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South Africa Golf Safari in South Africa

South Africa

South Africa Golf Safari

Courses
9
From
$8.9k
Best for
Couples-Trips

South Africa Golf Safari — overview

South Africa pairs championship golf with a genuine Big Five safari like nowhere else on earth — tee it up at Gary Player's home course, the riverside Leopard Creek, and the country's #1-ranked Fancourt Links, then swap clubs for binoculars on open-vehicle game drives through Kruger. Add in Garden Route scenery and Cape wine country, and it's one of the most complete golf-and-adventure trips JEL offers.

Courses
9 courses
Best months
April – September
Ideal length
13–14 days
From airport
2h 30m to Sun City Resort
Trips from
$8,900

Golf Courses at South Africa Golf Safari

Swipe to view all 9 courses

The Lost City Golf Course
01 / 09

South Africa · Course 1

The Lost City Golf Course

Holes
18
Par
72
Yards
6,983
Est.
1993

Designed by Gary Player in 1993 as Sun City's desert-style companion to the Gary Player Country Club, this par-72 layout is carved into the hills above the resort with wide fairways, more than 28,000 square metres of water features, and dramatic elevation changes. Its signature is the par-3 13th, where the green — shaped like the African continent — is guarded by a lake of live Nile crocodiles. Carts are compulsory given the terrain and distances involved.

Gary Player Country Club
Home of the Nedbank Golf Challenge since 198102 / 09

South Africa · Course 2

Gary Player Country Club

Holes
18
Par
72
Yards
7,981
Est.
1979

Opened in 1979 as Gary Player's namesake design, this par-72 walking course is one of the longest courses in the world at nearly 8,000 yards and has hosted the Nedbank Golf Challenge — one of golf's richest tournaments — every December since 1981. A 5km running trail winds alongside the layout, and the course has repeatedly been voted the best in South Africa by Golf Digest and Compleat Golfer.

Highland Gate
High-altitude mountain golf at roughly 2,000m elevation03 / 09

South Africa · Course 3

Highland Gate

Holes
18
Par
72
Yards
6,750

Set at roughly 2,000 metres above sea level in the Steenkampsberg mountain range near Dullstroom, this Ernie Els signature design is among the highest-altitude courses ranked in South Africa's Top 100. Els has compared the scenery to Scotland's Gleneagles, and the estate's 700 hectares also include trout-fishing dams, hiking trails, and mountain biking routes. The course rewards accuracy over distance, with dramatic elevation changes and water hazards coming into play throughout.

Leopard Creek Country Club - Championship Course
Borders Kruger National Park along the Crocodile River04 / 09

South Africa · Course 4

Leopard Creek Country Club - Championship Course

Holes
18
Par
72
Yards
6,665
Est.
1996

Designed by Gary Player and opened in 1996 on the banks of the Crocodile River, Leopard Creek sits directly on the border of Kruger National Park — hippos, crocodiles, and elephants are regular sightings during a round. The signature par-5 13th plays to a green perched 32 metres above the river with views straight into Kruger, and the par-5 18th closes with an island green. A strictly private club owned by Johann Rupert, it hosts the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship and is consistently ranked among South Africa's top two courses.

Kambaku Golf Club
9-hole layout played as a full 18 via alternate tees05 / 09

South Africa · Course 5

Kambaku Golf Club

Holes
9
Par
72
Yards
6,028
Est.
2001

Set at the confluence of the Crocodile and Komati Rivers with the Lebombo Mountains as a backdrop, Kambaku was built by a community of local farmers starting in 1997 and designed by Douw van der Merwe. It's officially a 9-hole layout, but alternate tee boxes and greens let golfers play a genuinely varied 18-hole round. The riverside clubhouse deck overlooks Kruger National Park, with elephant and hippo sightings a regular occurrence.

