3 day Kruger Park Lodge Safari

Explore South Africa's top game viewing area, Greater Kruger National Park, on this affordable Kruger Park Lodge Safari escaping the crowds and experiencing a genuine African bush adventure!

Embark on rewarding Big Five game viewing drives in the private Timbavati Game Reserve sharing unfenced borders with Kruger National Park. Stay at a charming and intimate safari lodge in the exclusive Klaserie Game Reserve, enjoying the tranquility of this secluded authentic bush setting and the excitement of getting up close to Africa's magnificent wildlife.

Activities include morning afternoon and night game drives, a bush walk and game watching from a hide, as well as sundowners and picnics in this untamed wilderness area of Greater Kruger.

An excellent value-for-money budget Kruger Park Lodge Safari - ideal as a short wildlife getaway into the real African bush!

Day 1: Johannesburg to Greater Kruger Park (South Africa)

On day one of this affordable 3 day Kruger Park Lodge Safari you will be collected from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg or any accommodation within 5km of the airport at around 6:00am.

From Johannesburg, the economic powerhouse of South Africa, the shuttle heads east towards South Africa's premier game reserve, Kruger National Park, pausing along the 5 hour drive to stretch our legs and admire the scenery.

Arriving at the gate of Timbavati Game Reserve and Klaserie Private Nature Reserve we enjoy a welcome drink and transfer to another vehicle. We then enter the Greater Kruger National Park making our way to our overnight bush camp located about 25 km into the private Klaserie Game Reserve. This affordable safari camp in Greater Kruger Park offers an intimate and exclusive African bush experience in a comfortable and charming setting. We stay in thatched rooms with air-conditioning and private or shared bathrooms. 

Lunch is served upon arrival at the traditional style safari camp in Klaserie Reserve followed by free time to relax and settle in at the lodge. In the afternoon we embark on our first exciting game drive in the Klasier Private Game Reserve, sharing unfenced boundaries with Kruger Park and Timbavati Game Reserve. We take drinks along for sundowners in the untamed bush as we explore this exclusive Big Five game park. On our way back to the bush lodge we enjoy a night game drive using a spotlight to search for nocturnal wildlife.

After our rewarding game drive we return to the safari camp in time for dinner, which is served in the camp boma around an open fire (weather permitting). In the evening we get to relax and unwind at the authentic bush camp in Klaserie Reserve taking in the sounds of nearby wildlife and marveling at the star-studded African skies.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Timbavati Game Reserve & Klaserie Reserve - Greater Kruger Park

Today we get an early start rising at dawn for some tea and coffee with fruit and rusks (dried tea biscuits) before venturing into Greater Kruger on a thrilling game drive or guided walk.

On this Kruger Safari we have the opportunity of exploring the bush on foot with an armed ranger, as our game viewing takes place in a private concession area. The bush walk is a thrilling and informative way of exploring nature up close and is often the highlight of a wildlife safari. A bush walk gives you the chance to gain insight into the plants, animals and smaller details of the wilderness area from your experienced and skilled guide. Walking in the bush is however not suitable for all safari groups therefore the game ranger will decide whether to embark on the guided walk or take a drive instead.

We spend about 3 hours game viewing in the vast Timbavati Reserve area of Greater Kruger, encompassing a variety of habitats that host a wide array of wild animals. Returning to the bush camp after our morning game drive or walk we tuck into a hearty breakfast served with cool fruit juice. The heat of the day is spent at the safari camp taking a refreshing dip in the swimming pool, relaxing in the shady gardens or resting in your air-conditioned room.

Your game ranger may decide to arrange a visit to a viewing hide or to take a short walk in the bush before light lunch at the lodge. After lunch and tea at the lodge we head back into the game-rich bush in search of more of the wildlife found in Klaserie and Timbavati reserves. In the evening we stop for sundowners out in the tranquil wilderness of this secluded part of Greater Kruger Park. Day two of this budget Kruger Lodge Safari ends with an exhilarating night game drive and dinner back at the private safari lodge.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Greater Kruger Park to Johannesburg (South Africa)

On the last day of this budget Kruger Park Lodge Safari we take an early morning game drive in search of wild animals and birds that we have missed so far.  

After our final drive in the Greater Kruger Private Reserve breakfast is served, followed by some time to pack. Then we say goodbye at the friendly lodge and leave the remote Klaserie Reserve area of Greater Kruger behind, taking the shuttle back to the city of Johannesburg. 

This excellent-value-for-money Kruger Lodge Tour ends at about 5:30pm with drop off at hotels within 5km's of the airport or at OR Tambo International Airport.

Meals: Breakfast

Klaserie Safari Lodge Description

Our exclusive safari lodge is located inside the Big Five Klaserie Private Game Reserve in Greater Kruger Park. The privately-owned Klaserie Nature Reserve covers 60 000 hectares of unspoiled wilderness on either side of the Klaserie River and shares unfenced borders with Kruger National Park and Timbavati Reserve.

Access to Klaserie and the bordering Timbavati Reserve is limited to guests staying at the handful of safari lodges within these private game reserves, ensuring a uncrowded and exclusive safari experience.

The traditional style safari lodge is set in a leafy garden featuring a swimming pool, open-air dining boma and a game viewing hide overlooking a watering hole.

The intimate lodge caters for a maximum of 8 guests at a time providing a unique and authentic bush adventure free from the stresses of daily living and far away from the crowds of tourists. We stay in comfortable suites with shared bathrooms per two rooms enjoying personalized service in a laid back atmosphere.

From this charming safari lodge we get to explore the vast wilderness of Greater Kruger on game drives in the Klaserie and Timbavati game reserves, encompassing a variety of habitats that host an array of wild animals and birds. Experienced rangers use their tracking skills to locate the Big Five of Africa and other wildlife on our exciting game drives in these top South African game reserves.

About Timbavati Game Reserve

The Timbavati Private Nature Reserve is home to more than 40 mammal species, including Africa’s Big Five - lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant. 

Timbavati is world famous for its legendary White Lions of Timbavati and today hosts a healthy pride of these peculiar lions. The White Lions of Timbavati are considered to be the ancestors of all white lions worldwide.

The Timbavati Reserve covers 53,392 hectares of savanna bushveld, hosting 360 bird species, nearly 80 reptile species, more than 80 tree species and even almost 50 fish species!

The private Timbavati Reserve forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park, sharing unfenced borders with Kruger Park and neighbouring private reserves such as Sabi Sands. Sharing unfenced boundaries with Kruger Park and other reserves allows an impressive diversity of wildlife to roam freely between these conservation areas.

In addition to the Big Five, you can expect to see cheetah, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, kudu, impala, waterbuck and warthog; as well as hyena and the critically endangered African wild in the Timbavati Reserve.

Timbavati Reserve is ideally situated between Kruger National Park on the east, Klaserie Private Reserve and Umbabat Private Nature Reserves to the north, Sabi Sands to the south and Thornybush Private Reserve on the west. 

One of the main attractions of Timbavati Reserve is that it remains a less crowded safari destination featuring a limited number of lodges. Due to controlled access there are fewer visitors and safari vehicles game viewing in this part of Greater Kruger Park, in turn ensuring healthy game populations.

Since1962 the non-profit Timbavati Association has been dedicated to maintaining species biodiversity in this wilderness area, ensuring that Timbavati has remained virtually unspoilt and has never had to restock its wildlife.