Toll Free Numbers: 1-888-414-6513 0-808-189-1052, All Other Countries - +27 21 791 0878
Kruger Safari - Black-backed jackal by Chris Eason

6 Day Kruger Park Budget Safari (Backpackers Lodge Tour)

Tour Length6 days
Priced from pps $1102 R20850 £873 1022 A$1692 C$1492 NZ$1845 Full pricing info
Change Currency

Summary of this Lodge Safari

  • Starts & ends in Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Accommodation Bungalow or Chalet / Backpacker Hostel
  • Transport Microbus / Open 4x4 Game Viewing Vehicle
  • Wildlife Big 5, Elephant, Leopards, Lions, Rhino & More
  •  See Departure Dates

Quick Itinerary Overview

An excellent Kruger Park Budget Safari to private reserves of Greater Kruger Park and Kruger National Park, South Africa's leading safari destination.  

This budget-friendly Kruger Backpackers Lodge Tour offers an exciting mix of safari activities, including a morning game walk; open vehicle game drives in Big 5 Balule Game Reserve and Big 5 Tshukudu Game Reserve; a bush barbecue (braai), a visit to the Moholoholo Wildlife Centre and two full days of 4x4 game viewing in Kruger Safari Park proper.

Accommodation is at a basic, yet comfortable backpackers lodge, conveniently located in Greater Kruger Park.

Enquire About This
Departure Dates
Send to a Friend

Itinerary for this Tour

Kruger Park Budget Safari Highlights

  • Big 5 sunset & night game drive in Balule Private Reserve & bush braai (barbecue)
  • 4-Hour guided bush walk & 4-hour afternoon game drive in Big 5 Balule Reserve
  • Two full-day Big 5 Kruger Safaris in open safari vehicles with trained guides
  • Visit the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
  • 3-Hour afternoon game drive in Big 5 Tshukudu Game Reserve
  • Sunrise game drive in Big 5 Balule & scenic highlights of Panorama Route

Day 1: Johannesburg to Balule Game Reserve in Greater Kruger – South Africa

This Kruger Park Budget Safari starts and ends in Johannesburg. On the morning of day one, our preferred shuttle service collects you from OR Tambo International Airport or your hotel in Gauteng. Leaving the bustling metropolis of Johannesburg behind, we drive into the famous Lowveld region, where many of South Africa's best game parks are found.

We head to our backpackers' lodge on Balule Game Reserve in Greater Kruger Park, the safari capital of South Africa. This is one of the prime Big Five game reserves sharing open boundaries with Kruger National Park, allowing wildlife to move freely between the two. After settling in at the safari lodge, we embark on our first thrilling game drive in Big 5 Balule Reserve. This sunset game drive is conducted in an open 4x4 Land Cruiser, offering excellent visibility and immersing you in the African bush.

Late afternoons are ideal for game viewing and we spend about three hours on the game drive. Your guide tracks down wildlife and birds, telling you more about the incredible flora and fauna of the Kruger region. With some luck we may experience our first Big Five encounter, coming across lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, or buffalo.

After watching our first beautiful sunset in the wilds of Africa, we make our way to the remote boma for a bush braai (barbecue). As darkness falls we use a powerful spotlight to light the way and spot nocturnal animals. Dinner is a hearty South African style braai with food prepared over the open fire in the middle of the untamed bush. After our bush dinner, the game viewing adventure continues with an exciting night game drive back to the backpackers' lodge. Retire to your rustic chalet with an en-suite bathroom and air-conditioning for a good night's rest.

  • Meals Included: Dinner
  • Safari Activities: Sunset-to-night game drive and bush barbecue

Day 2: Balule Game Reserve, Greater Kruger Park – South Africa

Day two of the Kruger Backpackers Lodge Tour kicks off with an early morning game walk. Driving to Olifants River at sunrise, we set off into the Greater Kruger wilderness from there.

We spend the next four hours exploring Balule Game Reserve on foot, with your guides leading the way. Exploring the Big 5 African bush on foot is one of the highlights of this Budget Kruger Safari. The guides are armed to ensure your safety as this is big game country, inhabited by some potentially dangerous animals. The game walk takes us off the beaten track to enjoy the bush up close and personal, away from the crowds. As you go, the rangers point out fascinating details of the unspoiled bush around you, showing you signs of animal activity, such as spoor, droppings, and markings.

After our exhilarating walk in the wilds, we return to the game lodge for brunch. Then you are free to take a dip in the pool, unwind in the lapa, or nap in your chalet. We meet up for lunch in the lapa and prepare for our afternoon game drive, which departs at about 15h30. Venturing back out into Balule Reserve, we spend about four hours looking for wildlife and birds. During our game drive in Greater Kruger, we stop for sundowners and watch another glowing sunset over the bushveld. Then we return to the backpackers' lodge for dinner and leisure time.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
  • Safari Activities: Morning Bush Walk & Afternoon Game Drive in Big 5 Balule Private Reserve

Day 3: Full-day Kruger Safari – South Africa

The whole of day three is set aside for game viewing inside the world-famous Kruger National Park! This is the first of our two full days exploring Kruger National Park on this Kruger Park Budget Safari.

