KRUGER PARK

A TRUE WILDLIFE SAFARI

Kruger National Park is a safari destination located in the northeastern part of South Africa, and is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometers, the park offers a stunning array of wildlife, including the famous Big Five: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffaloes. The park's diverse ecosystems range from dense forests and bushveld to open savannahs, which is also home to 500 bird species, 100 reptile species, and nearly 150 mammal species. You can stay inside the park or outside the park, depending on the length of your trip and budget.

R486 €25

Currency Rand (R)

397 kms

SAFARI OPTIONS & TIPS IN KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

If you do not have a lot of time in this area, or you do not have the funds to stay inside Kruger Park, doing a full day self-drive safari is highly recommended. Be prepared with a full tank of gas in the car, water, snacks, sunscreen, binoculars and cameras. At the Kruger Gates there are often locals selling souvenirs. There is also a wildlife viewing board where you can see daily pins from other visitors on a map of the area, which represent sightings of wildlife such as a wild dog, lion, leopard, buffalo, etc. Entry for foreigners is around €25 per person/R486. Nowadays you can pay with a credit/debit card almost everywhere. Note that you are not allowed to bring alcohol into the park. There will be some stops with restaurants and toilets, but they are widespread. There is a gas station at Skukuza Rest Camp. Make sure to get to the gate before closing time, which differs per time of year, but is around 17:30pm. The gates open at 5:30-6:00 am.

Self-drive day safari

Guided day safari

Taking a guided safari through Kruger National Park offers a range of benefits that make it a compelling option, as the safari guides know the best spots and times for wildlife sightings. They can track animals based on recent movements and environmental signs, increasing the chances of seeing the Big Five. On the Kruger Park website, full day and half day guided safaris are offered. There are private and shared options. Half day shared safaris start at R2100 pp (around €100) to full day private safari for R5700 per unit (assuming unit is a safari car). Check the link below for options, or find another day safari operator.

If you have the budget to do a fully guided safari & accommodation package inside Kruger National Park, this would be the most convenient way to do it. Some safari packages include return flights to Johannesburg. You can fly into an airport inside Kruger park if you do not want to drive, but I would recommend driving in order to see the rest of the Kruger area. The Kruger park website offers many different kinds of safari packages, of various durations, starting at around €1000 pp. This is very expensive for South African standards, and you can do a lot more with this amount of money if you stay outside the park and do a self-drive. You can also look at staying in a rest camp inside Kruger Park and doing self-drive safaris. The rest camps offer some slightly more budget accommodations. If you still want a luxury stay for less money, I would recommend staying outside the park. If you have an inexhaustible budget, look at the best luxurious safari lodges in Kruger Park as listed below.

Safari & accommodation package

STAYING INSIDE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

The main Rest Camps in Kruger offer a wide range of facilities, including shops, restaurants, and fuel stations. Examples include Skukuza, Lower Sabie, and Satara. There are many rest camps, each with their own location advantages and accommodations. Plan according to the area you want to stay in. The types of accommodation that the rest camps generally have are (1) Campsite: Around €20 to €30 for a spot. (2) Safari tent: A built tent, some more luxurious than others. Around €90 per unit per night. Prices from Lower Sabie Rest Camp. (3) Bungalows: These are single-room units with basic amenities, including beds, a small kitchenette, and sometimes a bathroom. Prices range from €100 to €150 per night. (4) Cottages: Larger than bungalows, cottages offer multiple bedrooms, a living area, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Prices range from €150 to €350 per night. (5) Guest Houses: These are larger, fully-equipped houses suitable for families or groups. They come with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, a living area, and a kitchen. Prices range from €200 to €600 per night.

Kruger Rest Camps

Luxury Safari Lodges

These offer all-inclusive packages with luxury accommodations, meals, guided game drives, and other amenities. Prices can range from $500 to $2000 per person per night, up to even crazier amounts. A good example of this is Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, which is located in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, adjacent to Kruger National Park. It’s renowned for its luxurious accommodations, exceptional service, and prime wildlife viewing opportunities. Sabi Sabi consists of four distinct lodges, each offering a unique experience. Below is a link to a list with stunning safari lodges if you are priviledged enough to be able to afford them!

