends on what you want to see. May to September is the dry season in Kruger and the northeast, when animals gather at waterholes. November to March is summer in Cape Town and along the Garden Route. Whales pass Hermanus from July to November, and the West Coast and Namaqualand flowers bloom around August and September.
South Africa has 12 official languages, including English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa and, since 2023, South African Sign Language. English is widely spoken and used in most hotels and restaurants. Saying dankie (thank you in Afrikaans) or enkosi (in isiXhosa) is a nice touch.
No, for stays of up to 90 days. US citizens do not need a visa for tourism. Your passport must be valid for at least 30 days beyond your departure and have two consecutive blank visa pages each time you enter. Families with children should check the special rules for minors. Check current entry requirements before you travel.
South Africa uses the South African rand (ZAR). Cards are widely accepted in cities, lodges and restaurants, and ATMs are easy to find, but carry some cash for tips, markets and fuel station attendants. Where you can, use ATMs inside banks or shopping centers.
South Africa is at the southern tip of Africa, bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini, and it surrounds the kingdom of Lesotho. Its coastline runs from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean. Most visitors fly into Cape Town or Johannesburg.
Most visits to South Africa pass without trouble, and careful planning takes care of many risks. In cities, avoid walking alone after dark, keep valuables out of sight, drive with doors locked and windows closed, and use registered taxis or ride apps. Check the latest US travel advisory before you travel.
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