South Africa is without a doubt the world’s best destination for combining golf, a Big Five safari, and food & wine on the same trip. The climate is perfect year-round, the courses are world-class, and the private reserves offer a spectacular safari experience. A well-planned luxury golf safari in South Africa gives you championship-level golf and a Big 5 safari – Ecolyx are experts at getting it right, ensuring everything runs smoothly and effortlessly. In this inspirational itinerary, we have handpicked two of South Africa’s best safari camps; Lion Sands Narina Lodge and andBeyond Ngala Tented Camp, both located in private reserves in the Kruger area and offering an intimate safari experience. You also have the opportunity to play a round at Skukuza Golf Course, one of South Africa’s “wildest” and best 9-hole courses. The journey continues to KwaZulu-Natal where you check in at The Oyster Box and play golf at Durban Country Club & Golf and Ernie Els signature course Zimbali Lakes Golf Course. End the trip with a stay at Steenberg Hotel & Spa where you play rounds on Steenberg’s 18-hole course while enjoying fine food & wine in the Constantia Valley or in Cape Town.
This program is a source of inspiration — each trip is unique and tailored to you.
Lion Sands Narina Lodge is situated on the border of both Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Game Reserve and offers Big 5 safaris, and because it is completely private, the lodge offers an intimate safari experience. For those seeking closeness to nature, try staying in the treehouse, perched on stilts above the Sabie River, offering seclusion and spectacular views of the area and its wildlife, with the starry sky right above you.
Located within a private concession inside Sabi Sand Game Reserve, you have access to world-class safaris, especially leopard sightings which are often seen from the lodge’s private deck. Unlike many other South African lodges, Lion Sands Narina is small-scale, bringing you close to nature without compromising on comforts.
You then continue on with a private vehicle transfer (approx. 2 hrs) to Ngala Tented Camp, nestled between riverine forest and the dry meander of the Timbavati riverbed. Safaris take place in Ngala Private Game Reserve, which borders Kruger and also offers exclusive walking safaris. It was the first private game reserve to be incorporated into Kruger, a bold conservation milestone that continues to shape its history today. Its name means “lion” in the local Shangaan language, and true to this heritage, Ngala supports some of South Africa’s most formidable lion prides, alongside thriving populations of elephants, leopards, buffalos, rhinos, and the elusive African wild dog. For the truly fortunate, there is the rare chance to catch a glimpse of the legendary white lions.
With only nine tented suites, the camp feels personal and exclusive. The tents stand on platforms and offer luxurious touches such as an outdoor bath/shower and private wooden decks overlooking the river. The location is unbeatable, and if you look out toward the Timbavati River, you can often spot elephants, monkeys, and other wildlife directly from your tent.
After wonderful safari experiences, you fly onward to Durban, South Africa’s subtropical port city, and continue to Umhlanga on the Indian Ocean. Here, you check in at the legendary hotel The Oyster Box, originally a navigational beacon built in 1863 and converted into a hotel in the 1950s. Over the decades, this hotel has become synonymous with “old school glamour” and relaxed hospitality. Here you can hear the waves from your room and take a walk or morning jog along the beach below the hotel. Keep an eye out for dolphins!
Enjoy your days by the sea and play golf at Durban Country Club & Golf and the nearby Ernie Els signature course Zimbali Lakes Golf Course. Durban Country Club in particular boasts being the only course on the African continent ranked among the top 100 golf courses in the world by Golf Magazine USA. With a combination of lush coastal vegetation, sand dunes, and incomparable views of the Indian Ocean, this course offers challenging golf play. Distinctive for this course are especially holes 5, 8, and 17, where you are greeted by rolling sand dunes on the fairways. If you want to play a fantastic course that is more tailored to the average golfer, Zimbali Lakes, Ernie Els’ signature course, is a perfect fit. This golf course features dramatic elevation changes, dense coastal bush, and notoriously tricky greens.
Conclude your journey with days in Cape Town staying at Steenberg Hotel & Spa. The luxurious “Steenberg Hotel” is located on one of Cape Town’s oldest wine estates and is just a twenty-minute drive from Cape Town. The hotel leans against the slopes of the Steenberg Mountains, offering a magnificent view over False Bay. Here you can combine fine food & wine with golf on the Peter Matkovich golf course – consistently named one of the best-conditioned courses in South Africa by Golf Digest’s annual top 100, attracting golfers seeking a premier golf experience.
In Cape Town, we will help you recommend and book the best restaurants, and don’t miss some of the attractions here:
• Cape Point
• Boulders Beach penguin colony
• Simon’s Town historical naval base
• Hout Bay
• Chapman’s Peak Drive
• Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens – celebrated as one of the great botanical gardens
in the world. Few gardens can match the stunning setting against the eastern slopes of
Cape Town’s Table Mountain.
• Robben Island, the prison where former President Nelson Mandela spent twenty-seven years
during the apartheid years and now a national monument, is not to be missed.
• Hike up Lion’s Head – once at the top, you have a 360-degree view of Cape Town.
Eco-rating: 3.0
Airport: O.R. Tambo International Airport Johannesburg (JNB), Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
Included in the tour price: Full board, selected beverages, 2 safaris per day (or walking safari) with professional guides, all transfers, domestic flights, golf fees, tee time bookings, accommodation in Durban including breakfast – all according to your customized itinerary-
Not included in the tour price: International flights (we can assist you in booking this), insurance, gratuities, activities beyond those specified as included in the itinerary.
Good to know about South Africa:
Travel etiquette: None in particular.
Time zone: GMT + 2
Vaccinations: Read more about vaccinations here.
Packing: Sunglasses, sun hat, sunscreen, good walking shoes.
Local currency: South African Rand.
Weather: Cape Town
Cell network and email: This is an “off grid camp,” which means that connection and Wi-Fi are occasionally unavailable.
Water: Buy bottled water, make sure the bottles are placed in recycling.
Safety: Your safety is our priority, read more under the heading below.
More information at: Travel advice
Travel entry requirements: : As of July 1, 2026, all travellers arriving in or departing from South Africa must complete a digital Traveller Declaration. This must be done no earlier than 24 hours before departure (for arrivals with connecting flights, the time is counted from the departure of the final flight leg directly to South Africa). The declaration can be submitted via their website, the SATMS mobile app, a QR code, or via self-service kiosks at certain locations. Travellers who are only in transit in South Africa, without leaving the designated transit area, do not need to complete the digital traveller declaration.
This product meets our requirements for Ecorating, a product that is good for humans and the environment.
When you choose to stay at Lion Sands Narina lodge, you contribute to their “Impact Fund,” a fund whose 4 pillars are deeply integrated into core operations and strengthen the commitment to sustainable change. These consist of: health and well-being, resource sustainability, education and training, and investments in local communities. When you stay at Narina Lodge, you also pay a so-called impact levy that goes toward the fund’s objectives. Some of the key projects are:
&Beyond Ngala Tented Camp in South Africa’s Timbavati Game Reserve operates a low-impact camp, conserving 14,700 hectares of wildlife habitat while supporting local communities. This camp is part of a broader impact program operated across all &Beyond camps and lodges. When you stay at Ngala Tented Camp, you contribute to:
At The Oyster Box Hotel, part of the Red Carnation Group, the commitment to environmental and social responsibility takes a multifaceted approach.
Steenberg Hotel & Spa:
