On safari in South and East Africa: The perfect honeymoon destination

5 Day Kruger Park Open Vehicle Safari - First Day

The 4-night / 5-day Best of Kruger Safari is a popular and affordable guided safari, with comfortable accommodation inside the famous Kruger National Park, and game drives on an open safari vehicle.

Departures:

We normally depart from the Johannesburg International Airport (now called O R Tambo airport) or any of the surrounding airport hotels, at around 07h00 in the morning. We travel by luxury air-conditioned minibus to the Kruger National Park. As we pass Nelspruit at around 12h30 pm, you can also depart from Nelspruit if you prefer that (same cost as departing from Johannesburg). 

This is a scheduled safari with fixed departure dates, but customized departures are possible, subject to availability. You can also request a private departure just for your group. For our scheduled departures, we take a maximum of 9 people per vehicle.

Accommodation:

The safari includes four nights' accommodation in the Kruger Park, usually at two different camps in different areas (subject to availability). We use some of the most popular camps in the Park, in the southern and central parts which are excellent game viewing areas. You will be staying in comfortable, air-conditioned bungalows with en-suite bathroom/shower. These bungalows are very clean and serviced daily with fresh linen and towels. They are equipped with either two or three single beds and insect screens are fitted at the windows and door. This is not a camping safari and you will not be expected to pitch tents, dig your own toilet, share accommodation with strangers or anything like that!

The camps are safely fenced with an electric fence, and have well-stocked curio/supermarket shops, take-away cafés and quality restaurants. Most camps have beautiful lawns with shady trees as well as a swimming pool.

Meals:

Breakfasts and dinners are included in the tour price, and you will not be expected to help with the cooking. Breakfast or brunch is offered either at the camp after your morning game drive, or by our guide along the way, who will make a real feast of it! Dinners are usually prepared by your guide (some of our guides double as chefs) or by a dedicated chef from our catering partners. Meals are delicious and will often include some popular South African dishes. Or it may take the form of a traditional South African braai (barbecue) under the stars, weather permitting. In some cases the guide may decide to make use of the camp restaurant instead. Drinks are for your own account. Our safaris are relaxed and informal, and there is no need to dress up for dinner.

Game drives:

All daily game drives are included in the cost and are conducted on an open safari vehicle, which is designed to offer an unrivalled game viewing experience. You will have an experienced and knowledgeable safari guide who can help you to spot the animals and will be able to interpret their behaviour and relay fascinating facts and stories about the bush. Our guides are English speaking. On each drive we offer courtesy blankets, reference books and mineral water. We usually have one or two pairs of courtesy binoculars available on each drive, but it is best to bring your own. We make regular comfort stops on all game drives, and your guide will take time each day to consult with you about the route and options for the day. With each booking, we also provide you with a complimentary map book and animal checklist of the Kruger Park.

A sunset drive or night drive is included in the price and will be conducted by one of the Kruger Park’s rangers, on an open safari truck equipped with spotlights, to search for nocturnal animals like lions, leopard and hyena. A guided bush walk with an armed Kruger Park ranger is also included. Please note: if you are 65 or older, you need a medical fitness certificate from a doctor in order to take part on the guided bush walk.

Panorama Route:

Going back via the scenic Panorama Route with its view points and waterfalls is not offered as a standard option on this safari, because of the time involved. It would mean no game drive on the final morning, but taking a packed breakfast and going straight to the exit gate, then a rushed 10 hour drive via the scenic Panorama Route back to Johannesburg. You would arrive very late in the evening and would only get to see some of the views. We prefer to make the most of our safari time in Kruger and enjoy a final game drive on the last morning. If you would like to see the Panorama Route, we suggest spending an additional night so you don’t have to cut short your safari. We can easily add this on upon request if time and budget allows.

Children:

Children are welcome on this safari, and if any of the children are under eight years of age, we will need to arrange a private departure for your group, with no other guests on board. A private departure costs a bit more. Children under twelve years old pay 60% of the adult rate. Children twelve years and over at the time of travel will pay full price.

Single supplement:

A single supplement of 25% applies. Kindly note that we need to have a minimum of two people in order to guarantee a departure.

Itinerary:

Departing from Johannesburg early in the morning we drive along a scenic route to the entrance of the Kruger National Park. Here we transfer to a specially designed open safari vehicle. Game viewing begins as soon as we enter the gates, and we look for giraffe, zebra and various antelope species on our way to the camp, where we arrive by sunset. Dinner will either be prepared by your guide or our dedicated chef, or may be enjoyed in the camp restaurant. Fall asleep to the sound of hippos snorting or lions roaring in the distance.

