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South Africa itinerary in 15 days | Detailed itinerary
We tell you day by day what for us is the best route through South Africa in 15 days. You will also find links to other articles where we explain each of the recommended areas in more detail.
In this 15-day itinerary through South Africa we give you all the information to organize a trip that you will not forget and some alternatives so that the trip adapts to your preferences.
- ROUTE THROUGH SOUTH AFRICA IN 15 DAYS
- Preparations for traveling to South Africa 15 days
- Day 1 – Arrival in Johannesburg
- Day 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 – Visit Kruger National Park
- Alternative for day 5 and 6 – Visit Eswatini
- Day 7 – Return to Johannesburg and flight to Port Elisabeth
- Day 8 – Visit Addo National Park
- Day 9 – Visit to Tsitsikama National Park
- Day 10 – Travel the Garden Route to Cabo de las Agujas
- Day 11 – Finish the Garden Route and arrive in Cape Town
- Day 12 – Visit Cape Town
- Day 13 – Tour the Cape Peninsula and visit Boulders Beach
- Day 14 – Heading to the wine route between Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek
- Day 15 – Return to Cape Town, visit the city until flight time
BY SOUTH AFRICA 15 DAYS ITINERARY
We leave you a map and summary of the route through South Africa in 15 days. Please note that this itinerary is designed to do so by rental car and that it would be very difficult to continue without private transportation.
- Day 1: Arrive in Johannesburg, visit the city or do the panorama route. Sleep in Johannesburg or Graskop
- Day 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6: Visit Kruger National Park. Sleep in the camps
- Alternative Day 5 and 6: DISCOVER Esuatini and visit Hlane Park. Sleep in Mlilwane
- Day 7: Return to Johannesburg and fly to Port Elisabeth. Sleep in Puerto Elisabeth
- Day 8: Visit Addo National Park. Sleep in Jeffreys Bay
- Day 9: Visit Tsitsikama National Park and the Garden Route. Sleep in Wilderness
- Day 10: Garden Route to Cape Agujas. Sleep in Cape Agulhas
- Day 11: End Garden Route in Cape Town. Sleep in Cape Town
- Day 12: Visiting Cape. Sleep in Cape Town
- Day 13: Tour the Cape Good Hope. Sleep in Muizenberg
- Day 14: wine routes. Sleep in Franschhoek
- Day 15: Return to Cape Town for your flight home
You can enter the map and filter the day to day
ᐈ Before starting you can take a look at which for us are the 10 best things to see in South Africa.
Preparations for traveling to South Africa 15 days
Before starting with the detailed itinerary we leave you Articles that will be very useful for you to read while organizing your trip to South Africa.
Best Travel Insurance for South Africa | Options and Prices
Best cards without fees for traveling abroad
Clothing for South Africa, Everything you need to carry
How to get cheap internet in South Africa | eSIM and local options
Day 1 – Arrival in Johannesburg
- Distance: 440km
- Recommended accommodation: Zur Alten Mine
Johannesburg is the most common gateway to the country and the city from where this route through South Africa in 15 days begins. Depending on the arrival time of your flight and your preferences you can choose between two alternatives for the first day of your 15-day route in South Africa.
The first is ideal for travelers with a lot of interest in the history of the country and especially the infamous Apartheid. Take advantage of your arrival in Johannesburg to visit the Apartheid Museum and the Soweto neighborhoodThis will take up a large part of your day, so we recommend stay in JohannesburgIf you arrive early and have plenty of time left after your museum visit, you can start driving towards Kruger and sleep along the way. Keep in mind that Driving in South Africa at night is not recommended.
The second option is not to visit Johannesburg, pick up the rental car y leave the airport towards Kruger. I recommend you go through the beautiful Panorama Route which runs through Blyde Canyon, Berlin Falls, Lisbon Falls, Bourke's Luck Potholes and Three Rondavels. Most of these places have paid access and you probably won't have time to see them all, but some are worth visiting. For this alternative you can sleep in the town of Graskop, it is the closest to the Panorama Route and is very close to the entrance to the Kruger Phabeni Gate.
It may interest you: South Africa Panorama Route, best waterfalls and viewpoints and Guide to visiting Kruger on your own.
If you don't feel like travelling the almost 5 hours by car that separates Johannesburg from Kruger you can take an internal flight to Nelspruit, the nearest airport to Kruger
Day 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 – Visit Kruger National Park
Kruger is the best National Park in South Africa and one of the best in the whole continent. Although it may seem like we are spending many days there, when you leave you will want more. Go in search of the famous Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo) and many other animals and birds, it is a unique experience.
