South Africa in 7 Days

On this page, we give a brief overview of 3 ideas on how you could spend 7 Days in South Africa. Each itinerary has the basis of some sort of city or urban experience coupled with a nature or safari experience. The first one is more of a classic itinerary for a first-time visitor to South Africa. The second option focuses on the visitor who may be coming to South Africa for a second time, while the third is aimed at just Cape Town and surrounding areas, with relaxation as a central theme.

South Africa in 7 Days

Itinerary at a Glance:

  • South Africa in 7 Days

    Idea #1

  • South Africa in 7 Days

    Idea #2

  • South Africa in 7 Days

    Idea #3

South Africa in 7 Days

Idea #1

Day 1 -  Arrive Johannesburg - The Peech Hotel
Day 2 -  Full Day Jo’burg & Soweto - The Peech Hotel
Day 3 -  Overland Panorama - Tima Moon
Day 4 -  Safari of a Lifetime - Singita
Day 5 -  Safari of a Lifetime - Singita
Day 6 -  Safari of a Lifetime - Singita
Day 7 -  Depart

Singita is one of South Africa's premier safari destinations
Leopard are among the big cats often seen at Singita
Leopard are among the big cats often seen at Singita

On this choice of ‘7 Days in South Africa’, the first two days are focussed on Johannesburg and its role in South Africa’s turbulent history, from the dark days of Apartheid to the vibrant multicultural gateway that it has become. You get to take a guided bicycle ride through the streets of the township of Soweto, where you meet day-to-day people and taste modern urban African life. Contrasting this you will visit the Apartheid Museum for a historical reflection of where we’ve come from and also see the glitz and style that exists in some of Johannesburg’s more affluent areas including Rosebank and Sandton.

On day 3 the tour takes a turn to South Africa’s natural heritage and enjoy a private guided overland journey that takes in the Afro-mountain forested region of the Mpumalanga Escarpment where you will see the Blyde River Canyon, the Bourkes Luck Potholes and some spectacular views across what is known as the Lowveld – a vast expanse of savanna where the Kruger National Park lies.

On days 4 to 7, you get to experience the safari of a lifetime in the Sabie Sands Game Reserve, a private reserve that forms part of the greater Kruger National Park. Here starlit dinners, open vehicle safaris, and soul-stirring sunsets are the norm. On a safari at Singita, guests will typically witness some of the best animal interaction in the wild including the big 5 and many more animals. Take a guided walking safari for a few hours and see, smell, and feel the African savanna on a unique level.

South Africa in 7 Days

Idea #2

Day 1 -  Arrive Cape Town & Table Mtn - Cape Grace
Day 2 -  Full Day Whale Watching - Cape Grace
Day 3 -  Winelands Explorer - Babylonstoren
Day 4 -  Kalahari Lifetime Safari - Tswalu Kalahari
Day 5 -  Kalahari Lifetime Safari - Tswalu Kalahari
Day 6 -  Kalahari Lifetime Safari - Tswalu Kalahari
Day 7 -  Depart to JNB

Tswalu Kalahari offers visitors an alternative safari experience they never knew they wanted
Game drives are one of many activities offered at Tswalu Kalahari in in South Africa
Tswalu Kalahari, in the remote northern part of South Africa

On our second ‘7 Days in South Africa’ option, we shift the focus to a combination of the Cape and all its delights from food & wine and to the natural spectacles it can offer. This is coupled with a very unique safari to South Africa’s vast interior. A greatly overlooked stretch of wilderness that allows the visitor to experience the vast space and big blue skies.

On the first 3 days, you enjoy a private guided experience where we visit Table Mountain either on foot or by cable car, we explore the Cape Peninsula for a day dictated by the weather. This can include surfing, kayaking, taking selfies with the African penguins of Boulders Beach, or picnicking on a white stretch of beach next to the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. On one of the days, you need to be particularly hungry as we take to the quaint streets of Stellenbosch for a guided culinary walking tour with an expert foodie to sample the sweets & savoury delights on offer and enjoy a sit-down lunch. During the day we taste craft beers, delve into the gins, and or cut straight to some of the finest wines.

In the second half of this 7-day journey, we get in a plane and fly into South Africa’s vast interior to the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. Here you spend 3 nights on this vast private reserve that couples unique Kalahari game viewing with some fascinating conservation research projects. All activities are privately guided and guests can experience sleeping under the stars, visiting some rock art sites, interacting with meerkats in the wild, enjoying a horseback safari, or taking the remote recesses of this wilderness in a game viewing vehicle in search of Africa’s lesser know and desert-adapted animals including brown hyena, porcupine, pangolin and more.