Fancourt - Outeniqua Course
Most forgiving of Fancourt's three courses06 / 09

South Africa · Course 6

Fancourt - Outeniqua Course

Holes
18
Par
72
Yards
6,312
Est.
1991

The most forgiving of Fancourt's three Gary Player designs, Outeniqua opened in 1991 and winds through gently undulating parkland at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains. Water hazards come into play on 11 of the 18 holes, including four of the closing five, and the course is consistently ranked among South Africa's top 20. It's a favourite for golfers wanting a slightly easier test than its Fancourt siblings, the Montagu and the Links.

Fancourt - Montagu Course
Currently ranked #11 in South Africa07 / 09

South Africa · Course 7

Fancourt - Montagu Course

Holes
18
Par
72
Yards
6,714
Est.
1991

A Gary Player parkland design that opened alongside the Outeniqua in 1991, the Montagu is the longer and more demanding of Fancourt's two original courses, with rolling fairways, strategically placed bunkers, and sweeping mountain views. It has hosted the Dimension Data Pro-Am (now the NTT Data Pro-Am) as part of Fancourt's regular rotation of European and Sunshine Tour events, and is currently ranked #11 in South Africa.

Fancourt - The Links
Ranked #1 golf course in South Africa08 / 09

South Africa · Course 8

Fancourt - The Links

Holes
18
Par
73
Yards
6,930
Est.
2000

Gary Player has called the Links his greatest design achievement — built on a former airfield in 2000, it recreates the dune-and-fescue character of the British Isles without ever leaving South Africa. The course hosted the 2003 Presidents Cup, ending in the event's only tie after Tiger Woods and Ernie Els halved a playoff in fading light. Ranked the #1 course in South Africa, arriving guests are welcomed with their name on their caddie bib, their own locker, and a glass of whiskey on the first tee.

Pinnacle Point
Seven holes played along Indian Ocean cliffs09 / 09

South Africa · Course 9

Pinnacle Point

Holes
18
Par
72
Yards
6,460
Est.
2006

Carved into cliffs above the Indian Ocean near Mossel Bay, Pinnacle Point was designed by Peter Matkovich with 2011 Open Champion Darren Clarke and opened in November 2006. Seven holes run along the ocean cliffs, four of them played directly over rock and surf, with elevated tees delivering views on every hole. It was named South Africa's Best Golf Course at the World Golf Awards in both 2016 and 2017, and carts are required given the terrain.

Trip Packages at South Africa Golf Safari

Starting points. Everything is built around your dates, group size, and the courses you want to play.

Best of the North Golf & Safari

From $8,900 per golfer

A 14-day, 13-night trip combining 8 rounds of golf with Kruger safari and Garden Route wine country. Includes a private airport meet & greet, all private luxury transfers, a Mhala Tours guide for the full trip, all meals as stipulated in the itinerary, golf carts (except at Gary Player CC), an afternoon/sunset safari, a luxury safari dinner experience, a wine tasting, and 2 domestic flights.

All golf and lodging taxes and fees included. Excludes flights, airport transfers, and caddies. Rates subject to change.

South Africa Golf Safari in South Africa — golf lifestyle

What to Expect at South Africa Golf Safari

Why visit

South Africa is the rare destination where a golf trip and a safari genuinely belong in the same itinerary. Golfers can play Gary Player's home course at Sun City, the riverside Leopard Creek Country Club bordering Kruger National Park, and Fancourt's Links course — ranked #1 in the country — all within the same two weeks. Between rounds, guests trade fairways for open-vehicle game drives in Kruger, sundowners overlooking the bush, and a private boma dinner under the stars. The trip closes out in the Garden Route and Cape wine country, adding mountain scenery, wine tasting, and small-town charm to the golf-and-wildlife combination. It's an ideal fit for buddies trips and bucket-list groups who want more than just golf out of a trip.

Accommodations

Accommodation ranges from the resort-style Cascades Hotel at Sun City and a private self-catering lodge at Highland Gate Estate, to the 5-star Buhala Lodge bordering Kruger and the Fancourt Hotel in the Garden Route — a mix of resort, lodge, and boutique-hotel stays suited to each leg of the trip.

