Johannesburg at $875 RT

Lions and rhinos and elephants, oh my!

If you want to see the Big Five on your trip to South Africa (trust us, you do), Joburg is a terrific home base. With Pilanesberg National Park only a couple hours away, you can drive out in the morning, safari your heart out, and get back to the city in time for some delicious braai barbecue.

Of course, if you want the real primo top-tier safari experience, you want to make the trek out to Kruger National Park instead. Be warned, though: Once you've seen the wild animals and spectacular views in Kruger, trips to your local dog park just won't hit the same :-)