South Africa in 7 Days

Idea #3

Day 1 -  Arrive Cape Town - The Silo
Day 2 -  Full Day City, Peninsula & Robben Island - The Silo
Day 3 -  Full Day Winelands drop off Grootbos - Grootbos
Day 4 -  Experience the Cape Coast & Fynbos - Grootbos
Day 5 -  Namaqualand - Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve
Day 6 -  Taste Namaqualand - Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve
Day 7 -  Depart

GGrootbos, 2 hours from Cape Town is a premier ocean - fynbos nature experience
San Rock art seen at Bushmanskloof Wilderness Reserve
Picnic at Grootbos, South Africa

On this version of the ‘7 Days in South Africa’ tour we focus on the ‘Cape’ the colloquial name given to Cape Town and its surrounds. We touch on Cape Town itself and then sample the natural heritage of the Cape Coast, and its fynbos as well as take to the lesser-known and vast interior of the Namaqualand.

On days 1 - 2, we take in the beat of the mother city by a visit to the top of Table Mountain, a boat ride & tour of the notorious Robben Island - the former prison of Nelson Mandela. We drive the craggy coastline of the Cape Peninsula with the option of hiking, kayaking, or surfing. We take to the dawn skies in a hot air balloon flight over the Cape Winelands countryside and sample some of the world’s best wines & cheeses.

On days 3 and 4 we change pace and focus on nature & ancient culture. You experience the beautiful Cape Coast a enjoy guided activities that range from mountain biking, whale watching, exploring the floral delights of the Fynbos biome, or enjoy a simple but fascinating guided excursion to the unspoilt beaches in the area, where you get an insight into how the traditional Khoi Bushman existed in this coastal habitat.

For the remaining days, we take off to the remote, vast, and beautiful Namaqualand region of the Cape’s Interior. Famed for its phenomenal wildflower extravaganza in the spring months, the area has much more to offer. Here you are exposed to ancient San Rock Art some dating back 10 000 years. Be mesmerized by the crazy spectacle of wildflowers that carpet the landscape (Aug – Sep), take a private picnic in a natural setting, burn some energy mountain biking, try your hand at fly fishing, or take a guided game drive in this 7500-hectare reserve.

