Budget Kruger Park and Mpumalanga Safari

Departing from Johannesburg this 4 day wildlife tour takes you on a camping adventure to South Africa's Kruger National Park.

Not only can you experience the vastness of the countryside inside the Big Five Kruger Park, but daily game walks are available to add to your experience in the famous Kruger.

The tour then takes on a cultural experience to a Shangaan village where you can come into contact with the local people of the area and witness their everyday lives.

On your return to Johannesburg, you will view some of Southern Africa's greatest heritage sites, including the third largest canyon in the world, The Blyde River Canyon as well as God's Window,The Three Rondavels and The Bourke's Luck Potholes on the Panorama Route of the Mpumalanga Province.

Day 1: Johannesburg to Kwa Madwale Reserve – South Africa

This short Kruger Park Budget Getaway departs from Johannesburg early in the morning, heading east to the world-renowned Kruger National Park via the scenic Mpumalanga Province of South Africa.

In the afternoon we arrive at our first game-viewing destination, the Kwa Madwale Game Reserve, just south of Kruger Park. In the afternoon we have time to settle in and relax at the safari lodge, taking a dip in the swimming pool and exploring the gardens.

Then we embark on a thrilling evening game drive, a three-hour long exploration in the Private Game Reserve. This is an excellent time for game viewing, as many wild animals are at their most active in the early evening when the heat is subsiding and predators start prowling. Look out for nocturnal animals that start stirring and keep the cameras ready to catch exciting wildlife encounters.

In the evening we enjoy dinner and a traditional dance performance at our affordable, yet comfortable safari lodge. The spacious safari lodge is located in Kwa Madwale Game Reserve overlooking an active watering hole. Lodge features include an outdoor dining boma, a well-equipped games room, as well as a bar, lounge and dining area.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

About Kwa Madwala Game Reserve

The Kwa Madwala Private Game Reserve, covering 4000 hectares of wilderness, is home to healthy populations of four of Africa’s Big Five - lion, leopard, elephant and rhino (buffalo being the Big Five animal missing). This well-managed independent game park is inhabited by a wide variety of wildlife, including hippos, crocodiles and herds of zebra, wildebeest and various antelope species such as impala, kudu and nyala.

Day 2: Kruger National Park – South Africa

In the morning we set off into the bush on a morning game walk in the Private Game Reserve. A game ranger guides this exciting morning game walk in Kwa Madwala Game Reserve. The guided bush walk is an excellent opportunity to get a closer look at the bush, learning more about the plants, insects and smaller animals in the conservancy.

Today we leave the Private Game Reserve and drive to Kruger National Park, South Africa’s premier national park.

We enter Kruger Park and make our way to our overnight camp inside Kruger Park. Once we have set up camp we head into this world-class game park on an afternoon game drive in our safari truck. Our Kruger game drive takes us in search of the abundance of wildlife, including the Big Five of Africa, found in this vast wilderness area.

Our elevated safari truck offers better views out over the game park, improving your chances of sighting game and big cats that would otherwise be hidden in the bush.

Returning from our rewarding game drive we spend the night camping in one of Kruger Park’s main rest camps, boasting an array of facilities and amenities to ensure your comfort. The rest camp generally used for our overnight stay features a swimming pool and all rest camps are fenced in to keep you safe from roaming predators.

Optional Activities: Night game drives with SANP Game Ranger (Subject to availability).

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3: Kruger National Park  

On day three we spend a full day game viewing in Kruger Park, teeming with wildlife. Our game drives are conducted in an open 4x4 safari vehicle designed to maximize photographic opportunities and views of the wildlife encountered.

We look out for any wild animals that have not been spotted yet, especially Africa’s iconic Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo) as well as numerous other game and bird species found in Kruger Park.

We spend another night camping inside Kruger National Park.

Optional Activities: Night game drives with SANP Game Ranger (Subject to availability).

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

About Kruger National Park

South Africa’s flagship game park, Kruger Park, covers almost 2 million hectares of South African Lowveld. Considered one of the best safari destinations in Africa, Kruger Park is also recognized as a world leader in terms of its wildlife management practices and environmental policies.

Kruger Park protects an unrivalled diversity of plant and animal species, including around 336 tree species, 49 fish species, 34 amphibian species, 114 species of reptiles, 507 bird and 147 mammal species.

Day 4: Panorama Route – Johannesburg

On the last day of this fantastic Kruger Park Budget Tour we depart from Kruger travelling back to “the City of Gold” - Johannesburg. 

Our return drive takes us via the Panorama Route through the rugged northern Drakensberg mountain range, one of the scenic parts of South Africa.

Along the way we stop to admire the spectacular views of the impressive Blyde River Canyon, the world’s 3rd largest canyon. Taking in the stunning views of the Three Rondavels and Bourke’s Luck Potholes formations in Blyde River Canyon and God’s Window for more breath-taking panoramas along the way.

This affordable 4-Day Budget Kruger Park and Mpumalanga Camping Safari comes to an end when we arrive in Johannesburg. Most tour groups choose to enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant on the last evening of the Kruger Safari.

Optional Activities: Morning Game Walk with SANP, Dinner in a local Restaurant

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

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