5 Day Kruger Park and Private Lodge Safari
A guided safari in Kruger Park (using the national park camps) is quite different to a safari at a private game lodge. Both have their advantages. This trip idea combines two nights in Kruger, followed by two nights at a private game lodge for you to experience the best of both worlds. All game drives in open vehicles with expert and knowledgeable guides.
Highlights
- 2 nights in Kruger National Park
- 2 nights in adjacent Private Reserves
- Evening drives continue after dark at the private lodge
- Bush walk included at the private lodge
- Two different ways of experiencing Kruger
- Off-road game drives allowed on private reserves
- Variety of different landscapes and animals
- Flexible itinerary - more nights can be added if time and budget allow
- The cost will depend on your choice of lodge
A question we get often is which safari is best - a Kruger National Park safari or a private game lodge safari? Check out this blog post about the differences between Kruger and the adjacent private reserves.
Indeed, a safari in one of the adjacent private reserves is different from one in the Kruger National Park. Our 5-Day Kruger Park and Private Lodge Safari lets you experience both.
Day 1-3
Depart from Johannesburg or Nelspruit and join one of our 3-Day Kruger Park Safaris, spending two nights at one of the best camps in the Kruger National Park, overlooking the Sabie River. We usually stay at Skukuza Camp or Lower Sabie Camp, using comfortable thatched bungalows for accommodation. All game drives are included in the cost and conducted on an open safari vehicle. Breakfasts and dinners are also included.
Kruger National Park wildlife
The benefits of this part of the safari are that you will have a highly experienced, English-speaking guide, you will get to see a wide variety of wildlife, and you will have the chance to explore a large part of the Kruger National Park, driving through different landscapes and vegetation types. All game drives are conducted on an open safari vehicle.
Day 3-5
On Day 3, we transfer you to a private game lodge in the Greater Kruger Park, such as the famous Sabi Sand or Timbavati Game Reserve. These private reserves form part of the Greater Kruger National Park, and there are no fences between Kruger and the private game reserves.
At a private lodge, all meals and game drives are included in the cost, and the accommodation is usually more luxurious than in the national park camps. Morning and afternoon game drives are conducted on open land rovers, and the vehicles can go off-road to get closer to the animals.
Close up encounters at a private safari lodge
At a private game lodge, your chances of seeing big cats up close are pretty good because the vehicles are in radio contact and can follow the tracks of these magnificent predators into the bush. A night drive is included each evening, and a guided bush walk with an armed ranger is also included (not compulsory, of course).
The choice of the game lodge will depend on your budget and interests, as well as availability. Prices at private safari lodges can range from about $250 pp to over $2,000 per person per night, depending on the level of luxury, room type and season. Our price match guarantee means you will always pay the best available rate, no matter which safari lodge we quote on. We are fully transparent and there are no hidden costs when we give you a quote. Broadly speaking, budget-friendly lodges will cost between $250 and $450 pp per night. Mid-range lodges are priced between $450 and $750 USD pp, and high-end luxury lodges are typically priced above $750 pp per night. The nightly rate includes all meals and game drives, and at many lodges, drinks are also included.
Spend two nights at a luxury private safari lodge of your choice. (This can be extended on request).
Off-road game viewing in a private Kruger reserve
On the last day, enjoy a final early morning game drive followed by breakfast, and then it is time to check out and head back to Nelspruit or Hoedspruit (the closest airports) or Johannesburg (five to six hours by road or a one-hour flight). The flights are not included in the cost estimate below. Expect to arrive in Johannesburg at the end of the day.
Customise this trip idea
This is a travel idea, not a fixed itinerary. You can spend more nights in Kruger Park at the national park camp or extra nights at the private game lodge. We can also easily add other destinations before or after your safari. Please discuss your plans and wishes with your friendly tour consultant.
Approximate cost
The cost will depend on the choice of lodge, but the estimated rates below will give you an idea of the cost per person sharing for the whole five days with a transfer to either Hoedspruit or Nelspruit at the end.
Includes
- Road transfer from Johannesburg or Nelspruit to Kruger National Park
- Kruger Park entrance fees and daily conservation fees
- Two nights' accommodation in comfortable bungalows with air-con and a small private bathroom
- All breakfasts and dinners in Kruger National Park
- All game drives on open safari vehicles with an expert guide
- Road transfer from Kruger to your private lodge
- Two nights' accommodation at a private safari lodge
- All meals at the private safari lodge
- Daily conservation fees for private reserve
- Road transfer back to Hoedspruit or Nelspruit airport on the last day
Excludes
- International flights and visas
- Flight or road transfer back to Johannesburg on your last day
- Lunches in Kruger Park
- Drinks
- Gratuities (not compulsory)
- Personal expenses and optional extras
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