7-Day Kruger Wildlife Safari & Table Mountain Hike

This 7 day Kruger safari and Table Mountain hike splits the week between Cape Town and the bush. You climb Table Mountain on foot and ride the cableway down, taste wine in the Winelands, meet the penguins at Boulders Beach and cross to Robben Island, then fly to the Kruger area for two days of Big Five searching. Flights between the two, park fees, the cableway and full board are included.

The Cape comes first: you walk up the flat summit of Table Mountain with the city below and the ocean beyond, return by cableway, spend a day in sunlit Winelands vineyards and at the Boulders Beach penguin colony, and on day four take the ferry to Robben Island to hear stories of struggle and triumph. Read our South Africa planning guide and the South Africa destination page, and see the wine tasting page.

Then you fly to the savannah. Kruger gives you dawn game drives in an open 4x4 with a tracker and guide, with elephants, giraffes and antelope in golden light, and a full day searching for the Big Five. See the Big Five safari page and our comparison of Big Five safaris in Tanzania and South Africa.

Moderate to challenging. The Table Mountain hike on day two needs good walking fitness: on the most direct trails the climb usually takes two to three hours, and you come down by cableway. There are some early starts, game drives and flights, and a guide supports you throughout. If the cableway is closed because of wind, we adjust the day.

Cape Town is best from November to March, when it is warm and dry, though the south-easter can close the cableway. Kruger is best from May to September, when the bush is dry and animals gather at water. Since this trip covers both, choose between the two: a shoulder month such as October or April gives you reasonable conditions in each. Bring a rain jacket whenever you travel.

This trip suits active travellers who want a hike and a safari in the same week. If you prefer a gentler trip see the 5-day Cape Town cultural tour, or for more safari the 6-day Sabi Sands and Kruger safari and the 8-day South Africa Big Five safari and Cape Town.

Robben Island ferries depend on the sea, so we build some flexibility into day four. Check entry rules with our travel visa guide.

If you are also weighing a trip with conservation and community visits built in, see our Signature Journeys in Rwanda.

Planning this trip? Our guides on the best park for the Big Five in South Africa and a Big Five family safari in South Africa cover the main questions to settle before you book.