5 day Kruger Park Private Game Lodge Safari

This affordable Kruger Park Lodge Safari combines the famous Kruger National Park with Private Game Reserves in Greater Kruger Park, in a fantastic wildlife adventure with comfortable Private Lodge accommodation.

From Johannesburg we travel to a Private Game Lodge inside the exclusive Big 5 Balule Game Reserve section of the Greater Kruger National Park. In Balule the qualified rangers communicate by two-way radio and off-road game driving is permitted, increasing your chances of sighting the abundance of wildlife in the area. Balule is not open to the general public and we drive mostly on dirt roads encountering fewer vehicles, which makes for a more remote game viewing experience in untamed nature!

On our first night we head into this Big 5 territory on an exhilarating sunset game drive that lasts into the night when spotlights are used to search for nocturnal wildlife. In the early morning we venture into the secluded Kruger Park Private Concession area for a thrilling Big 5 Bush Walk with an armed ranger. In the afternoon we embark on an exciting Big 5 game drive in a private section of the Greater Kruger Park teeming with wildlife. 

We spend two full days game viewing in the world-renowned Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s top game parks, in an open 4x4 safari vehicle. Enjoy unforgettable game drives in Kruger Park, home to a spectacular diversity of plants and animals including huge populations of Africa's Big Five.

Explore the Private Game Reserve area of Greater Kruger Park on a morning game drive, before traveling via the beautiful sites of Blyde River Canyon back to Johannesburg where this excellent Big 5 Kruger Park Private Lodge Safari comes to an end!

Tour Highlights

• 3 hour Sunset / Night Game Drive in the Big 5 Kruger Park Private Concession area
• 4 hour Big 5 Bush Walk in the Kruger Park Private Concession area
• 3 hour Big 5 Tshukudu Game Reserve Drive
• 2 Full Days of game viewing inside the Kruger Park
• 1½ hour Big 5 Sunrise Game Drive in the Kruger Park Private Concession area

DAY 1: Johannesburg to Greater Kruger Park

On day one of this Kruger Park Safari you will be collected from your hotel in Gauteng or from the Johannesburg International Airport. Leaving Johannesburg, the City Of Gold, we head east into the scenic Mpumalanga Province of South Africa, passing through the Highveld grasslands on our way to the Greater Kruger National Park.

We stay at a Private Game Lodge in the Balule section of the Greater Kruger National Park. Balule is famous for its abundance of birdlife and wildlife, including Africa’s Big Five.

In the afternoon there is usually time to take a refreshing dip in the lodge swimming pool, relax in the bar and enjoy the lodge’s lush gardens.

In the late afternoon we embark on our first exhilarating game drive in the Balule section of the Greater Kruger National Park. Our sunset game drive takes us in search of the Big Five - lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo, as well as various other wild animals.

The three-hour evening game drive, conducted in an open 4x4 Landcruiser, is an excellent introduction to our budget safari adventure in South Africa’s leading wilderness area.

On the game drive we get to see our first spectacular African sunset in the bush continuing our exploration into the night. Once it is dark we use spotlights to find the nocturnal wildlife in this wilderness area, including jackal, hyena and lion.

Returning to the Private Lodge after our first rewarding game drive in Greater Kruger Park we enjoy a traditional South African meal, served in the outdoor dining boma. After dinner you can unwind in the lodge guest areas recounting the wildlife encounters of your first game drive or retire to your comfortable, air-conditioned chalets with en-suite bathrooms.

The Private Lodge is set in a lovely subtropical garden with water features and has electric fencing to keep out the lions, elephant, buffalo and other wildlife found in the area.

About Balule  in Greater Kruger National Park

There are no fences separating this 35000-hectare Private Game Park from Kruger National Park allowing numerous wild animals to roam freely between these wilderness areas. The Olifants River flows through the Bulule game reserve attracting a variety of birds and animals year-round.

Balule is home to the iconic Big Five of Africa with buffalo, lion and elephant being sighted the most regularly sometimes even from the lodge property! Other wildlife commonly sighted in Balule includes giraffe, wildebeest, hyena, zebra, hippo, warthog, mongoose, vervet monkey and various antelope species, such as waterbuck, steenbok, impala and kudu.

Nocturnal animals such as civets, bushbabies, bats, hares, genets, wild cats and porcupines can be spotted on night game drives. Some of the more elusive wild animals found in this part of Greater Kruger include cheetah, African wild dog, bat-eared fox and badger, as well as caracal and serval cat and a variety of antelope species, such suni, roan and sable antelope.

The Greater Kruger Park area consists of various private game parks, such as Balule, that share unfenced boundaries with Kruger National Park proper. Staying in a private game lodge allows you to escape the main throng of tourists, as the Balule game reserve is not open to the general public.

