4 day Kruger Park Bungalow and Sabi Sand Lodge Safari

This exciting 4-day Kruger Park Bungalow and Sabi Sand Lodge Safari spends one night in bungalow budget accommodation inside the Kruger National Park at Skukuza camp and two nights in an affordable private lodge inside the exclusive Sabi Sand Game Reserve within the Greater Kruger National Park. 

This budget African safari is an unforgettable wildlife adventure into the African bush, guaranteeing budget travellers world-class game viewing at a very reasonable price in two of South Africa's best game parks teeming with wildlife. 

As part of the Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Safari tour we take you on plenty of exciting game viewing drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles with professional safari guides inside both the famous Kruger Park and the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. This budget Kruger Park and Sabi Sand Safari package also includes collection from and drop off at your accommodation or the airport in Johannesburg, as well as game park entry fees, a night game drive and all meals and drinks shown on the itinerary.

Day 1: Johannesburg to Kruger Park – South Africa

The four day Kruger Park Bungalow and Sabi Sand Lodge Safari starts off in the bustling city of Johannesburg where you will be collected from your pre-tour accommodation (hotel / guesthouse) or from the OR Tambo International Airport between 7:00 and 7:30am. From Johannesburg we travel east to the Kruger Park, South Africa’s premier game reserve, in an air-conditioned mini bus. We stop for lunch in a small town along the way, arriving at the famous Kruger Park around midday.

Entering the vast Kruger reserve we make our way to Skukuza rest camp, located on the banks of the Sabie River in the heart of this nearly 2 million hectare national park. The game viewing begins as soon as we enter the gates of this diverse park, heading to Skukuza, the largest rest camp inside Kruger.

Upon arrival at Skukuza camp your safari guide will help you check into your Kruger Park bungalow accommodation situated within this top Big Five national park. The Kruger camps are all fenced to protect visitors from the predators found in the park. Your safari guide will inform you of the game drive departure times and provide a brief orientation of the facilities at Skukuza camp, which features dining facilities, a shop, Internet café and swimming pools. After settling in at Kruger’s most popular rest camp we embark on our first exciting game drive into the African bush in search of the abundant wildlife inhabiting this expansive park. 

The afternoon game drive is conducted in an open 4x4 safari vehicle for optimal game viewing, although if you prefer a closed vehicle can be used. You will be in good hands as the safari guides taking you on the game drives on this Kruger and Sabi Sands safari are all qualified and registered guides, as well as being experienced and knowledgeable. The afternoon game drive in Kruger usually departs from Skukuza between 2:30 and 3:00pm and takes about 3 or 4 hours depending on the success of the game sightings. The Kruger game drive ends back at the rest camp before the gates close for the night. 

Back at our Kruger rest camp there will be some free time before dinner, which is served at the dining facility shown to you by the field guide in the morning. Dinner will be the hearty culinary treat of a traditional South African meal, giving you a taste of truly South African cuisine, prepared by your hostess. This tasty local meal includes fine South African wine or an alternative such as a soft drink, bottled water or beer, which can be arranged with your hostess. After dinner you can relax around the fire and recount the wildlife adventures of your first day of game viewing in Kruger Park, one of Africa’s best game reserves.

Meals included: Dinner 

About Kruger Park & Skukuza

South Africa's flagship national park, Kruger Park is world-renowned for its superb game viewing and is one of Africa's largest and best game reserves. Kruger National Park is home to an unrivalled diversity of African wildlife (including the Big Five) and is considered a world leader in terms of its environmental policies and management techniques. Skukuza is a well-vegetated camp set among big trees along the Sabie River inside the vast Kruger Park. Lions are frequently sighted in the Skukuza area, as well as a variety of other wild animals, including the Big Five, and an array of bird species. Within Skukuza camp, which acts as the headquarters for conservation and research in Kruger, you can spot the nocturnal fruit bat as well as tree-climbing bush baby and genets.

Day 2: Kruger National Park to Sabi Sand Game Reserve – South Africa

On day two of the Kruger Park Bungalow and Sabi Sand Lodge Safari we pack up and leave Skukuza camp, heading south to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park wilderness area. An early wake up call is followed by some welcome coffee and snacks before we venture back into the wilds of Kruger Park in search of its diversity of wildlife and birds. We stop for a picnic breakfast inside the Kruger after enjoying some game driving and continue game viewing as we slowly make our way to one of the Kruger gates. Once out of Kruger Park we drive straight to our private lodge accommodation inside Sabi Sand Game Reserve. This bungalow wildlife safari offers visitors the unique opportunity of experiencing the more exclusive lodge accommodation inside Sabi Sand Park at affordable prices that can accommodate budget travellers. There are no fences between the private Sabi Sand reserve and Kruger Park, which ensures superb wildlife sightings of the free-roaming wild animals, including several endangered species and the Big Five.

