Welcome to Tailormade South Africa. Your luxury South Africa safaris expert. We are an independent owner run company specialising in luxury safaris and trips to this unique and wonderful country.

At Tailormade South Africa safaris, we take immense pride and genuine interest in getting to know our clients personalities before making any trip suggestions. We have intimate knowledge and superb long-term relationships with our partners, private guides and exclusive connections across South Africa.

Clyde and Rob are two of the most knowledgeable and passionate experts on South Africa with over 40 years combined experience. You will be working exclusively with the owners of Tailormade South Africa from start to finish - pre, during and post travel.

South Africa is a destination that is often sold in the same old way, where people just choose places they've 'heard of', however often they are not really sure why they are going there and what is there. We like to do things differently. We are the industry leaders in luxury South Africa safaris and have intimate knowledge of the lesser known areas and experiences in the country.

Please do speak to us about the hidden gems on the Western Cape coast and it's wildlife areas, the beautiful and diverse KwaZulu-Natal, some of our favourite off the beaten track safari areas, our favourite vineyards and restaurants, and even unique, exciting and personalised guided day trips in and around Cape Town.

There are so many options it can often be overwhelming, whether you're travelling to South Africa as a first-time safari goer or a seasoned safari enthusiast. If you're looking at honeymoon safaris, family safaris or luxury safaris the best thing to do to avoid being overwhelmed is to call us now for an initial obligation-free chat to get to know you.

Our clients are our best ambassadors, and to see what they have to say please visit the customer reviews section of our website. We would love to chat with you about your safari and travel dreams. Don't be shy, email us or call us on +44 7809 726266 (Clyde) or +44 7791 360170 (Rob).

What to expect from a South Africa safari?

When you hear the word ‘safari’, we have no doubt that lots of visions will come to mind. The wide-open savannahs of Kenya and Tanzania perhaps. Lions, leopards, giraffes and zebras – definitely. Well, what makes South Africa different?

First of all, South Africa as a country has so much to offer, not just the amazing nature reserves. Cape Town has for the seventh year in a row been voted the ‘Best City in the World’ by The Telegraph Travel Awards. Combine this with a visit to the prestigious wine region and a safari in one of the many private game reserves the country has to offer and you’ll have one of the most amazing two week trips of your life.

South Africa has some gorgeous and well-loved National Parks supported by the government, including the Kruger which is one of the most famous in the world. That said, they are easily accessible and can be overwhelmingly busy which is why we have hand-picked some of the more exclusive parks and private reserves which can offer our clients a more ‘private’ way to experience the rich game that South Africa has to offer. The places we work with have a limit to the number of visitors allowed at any given game sighting, minimising the impact on the creatures that call these reserves their home. The owners of these reserves are tasked with managing the game, ensuring their populations are always at their best balance and have anti-poaching at their core.

What are the best places to go on safari in South Africa?

The question we would ask you back is, ‘what for’? We design all of our trips to match your wants and needs and there is so much choice in South Africa, you’ve come to the right place to find out which the best is for you! Do you want malaria-free? We’ve got you covered. Fancy ticking off the Big Five? No problem! ‘Best place to go walking…’ – easy peasy. Want to sleep out under the African sky? Sorted!

As a first timer, or even as a true safari aficionado, South Africa is such a rich destination for safari and one we think you simply can’t do in one go (unless you’re willing to spend a few months there and we would gladly help!). We’ve organised honeymoons in the Sabi Sands, followed by their family trip a few years later in the Eastern Cape or in the stunning Madikwe where they haven’t had to think about malaria.

What is the best time to visit South Africa for a safari?

South Africa is an amazing all-round destination, and who better to help you pin-point the best way to enjoy it than specialists who live and breathe the destination? Of course everyone wants something different though – and as the country itself is so vast and has so many different ecosystems, it can be useful to understand the seasons to make sure you get what is best for you. As the country is in the southern hemisphere, it enjoys the opposite seasons to those of us who live in the north. We would therefore love to share our month-by-month guide with you to give you some help, but do remember: we are only at the end of a phone call if you want us to break it down for you!

How much do safaris in South Africa cost?

In truth, a jolly good safari cannot be done on a low budget. Well, it can be – but you’d be sharing an overlander truck with a lot of fun chaps and certainly wouldn’t have the privacy that we like to cater for! Don’t get us wrong – we’ve done that. We have all of us lived and breathed Africa, to the point where half of our team actually live there!

