South Africa Wildlife

When we decided to spend two weeks in South Africa, we quickly realised we couldn’t see everything, so we focused on the east coast, where you can combine both incredible marine life and classic African safaris in a relatively short time. From diving in the Indian Ocean to spotting the Big 5 in places like Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, we still managed to experience a surprising amount of wildlife without completely destroying our budget.

South Africa isn’t always seen as a “cheap” safari destination, but if you plan it right, think self-driving, staying just outside parks, and mixing guided experiences with DIY days, it’s actually very doable. So here’s exactly how we experienced wildlife in South Africa on a budget, and in a limited amount of time, from ocean encounters to game drives, and everything in between.

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park