I visited South Africa in March 2026 with a group of 12 women on a TBA Escapes trip. Aside from Sarah, my former-coworker-turned-close-friend, I didn’t know anyone on the trip before we arrived. Fortunately, the group was fantastic, and I left South Africa with several new friends.
Over the course of 10 days, we explored Cape Town, went on safari at Gondwana Game Reserve, and spent time in the Cape Winelands. South Africa had been on my travel bucket list for years, largely because I wanted to experience a safari, and it ended up being one of my favorite trips I’ve ever taken.
Like my trip to Jordan, this adventure was organized through TBA Escapes. Because I did not plan the itinerary myself, I’ve chosen to share some of my favorite photos from the trip rather than create a detailed travel guide. South Africa completely exceeded my expectations, and I hope these photos inspire others to add it to their travel bucket list.
Cape Town
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Cape Town, but it quickly became one of my favorite cities I’ve ever visited.
So much of the experience came down to the landscape. Between Table Mountain, the ocean, and the surrounding coastline, the city constantly looked different depending on where we were and the time of day. Sunsets in particular were incredible.
We spent four nights in Cape Town and could have easily stayed longer. We explored different neighborhoods, spent time by the water, and fit in a few of the more well-known sights, but it still felt like there was more to see.
African penguins at Boulders Beach.On top of Table Mountain!Stopped by the Oranjezicht farmer’s market for lunch – this was a must visit, for both snacks and souvenirs. Shot in Bo-Kapp, one of Cape Town’s most colorful neighborhoodsThere are amazing vineyards about an hour outside of Cape Town (see the end of this post), but Constantia Glen was a great stop for lunch and only a short drive from the city.Perched on top of Lion’s Head after a 5am hike.My new penguin friend 🙂Views from the top of Table Mountain.Searching for juxtaposition in Bo-Kapp.Sunrise from Lion’s Head hike.Sentinel Peak (also known as the “Sleeping Rhino”) in Hout Bay – do you see the rhino horn?Hi there little guy!Early morning kayak with the seals.St. James beach huts – a quick stop for a colorful photo!View of the Cape Town coastline from our helicopter! I’ve never been on a helicopter before this trip. I highly recommend. Vineyard lunch stop at Constantia Glen.View from our Lion’s Head hike at sunrise.
Gondwana Game Reserve
This was my first safari, but I can guarantee it won’t be my last. We spent a few days at Gondwana Game Reserve, where the experience centered around early morning and late afternoon game drives with guides.
The safari guides were excellent, and this was one of the only vacations I’ve ever taken where I felt like I was constantly learning new things(almost like school) in surroundings that felt completely different from home. Each game drive included a stop for refreshments: coffee or tea in the morning, and sundowner cocktails in the evening.
We saw lion siblings playing in the bush, and at one point were only a few feet away from giraffes, which are much larger in person than I expected.
There was also plenty of time to relax between drives, including pool time and massages at the lodge.
Central pool at Gondwana (for the guests – but zebras are often stopping by the watering hole!)Mama giraffe with her baby! Our guide was so excited for this sighting.Three lion siblings snoozing after feasting on an unlucky wildebeest. Sundowners! I loved this cider brand. Pro tip: whipping round in an open-air safari game vehicle really can mess up your hair. I found a slickback to be the best hairstyle for the elements. Zebras. Like horses but better. Every sunset was amazing.Morning game drive with a cup of rooibos tea.Greg, our safari guide, hard at work with his binoculars.Spotted: a wildebeest!Breakfast of wildebeest, anyone? (Not the same wildebeest as pictured above….a distant cousin, perhaps.)Elephants are cute.Sarah, our safari queen in the radiant African sunset.Giraffe booty.Stargazing from the bush = unmatched. Can you see the Milky Way?Me and Sarah in our safari fits 🙂Here is our king of the jungle!Nothing to see here.Golden hour with sundowner in hand. There is truly no beating sunset on safari. Nala waking up from her nap.The circle of life!!Sayonara, safari.
Cape Winelands
To round out our South Africa trip, we spent two days at Boschendal, then visited Babylonstoren for a day trip before our evening flight.
After the nonstop activity and early mornings of Cape Town and safari, the Winelands represented a much-needed slower pace. We spent our time wine tasting, eating at the farm restaurants, and exploring the grounds.
Some of my favorite parts were the simpler ones: homemade ice cream, fresh produce grown on the farms, and wandering through the gardens. It was a relaxing way to end the trip.
Boschendal wine tasting and chocolate pairing. I bought 4 bottles of wine to bring home here – it was so delicious!Strolling the Boschendal gardens at sunset.Horseback riding at Boschendal – great for beginners!March in South Africa is actually their autumn – so we saw a lot of flowers in their final days of bloom!Lunch at Babel Restaurant at Babylonstoren.A little breakfast picnic at Boschendal 🙂Babylonstoren has DUCKS! They go out for a walk 2x a day. Relaxing in our cottage at Boschendal. Absolutely gorgeous sunset in Boschendal. I don’t know what this flower is, but I’d like about 5 more of them.Inside the succulent greenhouse at Babylonstoren.Boschendal wine tasting.Babylonstoren is huge….a map is necessary!Trying to feed the Boschendal horses some apples I stole from our breakfast.Gorgeous breakfast at Arum in Boschendal – every food sourced from the premises. Boschendal estate.Farewell dinner setup to close out our TBA trip!Shops at Babylonstoren.Gardens at Boschendal.The Boschendal horses were very sweet but also very sassy.Boschendal gardens.Last one – our full TBA group at our farewell dinner! Such amazing women 🙂