One of the things we believe in is the opportunity to experience the South African bush at its best. That means less crowds, and more intimate game experiences. The lodges and reserves that we support each have a passion for conservation, sustainability and a dedication to the people they employ and work with, and that is the kind of experience we want you to have on your trip of a lifetime. The lodges are small, personal and give you the opportunity to get to know your hosts and learn about the environment that you have arrived into. This doesn’t come without a cost, but that said, we aren’t in the business of spending money for the sake of it!

What should I pack of a South Africa safari?

It all depends on when you’re going, but you don’t want to forget your camera, that’s for sure. Everywhere you go will have electricity so you don’t have to worry about running out of batteries, just make sure you have enough storage as we’re sure you’ll be taking more photos than you expect! The plugs are different to home though and are unusual to the rest of the world with three large round points, so well worth having an adaptor handy. You can pick one up easily from the airport so don’t worry if you forget one before you leave.

Where in South Africa can I go on a malaria-free safari?

Now that’s a good question! South Africa is arguably the best country in Africa to travel to in order to avoid malarial areas, particularly if you want to go on safari. We are huge supporters of the Sanbona Private Game Reserve which is not too far away from Cape Town and totally malaria free. We also love the Eastern Cape, where there are some really fantastic high-end private game reserves worth visiting which are very conservation focused – many offering a big five experience.

Choose from eightDiverse Areas

South Africa is often referred to as a world in one country and it certainly deserves this title. There are very few places on earth which offer such a diversity of landscapes, cultures, wildlife and activities. Whether it is safaris or cities, beaches or winelands, surfing or water skiing that you are looking for, you can find it all here.

destination
24.0° S, 31.6° E

Kruger National Park

One of the great wildlife destinations, the Kruger region is home to a staggering wealth of wildlife in over 2 million hectares, dedicated to conservation.
33.9° S, 18.4° E

Cape Town

Resting at the confluence of the Indian and Atlantic oceans, sandwiched between the slopes of the iconic Table Mountain and the glistening sapphire waters of Table Bay, the exceptionally scenic city of Cape Town is in a class of its own.
32.3° S, 26.4° E

Eastern Cape

Home to the Addo Elephant Reserve, an expanse of around 180,000 hectares with around 450 Elephants, the greatest density of elephant per hectare in Africa.
33.7° S, 22.0° E

The Garden Route

Running roughly from the town of George to Port Elizabeth, the Garden Route is one of the most scenic driving routes in the world with mountains, forests and sleepy, pretty towns to explore.
26.2° S, 28.0° E

Johannesburg

Joburg is home to many attractions, from museums and quality restaurants to amusement parks. A visit to vibrant Soweto and the moving apartheid museum are definitely must-see items when visiting the city.
24.0° S, 31.6° E

Kruger National Park

One of the great wildlife destinations, the Kruger region is home to a staggering wealth of wildlife in over 2 million hectares, dedicated to conservation.
28.5° S, 30.9° E

KwaZulu Natal

Unspoiled Indian Ocean beaches, vast mountain ranges, coral reefs, golf courses, craft shops, spice markets, big five game, whale watching and the history of the battlefields, KwaZulu Natal has it all.
34.4° S, 19.3° E

Western Cape Wildlife

This area close to Cape Town and the Winelands is home to a wide variety of wildlife experiences. From the best Big Five safari experiences at Sanbona Game Reserve to spectacular whale watching at Hermanus. The Western Cape offers it all.
33.4° S, 19.8° E

The Winelands

Resting at the foot of the Boland Mountains, the Cape Winelands is renowned for producing some of the world’s finest wines. The breathtakingly beautiful landscape boasts incredible mountain scenery and numerous luxury wine farms laden with vineyards stretching across lush fertile valleys.

Your Journey Starts HereFirst-time Safari Goer?

Whether you're travelling to Africa as a first-time safari goer or a seasoned safari enthusiast we are able to advise you. Our safari consultants have ample experience in designing tailormade itineraries for all types of travellers!

5 Stars
All Round!

Tailormade Africa is the safari industry leader in customer care. But, don't take our word for it, see why our clients roar about us.

View All Reviews
  • Julie L

    Super efficient, planned to the finest detail, no stone left unturned.