On this exclusive safari adventure you get a more secluded bush experience that brings you closer to nature. In the private game reserve you travel on dirt roads encountering far fewer vehicles on your game drives. Another advantage of game viewing in the Balule private reserve is that your qualified guides communicate with each other via two-way radio, increasing the number of wildlife sightings on your drives.

Yet another perk of staying at a private lodge is that off-road driving is permitted in this exclusive game reserve area of the Greater Kruger Park, improving your chances of spotting wildlife in the bush.

DAY 2: Olifant's River & Greater Kruger Park

Day two starts with an early morning coffee and some rusks (hard biscuits), before we venture into the private reserve for a bush walk at sunrise. We drive to a secluded part of this Big Five wilderness area along the perennial Olifant’s River where we will head into the bush on foot. The four-hour Bush Walk is a truly thrilling experience that will get your adrenaline pumping as you walk among the Big Five and other untamed wildlife.

Your qualified guide will be armed to ensure your safety while you follow big game on this unforgettable wildlife experience. Your guide will be able to tell you more about the fauna and flora in this remote wilderness area as you move through the bush at your own pace.

After the thrill of walking in Big Five territory we return to the safari lodge with hearty appetites to enjoy a tasty brunch. You then have some free time to enjoy the lodge gardens, take a refreshing swim, and relax in the Lapa browsing wildlife magazines or resting in your comfortable chalet.

Later in the afternoon we stop in at a nearby game lodge for High Tea before heading into the Private Reserve in the Greater Kruger Park on a game drive in search of the Big Five and numerous other wild animals.

DAY 3:  Kruger National Park

Today we travel to Kruger National Park’s Orpen Gate in a specially designed game-viewing vehicle. This custom-built safari vehicle is open-sided allowing for the best visibility game viewing, as well as immersing you in the smells and sounds of the African bush! In addition to not having windows the safari vehicle is also elevated to maximise your photographic opportunities in Kruger Park.

The region of Kruger National Park that we explore boasts one of the highest concentrations of lions in Africa. Kruger’s Orpen-Satara-Nwanedzi area consists of open grassy plains that attract large populations of grazers, including big herds of zebra, giraffe and various kinds of antelopes. The abundance of grazers in this area of course attracts a high concentration of predators too!

On our game viewing drive we will stop regularly to watch the wildlife and rest at Kruger camps and picnic spots, as well as places of interest.

At the end of a full day of game viewing inside the vast Kruger Park we return to our Private Game Lodge in Balule.

DAY 4: Kruger National Park

Today we head back into Kruger Park on the open safari vehicle for another full day of game viewing in this vast game park, teeming with wildlife. Your guide will take you in search of any of the Big Five and other African wildlife that may have been missed on the first day of game viewing in Kruger Park.

We return to our comfortable lodge for dinner and a relaxing evening after our eventful day of wildlife encounters in Kruger Park.

About Kruger National Park

The world-renowned Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s best safari destinations and the premier game reserve in South Africa. Covering nearly 2 million hectares of untamed African bush the variety of habitats in Kruger Park are home to a breath-taking diversity of plants and animals.

Kruger is South Africa’s top travel destination offering superb game viewing, including massive populations of Africa’s iconic Big Five - elephant, rhino, leopard, lion and buffalo.  This vast wilderness area is inhabited by a staggering 147 mammal species and 517 bird species, as well as a variety of other wild animals and 336 tree species. South Africa's flagship national park, Kruger Park is considered a world leader in advanced environmental policies and wildlife management practices. 

DAY 5:  Greater Kruger Park to Johannesburg

On the last day of this Kruger Park Private Game Lodge Safari we rise early for our last Game Drive in the Kruger Park Private Concession area.

After our one and a half hour sunrise drive in Big 5 territory we make our way back to Johannesburg in Gauteng. Our return journey takes us through one of the most scenic parts of South Africa, the Panorama Route, where we get to admire the spectacular views of the Three Rondawels and the impressive Blyde River Canyon.

This unforgettable Kruger wildlife safari comes to an end in the late afternoon when we arrive in Johannesburg.

Please note:

Airport drop-off can be arranged for those catching onward flights from Johannesburg.

Pre and Post Safari Lodge Option:

Please note that we offer convenient pre and post tour lodge accommodation for before and after this Kruger Safari. This lodge accommodation can be added to your tour booking upon request.

The travel lodge accommodation is located 10-15 minutes from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and the rates include a transfer, en-suite accommodation and breakfast.

2012 Lodge Rates: 

• R350 per person sharing
• R550 per single booking

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