5-Day Best of Kruger Park Safari

The safari starts with an early morning pickup from O R Tambo Airport in Johannesburg or any of the surrounding airport hotels. A scenic 5-hour road transfer in an air-conditioned minibus brings us to the Kruger National Park. At Hazyview, near the entrance to Kruger, we transfer to an open safari vehicle. Game viewing begins as soon as we enter the gates. We enjoy our first-afternoon game drive while making our way to our first camp on the banks of the Sabie River, where we will spend the night. We normally use Skukuza Camp for the first two nights, but the choice of camp depends on the season and availability. Dinner is included and will either be enjoyed in the camp restaurant or may take the form of a traditional South African braai (barbecue) under the stars, prepared by your guide. Our overnight accommodation is in standard Sanparks bungalows which are basic, clean and comfortable units with air-conditioning, small private bathroom, and insect screens at the windows and doors.

Main Destination: Kruger National Park

Best Time To VisitMay to September (Dry season)

High SeasonDecember to January and July to August

Best WeatherApr-May and Sep-Oct (Mild and little rain)

Wildlife in Kruger NP

Accommodation: Skukuza Rest Camp

Mid-range rest camp located inside Southern Kruger NP

Meals & Drinks:

Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included)

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

While on safari in the Kruger National Park, the program is flexible. A typical day will start with an early morning wake-up call and coffee before heading out on a morning game drive. Early mornings are often the best times for game viewing and photography. On our safaris, we do not limit the game drive times to a fixed duration. We may do a morning and afternoon drive, returning to camp for a midday siesta, or stay out all day if the game viewing is good and if the group is up for it.

Along the way, we'll enjoy a delicious late breakfast or brunch around mid-morning. We may stop at picnic sites, hides or viewpoints to stretch our legs.

On this safari, a morning bush walk and a night drive or sunset drive are included in the cost, to give you a slightly different perspective of Kruger. These activities are conducted by Sanparks rangers and will be scheduled into the program subject to availability.

Main Destination: Kruger National Park

Accommodation: Skukuza Rest Camp

Mid-range rest camp located inside Southern Kruger NP

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

We rise early to enjoy another full day on safari. On day 3, we will make our way to the next camp, in a different area. This gives you an opportunity to see a greater variety of landscapes, vegetation zones and animals. The transfer to the next camp is a game drive in itself, conducted in the same open safari vehicle. Normally we use Satara Camp for the last two nights of the safari, subject to availability. Satara is in the central area of Kruger, known for its beautiful open plains and abundance of predators. All the camps we use have a swimming pool, a restaurant, take away cafeteria and a convenience shop.

Apart from the famous "big five" animals (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, and leopard), the Kruger Park has the largest variety of mammal species of any major game reserve in the world. We are likely to encounter giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hippopotamus, warthog, hyena, various antelope species, and perhaps wild dogs (also known as painted wolves) or cheetah, if we're lucky.

Main Destination:Kruger National Park

Accommodation: Satara Rest Camp

Mid-range rest camp located inside Central Kruger NP

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

On day 4, we'll enjoy another day of morning and afternoon game drives. During the heat of the day, you can take a nap or cool down in the swimming pool. The Satara region is more open, and the abundance of plains game attracts many predators to this area. On one of the afternoons, we will return to camp in time for a sunset drive (winter time) or a night drive (summer time) with spotlights. These evening drives are conducted by Sanparks on their own vehicles and with a Sanparks guide. A sunset drive or night drive offers guests the opportunity to explore the bush after dark when the nocturnal species are more active. It is possible to see nocturnal animals in daytime also, but some species like the smaller cats are more commonly seen at night time, with the help of a powerful spotlight.

Main Destination: Kruger National Park

Accommodation: Satara Rest Camp

Mid-range rest camp located inside Central Kruger NP

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast & dinner (Lunch not included)

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

On our final morning in the Kruger National Park, we'll enjoy our last early morning game drive, looking for any animals that may have eluded us thus far. After another hearty breakfast in the bush, we start making our way back to the exit gate. We'll transfer back to our air-conditioned minibus to begin the scenic 5-hour journey back to Johannesburg. We'll drop you off at the airport or any of the surrounding airport hotels, usually between 5 pm and 6 pm. It is best not to book a flight that departs from O R Tambo Airport earlier than 9 pm on this day.

Please note: the Panorama Route is not included on this tour, but it can be added as an optional extra if you add an extra night at the start or end of this safari. Please speak to your consultant at Wild Wings Safaris if you would like to extend this tour to include the Panorama Route (extra cost). On request, we can also extend this safari for you by adding additional nights at a private safari lodge at the end of this safari.

Main Destination: Johannesburg (City)

Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)