Kruger Park Hiking Safari

Experience the true magic of the African Bush on foot. This Kruger Hiking Safari is perfect for active and adventurous travellers who want something different out of their bush experience in Africa. Get up close and personal with Africa's wildlife while treading the same path's our ancestors did.

This affordable Safari takes place in the Greater Kruger National Park, which is made up of the Private reserves adjacent to the Kruger. The controlled access to these Big Five Parks ensures privacy. The maximum group size is 8 per trail guaranteeing a one-on-one interaction with your safari guide.

Sleep under the African Stars in an unfenced bush camp within the exclusive game reserve of Greater Kruger. This is the "real" bush with no modern world to interrupt your safari adventure.

A perfect getaway into the wild!

Kruger Tour Itinerary: 

You will be collected in Johannesburg or Pretoria on the first day of the Kruger Park Hiking Safari from your hotel (select group of hotels only) at first light and transferred to the famous Kruger Park.

The scenic journey takes approximately 5,5 hours with stops along the way. Everyone will get together in Hoedspruit to meet your guide(s) and sign the indemnity forms. We then transfer you to our affordable camp in the Big Five Balule Nature Reserve, within the Greater Kruger National Park, making sure that you are out in the bush for the maximum time possible!

In the mornings we head out on a bush walk at first light after a light breakfast of rusks and coffee or tea. Enjoying the cool morning air we either set off on foot directly from our camp or use a safari vehicle to get further out into the game park.

As you walk your game ranger will interpret the tracks and signs left by passing animals during the night. The thrill of walking, tracking and getting up close to one of the creatures of the bush is an unforgettable experience.

On the hikes we focus on all the interesting things seen such as trees, plants, insects and birds, getting to know the African wilderness better. A big breakfast is prepared back in camp followed by time to unwind and take a siesta during the heat of the day. After lunch is served at camp it is time to head out into the bush again.

The afternoon activity is a walk/ drive combination, where we search for animal tracks and activity in other areas of Greater Kruger. After the hike we drive to a beautiful spot in this big five game reserve, where we’ll stop for relaxing sundowners while waiting for a stunning African Sunset.

As the diurnal animals and birds busily get ready for bed, nature's stage and sounds change and a whole new world awakens. This is when we take an evening game drive back to camp, looking for the nocturnal creatures that are so rarely seen during the day.

We arrive back in camp by about 7:00pm where a hearty supper and a warm campfire will be waiting for you. After a long and exciting day in the bush there is nothing more rewarding than lying in bed and listening to the sounds of the night under the blanket of overwhelming African stars!

On the final day of this affordable Kruger Safari you will go out for one last bush hike in the Greater Kruger private reserve. Looking around you and sniffing the typical scents of the bush you’ll realise how much you’ve learned already!

After breakfast on the last day of the Kruger Park Safari we pack up camp, paying the Conservation Fee and for any drinks on account at the camp. Then it's time to reluctantly say our goodbyes and transfer back to the city, bringing the affordable Kruger Park Hiking Safari to a close.

Self-drives can leave their car safely at the meeting point during the safari and be on their way again from here.

The Greater Kruger National Park

This budget Hiking Safari operates entirely in the Greater Kruger Park, which incorporates the unique and exclusive Private Game Reserves adjoining the Kruger National Park on its western borders.

There are no fences between the Kruger National Park and these Private Reserves, hence the name Greater Kruger National Park. The big advantage of exclusive wilderness areas such as Balule is their privacy, so you have the bush camp to yourself and avoid sharing animal sightings or camps with other tourists. Once you're out there it's just you, your ranger and chef and the rest of your small safari party (maximum 8 people per group).

The Balule Game Reserve is renowned for its abundance of wildlife and birdlife, and is home to Africa's Big Five - lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo. The over 35000 ha Private Game Reserve is still expanding and straddles about 20 km's of the perennial Olifants River. Balule Reserve hosts a high concentration of wildebeest, waterbuck and giraffe as well as nocturnal wildlife including jackal, hyena and lion.

The conservation levy that is paid on this safari contributes directly to wildlife conservation as the money is used for anti-poaching, animal monitoring, offsetting of carbon footprints and research.

The Bush Camp

The intimate bush camp is secluded and private, being closed to day visitors. The camp is designed to blend in with the unspoiled bush surrounding it, to provide an authentic African Safari setting.

This exclusive safari camp can sleep up to 8 people in large (luxury walk-in) twin-bedded safari tents under thatch and large stilted air-conditioned A-Frame chalets under thatch. All accommodation units at camp have en-suite bathrooms with hot/cold showers and flush toilets. Linen and towels are also provided.

Sleeping in a tent under the trees with only the canvas between you and the bush is an unforgettable bush experience, all part of this once in a lifetime safari adventure.

Facilities at this affordable camp include a remote lounge, traditional open-air dining Boma and viewing deck, splash pool, Jacuzzi and cosy bar. Meal times are an important part of the Kruger Park Hiking Safari with traditional meals prepared on an open-fire in the social boma setting with guests. Each safari is accompanied by armed Trail Rangers and each camp is serviced by a cook and camp attendants.

Lions can be heard near the camp at night and a variety of bird and wildlife species, including elephant and buffalo, visit the nearby waterhole making for exciting game and bird viewing from the camp. 

The Hikes in Greater Kruger

Every hike is a book on its own, with the emphasis on information about all the wonders of nature, big and small. The hikes aren't strenuous but can last up to 6 hours at a time, depending on tracks or sightings met on the way. Following tracks might lead through thick bush, riverbeds and gullies, therefore an average fitness level is required, especially in hotter months (Nov - March).

To increase photographic opportunities and game sightings, the hikes are also combined with game drives in an open safari vehicle. Hikes and drives are conducted in the early mornings, late afternoons and early evenings, avoiding the African heat and moving along with the animals. The combination of hikes and drives in the open 4x4 Landrover are dependent on weather and animal movements and are conducted at the discretion of the Trail Ranger. 

Each hiking safari in Kruger is designed to explore the untamed bush the way one should - on foot. Taking your first hike you’ll realize that you’ve gone back in time to discover the magic of the bush old-style. We embark on hikes in Big Five wilderness areas, however the mix of wildlife you sight depends on luck in the wild. To walk is to be out there with the African wildlife, sharing their paths and waterholes, the daily drama’s of their lives, sharing their space. To walk is to follow their tracks, feel your own senses come alive and hear the beating of your heart as you edge closer to a herd of elephant resting in the shade. You are guaranteed a genuine bush experience, not easily forgotten!

You will be accompanied by an experienced and armed game ranger on your thrilling bush hikes in Greater Kruger Park, but due to the element of danger the minimum age for this safari is 16 years.

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Looking for other tours to Kruger National Park? View all Kruger National Park Budget Safaris