South Africa Safaris are available year-round, but the best time for game-viewing is during the dry winter season of May through August and the warmer spring months of September and October. The temperatures are comfortable, animals are concentrated at water sources, and the vegetation is thinner, allowing unhindered views.

Kruger National Park, one of the world's first wildlife conservation areas, is a much-anticipated highlight of South Africa safaris. It's located in the northern corner of the country, where game-viewing is best enjoyed May through August. Most itineraries also spend time along the coast and in Cape Town, where whales are often spotted offshore from July through November.