Popular tours and itineraries including Kruger

Greater Kruger National Park

About

The Kruger National Park and its unfenced borders with Africa's finest game reserves is undoubtedly one of Mpumalanga's greatest highlight. Roughly the size of Wales, this is one of the easiest places to spot the 'Big Five' - lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. The safari experience is perfected in The Kruger by sophisticated luxurious lodges offering the ultimate in luxury bush hideaways. To the north, the private reserves of Timbavati offer a completely different landscape to the popular Sabi Sands area in the south. Don't overlook Mpumalanga's other great sights: the spectacular Panorama Route, Blyde River Canyon, God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes.

Highlights

Rangers and trackers stay in radio contact to maximise their guests’ chances of sighting the Big Five – along with cheetahs, hippos, giraffes and many others.  Most lodges follow a fairly standard but laid-back daily routine, with early-morning and sunset game drives, a guided late-morning walk, lazy afternoons, delicious dinners at the lodge or sometimes in the middle of the bush, weather and predator permitting. 

Getting There

There are three main airports: Hoedspruit, Nelspruit (aka Kruger Mpumalanga International) and smaller Skukuza.  Regular flights take just over an hour from Johannesburg; the one daily from Cape Town is about 2.5 hours.  Transfers to the lodges can be arranged.  Private charters from Johannesburg are also possible, taking you directly onto the reserves’ landing strips.  Alternatively, the drive from Johannesburg takes about six hours, passing gorges and waterfalls along decent roads.  Mpumalanga, with stellar attractions like Blyde River Canyon, is well worth a stop-off.

Best Time To Visit

While game viewing is sensational year-round, summer’s dense green bush allows animals to hide more easily, and abundant water means they don’t need to head to rivers as often – making spotting them trickier than during dry winter (June-September) months.  Daytime temperatures in winter average 22°C, but it can get quite chilly in mornings and evenings.  Less so in summer, when the average is nearer 30°C.

 

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When you book a holiday with us we will provide full driving instructions for reaching your accommodation, where necessary; these can be used by yourself, or you could enjoy the luxury of a driver. Alternatively we will arrange private (car rather than coach) transfers for you; helicopter transfers are also possible for some destinations.

Testimonials

Fancourt Hotel

An absolute dream

Our trip to South Africa was an absolute dream. Ash organised everything brilliantly, from the big decisions right down to the smallest details. The best way to see South Africa for sure

Anon

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