Domestic flights and itineraries in South Africa

Hi, We're traveling as a family with 2 kids (7 and 15 years old) in July 2025 for a road trip in South Africa. We have a round-trip ticket from Paris to Johannesburg and are considering taking 2 domestic flights: one between Johannesburg and Cape Town and another between Cape Town and Durban. Do you know when it's best to book the tickets to get the best fares and which airline to choose? I'm currently finding tickets on Safair for 300 € for 4 between Johannesburg and Cape Town. What do you think? Also, I have a slight hesitation. We're going for 18 days. Do you think it's better to focus on the northern part of the country, including Kruger, or is it worth visiting the Cape region as well (the kids dream of seeing whales!)? Thanks so much for your advice. I’d really appreciate it! Have a great evening, Sophie

Hi there,

I won’t be much help with domestic flights since I’ve never taken one in South Africa, even after more than 10 trips.

As for the route, you should know that July isn’t the best time to visit Cape Town. For the eastern part of the country, it’s the dry but cool season (especially at higher altitudes). It can get cold at night.

The classic 18-day itinerary looks like this:

Arrival in Joburg – Blyde Canyon – Kruger – Crossing through Eswatini – St. Lucia and Cape Vidal – Hluhluwe-iMfolozi – Drakensberg – Joburg

No need for domestic flights on this route.

To give you an idea of what it’s like, here’s a link to one of my South African travel journals:

https://www.myatlas.com/Attila/afrique-du-sud-retour-aux-sources

Happy planning! !

Hi Sophie, Welcome here! You’ve found the right place to get guidance for South Africa! Just specialists here (well, except me 😉).

But I’d agree with Atilla—with 18 days, especially with two kids, focus on the north and its parks (Kruger and iMfolozi). Two flights mean two lost days and a lot of extra costs. There’s plenty of magic to go around—save the whales for another time or another place 😉

Thanks for your feedback. Maybe it’s better to focus on the northern part of the country this time after all. I saw that in Santa Lucia, boat excursions are available to see whales. Worth a try?

Thanks for your feedback. Maybe it’s better to focus on the north of the country this time after all. I saw that in Santa Lucia, boat excursions are possible to see whales. Worth a try?

We were there at the end of the year, so not whale season. Check locally to see if there are any when you’re there. And if there are, go for it! 😉

When leaving Eswatini (no longer Swaziland, Mrs. Atilla 😉), also take a look at the "Tembe Elephant Park." It’s a small budget to plan for, but an extraordinary experience (bungalow without walls 😛).

Hi there Domestic flights work well CPT to Hoedspruit, for example Or to Durban But it’s true that It makes for lost transfer days That CPT in July isn’t the best That whale season in CPT is just starting

That I love St Lucia and especially iSimangaliso That whales are more present in July That the whale-watching tour with Advantage Tour is a must (Check their website for kids) But that the beach will be very, very Breton-like\

Speaking of specialists... 😉

Tembe Lions Park as far as you're concerned!

Tembe Lions park as far as you're concerned!

Either I’ve got an elephant’s memory or I don’t know what I’m talking about!

A chance to revive this old travel journal if you're tempted (Michel’s explanation on page 2). It’s here.

Also a chance to correct a mistake in my previous post: we actually slept in wall-less bungalows at Mkhaya game reserve. At Tembe Elephant Park, it was a 5-star tent (my memory failed me 😉). But they’re close to each other!

For info: https://biggameparks.org/properties/mkhaya-game-reserve-3

Mkaya There are walls but no windows And just a small gate to keep the hyenas out Tembe No walls, just a tent canvas that closes

Hi Sophie,

I’m currently finding tickets on Safair for 300 € for 4 between Johannesburg and Cape Town. What do you think?

You might find slightly cheaper options, but a small hundred euros in the grand scheme of this trip probably isn’t a dealbreaker. I’d say the schedule matters more: after an early morning takeoff from JNB, you’ll be in Hermanus in time for lunch with the whales—if they’re around.

Their presence is hit-or-miss from June to October, in Hermanus as well as St Lucia, so it’s best to try to see them where you’ll have other things to do. If whales are the *only* reason you’re coming to Cape Town, it might be better to skip it and follow the experts’ advice .

That said, I think flying over the country and seeing the diversity of its landscapes—the mix of urban, agricultural, and semi-desert areas—is way more worthwhile than two hours on the road in eSwatini . Not to mention the Western Cape is *very* different from the eastern provinces.

@Montagnard

When leaving Eswatini (and no longer Swaziland, Ms. Atilla 😉)

Atilla? Who’s that?

Tembe Elephant Park

I can confirm—small but breathtaking.

