South Africa rewards curious travelers with staggering variety: two oceans, the world’s smallest and most biodiverse floral kingdom, and some of the planet’s best wildlife viewing. Cape Town’s mountains-meet-sea drama segues into Kruger National Park’s Big Five safari, then Johannesburg’s creative energy and historic landmarks bring the country’s story full circle.

Indigenous Khoisan peoples, Bantu migrations, Dutch and British colonial eras, and the struggle against apartheid shaped a complex nation with 11 official languages. Today, you’ll taste it in Cape Malay curries, braai culture, and bold contemporary cuisine; you’ll see it in street art, design districts, and world-class museums.

Practical notes: the South African rand (ZAR) is widely tap-to-pay friendly; rideshare (Uber/Bolt) is common. Power plugs are Type M; load-shedding has improved but can occur—carry a small power bank. Kruger is in a malaria zone—speak to your doctor about prophylaxis. Keep valuables discreet and use hotel safes, especially in big cities.

Cape Town

Backed by Table Mountain and wrapped by two oceans, Cape Town is equal parts natural wonder and culinary playground. Neighborhoods like the Bo-Kaap splash color up cobbled hills, while the V&A Waterfront hums with buskers and harbor views. Day trips unveil penguins at Boulders Beach and the vine-draped valleys of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.

Base yourself in the City Bowl/Gardens for easy access to cafes and galleries, or by the Atlantic Seaboard (Sea Point/Camps Bay) for sunsets and promenade strolls. For first-timers, 4–5 days is ideal.

Where to stay: Browse stays on Hotels.com (Cape Town) or apartment-style options on VRBO (Cape Town). Look near Kloof/Long Street for nightlife, or Sea Point for quieter, walkable evenings.

Getting in: Fly into Cape Town International. Compare fares on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Airport to City Bowl is ~25 minutes by taxi/Uber.

Days 1–5: Cape Town Essentials, Peninsula, and Winelands

• City icons: Ride the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (aim for a clear morning; return fares are roughly R420–R450). Stroll Company’s Garden, then visit District Six Museum for context on forced removals. Loop through the Bo-Kaap for photos and to learn Cape Malay heritage.
• Robben Island and the Waterfront: Take the ferry from the V&A Waterfront to Robben Island (allow ~4 hours; plan ahead). Back ashore, explore Zeitz MOCAA’s striking silo galleries and the Watershed’s local design market.
• Cape Peninsula day: Road-trip Chapman’s Peak Drive to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Stop at Boulders Beach to meet the African penguin colony (boardwalk access ticketed). Time sunset at Camps Bay or Signal Hill.
• Winelands tasting: Day-trip to the Stellenbosch/Franschhoek valleys. Consider a mix of estates—Waterford (chocolate-and-wine pairing), Tokara (elegant cabernets, sculpted views), and Delaire Graff (art-filled gardens). Most tastings R80–R150 per flight.
• Neighborhoods and markets: Browse Woodstock’s street art and the Old Biscuit Mill (Saturdays buzz). Walk the Sea Point Promenade with ice cream at sunset. If you love plants, hit Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden for a fynbos fix.

Coffee and breakfast:

• Truth Coffee Roasting (steampunk roastery; single-origin espressos and hearty breakfasts).
• Origin Coffee Roasting (Green Point pioneer; pour-overs and barista classes).
• Jason Bakery (cult “doughssants,” flaky pies, and strong flat whites).

Lunch ideas:

• Mariam’s Kitchen (try the “Gatsby” sandwich—steak, chips, and peri-peri in a baguette—Cape Town street-food icon).
• Seabreeze Fish & Shell (SASSI-conscious seafood; oysters and hake tacos on Bree Street).
• Den Anker (Belgian classics with Table Mountain views; mussels and frites by the harbor).

Dinner to remember:

• FYN (Japanese-African tasting menus; lacquered duck and native fynbos notes).
• La Colombe (Constantia; theatrics and precision—book early).
• The Pot Luck Club (Old Biscuit Mill; shareable small plates, city panoramas).
• Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia (multi-course tapas for two overlooking vineyards).
• Kloof Street House (Victorian villa, candlelit, eclectic South African plates).

Casual local flavor: Biesmiellah (Bo-Kaap; Cape Malay curries and rotis) and The Lawns at the Roundhouse (picnic-style lunches with sea views).

Kruger National Park (Skukuza / Sabi Sands)

Kruger is safari shorthand for wild Africa: morning and evening game drives, elephant silhouettes at dusk, and ranger stories by the fire. The adjacent private reserves (Sabi Sands, Timbavati) offer off-road tracking and guided walks; inside the national park, rest camps and hides keep you close to the action.

Travel day (morning): Fly Cape Town to Mpumalanga (Nelspruit, MQP) or directly to Skukuza (SZK) when available. Expect 2h35 nonstop to MQP (or ~2h to Johannesburg + 1h to SZK with a 60–90 min connection). One-way fares typically $120–$260. Compare on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. MQP to Kruger’s southern gates is about 1–1.5 hours by road; Skukuza is inside the park.

Where to stay: For national-park bungalows near the Sabie River, search Hotels.com (Skukuza). Self-catering cottages and bush lodges also appear on VRBO (Skukuza). Private lodges in Sabi Sands/Timbavati typically include all meals and guided drives.

