5-Day Best of Kruger Park Safari

The safari begins with an early morning pickup at Johannesburg's O R Tambo Airport or one of the neighboring airport hotels. We arrive in Kruger National Park after a magnificent 5-hour road ride in an air-conditioned minibus. We move to an open safari vehicle in Hazyview, near the Kruger National Park entrance. The game watching begins as soon as we get through the gates. We enjoy our first afternoon game drive as we travel to our first camp on the banks of the Sabie River, where we will spend the night. Although the choice of camp depends on the time of year and availability, we typically spend the first two nights in Skukuza Camp. Dinner is provided and may be served in the camp restaurant or as a traditional South African braai (barbecue) beneath the stars prepared by your guide. Our overnight accommodations are in normal Sanparks bungalows, which are simple, clean, and pleasant, with air conditioning, a tiny private toilet, and mosquito screens on the windows and doors.

Main Destination: Kruger National Park.
Accommodation: Skukuza Rest Camp
Mid-range rest camp located inside Southern Kruger NP

The Kruger National Park safari package is adaptable. A normal day begins with an early wake-up call and coffee before embarking on a morning game drive. Early mornings are frequently the finest periods for wildlife watching and photography. On our safaris, we do not limit wildlife drives to a set timeframe. We may go for a morning and afternoon drive, returning to camp for a midday nap, or we may remain out all day if the game watching is good and the party is willing.

Along the way, we'll have a delightful late breakfast or brunch around midmorning. We may stop at picnic areas, hides, or views to stretch our legs.

This safari includes a morning bush walk as well as a night drive or sunset drive to give you a unique viewpoint on Kruger. These activities are led by Sanparks rangers and will be included in the program based on availability.

Main Destination: Kruger National Park.
Accommodation: Skukuza Rest Camp, a mid-range rest camp located within Southern Kruger National Park.

We get up early to spend another full day on safari. On day three, we will travel to the next camp in a new location. This allows you to observe a wider diversity of landscapes, plant zones, and animals. The trip to the next camp is a game drive in and of itself, using the same open safari vehicle. Normally, we utilize Satara Camp for the final two nights of the safari, subject to availability. Satara is located in Kruger National Park's center section, which is famed for its stunning open plains and many predators. All of the campgrounds we utilize offer swimming pools, restaurants, takeout cafeterias, and convenience stores.

Aside from the famed "big five" animals (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, and leopard), Kruger Park boasts the most diverse mammal species of any major game reserve in the world. Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hippopotamus, warthog, hyena, numerous antelope species, and, if we're lucky, wild dogs (also known as painted wolves) or cheetahs will appear.

Main Destination: Kruger National Park.
Accommodation: Satara Rest Camp, a mid-range rest camp located within Central Kruger National Park.

We'll enjoy morning and afternoon game drives on day four. You may relax in the swimming pool or take a nap during the hotter parts of the day. Predators are drawn to the more open Satara region because of the quantity of plains wildlife. We will head back to camp one afternoon in time for a spotlighted drive at dusk in the winter or at night in the summer. Sanparks leads these nighttime trips in their own cars with a Sanparks guide. Guests may explore the bush after dark when nocturnal species are more active by going on a night drive or sunset drive. While it is possible to see nocturnal animals during the day, certain species, such as smaller cats, are best observed at night with the use of a strong spotlight.

The primary location is Kruger National Park.
Accommodations: Satara Rest Camp, a mid-range camp inside Central Kruger National Park

On our final morning in Kruger National Park, we'll go on one last early morning game drive in search of any animals that we could have missed during the other game drives. After another substantial breakfast in the wilderness, we begin our journey back to the exit gate. We'll return to our air-conditioned minibus and continue the picturesque 5-hour ride back to Johannesburg. We will drop you off at the airport or one of the nearby airport hotels between 5 and 6 p.m. It is advisable not to book a flight departing from O R Tambo Airport before 9 p.m. on this day.

Please keep in mind that the Panorama Route is not included in this itinerary, but it is available as an optional extra if you book an extra night at the beginning or conclusion of your safari. Please contact your Wild Wings Safaris consultant if you like to expand this excursion to include the Panorama Route (additional fee). On your request, we may extend this safari by adding extra nights in a luxury safari lodge at the conclusion.

Main destination: Johannesburg (city).
Accommodation: There is no accommodation at the end of the excursion.