However, I think that flying over the country and seeing the diversity of its landscapes—urban areas, farmland, and semi-desert regions alternating—is better than two hours on the road in eSwatini . Not to mention that the Western Cape is very different from the eastern provinces.

I didn’t get it at all...

Or, reading between the lines, does it mean it’s better to go to Cape Town than eSwatini?

But spending only 2 hours in the Cape region—isn’t that a bit short?

(I agree, eSwatini isn’t an extraordinary destination in itself, but it’s on the way—why make a detour?)

(and no longer Swaziland, Ms. Atilla 😉),

Bombay, Madras, Burma...😛

Côtes du Nord, Seine-Inférieure...

(and no longer Swaziland, Mrs. Atilla 😉),

Bombay, Madras, Burma...😛

Côtes-du-Nord, Seine-Inférieure...😄

Seine-Inférieure!!! 😄 Google told me 1955!!! 😉

Initially, this is what I had in mind. Now, I'm really hesitating!

Day 1: Arrival in Johannesburg Day 2: Flight to Cape Town Day 3: Cape Town Day 4: Cape of Good Hope Day 5: Hermanus Day 6: Return to Cape Town Day 7: Flight to Durban Day 8: St Lucia Day 9: St Lucia Day 10: Swaziland Day 11-12-13-14: Kruger Day 15-16: Blyde River Canyon Day 17: Johannesburg Day 18: Return to Paris

It might be a bit much. Accommodations in Kruger are already booked. It’s crazy how fast it all comes together! If we stay in the north, I know there’s plenty to do. But I’m still hesitating! For info, we’re more into hiking, walks, and seeing animals! We hadn’t planned on swimming 😅

A big thank you in advance for your tips!

For info, we're more into hiking, walks, and want to see animals!

For hiking: the Drakensberg, Blyde Canyon, Ithala...

We hadn’t planned on swimming 😅

The water’s too cold anyway. Cape Vidal and Santa Lucia are great for ocean landscapes, animals, and a bit of walking.

That might be too much.

It’s mainly about the time lost due to the scattering. (D1, D2, D6, D7)

Do you see a way for me to be less scattered?

If flights aren’t booked yet, Luft and LLM have direct flights to CT. Same with Turkish. Don’t spread yourself too thin—pick one! Personally, I’m skipping CT. A nice loop instead: North: Panorama Road Kruger Mapungubwe Waterberg Or South: Drakensberg Hluhluwe (or not) St Lucia Tembe Eswatini Kruger Back to Joburg

I didn’t get it...

I’m working on my “complex thinking” ahead of the upcoming elections . And you read between the lines well.

@Sophie The scattering Attila mentions—if I read between the lines—might stem from the summary nature of your planned itinerary. It’s as if days 1-2-6-7 are spent entirely in airports and feel like wasted time.

Note that between Kruger (the trip’s centerpiece) and St Lucia (whale-watching goal), it’s about an 8-hour drive. From JNB, where you land, to Hermanus (another whale-watching spot), it’s a bit less once you factor in formalities, the flight, and driving. It seems the start of your trip in the Western Cape complements—on many levels—the one you’d have if you stayed in the east. Not to mention you’re also heading there after Durban. By the way, this gives you two chances to see the whales.

What time do you arrive in JNB from Europe? If it’s after an overnight flight, you’ll have time to catch a connecting flight to CPT right away, and it won’t feel much longer than a direct Europe-CPT flight.

More generally, are you more of a sea person or a dull-plains person? And for hiking, mountains or coastline?

Forget Cape Town.

If it's after a night flight, you’ve got time to catch a connecting flight to CPT right away, and it won’t have taken much longer than a direct Europe-CPT flight.

That’s something I never do anymore.

One problem on the flight to Joburg and it’s a nightmare trying to catch the next leg.

Especially since the trip isn’t that long. The shorter the trip, the more you should avoid risks...

Thanks again for all your advice. We’re going to skip Cape Town. If we don’t want to exhaust ourselves with transport and really enjoy the sights—especially with the kids—it seems like the better choice. And maybe we’ll be lucky enough to come back for another trip later! In the meantime, I’ll dig into all the travel journals to build a great itinerary 😊 Either way, it’ll be an amazing adventure! Thanks so much! I’ll share our trip story when we get back!

Wise decision in my opinion. And don't hesitate to come back and confirm your itinerary once it's set—we love that! 😉

This is really nice!

Hello, Near Johannesburg, there are some great wildlife parks to visit with kids, like Pilanesberg, Marakele, or the Rhino & Lion Nature Reserve (it’s a reserve, so less wild). Near Pilanesberg, there’s the Valley of Waves at Sun City—it’s a bit kitsch but fun for a change of scenery for the kids. For more info, you can check out our travel journals on our site: https://www.girardinphoto.net