Days 6–10: Safari Rhythm, River Drives, and Starry Nights

• Twice-daily game drives: Dawn and dusk are prime. Look for the Big Five—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, buffalo—plus painted dogs and lilac-breasted rollers. In private reserves, off-road tracking often means up-close leopard sightings.
• On-foot perspectives: Join a mid-morning bush walk with an armed guide to read tracks and learn medicinal uses of marula and knob-thorn trees.
• Scenic routes: In southern Kruger, the Sabie River loops between Skukuza and Lower Sabie teem with elephants and hippos; stop at Nkuhlu picnic site for a leg stretch and birding.
• Panorama Route (optional day): If you overnight outside the park or have a buffer day, visit Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window, and Bourke’s Luck Potholes—lush viewpoints that pair well with Graskop’s pancake shops.
• After-dark skies: When the generator hum fades, look up: the Southern Cross anchors a bejeweled Milky Way. Many lodges offer astronomy talks.

Eat and unwind:

• Kruger Station (Skukuza): The 3638 Restaurant serves steaks and salads in a restored rail precinct; Departing Soon coffee bar pulls solid cortados between drives.
• Cattle Baron (Skukuza): Reliable grills and salads with river views; book the deck at sunset.
• Lower Sabie: Mugg & Bean’s terrace is all about hippos and sundowners on the water.

Good to know: Inside the park, self-drive speed limits are strictly enforced. Wear neutral colors on activities; bring binoculars, a light down jacket for winter mornings (Jun–Aug), and insect repellent year-round. SANParks rest camp bungalows from ~$80–$150 per night; private-lodge stays usually $350–$1,000+ per person per night including activities.

Johannesburg

Johannesburg—Joburg, Jozi—is gold-rush grit turned creative capital. Its museums illuminate the past, while art hubs like Keyes Art Mile and Maboneng spotlight a contemporary scene that’s lively and unpretentious. Leafy suburbs hide destination restaurants and third-wave coffee bars.

Travel day (morning): Fly Skukuza (or MQP) to Johannesburg (JNB): ~55 minutes nonstop from SZK, ~1 hour from MQP. One-way fares typically $70–$180. Check Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Base in Rosebank or Melrose for easy Gautrain access and walkability.

Where to stay: See options on Hotels.com (Johannesburg) and VRBO (Johannesburg). Rosebank’s Keyes Art Mile puts galleries, eateries, and rooftop bars on your doorstep.

Days 11–15: History, Soweto Stories, Art & Design, and Urban Nature

• Constitution Hill: Tour the Old Fort, Women’s Jail, and Constitutional Court to see how a former prison became a living symbol of rights and reconciliation.
• Apartheid Museum: A sobering, essential visit (often open Fri–Sun; check current hours). Exhibits trace the rise and fall of apartheid and the country’s democratic transition.
• Soweto perspectives: Visit Vilakazi Street, Mandela House, and the Hector Pieterson Memorial. Consider a guided cycle or tuk-tuk tour to meet resident entrepreneurs and artists.
• Art & design: Browse Keyes Art Mile (Circa, Everard Read) and street art in Maboneng. Saturdays, head to The Playground Market in Braamfontein for DJs, fashion, and small-batch food stalls.
• Cradle of Humankind (day trip): Explore Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng’s exhibits in a UNESCO-listed landscape of dolomite hills and fossils.
• Urban green: Walk the waterfall trail at Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden and scan for nesting Verreaux’s eagles.

Coffee and breakfast:

• Father Coffee (Rosebank; meticulous roasting, Scandinavian-leaning brews, and pastries).
• Bean There (44 Stanley; fair-trade African beans, Chemex and siphon options).
• Salvation Café (44 Stanley; shakshuka, ricotta hotcakes, leafy courtyard).

Lunch:

• The Grillhouse (Rosebank; Joburg institution—order the aged sirloin or ribs).
• Proud Mary (Oxford Parks; mid-century vibe, small plates, strong wine list).
• Nice on 4th (Parkhurst; famous scrambled-egg baskets and salads on a sunny terrace).

Dinner and drinks:

• Marble (live-fire cooking; prime cuts and seafood with sweeping city views).
• Qunu (The Saxon; refined South African flavors and superb service).
• Embarc (Parkhurst; inventive seasonal menus in a relaxed setting).
• Saint (glam Italian by the Marble team; Neapolitan pies and spritzes).
• Sin+Tax (intimate cocktail bar; rotating menus and technique-driven classics).

Logistics, safety, and getting around

• Transport between cities: All intercity legs in this itinerary are best by plane. Use Trip.com or Kiwi.com to compare prices and schedules.
• Local movement: In cities, rely on Uber/Bolt. For Cape Peninsula or Winelands days, hire a driver/guide if you’re not comfortable self-driving (South Africa drives on the left).
• Seasonality: Cape Town shines Oct–April (summer sunshine; peak crowds Dec–Feb). Kruger’s drier, cooler months May–Oct are best for wildlife visibility. Johannesburg is pleasant year-round, with crisp winter mornings.
• Tickets to book ahead: Robben Island ferry, Table Mountain (if a clear-day forecast), marquee restaurants, and private safari lodges.

Estimated pacing overview: Days 1–5 Cape Town; morning flight Day 6 to Kruger; Days 6–10 on safari; morning flight Day 11 to Johannesburg; Days 11–15 in Joburg with one Cradle day trip. Each flight segment is ~1–3 hours; budget $70–$260 per one-way domestic flight depending on route and season.

Fifteen days in South Africa gives you a genuine cross-section: ocean, vines, and mountain air in Cape Town; golden light and wildlife in Kruger; and the voice of the country in Johannesburg’s museums and neighborhoods. You’ll leave with a camera full of penguins and leopards—and a deeper understanding of the people and stories behind them.