South Africa: So Much More Than Just Safari

Emer McDermott, Gold Travel Counsellor

I have just returned from one of the most eye-opening trips of my travel career. A hosted familiarisation visit to South Africa with British Airways and Sense of Africa, alongside a wonderful group of my Travel Counsellors colleagues. Over five jam-packed days we experienced everything from premium long-haul flying and Johannesburg's surprising cultural side to a truly luxurious malaria-free safari and a final boutique hotel stay that felt like a love letter to the city. I came home with my notebook full, my camera fuller, and a completely refreshed view of what South Africa can offer my clients.

If you have ever thought of South Africa as "just a safari destination," I'm here to gently change your min

 

Getting There: British Airways World Traveller Plus

We flew with British Airways from Dublin via London Heathrow, with the long-haul Heathrow–Johannesburg sectors in World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) on the A380.

In World Traveller Plus you'll enjoy:

• A separate, smaller and quieter cabin with wider seats and noticeably more legroom
• Two beautifully presented meals and a complimentary bar service
• A personal entertainment system with noise-cancelling headphones
• A stylish amenity kit made from recycled plastic bottles
• In-seat power, priority boarding and a more generous baggage allowance

My top tip for clients: keep everything on one ticket through Heathrow Terminal 5. It makes the whole journey wonderfully seamless. Just allow yourself a bit of breathing room for security and the Heathrow monorail transfer.

Arrival in Johannesburg: A City That Surprised Me

I will be very honest, I like many people, had always thought of Johannesburg as somewhere you simply pass through on the way to safari. After five days there, I will never think of it that way again.

On arrival we were warmly met by our Sense of Africa representative, who whisked us through the airport and over to our first hotel, The Catalyst, for luggage drop and a much-needed breakfast. A small but useful note for clients connecting onwards: you do need to collect your luggage and re-check before going through the main arrivals hall, and Sense of Africa make this process completely painless.

Johannesburg itself revealed a side I genuinely was not expecting. It was a city full of vibrance, culture, warmth, and (in the right areas) very safe and welcoming. I would now actively recommend building in one or two nights here rather than treating it as a transit stop. There is so much worth seeing.

 

An Evening in Nelson Mandela Square

Our first evening was spent at Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, a lively, sophisticated entertainment district with beautiful restaurants, buzzy bars and lovely shopping. The atmosphere was relaxed and the security presence is excellent, so you can really enjoy the evening. It was the perfect, gentle introduction to Johannesburg dining and nightlife after our long-haul flight.

 

A Surprising Highlight: The Soweto Tuk Tuk Tour

Now, this is the experience I want everyone to know about.

On paper, a tuk tuk tour of Soweto with Lebo's Backpackers might not sound like a typical luxury travel inclusion, but it turned out to be one of the most moving, memorable and meaningful experiences of the entire trip.

We zipped through the streets of Soweto in brightly coloured tuk tuks, stopping at:

• Local community businesses, where you get to support small enterprises directly
• Nelson Mandela's former home on Vilakazi Street. Incredibly powerful!
• Lively neighborhood spots where we met residents and heard stories straight from the source
• A relaxed lunch with local flavours, music and a warm community welcome

This is the kind of immersive, respectful, deeply personal travel I see more and more of my clients asking for. It adds heart and meaning to a holiday, and it is exactly the sort of experience that elevates a trip from a holiday into a memory you will tell stories about for years.

 

 

Laluka Safari Lodge: Luxury Safari, Malaria-Free

After our city days, it was time for the bit I had been most looking forward to – Safari.

We travelled about 3.5 hours north of Johannesburg to Welgevonden Game Reserve, a private, malaria-free reserve in the Waterberg that is, in my view, one of the best safari options for families, honeymooners and multi-generational groups precisely because of that. Not having to think about anti-malarial medication is a huge plus.

Our home for the next two nights was Laluka Safari Lodge, and I cannot praise this property highly enough. With only six suites, it offers an extraordinarily intimate and personal experience. Every guest is known by name; every preference is anticipated, every detail is thought of before you even have to ask.

