The idea of a safari being a hunting trip has pretty well faded away in South Africa, but they are still great experiences for those who love nature and wildlife. South African group tours are essentially safaris with stops in the major cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg. There are luxury tours as well as budget-minded tours available for seniors who want to travel to South Africa and enjoy all that guided tours have to offer. The top three tours for seniors are RhinoAfrica, GoWay and African Budget Safaris. With these trips you can stay in small hotels or camp as you go from site to site. The great thing about a group tour is that everything is included, so you don't have to worry about taking care of any details. Explore this country that is still in a very natural state, though it is also a very modern nation, and let your tour guides take care of all the details.
Once these were seen as hunting trips, for big game in Africa. Today safaris often involve watching nature - seeing wildlife in its natural habitat, or exploring the natural world in general. There are different kinds of safaris, and some focus on a specific area or a specific type of wildlife. There may still be hunting trips available, but they are not as common.
Kruger National Park is renowned for big game, like elephants, lions and tigers. It is a huge game reserve with limited access, but tours visit there frequently. There are mountains, plains and tropical forests there. Kruger National Park is the largest game preserve in the country, and you can spend days here camping and exploring the natural world.
Summers are November to February, which are dry and hot. The best time for watching whales is from August to November. November to February is great for bird watching and nature lovers. May to September of best for seeing big animals. South Africa can be visited at any time, but there are certain times that are better than others for specific activities.
Part of the answer is cost. With a luxury tour there is an emphasis on luxury, comfort and relaxations. You may still see wildlife, but it will be from the comfort of an air conditioned bus or other vehicle. Hotels will be of a higher quality and the food will be too. There several tours designed for both the luxury traveler and for the budget traveler, and many that are a balance of the two.
Senior tours offer a greater level of comfort, but you still get to see all the sights. These are for people who want to experience the country up close and personal, but not sacrifice a level of comfort and supportive services. Senior tours are designed for active adults, but some care is taken to make sure travelers needs are taken care of.
As the name implies, there is camping, but it is far from primitive camping. The staff takes care of all the details so you can simply enjoy the tour. The staff can move the camp each day as needed, and campers are not expected to help with any of the logistic of the camp.
This refers to the big five animals that are commonly associated with big game watching. The animals are Lions, Leopards, Rhinos, Elephants and Buffaloes. You can see these in game preserves in several places in South Africa, and they should be part of any tour.
These are shorter and less expensive tours. You can still get a lot of sight seeing in. Accommodations are simpler than a luxury trip, with lower cost hotels and some camping as you travel on the tour. While lower cost facilities are used, efforts are made to make sure they are clean and acceptable.