One of the best things about Kruger is that you can travel it with your own vehicle rental and carThe park's boundaries are well-maintained, so hiring a private game drive isn't essential. However, we recommend taking one to fully experience the adventure, especially at dawn when the big cats are most active. You can book at the camp or online (it's best to book in advance if you're visiting during peak season).
Also It has campsites spread throughout the park where you can find gas stations, restaurants, food stores and accommodation. If you are going to sleep in the bungalows at the camps you should book WELL in advanceIf you are going camping it is not usually necessary, we did it a few weeks in advance and even when we were in Kruger we made some changes.
Alternative for day 5 and 6 – Visit Eswatini
- Distance: 125km
- Traditional huts Mlilwane park
- Hlane Camp
You can change the last two Kruger days by the visit to the Hlane National Park located in the small neighboring country Eswatini. Hlane is much smaller and has less wildlife than Kruger, but we added it as an alternative because many people are excited to take advantage of visit Eswatini and a perfect place to see the elusive black and white rhinos.
Don't know what to see in Eswatini? Read our Eswatini Guide in 2 days
A good idea is to get up early on the fifth day of this route through South Africa in 15 days to rwalk around the area next to Cocodrile Bridge at dawn inside the Kruger and leave towards Eswatini half morning.
Useful information: To be able to enter the country with the rental car you need to request a special border crossing permit from the rental company. Send an email to the company so that they have it ready on the day of your arrival. This paper costs 1600 rand And also at the border you will have to pay a fee of 100 rand for the use of the carreteras.
Hlane Park, included in the Wild Card, is divided into two areas, one where there are lions and you can only enter with a Game Drive, which costs R480 per person, and another where you can go in your own car although the condition of the roads is not very good and having a 4×4 helps a lot. I recommend you hire the Game Drive to get the experience and make sure you are going to see rhinos and most likely some lions.
In the afternoon you can visit the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary or Mantega Cultural Village, a recreation of the old Swazi villages where they also perform an impressive performance of traditional dances.
Day 7 – Return to Johannesburg and flight to Port Elisabeth
- Distance: 375km
- Tree Tops
Drive back to Johannesburg, return the car and catch a flight to Port Elisabeth where you will pick up a new rental car which you will use to travel along the coast towards Cape Town.
Spend the rest of the day resting in Puerto Elisabeth, You are almost halfway through this route through South Africa in 15 days and you deserve a good rest.
Day 8 – Visit Addo National Park
- Distance: 230km
- Marina Martinique
- Jeffreys Bay Caravan Park
Just 1 hour from Puerto Elisabeth is el Addo National Park, famous for the large number of elephants that lives in it. Get up early to go to the park first thing in the morning and be able to spend the whole day at your leisure touring the park. This will be another great day on the South Africa itinerary in 15 days, we were amazed by the number of elephants there are in the Park.
In the afternoon leave the park towards the coast, I recommend going to Jeffreys Bay from where the next day you will begin to travel the well-known Garden Route.
Day 9 – Visit to Tsitsikama National Park
- Distance: 270km
- Dune Beach House
- Victoria Bay Campsite
In the morning visit the Tsitsikamma Park and take a short route on foot inside. For example, you can visit its hanging bridges or you can rent a kayak route to travel through the sea.
Spend the rest of the day exploring the carGarden Route along which you will go along the coast passing through beautiful coastal towns such as Plettenberg Bay where you can visit the Robberg Nature Reserve, there lives a huge colony of sea lions. If you prefer to see them more closely, I encourage you to swim with sea lions in Plettenberg Bay. Continue the route passing through Knynsa, where I recommend making a stop at The Heads, which has stunning views. End the day in Wilderness, another famous Garden Route town.
Day 10 – Travel the Garden Route to Cabo de las Agujas
- Distance: 400km
- The Sun Catcher
- De Hoop Campsite
Continue along the coast passing through kilometer-long beaches like the one that bathes the town of Mosselbay. Continue until la De Hoop Nature Reserve, where part of being able to see some rare animals such as eland or The bontebok, an animal of the antelope family that is almost extinct. As well you can visit the impressive dune system that forms the beach. The Hoop Nature Reserve is a very different landscape from everything before on this 15-day itinerary in South Africa, a country that surprises at every turn.
