18 of The Best South Africa Safari Adventures for Young Travelers

Many intrepid young travellers choose to make the memories of a lifetime by taking a South Africa safari and blending it with some of the other incredible adventures this country offers. 

And it’s easy to see why! 

The Land of Adventure: South Africa!

A destination filled with breathtaking landscapes, wild outdoor pursuits, and wild nature, this country’s diversity and drama offer the potential for incredible hiking, epic mountain scaling, amazing mangrove kayaking, stunning coral reef snorkelling, world-class surfing, sensational canyon rafting… all within one trip!

Garden Route adventures

And that’s all on top of the wildlife adventures that a South Africa safari itself holds too!

So, it's no wonder young people flock here from all over the world to indulge in some of life's most thrilling and exciting activities. 

The unique potential of this country to combine a world-class safari with a bunch of other bucket list experiences make it an extremely popular choice with young travelers and here are all the details…

Bucket List on a Budget 

Firstly, South Africa is seriously popular with adventure-hungry young people because it offers an incredible array of bucket-list travel experiences at some incredibly pocket-friendly prices. 

After all, South Africa is also one of the world’s most affordable safari destinations. 

While most lodges and tour companies in Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania, quote only in US dollars, many excellent options in South Africa (including African Budget Safaris) charge in South African Rand. 

And this is good news for budget travellers! 

The favourable rand/dollar exchange rate means that South African safaris, paid for in the local currency, continue to offer by far the continent’s best value. 

But where to go and what to do? 

To help you plan your adventures, our team of African travel experts has put together our top recommendations for 18 of the best South Africa safari adventures for young travellers, especially those on a budget.

So let’s get stuck in…

Garden Route Adventures 

The Garden Route is one of South Africa's most popular destinations and with good reason - it’s commonly regarded as the most beautiful region in the country!

Hugging the country’s southern coast, this route is filled with the lush flora of indigenous forests along with mesmerizing mountain ranges, which slide down to jagged cliffs and panoramic coastal vistas.

Honestly, it’s the kind of breathtaking view usually only found in magazines!

Add to that an abundance of adventure activities, and a trip including the Garden Route is ideal for young travellers!

On the coast, there are chances to see whales, dolphins, great white sharks, and African penguins, swim in the Indian Ocean and enjoy the incredible beaches. 

While further inland you can explore the ancient limestone Cango Caves, take a treetop canopy tour, forest hike in the stunning Tsitsikamma National Park, and kayak down, as well as traverse an epic suspension bridge, at Storms River. 

There’s also an opportunity to do a tandem skydive or go sandboarding on South Africa’s longest dune and, for those that dare, there’s even Africa’s highest bungee jump (the 4th highest in the world) - a 216-meter high plummet from Bloukrans Bridge!

All these activities and more can be enjoyed on the Backpackers Garden Route Tour - a 6-day South Africa Tour perfect for young travellers on a budget. 

It’s the ideal opportunity to meet other travellers and share life-changing experiences with them as part of an extremely affordable tour. 

Starting and ending in Cape Town, this Garden Route Tour also wraps in a wildlife safari at the beautiful Addo Elephant National Park and the chance to visit beautiful Cape Town - a city itself full of adventure! 

Stormsriver, South Africa

Best Garden Route Adventures in South Africa:

1. Ocean Safaris in Plettenberg & Mossel Bay, Marine Life & Beach Time all along the Garden Route coast

2. Cango Caves, mountain biking & Oudtshoorn ostrich farm tours

3. Treetop canopy tour (zipline), Woodcutters Journey, and coastal forest hikes in Tsitsikamma National Park

4. Storms River adventures - blackwater tubing, river rafting, and kayaking

5. Tandem skydiving in Mossel Bay or Plettenberg Bay

6. Sandboarding on South Africa’s longest dune, near Mossel Bay

7. Bungee jump or bridge swing from Bloukrans Bridge

8. Big 5 Addo Elephant Park Safari

Kruger National Park Adventures

Kruger safari lions

For a South Africa safari full of amazing experiences, there’s no game reserve quite like Kruger National Park. 

Commonly regarded as South Africa’s most exciting safari destination, and definitely, the country’s most popular, this iconic park is full of opportunities for adventure. 

Of course, top of most travellers' lists when it comes to Kruger activities are game drives and the chance to spot the notorious Big 5 of Africa. 