    The communications from Rob Morley from the initial enquiry and subsequent booking, right up to departure date, and during the trip were incredible. Even down to the meet and greet at Jo'burg ... Read more
    Julie L
    South Africa, February 2020
  • Simon

    A holiday of a lifetime!

    From the outset, Clyde has been fantastic. He tried very hard to understand our brief and came up with suggestions that we would never have considered on our own ... Read more

    Simon
    South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls), Dec 2018
  • Emma S

    Rob was helpful, approachable, knowledgeable about South Africa.

    All the essentials were organised following informed consultation with us, personally and by email. The accommodation was well planned and very appropriate for our needs ... Read more

    Emma S
    South Africa, Oct 2018
  • Richard W

    Great advice and great delivery!

    From start to finish the attention to detail from Tailormade Africa was excellent. The pre-departure information was very extensive. Rob Morley and his team were responsive to some late alterations that we wanted to make ... Read more

    Richard W
    South Africa, Feb 2019
  • Chris & Tina

    It was everything we had hoped for.

    I am 85 years old and my wife is 78. We have done a lot of travelling over the years. We decided we would make one last big trip before we got much older. We had always talked about going to South Africa and doing a safari ... Read more

    Chris & Tina
    South Africa, Dec 2018
  • Tommy & Keri G

    Clyde planned a trip of a lifetime that far exceeded our expectations.

    When we set out to plan our 3 week trip to Africa, we thought we knew where we wanted to go and when. After researching many companies to plan our trip ... Read more

    Tommy & Keri G
    Tanzania, Zimbabwe & South Africa, July 2018
  • Sarah & Jonathon A

    Unforgettable 6-week African Honeymoon!

    After some Internet research and getting ourselves very overwhelmed with 'where to start planning this trip to Africa?!' we came across Tailormade Africa. From our first email response from Rob, it was clear this was a different service to the others ... Read more

    Sarah & Jonathon A
    South Africa, Victoria Falls, Tanzania & Uganda, May 2018
  • Anne & Andrew B

    Excellent service, demonstrating a high level of knowledge and experience, delivering top quality.

    Our experience throughout with Tailormade Africa was excellent. We felt that Clydeunderstood our requirements ... Read more

    Anne & Andrew B
    South Africa & Botswana, Apr 2018
  • Freddie

    Tailormade Africa organised & delivered on an excellent itinerary for my holiday.

    My trip to South Africa came from an unplanned bid in a charity auction for Street Child of which Rob from Tailormade Africa had generously donated 3 nights stay in Cape Town ... Read more

    Freddie
    South Africa, Oct 2017
  • Vance

    Fabulous experience on Safari in South Africa at Ngala and Tswalu.

    The safari experiences were excellent. Tailormade Africa was careful to assess our interests and desires and recommend alternatives for accommodations and experiences ... Read more

    Vance
    South Africa, Sept 2017
  • Andy & Christine C

    Supportive, personal and straightforward.

    This whole South Africa holiday experience was, for us, an amazing one and these guys at Tailormade made it all so very easy. "You'll be met at Cape Town," they said and sure enough a man waiting to take us to the baggage reclaim and to our car ... Read more

    Andy & Christine C
    South Africa, Sept 2017
  • Julie & Jeremy L

    Tailormade Africa yet again did a great job putting together our recent trip.

    Their recommendations for where to go and choice of hotel/lodges was spot on. Everything worked seamlessly when we were there and everyone in our group had a great time ... Read more

    Julie & Jeremy L
    Uganda & South Africa, Dec 2016
  • Denise & Roy C

    Thank you so much Rob for arranging this lovely safari!

    The drive to the reserve was spectacular and the setting for the tented camp was breathtaking and the sunrise was, WOW ... Read more

    Denise & Roy C
    South Africa, Oct 2016
  • Mel & Liz H

    One of the best holidays we have ever had.

    From initial discussions to getting off the plane when we arrived home, Tailormade Africa arranged everything we had requested in a most friendly and professional manner ... Read more

    Mel & Liz H
    South Africa, Sept 2016

Browse OurFeatured Trips

Please note these trips are only meant to serve as a guideline, we tailor make your dream safari to suit your needs and requirements.

December 17, 2019

12 Days / 11 Nights Cape Town, Winelands, Whale Coast & Sabi Sands

December 17, 2019

12 Days / 11 Nights Durban, Drakensberg, Battle Fields & Safari

December 16, 2019

9 Days / 8 Nights Cape Town, Winelands & Kruger