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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

Megan McCall

Megan McCall

House of Travel Christchurch City

Megan brings to the team a fantastic sense of humour and positive attitude along with a wealth of international knowledge from her own travels throughout the world. 

Whether it be a business meeting in Singapore, or coordinating a sports team travelling to international competitions; Megan's extensive expertise with airlines and airfares is first class. 

"I understand what is important to you and your organisation for all your business travel needs."

Megan's wealth of travel knowledge with 30 years travel industry experience is an asset to our team. See for yourself how Megan's easy, welcoming, and professional approach provides confidence for any travel requirement. 

Favourite place to visit: Thailand 
Next place on the list to visit: USA

Megan

Debra-Lee Showler

Debra-Lee Showler

House of Travel Whangarei

Being a friendly and bubbly person, I appreciate spending time with my clients building their dream holidays, listening and paying attention to their needs to create special memories. Let me help you discover the world the way that you would like to.

I feel so fortunate to be a part of this wonderful travel industry that I am so enthusiastic about and find that my passion to help others shows when working in my happy place.

I have travelled through Europe with Contiki in my early 20's which was such a wonderful way to get a taste for the European culture and food, opening my mind to Europe's uniqueness. In 2023 I travelled to London to watch an All Blacks game at Twickenham Stadium which was absolutely fantastic, then completed a Trafalgar tour of England and Scotland. I was so blown away by the historic palaces and magnificent landmarks as well as iconic attractions.

Recently I was in Central Europe and embarked on a Scenic River cruise from Budapest through Vienna and Bratislava on the Danube. Cruising through the European waterways being inspired by the picture-postcard villages and castles. It was like being in a dream. If you have ever thought of doing a European River cruise, I highly recommend it. Come see me to have a chat about this incredible way of travelling as well as giving you some tips and insights before you go.

Selling river and ocean cruises is a passion of mine. It is such an easy way to travel. Unpacking once, having food included as well as entertainment. Why would you not love to travel like this.

I love Asia and the wonderful people, culture and food you experience in these destinations. I have been to Bali, travelled through Cambodia and the South to North of Vietnam, as well as parts of Eastern Canada and New York. I cruised Alaska which I absolutely loved and have had many trips to different parts of Australia, South Pacific, Asia and South Africa.

My favourite country would have to be Cambodia, where I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the locals, travelling this beautiful country, and experiencing the local food. Waking up at 5am to have a cup of tea whilst watching the sun rising over Angkor Wat as the local monks walked past. It was a magical moment and one that will be engraved in my mind forever.

I can’t wait to meet with you to discuss your individual travel enquiries.

Debra-Lee
Kelly-Ann Patterson

Kelly-Ann Patterson

House of Travel Lower Hutt

With over 20 years in the industry, I’m lucky enough to turn holiday dreams into unforgettable experiences. I specialise in family travel, group getaways, solo adventures, and special interest trips, helping clients craft memories that last a lifetime. Whether I’m working with long-time clients or meeting new faces each week, I’m always excited to bring personalised travel dreams to life. Outside of work, I’m a proud Mum to two teenage boys, and if I could, I’d be carting around my beloved golden labrador on every trip! Passionate about what I do, I’m always ready for the next adventure—both for my clients and my own family. I’m always up for a chat, or even better, pop into the store and say hi!

Kelly-Ann 

Nicky Aitken

Nicky Aitken

House of Travel Papamoa

I have had a lifelong love affair for exploring the world. Raised in a family that prioritised travel, I inherited a passion for all things travel. I have lived in different countries (London, USA, Argentina) and I am fascinated with the rich tapestry of culture, people, religion and food in new places. 

My love for travel has taken me to some of the world’s most amazing places!

From Mauritius to Bahamas and all in between, I have been privileged to experience the world and being able to speak and understand 5 languages English, Afrikaans, Dutch, German and Greek) certainly comes in helpful.

I have grown up in South Africa, spending most of my adult life there, being able to show my clients what makes this region so unique is a privilege. Africa was my backyard after all and even after living in NZ for almost 12 years, my heart still beats to the African Drum.

For me, choosing a favourite destination is impossible. But .. Bali has literally captivated my heart, and even though I have been there 20+ times, I still always find new things to uncover. As does the Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles, these islands just have the “it” factor

I also love ocean cruising, especially Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Cruising offers such a great variety and a chance to see multiple destinations and experiencing iconic landmarks and locations from your hotel on the sea. 

I WOULD SAY MY PASSION IS MAKING MY CLIENTS DREAM HOLIDAYS COME TRUE AND I PRIDE MYSELF ON MY EFFICIENT SERVICE AT ALL TIMES.

Nicky

93% of customers who book with House of Travel rate us 5/5

"Lisa is highly competent and knowledgeable but, perhaps more importantly, very friendly and interested in me as a person. She wanted to understand my travel wishes and guided me through the process of booking professionally. I felt I was in good hands!"

Gerardus

"Kirstin was very understanding with our emergency booking to South Africa when my Mum passed away. She was able to find flights that fitted our needs exactly in a very short time frame."

Lynn and Al

"I threw so many variations of dates at Bea but she worked through all so thoroughly and advised us the best rates and dates always which is what we needed."

Anwen

Best. Holidays. Ever!

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