But this wildlife reserve also offers lots of other experiences perfect for young travellers. 

4x4 trails allow visitors to get off the beaten track and explore territories of the park that are rarely seen while taking in the real wildness of the African bush on foot, on a wilderness trail walking safari is another option available to the more adventurous.

These epic walks, led by experienced (and armed) guides, allow you to focus on things you’ll likely miss during a vehicle safari and will mean you get to experience epic Kruger up close and personal. 

Mountain biking is also possible from certain camps in this huge park. 

For young travellers with small pockets who are still seeking BIG adventures, our 3-Day Greater Kruger Safari is a fantastic introduction to the thrill of an African safari. 

On this brilliantly economical safari, you can enjoy the thrill of staying in an unfenced safari camp within the Greater Kruger Park.

Surrounded by untamed nature, and offering a genuine African bush experience, the camp overlooks a flood-lit waterhole visited by wildlife and birds, day and night, and is an ideal place to get close to nature and immerse yourself in the African wilderness.

Along with exhilarating morning game drives, other intrepid activities in this itinerary include a sunset-to-night game drive when you’ll search for the nocturnal creatures of the park as darkness falls. 

Walking safaris in South Africa

Best Kruger National Park Adventures in South Africa:

9. 4x4 Safari adventures

10. Guided walking safaris

11. Mountain biking trails

12. Night game drives

Panorama Route Adventures

Blyde river canyon panorama route

The Panorama Route, located in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province, is one of the world’s most beautiful driving routes, tying together some of the most stunning scenery the country has to offer. 

Aptly named, this scenic road trip promises endless views, along with plunging waterfalls, crystal rock pools, majestic cliffs, and lush forests. The perfect spot for exploring nature on scenic drives, hikes, quad biking tours, cycling trips, and more.

It really has to be seen to be believed! 

The area is also home to the world’s third-largest canyon - Blyde River Canyon - where the bravest can enjoy white water rafting. 

Just a couple hours' drive from Kruger, the incredible scenes and adventures the Panorama Route has to offer can be easily combined with a Kruger safari, making for one seriously epic trip. 

Our highly affordable 5-Day Panorama Route & Kruger Park Safari tour is the perfect way to take in the breathtaking highlights of the Panorama Route - including God's Window, Bourkes Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon, Lisbon Falls, the Three Rondavels, and Graskop village - along with a wildlife safari in a world-famous game reserve. 

Best Panorama Route Adventures in South Africa:

13. Scenic road trips, hiking, quad biking, and sightseeing

14. White water rafting in Blyde River Canyon

15. Boat trips and cruises on the Blyde River

Adventures in Durban - South Africa's Surfing Capital

Durban surfing South Africa

There’s no question that those who love the swell are drawn to South Africa for its world-class waves, and the beaches of Durban are a great place to get your fix as the area hosts the most consistent waves in South Africa. 

Add to that the warm Indian Ocean waters and the hot weather, and you’ve got some seriously favourable surfing conditions!

The swell generally gets bigger the further north you travel, but there are plenty of world-class waves for all levels of experience along this almost 3000 km coastline - so whatever your proficiency (beginner or pro), you’re sure to find somewhere to catch a wave!

There are also loads of great surf spots in and around Cape Town too, including Muizenburg Beach, which is perfect for beginners, and Jeffery’s Bay, located on the Garden Route, which is known as one of the most famous surfing destinations in the world. 

Beyond surfing, Durban is the springboard for an impressive array of soul-soothing and horizon-expanding adventures. From hiking in the majestic Drakensberg Mountains to wildlife safaris in the prestigious Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park and cultural tours of the historic Battlefields. 

Best Durban & KwaZulu-Natal Adventures in South Africa:

16. Surfing and beach time on the KwaZulu-Natal coastline in and around Durban

17. Drakensberg Mountains hiking and Battlefield tours

18. Wildlife safaris in Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park

South Africa Safari Adventures for the Young Traveler

Bungee jump in South Africa

Hopefully, you can now see that South Africa really is the land of adventure! 

But honestly, we've only just covered the tip of the iceberg in this article, as this amazing country is bursting with astonishing experiences for intrepid young travellers. 

Whatever your budget and timeframe our team of African travel experts can help you plan your perfect African adventure, so why not get in touch for their pro advice today?