South Africa · BIG FIVE GAME DRIVES IN DURBAN
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 big five game drives in Durban worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
You leave Durban at 6:00 am for a 11 to 12 hour safari at Hluhluwe Imfolozi, with entry, transport, a guide, and limited bottled water included. Guides such as Sibo and Nikolas provide wildlife commentary, but sightings are never guaranteed.
“There are not much wild animals to be seen. I really would not recommend this safari to anyone who is expecting to see the big 5.”
Leave Durban at 5:30 am with driver Thabo Mokgape or another Wild Routes Africa driver for the 2.5 to 3-hour ride to Manyoni Private Game Reserve. Spend about 6 to 8 hours in an open safari vehicle, using binoculars and ranger tracking to seek rhino, elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, giraffe, and more.
“The guide was wonderful and the animals even better. It was everything we hoped it would be. We give it 5 stars.”
Leave Durban at about 6:30 a.m. for a closed-vehicle safari in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park. A professional guide such as Wendy, Jan Jordaan, Prince, or Thabo leads the game drive, with chances to see rhino, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, hippo, crocodile, and many birds. An open vehicle costs extra and must be booked ahead.
“This was an excellent trip our Guide, Jan Jordaan ,was very knowledgeable - there was plenty of room in the vehicle as there were only 4 of us - we left the hotel at 6.15am and returned at 7.30pm. The whole time we were absorbed in the woRead more”
Spend 10 hours exploring Tala Private Game Reserve, Natal Lion Park, and Phezulu Safari Park from Durban. Expect a 4x4 game drive, chances to see rhino, giraffe, zebra, lions, and elephants, plus optional Zulu culture and reptile activities. Phezulu admission costs extra.
“The tour would have been fantastic if our guide spoke. She didn’t say much the whole day although she was polite. No information about the animals, where we were going, facts about the country etc etc. We relied on Google. The places we went to were worth a visit though.”
Travel from Durban to Tala Game Reserve for a 4x4 safari among rhino, giraffe, hippo, zebra, kudu, and more, then continue to Natal Lion Park for lions and elephants. English guiding, hotel, airport, and cruise-port pickup are offered, but transport reliability requires careful confirmation.
“The trip itself was worth seeing. We saw many animals, and were able to get very close to some of them. Unfortunately, the weather put a damper on our plans (persistent, torrential rain). The guides made the most of it.”
Travel from Durban’s Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal to Tala Private Game Reserve for a two-hour closed-vehicle game drive. You may see giraffes, zebras, rhinos, hippos, wildebeest, ostriches, and birds. Guides such as Tommy, Rennie, Tammy, and Themba are praised for their care and local knowledge.
“This tour exceeded our expectations. We saw all the animals all around the vehicle. The giraffes, zebras were within an arms length away. Fantastic. What a great tour, and our guide was very knowledgeable and made our tour very memorable.”
Spend a full day traveling from Durban to Hluhluwe Imfolozi, South Africa’s oldest game park, on a private guided trip with a closed vehicle safari. Guides such as Freddy, Aaron, and Nene have helped guests spot rhinos, elephants, giraffes, antelope, and birds. Optional extras include a wild cat sanctuary, boat cruise, and Zulu cultural visit.
“Purtroppo nonostante il parco sia uno dei più famosi per fare i Safari e sia davvero un parco molto bello e pieno di animali, avremmo fatto meglio ad organizzarci il tour in autonomia! Primo problema: Il nostro Safari doveva durare un intera giornata, mentre non si sa il motivo siamo stati inseriti dal partner locale (senza possibilità di rinunciare!) in un tour composto da più esperienze che ha portato via moltissimo tempo al nostro Safari e questo ha fatto si che all’interno del parco la guida avesse molta fretta per riuscire a stare nei tempi (in ogni caso il nostro rientro in hotel che doveva essere ad un certo orario…”
Leave Durban at 7:30am for a two-hour game drive at Tala Game Reserve, then visit Natal Lion Park for lions, elephants, impala, baboons, and monkeys. English-speaking guides, including Timba on some departures, provide local context. Hotel, airport, and port pickup are included.
“Very nice guide and everyone on the safari in general. The only downside was that the air conditioning in the bus was much too cold, so everyone was freezing.”
Spend about 10 hours visiting three wildlife parks near Durban with a private group and pickup. Joseph is one named guide, and the day includes a 4x4 drive at Tala, close elephant and lion viewing at Natal Lion Park, and optional Phezulu activities at extra cost.
“Doe deze toer niet als er een cruiseschip is die dag omdat er dan geen plaats is in het 4x4 voertuig. De mensen die per bus arriveren mogen in de 4x4 voertuigen en de viator mensen moeten vanuit een veel te klein busje met piepkleine rameRead more”
Leave Durban before sunrise for a small-group safari in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. Your English-speaking guide handles the long drive and wildlife viewing, with lunch at Hilltop Camp or a similar spot. Expect rhino country, rolling hills, birds, and a full 12-hour day.
“We had a wonderful life experience, and our tour guide was incredible, friendly what a sweet woman. a big shout out to Thompsons traveling agency we are content and happy. Cheers to the future”
Leave Durban before sunrise for a private, full-day safari in Hluhluwe Imfolozi, Africa’s oldest proclaimed nature reserve. You’ll ride into the bush in a 4x4, pause for lunch, and spend the day looking for lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, zebras, and other wildlife.
“Wundervoller Tagesausflug ins Wilde Afrika mit einem ganz tollen Guide, der sich sehr viel Mühe gab und auch auf der Fahrt dort hin und zurück Einiges aus dem afrikanischen Leben erklärt und berichtet hat. Ich habe Löwen, Elefanten, Büffel, Nashörner, Affen, Zebras, Warzenschweine etc gesehen! Kann ich nur weiter empfehlen! GREAT DAY”
Leave Durban at 6am with pickup included and drive about three hours to Hluhluwe Imfolozi. Benson handles the transfer, while a reserve guide leads the 4x4 safari through 98,000 hectares known for rhino conservation, elephants, lions, and varied wildlife.
“Fantastic trip, great close encounters with Elephant, Lions and Rhino.. loved the dung beetles and great views of the park. Benson did everything possible to make it a day to remember!”
Leave Durban at 6:00 am for a private, full-day safari in Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park. Your guide and private vehicle handle the long drive and game spotting, with chances to see rhinos, elephants, lions, buffalo, hippos, and antelopes. Lunch is not included.
“We did the three day safari with Paul. It was the experience of a lifetime. Paul is very knowledgeable and we could tell that he genuinely wanted to give us an amazing experience. He went out of his way to find as many animals as possible. We Read more”
Spend about nine hours exploring Tala Game Reserve and the Natal Lion Park area from Durban. Guide Zamani is known for clear local history and close wildlife encounters, including elephant feeding, lioness sightings, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, zebra, and birdlife.
“Our guide Zamani told us to buy apples to feed the elephants, inspiring!, spent quite a bit of time feeding them then hung with a lioness for a while, exhilarating, did not have to deal with crowded jeeps saw everything from the comfort of a front seat in a comfortable car, saw more animals than I can name including a crash of rhinos! Wonderful, best guide ever!”
Leave Durban around 5 AM for a 2.5-hour drive at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi, lunch at Hilltop Camp, then a four-hour open 4x4 safari at Manyoni. Your small group may work with guides such as Tambo, Wanda Boy, David, or Mzamo, with binoculars and wildlife books provided.
“It was great! The private game reserve was excellent! Our driver Tambo and guide Wanda Boy were the best! Highly recommend.”
Pick a reserve, a coastline or a cellar.
