This 5-day Kruger Park Safari explores the exclusive Klaserie Private Nature Reserve of Greater Kruger Park in South Africa. This Budget African Safari stays at an environmentally-friendly Eco Tree Camp, ensuring minimal impact on this incredible wild ecosystem.
With early morning, late afternoon, and evening game drives, you are sure to be enthralled by the huge array of birds and animals - including the Big 5 of Africa. Add in the option of guided walking safaris and you'll get to experience everything the African bush has to offer up close.
Enjoy the best of the wild African bush and its amazing wildlife on this Eco Tree Camp Safari.
On the first morning of this Kruger Park Safari, our shuttle service collects you from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg or the designated pick-up point in Pretoria. The shuttle collects passengers from OR Tambo at 07h00 before proceeding north to Pretoria to collect any additional guests joining here, at 07h30. From Pretoria, you travel northeast to the Greater Kruger Park.
On our way to Greater Kruger Park, we drive alongside the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve. Then we descend the Magoebaskloof Mountains and continue to the Kruger Lowveld region of South Africa. At about 13h15 to 13h45 the shuttle arrives at the Timbavati Gate Bush Pub & Inn close to the Timbavati Game Reserve entrance gate. Your guide from the safari lodge then collects you from the bush pub and transfers you to the eco tree camp inside Klaserie Game Reserve.
After settling in and enjoying lunch at 15h00 we go on the first of our game drives in the late afternoon/evening. Our rewarding game drive in Greater Kruger is followed by dinner back at the eco safari camp.
The Greater Kruger Eco Camp is designed and run to have as little impact on the natural environment as possible. This eco safari camp is situated within the private Klaserie Nature Reserve, forming part of Greater Kruger Park. The Greater Kruger Park is an unfenced wildlife area of over 20 000km2. It consists of Kruger National Park and the private game reserves (like Klaserie) around the national park. Klaserie is only open to guests staying at the safari lodges and camps within the private game reserve, which limits the number of visitors. Thus the private reserve offers a more exclusive safari experience without the crowds of public parks.
The tree camp has only five tented chalets, similar to treehouses. Each treehouse sleeps two people thus the eco-camp accommodates up to 10 people at most. Each treehouse is built on wooden stilts, with wooden floors, a thatched roof, canvas sides, and a balcony deck overlooking the African plains. The treehouse-style chalets are placed strategically away from each other to give guests added privacy. They each have an en-suite bathroom with a toilet and shower. All lighting is provided by solar power, to ensure minimal impact on the environment, and each chalet has a plug point for charging camera batteries.
Dinner is served in the main area (all under thatch), and in true safari style, we all eat together. There is also a boma, with a traditional African campfire - a place to enjoy drinks before/after dinner, make friends, discuss the day's sightings and just enjoy the African night. The eco safari camp is lit only by lanterns, to give you the true feeling of the African bush. There is also a small splash pool in the main camp area, for cooling off in the sweltering African heat.
You can safely experience the wonders of the African bush at this eco-camp, knowing that you are not upsetting the delicate balance of nature, by having a minimal effect on the environment!
Days two, three, and four of our budget Kruger Park Safari follow a similar routine. Each day out in the African bush is, however, completely different, as you will see.
The day begins with an early morning wake-up call at 5h00 followed by fresh coffee and a light breakfast at 5h30. Then we depart from the eco safari camp, setting off on our morning game drive in Greater Kruger Park at 6h00. The spectacular sights and sounds of Africa waking up can only be seen to be believed. This is the time of day when many wild animals are at their most active before the sun becomes too hot and they retreat to the shade.
Between 9h00 and 10h00, we arrive back at the tree camp and enjoy a hearty brunch. You then have the option of joining a guided bush walk or relaxing at the eco-camp.
There is no way to get closer to nature than on a bush walk. The walking safaris are lead by trained safari guides who have had intensive training in dealing with dangerous animals. They give you a thorough demonstration of how to behave when encountering animals in the wild before you set off. Then you get to walk through the African bush as your guide tells you all about the environment around you - animal tracks, dung, the complexities of termite mounds. Being on foot, with no motors running, you will experiences the sights, sounds, and aromas of Africa up close!
Back at the eco tree camp tea and a light lunch are served at 15h00. Then you embark on an afternoon game drive that lasts into the night. Later afternoons are also an active time for many animals, like the leopard. Other nocturnal animals which you may spot include bush babies, aardvarks, bat-eared foxes, and hyenas. Your safari guide will use a high-powered spotlight to ensure the best wildlife spotting.
Returning to our intimate eco-camp between 19h00 and 20h00, we enjoy a drink at the bar before dinner at 20h00. After dinner, tea, coffee, and drinks are served around the campfire, beneath the spectacular African night sky.
This private nature reserve covers over 60 000 hectares within the Greater Kruger Park. There are no fences between the wildlife parks of Greater Kruger, allowing the free migration of animals over the entire area of over 2 million hectares (including Kruger National Park).
Due to this vast traversing area, Greater Kruger hosts an incredibly diverse array of animals, including the Big Five. Other animals include giraffe, zebra, warthog, hyena, various buck, and primates. Nocturnal creatures include wild dogs, cheetahs, bat-eared foxes, and civets.
The birdlife in Greater Kruger Park is also prolific, and you're sure to see hundreds of different species, including vultures, eagles, starlings, and shrikes.
The game reserve is run by an NGO (non-governmental organization) that strives to keep the area pristine, protecting both the fauna and flora. Several projects are run by the reserve in an effort to reduce human impact on the environment and ensure the survival of the indigenous species. These include The Children's Environmental Education Project, which interacts and educates local children about the importance of protecting our environment. There are also various research projects on the go, including ones studying the Ground Hornbill, elephant, and buffalo of the area.
Only guests staying within the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve are permitted on game drives in the area, ensuring crowd-free game drives and a more exclusive safari experience. The animals of the area are habituated to the safari vehicles, allowing you to safely get up-close-and-personal - within 5 to 10 meters!
A light breakfast is served at the eco safari camp, before your final morning game drive in Greater Kruger Park. Make the most of your last game viewing adventure and see how much your wildlife spotting skills have already improved.
After your morning game drive, your safari guide drives you back to the bush pub near Timbavati Game Reserve. Here the shuttle collects you at about 10h45 and drives you back to the designated drop-off point in Pretoria, arriving at 17h00, and then OR Tambo in Johannesburg, arriving at 18h00.
Pick-up and drop-off are at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and a designated point in Pretoria. For more details and times please enquire. Transport to and from these set locations is not included in the tour price.
Collection times on the first day:
Drop off times on the last day:
Please note that we offer convenient pre-tour and post-tour lodge accommodation for before and after the Kruger Eco Camp Safari. This affordable lodge accommodation can be added to your safari booking upon request. The 4-star lodge accommodation is located 10-15 minutes from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. For lodge rates follow the link.
This tour does take children.
Children 12 years and under are not accepted on this Kruger Safari.
Children 13 years and older are welcome and pay the full adult rate.
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