South Africa & Kenya

Off the Beaten Path: South Africa to Kenya

Seventeen nights across two countries , Kruger and the Cape first, then Kenya's beaches and the Masai Mara.

17 Nights / 18 DaysDuration
8Cities

Most South Africa itineraries stop at Cape Town. This one keeps going , a flight via Nairobi into Kenya for a beach stretch at Diani, a boat ride on Lake Naivasha, and two full days of game drives in the Masai Mara, before flying home from Nairobi. It spans two countries with South Africa as the larger leg , ten of the seventeen nights , and Kenya as the extension most South Africa trips never make room for.

This is one of the South Africa itineraries we've planned for a couple before , seventeen nights, eighteen days across Johannesburg, Kruger, Knysna, Cape Town, Diani, Lake Naivasha, the Masai Mara and Nairobi, built for two adults travelling together. It's shared here to show what a longer, two-country route through South Africa could look like. A version built around your own dates and pace would look a little different , and that's the point.

Why This Trip

Why Go Beyond Cape Town, Into Kenya

Why Go Beyond Cape Town, Into Kenya

The South Africa leg runs the familiar highlights , two nights at Kruger, a self-driven Garden Route stretch through Oudtshoorn and Tsitsikamma, and four nights in Cape Town for the Peninsula and Table Mountain. Most trips end there.

This one flies on to Kenya instead: two nights on Diani's white sand beaches on the Indian Ocean, a boat ride across Lake Naivasha, and two full days of game drives across the Masai Mara's open plains , a second country and a second kind of safari in the same trip. If you asked us: the overnight flight between Cape Town and Nairobi is the one late night worth the trade , everything on either side of it is worth the detour.

Holiday Overview

Cities Covered
Johannesburg, Kruger National Park, Knysna (self-drive), Cape Town + Diani Beach, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara, Nairobi (Kenya)
Starting Price
₹5,97,650

per adult, based on 2 adults travelling together, excluding main international airfare from India

Best Time to Travel
Late September to mid-October (dry season in both countries)
Experiences Covered
Kruger game drives, self-drive Garden Route with Oudtshoorn and Tsitsikamma, Cape Town city tour and Cape Peninsula, Diani Beach, Lake Naivasha boat ride, Masai Mara full-day game drives

Tap a pin to preview each stop

Trace Your Path

An itinerary designed
for every moment.

Johannesburg Day 1

A private transfer from OR Tambo International Airport to the hotel.

Kruger National Park Day 2–3

Game drives inside Kruger National Park, with dinner at the lodge.

Knysna Day 4–6

A self-drive to the Cango Caves, the Cango Wildlife Ranch, the Safari Ostrich Farm and Tsitsikamma National Park.

Cape Town Day 7–10

A city tour, Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront and a full-day Cape Peninsula tour.

Diani Beach Day 11–13

Check-in at the beach resort, then a full day on the Indian Ocean coast with the resort's amenities included.

Lake Naivasha Day 14

An afternoon boat ride on the lake.

Masai Mara Day 15–16

An evening game drive on arrival and a full day of game viewing across the Mara's plains.

Nairobi Day 17–18

A drive back from the Masai Mara, with lunch en route, and the transfer to Nairobi Airport.

Day By Day

South Africa & Kenya Trip Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Johannesburg Arrival

    A private transfer from OR Tambo International Airport to the hotel, with the afternoon at leisure.

  2. Day 2

    Johannesburg to Kruger

    A transfer to Kruger, with lunch on arrival and an afternoon game drive, dinner served at the lodge.

  3. Day 3

    Kruger National Park

    A morning game drive, a day at leisure, then an afternoon game drive and dinner at the lodge.

  4. Day 4

    Kruger to Knysna

    A final morning game drive, then a flight to George and a self-drive to Knysna in a rented vehicle.

  5. Day 5

    Oudtshoorn Tour, Self-Drive

    A self-driven day trip to the Cango Caves, the Cango Wildlife Ranch and the Safari Ostrich Farm.

  6. Day 6

    Tsitsikamma National Park, Self-Drive

    A self-driven visit to Tsitsikamma National Park, with the option of bungee jumping off Bloukrans Bridge, South Africa's highest bridge.

  7. Day 7

    Cape Town Arrival

    A self-drive into Cape Town, with the rental car returned on arrival.

  8. Day 8

    Cape Town City Tour & Table Mountain

    A guided city orientation tour and Table Mountain, followed by an afternoon at the V&A Waterfront.

  9. Day 9

    Full-Day Cape Peninsula Tour

    Hout Bay, Seal Island, Chapman's Peak, the Cape of Good Hope and Boulders Beach.

  10. Day 10

    Cape Town, Day at Leisure

    A full day with a vehicle and guide at your disposal, to spend however the day calls for.

  11. Day 11

    Cape Town to Diani, Via Nairobi

    A flight from Cape Town to Nairobi, connecting on to Ukunda for Diani , an overnight journey.

  12. Day 12

    Diani Arrival

    Check-in at the beach resort, with lunch and the rest of the day at leisure.

  13. Day 13

    Diani, Day at Leisure

    A full day on the Indian Ocean coast, with the resort's amenities included.

  14. Day 14

    Diani to Lake Naivasha

    A flight back to Nairobi and a drive to Lake Naivasha, with an afternoon boat ride on the lake.

  15. Day 15

    Lake Naivasha to Masai Mara

    An early departure for the Masai Mara Game Reserve, with an evening game drive on arrival.

  16. Day 16

    Masai Mara, Full-Day Game Drive

    A full day of game viewing across the Mara's plains, with a picnic lunch.

  17. Day 17

    Masai Mara to Nairobi

    A drive back to Nairobi, with lunch en route and the evening at leisure.

  18. Day 18

    Departure

    A transfer to Nairobi Airport for the international flight home.

What's Included

Experiences Included.

Where You'll Stay

Hotel Stays.

Hotel and lodge stays across both countries, with breakfast daily and full board at the safari lodges.

Johannesburg: Peermont Mondior. Kruger: Kruger Gate Hotel. Knysna: The Rex Hotel. Cape Town: Cresta Grande. Diani: Southern Palm Resort & Spa. Lake Naivasha: Naivasha Kongoni Lodge. Masai Mara: Mara Sopa Lodge. Nairobi: Sarova Panafric Hotel.

The Fine Print, Handled

What Travenza Holidays
Will Arrange.

Itinerary planning, hotel and lodge reservations, private transfers, self-drive rental car arrangements, Kruger and Masai Mara game drives, internal flights between both countries, South Africa and Kenya visa assistance, and travel support throughout.

Customised by travel dates, pace, and how the two-country split is weighted , more South Africa, more Kenya, or an even split like this one.

Ready When You Are

Plan Your Off the Beaten Path Holiday to South Africa and Kenya

Kruger's game drives, a self-driven Garden Route, Cape Point, then a second country's beaches and its own safari plains , this is what a South Africa trip looks like when it doesn't stop at Cape Town.

This is one of the itineraries we've built for a couple travelling together before, shared here to show what the trip could look like. A version built for your own dates and pace would look a little different.

Estimated from ₹5,97,650 per adult · All inclusive

Plan This Trip WhatsApp Us