What I particularly loved:

• Spacious, beautifully designed suites with private plunge pools
• Both indoor and outdoor showers. Pure bliss!
• Farm-to-table dining with produce grown on Laluka's own farm
• Complimentary laundry service (a wonderful touch on a longer trip)
• Heated seats in the safari jeeps for those crisp early morning drives
• Knowledgeable, passionate guides who interpret the bush rather than just point at it

 

 

More Than Safari: A Wellness Retreat in the Bush

What really set Laluka apart was the overall feel of the lodge. Beyond the game drives, the property has the calm, restorative quality of a wellness retreat, a quiet, luxurious, and deeply connected to the natural landscape around it. You exhale the moment you arrive.

The wildlife did not disappoint either. We saw lions, rhino, zebra, giraffe, hyena, wildebeest, baboon and so much more, all in a reserve that feels vast and beautifully uncrowded. Welgevonden is bushy and tree-covered (rather than open plains), which makes spotting a real adventure.  The moment you do come across a pride of lions, it feels truly earned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exceptional Dining at Laluka

I have to talk about the food, because it absolutely elevated the entire experience into something five-star.

Highlights included:

• Farm-to-table produce harvested from Laluka Farm itself (they also supply many other properties in the area)
• Beautiful three-course lunches and dinners
• Cooking demonstrations with the chefs. Great fun and genuinely interesting.
• Excellent vegetarian options (something I always check for clients)
• Thoughtfully chosen wines and beautiful presentation throughout

You could happily come to Laluka for the food alone, and the fact that you also get a world-class safari experience is, frankly, the icing on the cake.

 

 

Fairlawn's Boutique Hotel & Spa: A Glamorous Finale

Returning to Johannesburg, we checked in to the elegant Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa, and what a finale. This property is a true hidden gem. A calm, almost residential oasis tucked into the city.

What makes it special:

• Individually designed suites spread across a number of buildings, each with its own personality
• Beautiful, lush gardens and a serious spa facility
• A boutique, almost private-home atmosphere
• Exceptional dining; we were treated to a seven-course wine pairing dinner that I am still thinking about
• Perfectly placed as a pre- or post-safari stay, and absolutely ideal for honeymooners

If a client wanted to combine bush and city, ending the trip at Fairlawns is the way to do it. It feels indulgent, calm and grown-up and exactly the right note to end on.

 

 

Culture and History: Constitution Hill and Victoria Yards

Our final day was given over to Johannesburg's cultural and creative side.

We began at Constitution Hill, one of South Africa's most important heritage sites and home to the Constitutional Court. The visit was emotional, educational and incredibly impactful. It is a former prison complex that now tells the story of South Africa's long, difficult, inspiring journey toward democracy. I cannot recommend it strongly enough. It is the kind of place that gives the rest of your trip an entirely different weight and meaning.

We then visited Victoria Yards, a beautifully regenerated former industrial laundry now home to artist studios, craft workshops, an urban farm and lovely food outlets. It is wonderfully creative, contemporary and full of character and a great stop for clients who love art, design and discovering the "real" side of a city.

 

 

Final Thoughts: Why South Africa Belongs on Your List

This trip completely reshaped how I think about South Africa as a destination. Rather than simply being "the country you go to for safari," it offers a genuinely rich, layered experience:

• Luxury accommodation of a standard that rivals anywhere in the world
• Meaningful cultural experiences that stay with you long after you fly home
• Outstanding food, wine and hospitality
• Easy access from Ireland with British Airways via Heathrow
• Excellent value for high-end travel. Your money goes further than you might think
• Brilliant scope for honeymoon, family and multi-generational itineraries

For clients who want adventure, culture, relaxation and luxury all in one trip (and who want to come home with stories that mean something), South Africa is, in my honest opinion, one of the most rewarding long-haul destinations you can choose right now.

