4 Day Kruger National Park Safari

Day 1: Johannesburg to Kruger National Park, South Africa

This 4 Day Kruger National Park Safari begins in Johannesburg, South Africa. On the first morning, you will be collected from the OR Tambo International Airport or your pre-tour accommodation near the airport.

The shuttle first collects clients from their pre-tour hotels, guesthouses, or lodges within a 5km radius of OR Tambo International Airport, at about 06h30. Then it collects guests from the Shuttle and Bus Terminal at OR Tambo, around 7h00. By 7h15, our Kruger Lodge Safari departs from the international airport, traveling northeast towards Kruger National Park.

This scenic drive takes us into South Africa's premier safari region, the Kruger Lowveld. Alternatively, you can arrange to fly directly to Skukuza in Kruger National Park, or to the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, and the safari guide will collect you there, at no additional cost.

Our journey takes us to our safari lodge in Hazyview, arriving between 11h30 and 12h00, in time for a light lunch. Then you're free to settle in and unwind at the lodge. Take a dip in the pool or stretch your legs on the walking trail in the lovely lodge grounds.

Be ready to set off on your first safari adventure at 15h45, when you embark on a sunset-to-night game drive in Kruger National Park. Your expert guide takes you into the unspoiled South African bush in search of the huge array of wildlife found in Kruger Park. In summer, spectacular sunsets await, and in winter you'll have more time to search for nocturnal wildlife under the darkness of night.

At about 20h00 we return to the safari lodge, using a spotlight to search for wildlife en route. Back at the comfortable lodge in Hazyview, a hearty dinner is served. Enjoy a good night's sleep before our first full day on safari in Kruger National Park tomorrow.

• Meals: Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Safari Lodge near Kruger National Park

Private Safari Option:

Please note that this small-group tour is also available as a Private Kruger Safari that can be booked for private groups of at least 4 people. The private safari follows a slightly different itinerary. For more details please contact us.

Days 2 & 3: Full-day Kruger National Park Safaris, South Africa

The next two days of our Kruger National Park Safari are set aside for full-day game drives in South Africa's premier wildlife park. In the mornings we get up before sunrise and drive the short distance to Kruger Park. Early mornings are ideal for spotting predators and other wildlife in the bush.

Your professional safari guide takes you to the best areas for seeing wildlife in Kruger, including the Big Five of Africa. After about three hours of exploring, your guide will stop for a breakfast break at one of the rest camps in Kruger Park. Here, we tuck into the packed breakfasts prepared by the safari lodge and get to stretch our legs and use the restrooms. Coffee and snacks are also available at the rest camps. After breakfast, the game viewing adventure continues.

Your guide will show you various eco-zones, supporting different wildlife, in this massive national park covering some 19,623 km² (7,576 sq mi). We visit bushveld, woodlands, plains, rivers, and watering holes in search of wildlife and birds. The open safari vehicle offers excellent visibility for watching and photographing the animals and birds of Kruger, whilst immersing you in the African bush.

This Kruger Park Safari explores the southern region of the park, hosting a much higher density of wildlife compared to the northern sector. The southern part of Kruger is known for its sheltered valleys featuring trees that are rarely found elsewhere in the park. The granite outcrops in southern Kruger Park are the ideal habitat for leopards, klipspringers, and baboons. Most of Kruger's white rhinos are also found in the southern region. Other African wildlife found in this region includes giraffe, zebra, impala, kudu, buffalo, and elephant, as well as cheetah and wild dog.

At lunchtime, your guide will stop at one of the rest camps in Kruger Park. Here you can purchase lunch and snacks from one of the restaurants or delis, offering a variety of dishes. Browse the shops for curios or sit back and enjoy a cold beer, before heading back out into the bush. After lunch and a little rest, the Big 5 wildlife adventure continues. Then we return to the safari lodge, arriving at about 16h00. The rest of the afternoon is for relaxing at the lodge after your exciting Kruger National Park Safaris. Take a refreshing swim or siesta or explore the walking trail at the lodge, before enjoying a delicious dinner.

Day two and three follow the same schedule, but no two days on safari in Kruger Park are the same. You never know what amazing sights you may encounter around the next bend in the road.

• Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Safari Lodge near Kruger Park

Day 4: Kruger National Park to Johannesburg, South Africa

On the last day of this Kruger National Park Safari, we wake up early for our final game drive in Kruger Park. We leave the safari lodge before sunrise, taking packed breakfasts with us.

This morning your safari guide focuses on tracking down the animal species that may have eluded us on our previous game drives in Kruger. The early morning is a particularly good time for lion and leopard sightings so keep your eyes open. Enjoy your last opportunity to add to your list of wildlife species. We usually see all of the Big Five animals (rhino, buffalo, elephant, leopard, and lion), by the end of this Kruger Park Safari.

During our game drive, we pause for breakfast and a comfort break at one of the camps inside Kruger Park. No two days on safari are ever the same, especially in the vast Kruger National Park of South Africa. This national park features an extensive road network that enables your guide to explore different areas based on the movement of animals and the seasons. Your safari guide draws on his or her knowledge to maximize your wildlife sightings on this final game drive.

After our last game drive in Kruger Park, we return to the safari lodge. Arriving back at the lodge at about 11h00 there is some time to freshen up and bid farewell to your safari guide. The shuttle collects you at about 11h30 and transfers you back to Johannesburg. We arrive back in the city between 17h00 and 18h00. The shuttle drops you off at the shuttle terminal of the OR Tambo International Airport or your post-tour hotel within a 5 km radius of the airport, bringing this comfortable, yet cheap Kruger Lodge Safari to a close.

• Meals: Breakfast

About Kruger Safari Lodge Accommodation

On this Kruger National Park Safari, guests stay at one of two well-selected budget safari lodges in Hazyview. Both lodges are privately owned and offer excellent value for money. They are affordable, yet quality accommodation establishments in charming natural settings near Kruger National Park. These affordable safari lodges provide en-suite accommodation with air-conditioning.

The carefully chosen lodges used on this Kruger Park Safari, are situated a mere 15-minute drive from the Phabeni or Numbi gates of Kruger Park. Both safari lodges have a swimming pool and provide excellent service and great food. Their safari guides are all licensed professionals with a passion for African wildlife and Kruger Park in particular.

Guests usually stay at Umbhaba Eco Lodge, set in the indigenous Lowveld bush. The lodge is built amongst dams and water features with distant views of the Sabie Valley. Bustling with birdlife and alive with birdsong, this eco-friendly lodge features the perfect spot for sundowners after an exciting day on safari in Kruger National Park. All the rooms have a private balcony and are air-conditioned, with en-suite facilities and wi-fi. Management's commitment to the environment is reflected in the use of greywater, heat pumps, recycling, inverter air-conditioner units and even sending kitchen scraps to a local pig farmer to feed his pigs. Relax around the sparkling pool, enjoy a sundowner on your private balcony. The bar is a great after-dinner spot to socialize and meet fellow guests.

Kruger Park Safari Experience

Kruger National Park is one of the best game reserves in Africa and is South Africa's leading safari destination. It is almost 2 million hectares in size, about the size of Israel. Kruger Park is home to an awe-inspiring variety of wildlife species, including 148 mammal species and over 500 bird species.

This Kruger Lodge Safari includes two full-day Kruger Park Safaris, giving guests more time inside Kruger Park on their game drives. These longer game drives enable the safari guides to cover more ground in Kruger, allowing guests to experience different areas and the wildlife inhabiting them. During the full-day game drives in Kruger Park, the guides stop regularly at viewpoints and rest camps to ensure everyone's comfort. The extended game drives are well worth the extra time out in the bush as they increase your chances of sighting wildlife and seeing different eco-zones.

About 80% of the clients who have done this 4-day Kruger National Park Safari encountered all five of the Big 5 animals.

Private Kruger Safari Option

This small group Kruger Lodge Safari is also available as a private safari. The private tour option can be booked with a minimum of 4 people. The itinerary of the private safari differs slightly from the small group tour. For more information about the Private Kruger Safari options, contact us at African Budget Safaris.

Pre and Post Tour Accommodation

We offer a convenient pre-tour and post-tour lodge accommodation, for before and after your Kruger Park Safari. This affordable lodge accommodation can be added to your Kruger Safari booking upon request. The 4-star lodge accommodation is located 10-15 minutes from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.