Signature South Africa | Across the Wild Plains

Where nature reigns and skies stretch infinite, the safari plains stir with life and quiet connection

In South Africa’s northeast, nature moves to an ancient rhythm: in the march of elephants, in the flick of a lion’s tail, in the hush before dawn. Led by your handpicked Signature Guide, journey from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park, tracing the living pulse of South Africa. Each day reveals a new cadence: rare encounters, quiet reflection, and feasts beside the fire, so you don’t just see the wild, you feel it.

Venture to the very heart of each destination on our Signature Collection, where every journey is shaped by our unrivalled local connections and insider expertise. Step beyond the ordinary with private invitations, rare encounters, and experiences few will ever share. So when someone says, “I’ve been there,” you’ll simply smile, knowing you’ve experienced it differently.

Signature Experiences:

• Discover the wild’s rhythm on a private full-day safari through Kruger National Park, tracking elephants, lions, and rhinos alongside expert rangers
• See the rescued residents of Jane Goodall’s Chimp Eden and learn how education and empathy are transforming conservation
• Join a community in harmony on a private tour of Nourish Eco Village, creating, cooking, and sharing a braai lunch beneath the trees.

Signature Day: Experience our distinctive Signature Day, choosing between meeting the pioneering women of the Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit, crafting unique jewellery from snare wire, gold panning in Pilgrim’s Rest, or a scenic Blyde River Canyon cruise

Signature Stay: Answer the call of the wild at Leopard Sands, Kruger Park, where luxury and the natural world combine in perfect harmony

Signature Guide: Let your handpicked Signature guide lead you to the country’s soul – sharing their home, heritage, and heart

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

We also weave Signature Legacy moments into your itinerary, so the positive impact of your trip lasts long after your stay. These are moments to remember which help people and nature thrive, ensuring you build a harmonious, positive connection with the places you visit.

On this journey, you can:

• Support South Africa’s wildlife guardians on your Signature Day. You could meet the Black Mamba All-Women Anti-Poaching Unit, who empower communities through conservation, or transform reclaimed snare wire into jewellery with the conservation-focused artisans at Down to the Wire
• Explore Chimp Eden, part of the Jane Goodall Institute, where rescued chimpanzees live freely in forested enclosures, and learn how the Roots & Shoots programme supports conservation and community awareness.
• Join our hosts at Nourish Eco Village to garden, craft, and cook alongside the community’s ‘grannies’, share a braai lunch, and learn from a traditional healer – providing essential income for the communities and helping to preserve local culture.

Is this trip for you?

We have graded this trip Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page.

Driving times: The longest travel time takes place on Day 2, with approximately five hours’ driving from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park. Game drives will also involve long days in a vehicle.

Prebooking activities: An immersive adventure of your choice awaits on the Signature Day. All you need to do is prebook your preferred experience at least 60 days before departure through our Signature Collection travel experts. Additionally, an optional cooking session can be pre-booked for Day 1.

Vaccinations and Health

South Africa

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Malaria prophylaxis is essential if travelling in the greater Kruger area; seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic about which tablets to take. The rest of South Africa, including the Garden Route, has a low risk of malaria.

Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is also a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so we recommend taking the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Visa

South Africa

Travellers from the UK, US and most (though not all) EU states normally do not need a visa to enter South Africa. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/south-africa
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/south-africa
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SouthAfrica.html

Please note, all travellers to South Africa who require a visa need at least two consecutive blank pages in their passport (ie a left- and right-hand page) to enable an entry visa to be issued.

Additionally, any child under 18 travelling to South Africa needs to be in possession of an unabridged birth certificate with the names of both parents. If a child under 18 is only travelling with one parent, they will also have to have an affidavit, no less than three months old, from the absent parent confirming the child can travel with the other parent; a court order granting full legal guardianship of the child; or a death certificate of the deceased parent.

Food & Drink

This journey is designed to deepen your connection to the country through its food and drink. From renowned chef David Higgs’ live-fire creations at Marble Restaurant to riverside lunches and open-air feasts in Kruger, flavour takes centre stage. Dine on flame-grilled game, Cape-inspired curries, and citrus desserts from Mpumalanga’s orchards. At Leopard Sands, lantern-lit bomas and a farewell dinner with marimba music capture the warmth and creativity of South Africa.

Weather

South Africa’s northeast shifts beautifully with the seasons, each revealing a new face of the wild. From May to October, golden light bathes the plains, and wildlife gathers around rivers and waterholes. Between November and April, rains return to renew the land, transforming the bush into a lush green sanctuary alive with migratory birds.