4 Day Kruger Park Budget Safari
The 4-day Budget Kruger Park Safari is easy on your budget and big on game viewing. This small group, fully-guided safari in Kruger National Park overnights inside the park with scheduled departures from Johannesburg or Nelspruit. Custom departure dates may be arranged (additional cost applies). Book early to avoid disappointment!
Highlights
- Regular, scheduled departures from Johannesburg or Nelspruit
- Easy on your budget
- 3 Nights inside the Kruger National Park
- Open vehicle game drives with an expert guide
- Big 5 game viewing in the best wildlife areas
- Small groups (max 9)
- Air-conditioned, en-suite bungalow accommodation (no camping)
- Option to visit the scenic Panorama Route on day 3 (extra cost)
Itinerary
Day 1
We depart around 07h00 from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg or any of the surrounding airport hotels.
A scenic 5-hour drive brings us to the famous Kruger National Park. Near the entrance gate we change vehicles from our luxury air-conditioned minibus and continue the trip in an open safari vehicle, perfect for game viewing, which starts immediately on entering Kruger National Park.
We slowly make our way to the rest camp, looking for wildlife as we go. Some of the more common animals you can expect to see on the first afternoon include impala, kudu, waterbuck, warthog, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, elephant, hippo, baboon, monkey and, hopefully, rhino and buffalo. We also hope to see lion and possibly an elusive leopard or cheetah.
We arrive at our camp by sunset and check-in. We mostly use bungalows for accommodation, with en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning.
Dinner may be prepared by your guide and might be a traditional South African braai (barbecue), weather permitting. Alternatively, we may use the camp restaurant or catering services.
Days 2 & 3
We rise early so we can be on the road as the sun rises. This is the best time of day for game viewing as the animals are at their most active and we are on the lookout for nocturnal animals like spotted hyenas returning to their dens for the day.
On our drives, we may stop at waterholes, viewpoints or picnic sites, where you can get out and stretch your legs, and enjoy some refreshments.
Breakfast is usually a mid-morning feast, enjoyed at a picnic site or back at camp.
There is no fixed schedule to keep, but usually, we return to camp late morning so you can spend the noon hours lazing around the pool or watching animals from the deck. An afternoon siesta is also a popular option.
Lunch is for your own account and you can purchase a light meal from the takeaway deli at the camp. There is also a curio shop with basic supplies in the camp.
In the afternoon we embark on another exciting game drive.
As the day cools down, the animals become more active again and game viewing becomes easier. We look for the Big 5 and all the other animals, birds and interesting plants we may find.
The excitement of a game drive is that you never know what you will find and each one is different. Perhaps we saw giraffes yesterday, but today we may see them drinking, or fighting, or eating from a nasty thorn tree without injuring themselves!
Your guide will be able to interpret the behaviour of the animals and share interesting stories and facts about the bush, which makes every drive that much more interesting.
We return to camp around sunset and enjoy another delicious dinner around the fire or in the camp restaurant.
As an optional extra, you can book a night drive with us in advance on one of the evenings. This is conducted on an open game viewing vehicle by one of the Kruger Park rangers.
Optional Panorama Route Day Trip
It is possible to book a day tour of the scenic Panorama Route on Day 3 of this safari, as an optional extra and at an extra cost. Please ask us about this option if you would like to include the Panorama Route. If you choose this day tour, you will pay a bit extra and will miss your game drives on this day.
Day 4
This morning we head out on a final early morning game drive. If we are lucky we may see wild dogs or another rare animal that we have not seen before.
After breakfast, it is time to pack up and start heading back toward the gate, where we swap over to our air-conditioned minibus for the drive back to Johannesburg. Alternatively, we can drop you off at Nelspruit or arrange your other onward travel plans from here.
We normally arrive back in Johannesburg between 5 - 6 pm, depending on the traffic.
Important Notes:
- If you can spare the extra day, we'd strongly recommend this 4-Day Budget Kruger Park Safari over the 3-Day Kruger Park Safari. An extra day means you get two full days of game viewing, covering a bigger area of the park. The 3-Day Kruger Park Safari only offers you one full day's game viewing, plus one afternoon drive on the first day and a morning game drive on the last day.
- Travelling time between OR Tambo International and Kruger is approx. 5-6 hours. Return or one-way flights can be arranged (costs apply)
- Check out our list of scheduled departures below. Click on any departure date to enquire about that date.
- Please book early! Short notice availability on all our Kruger National Park safaris is very limited.
- Compare before you buy - cheaper is not always better. Avoid disappointment by first reading our informative Guide to Comparing Safaris.
Quick links to other popular Kruger Park Safaris:
3-day Kruger Park Safari "Quickie"
5-day Kruger Park & Private Lodge Safari Combo
Rates
Period | Price per person (pp) |
---|---|
November 1, 2023 - October 31, 2024 per person sharing |
$952
£728
€869
R16,800
|
November 1, 2024 - October 31, 2025 per person sharing |
$1,008
£771
€921
R17,800
|
November 1, 2025 - October 31, 2026 per person sharing |
$1,065
£815
€973
R18,800
|
The rate is per person sharing. A 25% single supplement applies.
Children age 8 - 11 years pay 60% of the adult rate.
If you're a family travelling with children younger than 8, please contact us to discuss safari options.
All rates on our website are provided to give a price estimate only and should not be seen as a firm quote. Likewise, our currency converter will give you a rough idea of the price in another currency, but should not be seen as a firm quote. It is only intended as a guideline, based on the daily interbank exchange rate. The total price includes our tour arrangement fee and local support fees, if applicable. Please contact us to check availability and receive an accurate, free quote with no obligation.
Includes
- Return transfers from Johannesburg or Nelspruit
- Kruger National Park entrance and conservation fees
- Three nights' en-suite accommodation inside Kruger (no camping)
- Breakfast and dinner daily
- All game drives on open safari vehicle with expert guide
- Limited refreshments, tea and coffee
Excludes
- Flights, visas and airport tax
- Personal travel insurance
- Lunches/meals not specified
- Drinks
- Optional extras such as Panorama Route day trip
- Personal expenses
- Gratuities (optional)
Scheduled Tour Departures
This trip departs and ends at Johannesburg on the following dates. If you know which dates suit you, go ahead and make a selection below. If none of these dates suit you, please do contact us to request a custom departure at an additional cost on the date of your choice, subject to availability.
You may also want to look at
3 Day Kruger Park Safari
Our popular 3-day Kruger Park safari is designed for those who want a quick and affordable way to see the Kruger National Park in the company of an expert guide, but are really short on time. This 3-day Kruger Park safari is sometimes called our Kruger Quick Safari. We offer regular scheduled departures from Johannesburg or Nelspruit. Custom departure dates and private departures can be arranged on request. Book early to avoid disappointment!
4 Day Kruger Park and Panorama Route Safari
Our 4-day Kruger Park and Panorama Route Safari combines two of South Africa's most popular destinations in one affordable fully-guided tour. Go on small-group open safari vehicle game drives in the Kruger National Park and explore scenic Panorama Route highlights in an air-conditioned minibus while overnighting in comfortable, air-conditioned bungalows. Feel free to ask us about group discounts.
5 Day Best of Kruger Safari
The popular 5-Day Best of Kruger Safari is a 4-night/5-day safari in the Kruger National Park offering open vehicle game drives with an experienced safari guide. Includes a night drive and guided bush walk. Spend two nights each at two different camps, in different areas of Kruger Park, giving you the best game-viewing opportunities. Book early to avoid disappointment!