Best South Africa Shore Excursions — Our Top 15

1.Port Elizabeth: Schotia Game Reserve Safari with Port Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 263 reviews · 5 hours · from $233Our pick

Travel from Port Elizabeth Harbor to Schotia Private Game Reserve for a guided open-vehicle safari beside Addo Elephant National Park. Guides such as Norman, Donald, Marilyn, and Robert are praised for finding wildlife. Expect Big Five searches, giraffes, hippos, snacks, drinks, and a substantial food stop.

“We had a lovely day, with Maralyn,(?) our guide. We saw all of the animals we had hoped to see, plus a few extras and numerous birds.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Port Elizabeth: Addo Elephant Park Shore Excursion with BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 141 reviews · from $164

Meet your guide beside the cruise terminal for a small-group safari to Addo Elephant National Park. Ride in an air-conditioned vehicle, search for elephants, lions, and other wildlife with guides such as Gary or Nina, then enjoy a fire-cooked South African braai before returning to your ship.

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Addo Elephant National Park from Port Elizabeth – FD01

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · from $155Top rated

Leave Port Elizabeth at 7:30 a.m. for a guided Addo safari in an air-conditioned off-road vehicle. Look for more than 700 elephants, lions, zebra, buffalo, kudu, ostrich, and warthogs. Guides such as Anthony, Mervyn, Graeme, Alan, and Andrew have led especially memorable days.

“it was a very interesting trip through the park with a perfect mix of stops. The driver is very well informed about the animals and can tell you some infos on all of them!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Port Elizabeth: Addo Elephant Park Shore Excursion & Safari

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 72 reviews · 8 hours · from $159

Spend a full day at Addo Elephant National Park with an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport, park fees, lunch, snacks, and drinks included. Expect elephants, zebras, warthogs, lions, and more across five biomes, with pickup from Port Elizabeth, the harbor, airport, Addo, Bluewater Bay, or Colchester.

“Netter Guide. Toller Ausflug. Bei der Abfahrt kleines Chaos (zu wenig Busse).”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Addo Elephant Park Safari & Shore Excursion from Port Elizabeth

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $163

You’ll leave Port Elizabeth for Addo Elephant National Park in a small-group, air-conditioned vehicle, with morning and afternoon game drives, a picnic lunch, water, and an informed guide. Emmanuel and Gary have been praised for spotting elephants, rhinos, warthogs, birds, and smaller park life.

“The trip was “great”! It went above and beyond our expectations! We booked independently on Oceania cruise separately. As we see large buses picking up large amount of people we had a more intimate experience due to small nuRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Port Elizabeth Shore Excursion: Addo Elephant Full Day Safari &”Braai”Lunch(BBQ)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · from $172

Spend about nine hours from Port Elizabeth exploring Addo Elephant National Park in a small group of up to nine. Guides such as Steven, Allan, and Edy lead 4x4 game drives, pause for elephant sightings, and serve a South African braai with meats, salads, drinks, and rooster brood.

“We enjoyed seeing lots of elephants. We saw lots of animals but not as many as we would have liked but the day was great and the guide very good. We enjoyed the Brai.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.One-Way Hop-on Hop-off Bus from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · from $199

Use Baz Bus to travel one way from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town on a 19-seat semi-luxury bus. Choose from more than 200 accommodation pickups in 40 towns, hop off as often as you like, and update your route up to 12 hours before departure.

“I found the BazBus to be reliable, on time, comfortable, and especially loved the door to door service from/to my accommodation along the Garden Route. The major downside is the limited schedule (once a day in each spot), but I was Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Addo Elephant Full Day Safari / Shore Excursions

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 19 reviews · 1 day · from $152

You’ll spend about six hours on guided game drives in Addo Elephant National Park, with a local English-speaking guide, park entry, drinks, snacks, and transport from Gqeberha or nearby towns. Expect elephants, Cape buffalo, zebra, kudu, and a flexible safari day, but confirm vehicle comfort and pickup time before booking.

“everything was OK and that whole driver team and guide really good and friendly”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Kragga Kamma Safaris And Shore Excursions

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 17 reviews · 4 hours · from $124

You’ll ride from Port Elizabeth with an English-speaking guide into Kragga Kamma Game Park, a compact coastal reserve where animals roam freely. Guides such as John, Kyle, and Stura have helped make past outings especially informative, while included drinks, snacks, transport, and entry keep this a simple shore excursion.

“Ein toller Huide, eine erfolgreiche Safari mit vielen Tiersichtungen. Ich würde diese Tour jederzeit wieder machen.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Big Five Game Reserve from Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 16 reviews · from $185

From Cape Town’s Radisson RED, ride through the Hex River Valley to Aquila Private Game Reserve. A ranger leads your shared open-vehicle drive across 24,000 acres, with chances to see rhinos, lions, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and zebra. Lunch is included, drinks are extra.

“Our ship was late getting into port but we were pleasantly surprised that the tour company waited almost 2 hours past pickup time to allow guests to meet up. The safari itself was great with so many photo opportunities. Buffet lunch was varied and good.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Private Small Group Tala Game Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · from $124

From Durban’s cruise terminal, you’ll ride with an English-speaking guide to Tala Game Reserve for a two-hour closed-vehicle game drive. Look for giraffes, zebras, rhinos, hippos, wildebeest, ostriches, and birds across 3,000 hectares. Guides such as Tommy, Mdu, Rennie, and Temba are praised for their effort and local insight.

“Great half day adventure. Saw giraffes, ostriches, zebras, rhinos, gnus and more. Very nice scenery as well. Lots to see on the one hour or so drive from Durban.”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Shore Excursion Richards Bay Big 5 Safari Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $283

Travel from Richards Bay to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in a closed SUV with Ashley or Bonginkosi, enjoying breakfast, lunch, and wildlife drives. Search for rhinos, lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo, wild dogs, and cheetahs while learning about Zulu culture, plants, tracks, and conservation.

“We had an amazing day and saw some amazing wildlife Our guide made this all possible my Zulu friend was absolutely amazing he gave us information on Zulu culture and his sharp eyes found us some amazing wildlife He is an absolute credit to this company Would recommend him and this company to all”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Private Small Group Durban City & Phezulu

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10 reviews · from $154

Spend 7.5 hours with a guide such as Thamy, China, Shiney, or David exploring Durban, sampling bunny chow, visiting the Botanic Gardens, and meeting the Gasa clan at Phezulu in the Valley of a Thousand Hills.

“Sehr flexibel und für Lösungen bemüht! Unser Schiff hatte fast 3 Stunden Verspätung und trotzdem schaffte es Cullinan uns alles zu zeigen, was am Programm stand.”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Hluhluwe Big Five Safari Richards Bay Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8 reviews · from $225

Travel from Richards Bay Harbour to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in an open safari vehicle with an English-speaking ranger. Look for the Big Five, wild dogs, and cheetahs, then enjoy a South African braai, milk tart, drinks, and return port transfers.

“Excellent tour with Siabongo. Great breakfast and lunch. No lions or leopards unfortunately. Comfortable safari vehicle.”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Cape Town Shore Tour: Table Mountain, Penguin & Cape Point

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $148

Travel in a small group of up to 14 with guide James or another Into Tours guide, combining Table Mountain, Bo-Kaap, Cape Point, Boulders Beach, and Cape Town’s coastal towns. Expect a full day of views, wildlife, local food, and several admission fees paid separately.

“Fantastic day with James! He covered everything on the tour and a few bonus hidden gems! Highly recommended!”

Check availability →Read our full review