 

Who This Trip Is Perfect For

One of the things I love most about a Johannesburg-and-Welgevonden itinerary is how beautifully it adapts to different kinds of travellers. From my own experience and from speaking with the lodges and ground partners on this trip, here are the clients I would happily send tomorrow:

• Honeymooners looking for somewhere off the well-trodden Maldives/Mauritius path. The combination of plunge-pool suites at Laluka, the romance of sundowners in the bush, and a seven-course wine pairing dinner at Fairlawns is, quite frankly, magic
• Families with teenagers who want more than a beach holiday. The malaria-free reserve is a huge plus for younger guests, and there is enough cultural and historical depth to keep teens genuinely engaged
• Multi-generational groups celebrating a milestone. Laluka's intimate size means you can almost have the lodge to yourselves, and the pace suits all ages
• Milestone birthdays and anniversaries a "big" trip that feels meaningful, not just expensive
• First-time long-haul travellers nervous about flying further afield. The BA routing via Heathrow is reassuringly familiar, and the Sense of Africa team take all the stress out of the on-the-ground logistics
• Couples in their 50s, 60s and 70s wanting an active, comfortable, beautifully run trip with no roughing it required

 

How to Combine This Trip: Beyond Johannesburg and Welgevonden

One of the joys of South Africa is how easily it pairs with other extraordinary destinations. If you have the time (and ideally, I would say plan for 10–14 days minimum for any of these combinations), some of my favourite add-ons include:

• Cape Town and the Cape Winelands - internal flight from Johannesburg. Spectacular scenery, world-class dining, Table Mountain, and the wine estates of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Pair Cape Town with a few nights at a winelands estate and you have a holiday inside a holiday
• Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe or Zambia) - easy add-on by flight, and a genuinely awe-inspiring natural wonder. Pairs beautifully with a luxury Zambezi River lodge stay
• Mauritius or the Seychelles beach finish - fly directly from Johannesburg for a week of recovery on the beach after the activity of safari and city. Honeymooners in particular love this combination
• Mozambique island escapes - or clients who want something more exclusive and under-the-radar, the private island lodges off the Mozambique coast are spectacular
• Kruger National Park or the Sabi Sand reserves - for repeat safari clients or those who want to compare Big Five experiences in different ecosystems
• A South African wine and food tour - for foodie clients, we can build an itinerary entirely around the country's exceptional restaurants, wineries and chef experiences

I now have direct relationships with the ground operators to put these combinations together properly, not from a brochure, but from having walked the ground myself.

 

Emer's Insider Tips

A few practical things I learned on this trip that will make your South Africa experience even better:

1. Book the window seat in row 17 or 18 on the A380 for World Traveller Plus. These are the bulkhead-adjacent rows with the best legroom and quietest cabin position
2. Pack neutral colours for safari. Think khaki, olive, beige and brown. Avoid bright white (shows dirt instantly) and bright colours (can disturb wildlife). And bring a warm fleece or jumper for early morning drives, even in summer. It is genuinely chilly before the sun comes up
3. Tipping is expected and appreciated. Budget roughly ZAR 150–200 per guest per day for your safari guide and tracker, and ZAR 50–100 per day for lodge staff (pooled). I can give you a full tipping guide before you travel
4. Choose the morning game drive for predator activity, the afternoon for landscape and sundowners. If you can only do one drive on a travel day, mornings are typically more productive for the big cats
5. Bring a proper camera if you can. Phones are fine, but a small zoom lens transforms your wildlife photos. Even a mid-range compact camera with 30x zoom will give you results you'll treasure
6. Use the in-flight time to download offline content. There is patchy Wi-Fi at the lodge (which is rather lovely, honestly), so download your books, podcasts and playlists before you go
7. Bring small bills in cash for tipping and small purchases. ATMs are available in Johannesburg but can be more limited at the lodge
8. Don't try to do too much. South Africa rewards travellers who slow down. Two nights in the bush is the absolute minimum; three is better; four is bliss

 

Let's Plan Your South African Adventure

I would be absolutely delighted to design a tailor-made South African journey for you, whether that is a honeymoon, a family safari, a milestone celebration or a quiet escape. I now have first hand knowledge of the suppliers, the lodges, the experiences and the little details that make all the difference, and I will build your itinerary around exactly what you want, not a one-size-fits-all package.

Get in touch and let's start planning something unforgettable.

Emer McDermott Gold Travel Counsellor 📞 098 29621 | 📱 087 2343824 📧 emer.mcdermott@travelcounsellors.com 🌍 travelcounsellors.ie/emer.mcdermott