South Africa Christmas Holidays

South Africa is one of the most physically stunning, varied, culturally fascinating countries on the planet, not to mention with balmy temperatures in December and January, making South Africa Christmas holidays a nailed on classic.

Ideas

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Our South Africa holiday collections

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South Africa Christmas Holidays Guide

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South Africa Testimonials

5 reviews
4.6 / 5
"The choice of lodges to stay in were brilliant. The settings were amazing as was the food! We were very well looked after. The guides were great too. So knowledgeable. We saw so much. It was good to have the Concierge always available in the background, though everything was so well organised beforehand we didn't really need to use them."
Jill - Surrey
Published on 11th March 2025
"Our honeymoon was absolutely incredible. The booking process was excellent, our consultant showed a great deal of expertise, listened to what we wanted and reassured us. The wraparound services you provide are superb, the whole honeymoon was easy and relaxed. The Original Travel app is extremely clear, as was the itinerary, and it was really useful and exciting to be able to refer back to this. The Concierges were AMAZING. They were so kind, kept in regular communication and were really helpful with recommendations."
Louise - London
Published on 5th September 2024
"To say we had the holiday of a lifetime would be an understatement. The attention to detail was unbelievable and it's those things that helped contribute to the great time we had. Given my brief was pretty vague(!), you did an incredible job at creating the most magical of holidays. I could wax lyrical about all the amazing things we saw and did but I won't bore you. But suffice to say, it really surpassed all of our expectations and then some! My husband loved it and both boys have got some memories that will last them a lifetime. The team (and I mean a team!) listened to my rather vague ideas and came up with a wonderful plan for my holiday, which had a significant meaning and they were really respectful of that. Their attention to detail was fantastic, their communication was great and the holiday itself was wonderful in every way. They even handled my last-minute panic (my son was ill 48 hours before we were due to travel!) with calmness, reassuring me and putting an alternative plan into place, should we have needed it (thankfully we didn't!). I would not hesitate to recommend them or indeed use them again. The only downside - they have rather spoilt me for holidays as I only want to do big, 'holidays of a lifetime' with them....! Incredible on every level. The locations, the staff, the resorts, the little touches, the smooth transitions, the planning, the detail - just fantastic. "
Peter - London
Published on 24th April 2018

So what's so special about Christmas in South Africa? Firstly, there's the sociable overnight flight times and minimal time difference - ideal if you're travelling en famille. And then there's the fact that much of the country is malaria-free - a major bonus compared with many other African destinations; again especially for families. But aside from that what really makes South Africa Christmas holidays so special is the old (but very true) precept that South Africa is a world in one country, from buzzing cities to epic wildlife, beautiful coastlines to looming mountains.

One thing most people don't want to compromise on at Christmas is food (who can deny the glory of a turkey-centric feast?) and you can rest assured that the trousers will definitely be feeling a little tighter on the return journey because the quality of food in South Africa doesn't disappoint. Cape Town itself has one of the best city food scenes in the world while if you head into the Cape and Winelands you'll find some excellent restaurants in impossibly pretty settings, and that's before we've even mentioned the wine.

Why not take a walk on the wild side on your South Africa Christmas holidays and go on safari? South Africa is home to some of the best game reserves in Africa and we have the inside track on where best to go to avoid the crowds and maximise the game viewing experience, as well as the best luxury camps to ensure your stay is a truly spoiling one.

And finally, one hefty note of caution: the flights and best hotels book up VERY quickly for Christmas in South Africa so it pays to book well, well in advance.



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