The best safari companies in South Africa in 2026 are &Beyond, Singita and the MORE Collection (Lion Sands, Marataba) for lodges; Wildlife Safaris, Kurt Safari, Viva Safaris, Africa Moja Tours, Ama-Zing African Safaris and African Welcome Safaris for guided Kruger tours; and Cape Town specialists Go2Africa and Rhino Africa for tailor-made trips.
“Safari company” covers two kinds of business. Lodge operators such as Wilderness, Singita and &Beyond own or run the camps you stay in and often sell complete trips. Tour operators and ground handlers plan itineraries, supply guides and vehicles, and book a mix of camps. Both can be booked directly or through a safari specialist.
In South Africa you can mix both: a guided tour from Johannesburg into Kruger on a budget, or a private-reserve lodge with its own rangers. Kruger tours from Johannesburg usually take three days or more.
Luxury lodges from Phinda to Ngala.
&Beyond runs South African lodges including Phinda in KwaZulu-Natal and Ngala in the Greater Kruger, and tailor-makes trips across Africa.
Good to know: Combine Phinda with the KwaZulu-Natal coast.
andBeyond Phinda, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
South Africa's top-end lodges in the Sabi Sands and Kruger.
Singita's South African lodges include Ebony, Boulders and Castleton in the Sabi Sands and Lebombo and Sweni on its private Kruger concession.
Good to know: Choose Kruger for open plains, Sabi Sands for leopards.
Singita Ebony Lodge, Sabi Sand, South Africa
Lion Sands in the Sabi Sands and Kruger, plus Marataba.
MORE runs Lion Sands' lodges in the Sabi Sands and on a Kruger concession, Marataba in Marakele National Park and Monwana in the Greater Kruger, with kosher options at Lion Sands and Marataba.
Good to know: Ask about its kosher safari options.
Lion Sands Game Reserve, Sabi Sand, South Africa
Classic three-day Kruger safaris from Johannesburg.
Wildlife Safaris runs guided Kruger trips from Johannesburg, including a three-day classic and options that combine Kruger's rest camps with a private safari lodge.
Good to know: Choose the combined park-and-lodge option.
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Shared and private Kruger safaris, with up to 10 per vehicle.
Kurt Safari's Best of Kruger Classic is a shared trip with a maximum of 10 per vehicle, and it also runs private three- to five-day packages and day safaris from Hazyview.
Good to know: Compare shared and private prices.
Kurt Safari, Hazyview, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Budget Kruger tours departing daily, with their own lodges.
Viva Safaris runs affordable Kruger tours that depart daily all year, using its own accommodation, including Marc's Camp.
Good to know: Great for solo travelers on a budget.
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Two- and three-day Kruger safaris with well-reviewed guides.
Africa Moja Tours runs two- and three-day Kruger safaris from Johannesburg and transfers to reserves such as Madikwe, with prices published per person.
Good to know: Book three days for more park time.
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Hazyview-based multi-day packages with drives and walks.
Ama-Zing African Safaris builds multi-day Kruger packages with game drives, guided bush walks and accommodation, plus half- and full-day drives from Hazyview.
Good to know: Ask to include a morning walk.
Ama-Zing African Safaris, Hazyview, Mpumalanga, South Africa
A Cape Town specialist with 25+ years of tailor-made safaris.
Go2Africa, based at the V&A Waterfront, has planned African safaris for more than 25 years and plans complete South Africa trips.
Good to know: Ask for a combined Kruger and Cape Town itinerary.
Go2Africa House, 12A Portswood Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town 8001, South Africa
Cape Town planners with more than 5,000 Trustpilot reviews.
Rhino Africa plans tailor-made safaris and tours from Cape Town, from Kruger and the Cape to Victoria Falls, with more than 5,000 Trustpilot reviews.
Good to know: Check its deposit and refund terms.
Rhino Africa, Cape Town, South Africa
For guided tours from Johannesburg, Wildlife Safaris and Kurt Safari; for luxury lodges, Singita, &Beyond and Lion Sands (MORE).
Yes. Go2Africa, Rhino Africa and African Welcome Safaris plan whole South Africa trips, including Cape Town and the Garden Route.
Prices vary from budget shared tours to private lodge packages; most operators publish rates on their sites in rand.