4 Days, Big 5 Safari
Overview
The Greater Kruger Private Game Reserves such as Sabi Sands Wildtuin and the Timbavati offer best in the world game viewing and lodge experiences. Wait … Kruger … but what is the Greater Kruger then? Basically the Kruger National Park is a South African National Park run by SANParks (South African National Parks) whereas the Greater Kruger area is adjacent to the Kruger National Park without any fences between the two. The Greater Kruger is where the Private Game Reserves and lodges are situated.
There are a couple of important differences between a game viewing experience in a Private Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park. It offers a “closer to the bush” experience because the private lodges are not enclosed camps whilst the Kruger Camps are enclosed. It offers the chance to venture off-road closer to the animals if your ranger decides it will offer a better viewpoint. The number of vehicles at a sighting within the Greater Kruger are also carefully controlled to ensure every guest the best experience – no congested masses of vehicles. Within the Kruger National Park there is a road system and and everyone has to stay on the roads. The lodging in the Private Game Reserves is of a very high standard. It ranges from Bush Camp level through Mid-range Lodges to High-end Lodges, ensuring a fit for all budgets. The main difference between the Camps/Lodges is the level of luxury (accommodation, food, service and to a lesser extent the game drive vehicles). In the Private Game Reserves all game drives are done by experienced game rangers in the early mornings and evenings and in the Kruger National Park it is usually a self-drive game drive during day-time. Some bigger Kruger National Park Camps offer guided early morning and evening game drives.
To summarise – your time, experience and money are certainly better optimised in the Greater Kruger.
Day 1 – 4
Greater Kruger
3 nights | Bush Camp (Umlani), Mid-range (Arathusa Safari Lodge), High-end (Mala Mala) or similar
There are several ways to get to your lodge and onwards after the safari. It might be a road transfer from Johannesburg via the Panorama Route, a domestic flight from either Johannesburg or Cape Town combined with an airport to lodge land transfer or a charter flight from Johannesburg to the Lodge’s private airstrip. We’ll talk to you and make sure what is best for your requirements.
The Greater Kruger offers the real African bushveld sense of place. There are places in the world where we can feel the atmosphere of it. Here it is almost tangible. My memories of this region are about the feel of driving through the cool and fragrant early morning air on an open game viewing vehicle, the anticipation of seeing the lions, elephants, buffalos, possibly a hunt or a kill if you are lucky. The beauty of a Kudu bull standing absolutely still, watching you intently. The sounds elephants make while foraging in the veld. Birds all around. The changing colours of sunset. Sipping a sundowner watching an African sunset. The reflection of an African Bushbaby’s eyes sitting in a tree at night. Very few things in life compare to this.
And in between the game drives there are the pleasures of luxury living in the bush. The meals, the high tea spread, the high quality bed linen, the bubble baths, the bushveld quiet, the refreshing dip in the pool, the afternoon naps …..
Highlights:
The Bushveld habitat, the Wildlife, the Lodge, the best Rangers to take you on Safari, the friendly local people and cultures.
Day 4
Fly to either Cape Town or to Johannesburg for your onward travels.
Price from
-
Bush Camp (Umlani)
- R 15000 pps
- ± $ 854 pps
- ± € 783 pps
- ± £ 654 pps
-
Mid-range (Arathusa Safari Lodge)
- R 27000 pps
- ± $ 1538 pps
- ± € 1410 pps
- ± £ 1178 pps
-
High-end (Mala Mala)
- R 60000 pps
- ± $ 3418 pps
- ± € 3133 pps
- ± £ 2617 pps
Tailor-made to fit your style
All the tours listed on the Signature Tours website can be tailor-made to fit your style, budget and time constraints. Putting a tour together for a client is a fun process. Please complete the form below and we will be in contact.