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South Africa in South Africa — header

South Africa

South Africa

From
$8.9k
Best for
buddies
Airport
JNB

South Africa — 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.

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

Trip Packages at South Africa

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 in South Africa — golf lifestyle

What to Expect at South Africa

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 Cabanas 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

Resort01 / 05

Cabanas Hotel, Sun City

Luxury Twin Share

A 4-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
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
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
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
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

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
buddies trips, bucket-list golfers, golf-and-safari combo trips

Frequently Asked Questions about South Africa

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?

South Africa Flood, South Africa

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