Ends the day in Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point in all of Africa and a very important place through which all trade between Europe and Asia passed. Visit the commemorative plaque and for a few minutes you will be the southernmost person in Africa. You can also visit the lighthouse which has now been restored and serves as a museum.
Day 11 – Finish the Garden Route and arrive in Cape Town
- Distance: 270 km
- Urban Oasis
Although this area is no longer considered the Garden Route, it is also beautiful and is also less touristy, so you can explore it with great peace of mind.
First you will arrive at Gansbaai, the reference city where dive with sharks targets inside a steel cage. They also go on whale watching trips, apart from these two activities there is not much else to do in this place. If it's not whale season, it's not worth stopping by here.
Continuing along the coast are the Klipgat Caves, a historic site where stone age remains have been found. Across the bay is Hermanus, the South African capital of the whale watching.
If you travel between July and November in this town there will surely be a lot of movement and many companies offering sighting tours. If you have never done one, I encourage you to try it as it is a very special experience.
The last stop that I recommend Betty's Bay, a quiet coastal town inhabited by a large colony of African penguins. Stroll along the beach while watching the penguins.
End the day driving to Cape Town where you can take a buscar a good restaurant for dinner.
It may interest you: Safest areas to stay in Cape Town
Day 12 – Visit Cape Town
One of the good things about Cape Town is that it is very easy to get around and the main attractions They are very close to each other.
You can start the day going up Table Mountain by cable car (or on foot if you really like the mountains) to enjoy one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and the great views of the entire city.
Afterwards you can tour the historic center where it is located Green Market Square, ideal place to buy souvenirs. It is not far away the Malay neighborhood Bo-Kaap, a small but beautiful neighborhood with very colorful houses and some art museums. You can also visit and eat in a modern market such as Old Biscuit Mill or, if it's the weekend, the Oranjezicht City Farm Market.
In the afternoon visit Robben Island, the former prison island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years or the Kirstenbosch botanical garden, one of the most important in Africa.
I also recommend climbing Lions Head mountain, where you can enjoy a beautiful sunset over the sea and see all of Cape Town.
Day 13 – Tour the Cape Peninsula and visit Boulders Beach
- Distance: 120km
- The Muize
- Zandvlei Caravan Park
The two-week South African road trip continues driving through the carM6 coastal road, Chapman's Peak, which passes through cliffs and huge beaches like Camps Bay or Kommetjie.
Go south until you reach the entrance to Table Mountain National Park, included in the Wild Card, which gives access to the Cape of Good Hope. There you can do some walking routes around the Cape, such as going up to visit its lighthouse.
Not far from the cape is the boulders beach, a protected area where a community of African penguins resides. To access you must pay an entrance fee or present the Wild Card. It is usually very crowded but it is quite curious to see because of the rock formations it has and of course because of its handsome inhabitants.
You can end the day with a walk Muizenberg beach, famous for its colorfully painted wooden changing rooms. It is also a good place to spend the night, although if you prefer you can return to Cape Town to sleep as it is only half an hour away by car.
Day 14 – Heading to the wine route between Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek
- Distance: 120km
- Centre-Ville Guest House
- Berg River Resort
Visit the famous region of the Winelands, the area where South African wines are born. Here there are more than 500 wineries that produce high-level wines. many of them They offer wine tastings paired with chocolates or cheeses at very affordable prices in a beautiful setting.
Not everything is drinking, some of the wineries also have very good restaurants who work with fresh local products. It is an area whether you are a wine lover or not, we are sure you will enjoy it, you can read our article wine route in South Africa, our favorite wineries.
In addition to the wineries themselves You can also visit the towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek They have a lot of charm and a lot of history. They were founded by the first settlers who brought tradition and passion for wine from Europe and found in this area an ideal climate for producing wine.
Day 15 – Return to Cape Town, visit the city until flight time
The end of this intense and unforgettable route through South Africa in 15 days has come. Depending on the time your flight leaves, you may still be able to do something before you leave.. If it leaves in the afternoon you can spend the morning in Stellenbosch and go to the airport directly.
You can also go to Cape Town for a stroll and bus ridecar a good restaurant where you can properly say goodbye to this unforgettable trip.
I hope this route through South Africa in 15 days has given you ideas and helped you organize your next trip. To read more about each specific place you can access all articles what we have from South Africa or see our featured stories from Instagram. Thanks for reading us!
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