STAYING OUTSIDE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK

Hazyview is a town located in the Mpumalanga province, and serves as an excellent base for exploring the southern regions of Kruger National Park. Hazyview is easily reachable from Johannesburg, and perhaps the nearest town to the Kruger Gates. Even though the landscape around is beautiful, Hazyview as a town is nothing to write home about. There are some shops & small mall where you can buy things you may need for your stay or in a self-catering accommodation. There are some affordable lodges, AirBnbs and guesthouses around Hazyview if you're trying to see Kruger park and the surrounding area on a budget. The closest gate from here into Kruger is the Phabeni gate, 12km away, or Numbi gate, 16 kms away. Amongst the best value for money stays that I found around there, is Lions Rock Rapids. There are luxury tents, but also a self-catering king suite or twin suite with private plunge pools for around R1500-R1800 (€75 to €90) per night for two people.

Hazyview

Hoedspruit

Hoedspruit is a vibrant town located in the Limpopo province, at the foot of the Klein Drakensberg mountain range. It’s known for its close proximity to private game reserves and the central and northern parts of Kruger National Park. Orpen Gate is the closest Kruger gate, 68kms away. Hoedspruit is in an area with many gems aside from just Kruger park. If you are keen to also spend a few days outside of Kruger to explore the area, this is a great location to stay. It is close to the Panorama Route, as well as Jessica the Hippo and the endangered species centre. Nice accommodation options around Hoedspruit include Little Kubu Lodge, where a room costs around R3000 a night for two people (€150), or a highly rated option, the Wild Dog guest lodge - where a cottage costs R1800 a night for two people (€90).

The Sabie River is a lifeline for the ecosystem in this part of Kruger, attracting a diverse array of wildlife, especially during the dry season when water sources are scarce. The riverbanks are lush and green, creating a picturesque setting for safari lodges and camps. This area is particularly known for its high density of animals, including the Big Five. Accommodations along the Sabi River range from €100 per night to a €1000 per night. Some lodges that seem like decent value for money are the Sabie River Bush Lodge, the Kruger Gate hotel and Rixile Kruger Lodge. For the extremely luxurious safari lodges in this area, consult the link to the best luxury lodges.

Along the Sabie River

THINGS TO DO CLOSE TO KRUGER PARK

The Panorama Route is a scenic drive in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa, close to Kruger National Park, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, waterfalls, and geological formations. The total route is around 160 kilometers, which can be driven in about 3-4 hours without stops. However, to fully enjoy and explore the various attractions, it’s recommended to allocate a full day or even two days for the journey. Good stops along the Panorama route include Bourke's Luck Potholes, the Three Rondawels Viewpoint, Berlin & Lisbon Falls, Mac Mac Falls, The Pinnacle Rock, Wonder View. Most stops charge a fee for visitors, imposed by the government. This fee is mostly around €2 - €3 per person, and often higher for foreigners. This has to be paid by card.

Drive the Panorama Route

Take a boat trip on the Blyde River Canyon

The Blyde River Canyon is the third-largest canyon in the world and the largest green canyon, offering breathtaking views of towering cliffs and deep valleys. You can take a boat trip on the Blyde River, where a tour guide will take you to the you to the rare living Kadishi Tufa waterfall and the Three Rondawels. The Blyde River canyon supports large diversity of life, including numerous fish and antelope species as well as hippos and crocodiles, primate species and a diversity of birdlife. The tour costs R340 pp (€17) and the entrance fee for the reserve should be paid in cash, R90 (€4,5) per person for foreigners.

The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) is a leading conservation and rehabilitation facility dedicated to the preservation of rare, vulnerable, and endangered species. It is renowned for its efforts to rehabilitate and reintroduce injured and orphaned animals back into the wild. Established in 1990, HESC initially focused on cheetah conservation but has since expanded to encompass a wide range of species. The center's mission is to contribute to the long-term survival of South Africa's wildlife through breeding programs, rescue and rehabilitation. Visitors can see cheetahs, wild dogs, rhinos, lions, and other animals up close, learn about their behaviors, and understand the challenges they face in the wild. The two hour guided tour of the facility starts at 9:00, 11:00 and 13:00 and costs R650 (€33) per person.

Go to the Endangered Species Center

Visit Jessica the Hippo

Jessica the Hippo is one of the most famous residents of Hoedspruit, South Africa. Unlike other hippos, Jessica has formed an extraordinary bond with humans, making her a unique attraction for visitors. This tame hippopotamus has been featured in various documentaries and TV shows around the world, and has since been joined by another hippo that washed up on the game farm as a baby, and a baby of her own! At set times, the farm gates are open and you can pay R150 per person (€7,50) to feed the hippo's sweet potato and rooibos tea, before the hippo's go back to their free life in the river. Bring cash, as there are no card machines.

Check out our videos of the Panorama Route & Hippo Jessica!

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