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South Africa

Wild beauty, bold cities and once-in-a-lifetime moments


Wildlife, wine and wonder

South Africa is a country that dazzles with diversity – from wild savannahs to edgy cityscapes to the turquoise coastline and white sands of your dreams.

Watch elephants, giraffes and rhinos roam at sunrise in Kruger National Park, feel the sea breeze on your face at Cape Point, or hike Table Mountain for panoramic views that will leave you utterly speechless.

In Cape Town, colourful neighbourhoods, harbourside precincts and buzzing food markets are brimming with life, while Johannesburg hums with creativity and a bold, artistic spirit.

Food and wine lovers are in for a treat – sip award-winning vintages in the Cape Winelands, feast on fiery Durban curries, discover Cape Malay flavours in Bo-Kaap, and tuck into sizzling braai (barbecue) wherever you go.

Up for adventure? South Africa has it in spades – cage-diving with great whites, hiking, kayaking with penguins, river rafting, cycling and so much more.

Get chatting with our South African specialists – your adventure of a lifetime is calling!

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Flight time

The flight from Auckland to South Africa takes roughly 20 hours with a stopover. It's a bit of a haul but that will immediately be forgotten when you see your first baby elephant or herd of zebra.

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Best time to go

The best time to visit South Africa depends on where you're headed: May to September is ideal for safaris, spring and autumn shine in Cape Town, and Durban’s coast offers warm, beach-perfect weather year-round.

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Time difference

South Africa is 10-11 hours behind New Zealand depending on Daylight Saving here so there's a bit of an adjustment to be made.

Meet our South Africa specialists

Kelsey Mackay

Kelsey Mackay

House of Travel Hamilton East

Travel has always been more than just getting from A to B for me. I love helping clients create holidays that truly suit them, from relaxing escapes, a seamless getaway or a one-in-a-lifetime adventure. Known for being organised, responsive and honest, I enjoy sharing practical travel knowledge that takes the stress out of planning and leaves clients excited for what's ahead.


Kelsey

David Williams

David Williams

House of Travel Christchurch City

In the 28 years of owning House of Travel Christchurch City, I have successfully developed a passionate and award-winning team of travel specialists. Our holiday specialists can take you to the destinations that you have dreamed of and let you know inside information that will enrich your travel experience.  The highly experienced business travel division will exceed your expectations leaving no stone unturned to ensure a seamless travel experience every time. We also have a fantastic HOT Events team that can take care of your conference, team building or any event requirement you might have from a planned dinner event to incentive or recognition programme.

From my beginnings in customer sales and service, travelling to over 60 countries, my primary focus is overseeing all divisions, and growing our every popular Sporting Events Programmes.  A highlight is delivering a highly successful games campaigns with our New Zealand Olympic Travel team.  This includes all New Zealand Team Athlete Travel to providing a family and friends programme as well as a world class corporate offering for sponsors.

I am however most proud of the team for us being awarded three top awards at the National Travel Industry Awards - Best Retail Travel Agency in New Zealand, Best Travel Consultant in New Zealand, Best Groups Team in New Zealand.

Great holidays are made better together with the House of Travel Christchurch City team.

David
Gavin Rasikaran

Gavin Rasikaran

House of Travel Auckland City

I'm Gavin Rasikaran, your dedicated travel expert with a passion for exploring the world and a commitment to making your travel dreams a reality.

With over 40 years of experience in the travel industry, I've had the privilege of helping countless clients embark on unforgettable journeys to destinations near and far.

When it comes to planning an International trip, be it just one destination or an around the world journey, it can all become overwhelming and daunting. Together with you, I will help you plan a perfect holiday taking the stress away, personalised to you.

Gavin
Vanessa Allan

Vanessa Allan

House of Travel Christchurch City

Born and raised in Durban, South Africa; Vanessa has been in the travel industry for 24 years and has proudly called herself a kiwi for the past 5 years. Starting her career in planning holidays for clients, Vanessa quickly found her passion is with business travel - working in this fast past division of travel drives her every day. 

"I love building strong relationships with my clients. I thrive on a good challenge and love to sink my teeth into a big group. Attention to detail and customer satisfaction is paramount to me. I like to think outside the box providing my clients with the best possible solutions to their travel needs." 

When away from the desk, family time is important for Vanessa. Along with her husband she loves to watch and support their teenage son in his sporting endeavors. When off the side-lines she enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially outdoors and finding new and interesting places to dine. 

When Vanessa travels, she loves to experience new cultures, food and wine throughout the world. 

Favourite place to visit: London
Next place on the list to visit: Italy

Vanessa 

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