Resort amenities

Stays combine resort amenities at Sun City — including a casino, tennis courts, and the Valley of Waves water park — with a private self-catering lodge at Highland Gate, a 5-star safari lodge at Buhala overlooking the river, and the Fancourt Estate's spa, dining, and practice facilities in the Garden Route.

  • Private guide for the full trip
  • Open-vehicle game drives in Kruger
  • Boma dinner under the stars
  • Wine tasting at Harold's Wine Farm
  • Cart and caddie service included at most courses
Where to stay

5 hand-picked stays.

Each property is selected for proximity to the next round, the kind of evening that fits a long golf trip, and the feel we want for the group.

Swipe to view more stays

Cascades Hotel, Sun City
Resort01 / 05

Cascades Hotel, Sun City

Luxury Room

A 5-star resort hotel inside Sun City with tropical gardens, an outdoor heated pool, two restaurants, and direct access to the Lost City and Gary Player golf courses.

Included in package
Highland Gate Estate
Villa02 / 05

Highland Gate Estate

A private, self-catering luxury lodge on the Highland Gate golf estate in Dullstroom, praised by Ernie Els for its mountain scenery.

Included in packageView hotel
Buhala Lodge
Resort03 / 05

Buhala Lodge

A 5-star lodge overlooking the river on the Kruger border, with sunset game drives and 3-course dinners included.

Included in packageView hotel
Ecolux Boutique Hotel, Komatipoort
Hotel04 / 05

Ecolux Boutique Hotel, Komatipoort

Luxury Room

A boutique hotel near Komatipoort used as the base for the Kruger sunset safari and boma dinner experience.

Included in package
Fancourt Hotel
Resort05 / 05

Fancourt Hotel

A 5-star hotel on the Fancourt Estate in the Garden Route, home to three championship courses including the #1-ranked Links.

Included in package

Plan Your Trip to South Africa Golf Safari

Getting there

Most trips fly into OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg, followed by a private transfer of roughly 2.5 hours to Sun City to begin the golf and safari leg. The itinerary includes two domestic flights — from Kruger Mpumalanga International to George for the Garden Route — with a return flight out of Cape Town or Johannesburg at the end of the trip.

Best time to visit
April through September is ideal, coinciding with South Africa's dry winter season — game viewing in Kruger peaks as wildlife gathers around water sources, and the drier, cooler weather keeps golf courses in prime condition.
Who it's best for
Buddies trips and bucket-list groups who want championship golf paired with a genuine Big Five safari experience.
Course details
The itinerary includes rounds at the Gary Player Country Club (home of the Nedbank Golf Challenge) and Lost City Golf Course at Sun City, Highland Gate in Dullstroom, Leopard Creek Country Club on the Kruger border, Kambaku Golf Club on the Crocodile River, and three rounds at Fancourt — Outeniqua, Montagu, and the Links, currently ranked #1 in South Africa.
Location
Johannesburg to the Garden Route, South Africa
Nearest airport
OR Tambo International (JNB)
Trip style
Resort
Best for
Couples-Trips, bucket-list golfers, golf-and-safari combo trips

Frequently Asked Questions about South Africa Golf Safari

Are golf carts included on every course?

Carts are included on all rounds except at Gary Player Country Club, where carts are not permitted and a caddie fee applies.

How many rounds of golf are included?

The itinerary includes 8 rounds across Sun City (Lost City and Gary Player CC), Highland Gate, Leopard Creek, Kambaku, and three courses at Fancourt (Outeniqua, Montagu, and the Links).

What's included in the safari portion of the trip?

The trip includes an afternoon/sunset safari and overnight stay bordering Kruger at Buhala Lodge, plus a dedicated Kruger sunset safari with a boma dinner and night drive from Komatipoort.

What's not included in the price?

Meals not stipulated in the itinerary, all drinks, travel insurance, international flights, the domestic flight to George, and caddie fees at Gary Player Country Club are excluded.

On the map

Where is South Africa Golf Safari?

9 courses

Khusela Reserve - South Africa, South Africa

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