We aim to arrive at our comfortable, yet affordable lodge in Sabi Sand Game Reserve in time for lunch leaving some time to freshen up before our afternoon game drive. The game drive is in an open 4x4 safari vehicle and lasts about 4 hours taking us into the evening when we head back to the safari lodge. When we get back dinner is served out under the starry African skies around a welcoming fire. After dinner guests can sit around the fire and swap stories recollecting another unforgettable day of game viewing in the Greater Kruger National Park.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 

About Sabi Sand Game Reserve

Sabi Sand Game Reserve, a 65 000 hectare private reserve within the Greater Kruger National Park, offers a more exclusive safari experience than the main Kruger National Park. The Sabi Sand Reserve shares 50 km unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park and generally offers upmarket safari accommodation for the discerning traveller. The Kruger and Sabi Sand Bungalow Safari is unique in that it offers the budget traveller an affordable package with lodge accommodation within the Sabi Sand reserve, as well as staying inside the Kruger. The Sabi Sand reserve is famous for its superb leopard sightings, with the likelihood of sighting these large cats in Sabi Sand being higher than in the surrounding wildlife parks. Not only are the chances of spotting leopards in Sabi Sand very high, but safari vehicles also frequently get as close as three to four meters from these predators making for excellent photographic opportunities.

Day 3: Sabi Sand Game Reserve – South Africa

Up early in the morning we start the day with a quick coffee before embarking on an exciting open vehicle game drive in the diverse Sabi Sand reserve, in search of Africa's fascinating wildlife. The morning game viewing drive is followed by a satisfying breakfast back at our safari lodge inside Sabi Sand. After breakfast there is free time for you to relax in this authentic African bush setting and lounge by one of the lodge swimming pools or take an optional bush walk if you want to get a closer look at the flora and fauna in the area.

At around 2:00pm lunch is served at the safari lodge after which we take an afternoon game drive that lasts into the evening enabling you to catch some of the interesting nocturnal animal activity in Sabi Sand. We return to our Sabi Sand lodge after this exhilarating adventure in the African bush to enjoy dinner and leisure time at the lodge.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included

Day 4: Sabi Sand Game Reserve to Johannesburg – South Africa

On the last day of the Kruger Park Bungalow and Sabi Sand Lodge Safari we rise early and have a morning coffee before venturing back out into the private reserve in search of Africa’s wildlife. This will be our last journey into the African bush to photograph and spot any wild animals that may have eluded us on previous game drives. 

The morning game drive is followed by breakfast back at our Sabi Sands lodge. After breakfast you have some free time to pack and get ready for our journey from Sabi Sands Reserve back to Johannesburg. There is time for you to freshen up before we pack the vehicle and begin our journey back to Johannesburg.

Our trip back to Johannesburg takes us along the Panorama Route, one of the most scenic parts of the beautiful country of South Africa. The famous viewpoints and spots along this route, include Blyde River Canyon, Three Rondavels, Lisbon Waterfalls and our lunch stop, Pilgrims Rest. We arrive back in Johannesburg at about 7:30pm when you will be taken to your hotel or lodge accommodation for the night. This brings the wildlife adventure of the 4-day Kruger Park and Sabi Sand Safari to a close.

Meals included: Breakfast

Choosing between Private and Public National Parks

So what's the difference between the Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Game Reserve and other private game reserves?

Comparing the two types of wilderness areas is not straightforward because they offer quite a different safari experience. Kruger National Park is seen as the “Great Unknown” as a vast game park full of wildlife surprises. In the Kruger Park the game sightings that you experience are mostly a matter of timing and luck. The Kruger Park safari guides do however know the game park extremely well and have a good idea of where to look for particular animals, increasing the likelihood of sighting these wild animals. The Kruger Park safari guides are also very knowledgeable so you can learn a lot about the bush and animals of Kruger on a safari in the park. Kruger Park offers the element of surprise that many visitors find exciting and appealing.

In a private game reserve like Sabi Sand you are almost guaranteed to experience excellent game sightings. In the private reserves safari guides typically keep in contact via radio so that game sightings can be shared by instantly alerting those in the vicinity of a wildlife sighting.

On this Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Safari you don't need to choose as you get to experience the best of both safari options, enjoying South Africa's leading Kruger Park and the close up game viewing experience of Sabi Sand Game Reserve. 

Pre and Post Tour Lodge Accommodation:

Please note that we offer convenient pre and post tour lodge accommodation for before and after the Kruger and Sabi Sand Safari, which can be added to your tour booking upon request. The 4 star lodge accommodation is located 10-15 minutes from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and the rates include transfers between 08:00am and 8:00pm. The guest lodge rates also include breakfast.

2010 Lodge Rates: Valid until 30 September 2010

• R 455 per person sharing
• R 670 per single booking

2011 Lodge Rates: 1 October 2010 - 30 September 2011

• R 525 per person sharing
• R 770 per single booking

Please Note:

This accommodated four day Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand Safari package is also available as a three day safari and a five day safari option. For more information please contact African Budget Safaris.

Check out other Kruger Park Safaris and Sabi Sands Safaris with African Budget Safaris or find out more about Kruger National Park or Sabi Sands Private Game Reserve.

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