5 Day Best of Kruger - Second Day

This morning we wake up early to explore the Kruger Park on foot in the company of an armed Kruger Park ranger. Your itinerary may include either a morning walk or afternoon walk, depending on availability (maximum 8 people per walk). A bush walk is designed with safety as the top priority, and the focus is on appreciating the smaller wonders of the wild. It is not compulsory and if you would prefer not to walk or are unable to walk much, we can also substitute the bush walk with a game drive (same cost). Relax around the pool during the midday hours, and then mid-afternoon we head out on another game drive in our comfortable open safari vehicle, looking for wildlife. Enjoy a delicious dinner, expertly prepared by your guide or by our dedicated chef.

5 Day Best of Kruger - Third Day

Today we travel through varying landscapes as we make our way to a different camp. We can either use the morning game drive to get there, or take a relaxed full day drive and arrive at our new camp during the afternoon. Game drive times are very flexible and will depend on the conditions on the day, the animal movements, and your interests and preferences. We don’t stick to fixed times or a rigid structure and we can make the game drives as long or as short as you like, within limits (the limits being gate opening and closing times, allowing time for breakfast, and considering the wishes of the entire group).

5 Day Best of Kruger - Fourth Day

We embark on another early morning game drive in the Kruger National Park in search of animals. While looking for wildlife we may visit waterholes, lookout points and beautiful picnic spots, stopping at regular intervals so you can stretch your legs. We may return to camp for breakfast, but the program is flexible. On some winter mornings, we might have breakfast before departing on our morning game drive. At other times, we may enjoy breakfast along the way, at a picnic site in the bush, before returning to our camp around lunchtime. You can spend the midday hours relaxing at the pool, browsing through the curio shop or enjoying a siesta. Late afternoon we head out on a sunset drive with one of the Kruger Park’s rangers, continuing after dark with spotlights to look for nocturnal animals. We return to camp at around 8pm for dinner. Alternatively, instead of a sunset drive we might do a night drive after dinner (this depends on availability).

Departing Kruger National Park to a Private Lodge

Departing to a Private Lodge

This morning we head out on a final early morning game drive. If we are lucky we may see wild dogs or another rare animals that we have not seen before. After breakfast, it is time to pack up and start heading back toward the gate, where you will be met by the transfer company that will do the transfer to the private lodge.

Arrival Day at a Private Lodge

Arrival and check-in time at most safari lodges is usually between 12h00 and 14h00. You will be met by the lodge manager or a senior staff member, offered a refreshing welcome drink and assisted with checking in. The lodge procedures and itinerary will be explained to you.

You will then be shown to your room, where you can settle in and explore your surroundings before making your way to the dining area for lunch (if time allows – if you arrive late in the afternoon there may only be a light snack before departing on the afternoon game drive).

Afternoon tea/coffee will be served on the deck at around 15h00 (or later in summer) and then the afternoon game drive departs, on an open land rover. Before departure, you will be asked what you wish to drink for sundowners. Your safari guide will drive the vehicle, interpret the sightings and share his vast knowledge of the bush with you. The tracker usually sits on the front of the vehicle and helps to spot the animals and identify tracks. The guide is usually in radio contact with other vehicles on game drives, so they can notify each other of sightings.

As the sun sets, the guide will stop at a scenic spot in the bush where you can enjoy sundowners and stretch your legs. After sunset, the game drive may continue as a night drive with a powerful spotlight, looking for the nocturnal animals that become active after dark.

Upon return to the lodge, you can freshen up in your room before enjoying a pre-dinner drink at the bar. Normally dinner is served around the fire in the traditional boma (open air dining area), weather permitting of course. Alternatively, dinner may be served on the deck or in the dining room. After dinner, the fireside stories often carry on deep into the night, and you can retire to your room whenever you feel like it.

Daily Itinerary at a Private Lodge

At most private game lodges the basic itinerary is more or less the same every day. There may be slight variations from lodge to lodge, but the details will be explained to you upon arrival at the lodge.

Early in the morning, you will be awoken before sunrise by a gentle knock on your door or a discreet wake up phone call. Early morning is the best time for game viewing, so make the most of it! Coffee and tea with rusks (biscuits) will be served on the deck or in the lounge before departing.

After the morning game drive (which lasts about 3 hours), you will return to the lodge where a delicious spread will be laid on for breakfast (usually full English or Continental breakfast). After breakfast, you can join an armed ranger on a short guided bush walk if you wish, to explore the smaller wonders of the wild on foot.

Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure, watching animals from the deck, reading a book next to the pool, or perhaps taking an afternoon siesta before lunch. Lunch is normally served around 14h00, and you can relax until afternoon tea during mid-afternoon, when it is time to get ready for another game drive on an open land rover.

The afternoon game drive continues after sunset as a night drive, before returning to the lodge for dinner.

Departure Day from a Private Lodge

On the day of departure, enjoy a final early morning game drive (time permitting) followed by breakfast, before checking out.