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William McCormack
20 November 2025
I cannot say enough about the service received from African Travel Agent Petru. From beginning to end it was excellent. The detail and the professionalism is to be attained by others. Ive had 3 trips over number of years and each time I am delighted with the engagement, suggestions, etc and most importantly the trips we highlights to me. Ive recommended Petru to friends and those who did reach out were also very pleased. I highly recommend this agent and company. Till we engage again, Thank you Petru and continue delivering a top service.
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Guy Hudson
20 November 2025
We’ve been booking through African Travel Gateway for over 25 years now and honestly, they’ve never dropped the ball once. They have looked after us for ages and just get what works for our family. This last trip we took the three kids (11, 9 and 6) to South Africa – Cape Town, a few nights camping in the Karoo, and then Kruger. They put the whole thing together perfectly: nothing felt rushed, everything suited the kids, and the logistics were completely painless. Cape Town was great fun (Table Mountain, penguins, the works). The Karoo nights were something else – massive sky full of stars, big campfire, total peace and quiet the kids still go on about. And Kruger… wow. We saw the Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino – plus heaps of giraffe, zebra and everything else, pretty much every single drive. The guides were brilliant with the children and kept everyone safe. Everything just worked – flights, transfers, the lot. They checked in along the way and tweaked little things when we needed. Proper personal service. If you’re thinking of taking kids to South Africa, we can’t recommend African Travel Gateway enough.
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Pierre Boucher
30 September 2025
A heartfelt thank you to Bianca for arranging our unforgettable journey through South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Everything went smoothly from start to finish, and your attention to detail made all the difference. Alex and I enjoyed every moment — from the breathtaking landscapes to the incredible wildlife and the welcoming people we met along the way. It was truly the trip of a lifetime, and we are so grateful for all the care and effort you put into making it perfect. With sincere appreciation,
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Jon Son
02 September 2025
Very bad service
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Mark Montague
04 August 2025
We had a wonderful time visiting South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. We had a party of 10, including 4 grandchildren ages 10 and 8 and everything went beautifully. Lize did a great job helping us plan the itinerary, booking flights within Africa and identifying the best lodging and camps for us to visit. We saw the Big 5 on two separate days and also saw African wild dogs. Each of our camps in Sabi Sands, Victoria Falls and Moremi Game Reserve had a distinct style but all were welcoming and comfortable and animals proliferated. We would definitely use African Travel Gateway if we return to Africa. Thanks Lize!
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Andrew Beardmore
18 July 2025
Working with Lize, we crafted our second fully customized self-drive adventure through Southern Africa - this time in Northern Namibia. The itinerary was a perfect blend of rugged campsites and luxurious lodges. Lize’s expert knowledge and thoughtful advice were invaluable, everything was planned to perfection. We had the most incredible time, experiencing so much of what this stunning region has to offer, yet it feels like we’ve only just scratched the surface. We can’t wait for our next adventure!
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TJ Hefele
11 July 2025
We had an amazing trip! Petru did an outstanding job putting everything together for us! Truly couldn't imagine having a better experience. We are incredibly thankful!
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gary afford
13 June 2025
Just returned from a safari with my partner and 2 friends. 3 countries South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana. We stayed at Wilderness camps, accommodation and service was great and the wildlife sightings were excellent. All the arrangements and connections went like clockwork, Thanks again Lize from ATG.
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Michael Sump
13 June 2025
We had a wonderful trip to Africa with everything arranged by Bianca Gersbach. She was extremely attentive to our wishes, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. We wanted a full overview for our first trip to Africa, and we received it. We went on Safari in 3 countries: South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. We saw so many animals! But that wasn't all, we had a delightful visit to the South African wine country, and deep-dive experiences in both Cape Town and Johannesburg. The township tours and trip to the Apartheid Museum really opened our eyes. At times, Bianca knew what we wanted better than we did. She insisted that we'd enjoy the Okabango Panhandle, and we did! It was magical. A real highlight. A less engaged travel consultant might have let me make a suboptimal choice. We also enjoyed several days in Victoria Falls. I can't praise Bianca and African Travel Gateway enough. We will certainly use them again when we decide to return, and we will return. Once is not enough!
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Jim Campbell
01 May 2025
We asked for a holiday of a lifetime for my wife's birthday ... and Lize Enderstein and ATG certainly delivered!!! We could not have experienced such a magnificent trip without all Lize's organisation and planning. It was an absolute dream! So much so, we're looking to visit again and will certainly be using Lize for our next adventure. Nothing was too much trouble and all the planning made everything work so very smoothly. We felt like royalty throughout our trip with all sorts of birthday surprises already booked at every location. Incredible!!! We are so very grateful for everything Lize arranged and can't thank her enough and would heartily recommend Lize and ATG. Jim and Melanie xxx
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Teresa Harrison
29 January 2025
I have been using African Travel Gateway for about 30 years and not once have they let me down. My travels have been varied, visiting different countries and cultures in Africa, but with their help, it is always a magic carpet ride. Lize has been my contact for many years, and the intineries devised have been spectacular. She really understands our requirements and goes the extra mile to ensure all is OK. This time, we visited South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Everything was amazing. Our highlights, however, were La Fontaine in Franshoek and Camp Xakanaxa in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. We HIGHLY recommend African Travel Gateway
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Debbie Isaacs
21 January 2025
We used African Travel again for the second time over Xmas and New Year. Once again, every little bit of our trip ran smoothly and without a hitch. Their communication was great throughout and we will, no doubt, be returning to them in the future too. Thanks Petru.
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Daniel Stewart
08 January 2025
We had the most amazing time on our self drive tour of Namibia organised through African Travel Gateway. Everything from the planning and booking process, to the arrival and welcome in Windhoek, to the app with the itinerary and directions made for a really relaxed and well organised holiday. But the most important part was getting to experience Namibia - what a spectacular country! The only negative was that we should have booked for longer!
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Hilda Stanfliet
27 December 2024
Amazing hotel booked by Lize of African Travel Gateway, the most attentive service leading up to holiday
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Zoe Heelas
27 November 2024
ATG were fantastic from start to finish organising our trip 3 week trip in South Africa.Communication with Debbie was excellent before and during our trip. All accommodation and trips chosen by ATG was fantastic. This is our third trip with ATG and we are already thinking about our next.

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