A Guide To Kosher Safari Holidays In Africa

A Guide To Kosher Safari Holidays In Africa

Jewish travellers can now go on a Kosher safari holiday to Africa confident in the knowledge that their needs will be fully met. The key to enjoying a Kosher African safari is to start planning your trip as far in advance as you can, particularly if you wish to celebrate an event such as Chanukah, Rosh Hashana or Pesach in Africa.

Africa Travel have been providing clients with dream Kosher holidays to Africa for over 30 years, using our extensive experience to ensure that our Jewish guests enjoy a trip that meets their specific preferences & requirements. All of our staff have travelled the continent, meaning we can give personalised recommendations for your trip, making sure that your Kosher safari will create memories that will last a lifetime.

Where to go in Africa for a Kosher safari holiday

Although Kosher safaris can be arranged in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia & Botswana, the logistics and costs involved in flying all the ingredients required to prepare Kosher cuisine to remote safari camps does make South Africa the obvious choice for those wishing to experience a world class Kosher safari.

South Africa is home to the continent’s largest Jewish community, and to Kosher restaurants, synagogues, and hotels & safari lodges with dedicated Kosher kitchens.

Whilst the biggest Jewish population is found in Johannesburg, tourist-friendly Cape Town also boasts a strong Jewish community, and attractions such as the Holocaust Centre and the Jewish Museum.



Kosher food in Africa is certified by the Beth Din of South Africa which is the Jewish religious court responsible for ensuring that food and other products meet the standards of Jewish dietary laws. An increasing number of South African safari lodges can now cater for Jewish travellers who wish to follow a Kosher diet.

Delicious and authentic gourmet pareve meals that are in accordance with Jewish dietary laws will be prepared under the strictest Kashrut regulations freshly on-site by chefs who have been trained in Kosher catering, with many safari lodges also able to provide Kosher milk products and Kosher meat from a Mehadrin Commission Kosher Butchery.

For a small fee Africa Travel can supply new pots, pans, plates and cutlery which can be inspected by guests when they check into their safari lodge, and which after every use will be washed in a special designated area.

Should a Mashgiach or Rabbi be required to be present to supervise proceedings, then Africa Travel will also be able to arrange this. Africa Travel are also able to arrange for a private Jewish Kosher chef from a recognized Kashrut authority to accompany guests should this be required.

The best places to go for a Kosher safari holiday in South Africa

The best area in South Africa to enjoy a Kosher safari is in the Sabi Sands region, which is part of the Greater Kruger National Park. Home to the Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino & buffalo – it is also home to the highest concentration of Kosher-friendly safari lodges and camps. World-class safari lodges such as Singita Castleton, Kings Camp, Lion Sands & Dulini all offer certified Kosher kitchens, with Royal Malewane leading the Kosher-pack.

Royal Malewane were one of the pioneers in providing fresh orthodox meals of the highest quality in their Kosher compliant kitchen. After noticing a high demand for Kosher meals, Royal Malewane took the decision to build their own Kosher kitchen rather than simply buying in meals for their Jewish guests, although they can still arrange for sealed, pre-cooked Kosher food to be pre-made for a guest’s entire stay and to be flown in to the lodge from a deli in Johannesburg.



A dream South African Kosher safari can also be combined with stays in other areas of this spectacular country. The beaches of KwaZulu Natal and the numerous attractions of the Garden Route both offer wonderful sightseeing opportunities whilst the Cape’s wine region has a number of Kosher-friendly properties, as well as a kosher winery, Kleine Draken, which is overseen by the Mashiach from the Cape Town Beth Din.

The city of Cape Town is home to a number of properties which are able to provide Kosher meals and offer candles for Shabbos - The President Hotel, Premier Hotel Sea Point, Twelve Apostles Hotel and The Clarendon Fresnaye all being examples, and all located in the Sea Point & Green Point areas which are home to the Beit Midrash Morasha and the Marais Road Shul.

Jewish guests who wish to self-cater in the Cape will also find that all of the major supermarkets have large Kosher food sections.