South Africa packs an unusual amount of variety into one trip: a world-class city, dramatic coastline, wine country, and genuine Big Five safari, all realistically combinable in under two weeks. Here's a 12-day itinerary built specifically with first-time American visitors in mind, paced to avoid the two biggest first-timer mistakes: trying to see too much, and underestimating how tiring the long-haul flight over is. Before You Go Flights: Direct routes run from Newark and (historically)...

South Africa is one of the most accessible long-haul destinations for European travelers, close enough in time zone that jet lag barely factors in, and rewarding enough to justify the flight many times over. Here's what to know before you book. Flights and Travel Time Direct flights connect South Africa to several major European hubs, most commonly London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Paris, with flight times to Johannesburg or Cape Town of roughly 11 hours nonstop. This makes South Africa...

South Africa is one of the most rewarding first-time international trips an American traveler can take, but it's also far enough and different enough that a little local insight goes a long way. Here's what you need to know before you book. Flights and Travel Time Direct flights from the US to Johannesburg are available from New York (Newark) with United Airlines, and historically from Atlanta with Delta, with flight times of roughly 15 hours nonstop. If a direct flight isn't available on...