Our custom-built game viewing vehicle has open sides, providing unobstructed views over the game-rich bush. The open-sided safari vehicle immerses you in the wilderness, offering excellent photographic opportunities and a raised vantage for wildlife and bird spotting.

We explore the Orpen-Satara-Nwanedzi region of Kruger Park, an area renowned for its exceptionally high concentration of lions. Numerous herbivores are drawn to the open savannahs of this region, with regular sightings including herds of antelopes, giraffes, and zebras. Your experienced guides take you in search of the Big Five and other animals, pointing out interesting sightings and finer details along the way. Rated as one of Africa's finest game parks, Kruger is home to an unrivaled diversity of flora and fauna.

At the end of our memorable full-day Kruger Safari, we retrace our steps to the backpackers' lodge in Balule Reserve for dinner and a laid-back evening.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
  • Safari Activities: Full-day Big 5 Kruger Safari

Day 4: Moholoholo Wildlife Centre & Tshukudu Game Reserve – South Africa

Today we have breakfast and travel to the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, near Hoedspruit.

We take a tour of Moholoholo, getting a closer look at some of Africa's remarkable wildlife species and finding out more about wildlife conservation. The wildlife rehabilitation center rescues injured, abandoned, and orphaned wildlife, taking in vulnerable and distressed animals from across South Africa. These animals are then cared for at the center and, if possible, rehabilitated for release back into the wild. Resident species include lion, cheetah, serval, honey badger, eagle, hyena, leopard, vulture, and more.

After visiting Moholoholo Wildlife Centre on our Budget Kruger Safari, we return to the backpackers' lodge for a light lunch. Take a quick nap and relax at the lodge, until our afternoon game drive, departing at about 15h00.

This afternoon we head into Tshukudu Game Reserve, an excellent Big Five game reserve bordering Greater Kruger Park. In this compact game reserve, our chances of sighting the Big Five are high, especially given that the expert game rangers keep in constant radio contact with each other. Here we may venture off-road a little in order to get a closer view of remarkable wildlife action.

After our three-hour game viewing adventure in the Big 5 Tshukudu Game Reserve, we drive back to the backpackers' lodge and have dinner.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
  • Safari Activities: Visit Moholoholo Wildlife Centre & Game Drive in Tshukudu Game Reserve

Day 5: Full-day Kruger Safari – South Africa

This morning on our Budget Kruger Safari, we are up early for a second full day of game viewing in the world-renowned Kruger National Park! This massive national park is similar in size to many small countries, covering more or less the same area as Israel or Wales, so expect a whole new experience today!

Kruger Park hosts an awe-inspiring variety of wild animals, plants, reptiles, birds, trees, amphibians, and even fish across its wide range of landscapes and ecosystems. We may pass through various vegetation zones, such as open savannahs, dense woodlands and riverine bush. The vastness and wildness of Kruger are simply astounding. On our game drives, we may see some of Kruger's endangered and rare animal and bird species, such as African wild dogs, rhinos, bateleur eagles, and southern ground-hornbills.

We end our action-packed Kruger Park Budget Safari back at the backpackers' lodge, enjoying a final dinner together.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner
  • Safari Activities: Full-day Kruger Safari

Day 6: Balule Reserve & Panorama Route to Johannesburg – South Africa

On day six of our Kruger Park Budget Safari, we get up bright and early for a final game drive in the Big 5 Balule Private Reserve. We set off early enough to catch the sunrise - a beautiful time of day to be out in the African bush.

After our last exploration in Greater Kruger, we return to the backpackers' lodge for breakfast. Then it is time to hit the road, traveling back to Johannesburg via the Panorama Route. As the name suggests, this route offers incredible scenery, taking us through Blyde River Canyon. Along the way, we pause to admire the breathtaking views over this massive canyon and see the rock formations of the Three Rondavels.

Late this afternoon, we arrive back in Johannesburg, concluding our Kruger Park Budget Safari (Backpackers Lodge Tour). Arriving in Johannesburg, you are transferred to the airport or your post-tour accommodation.

  • Meals Included: Breakfast
  • Safari Activities: Game Drive in Big 5 Balule & Panorama Route highlights

About the Backpackers Lodge in Greater Kruger Park

The budget-friendly lodge on this Kruger Backpackers Lodge Tour offers excellent value for money accommodation in Greater Kruger, making Kruger Park more affordable and accessible.

Accommodation is of a similar standard to regular backpackers' lodges, providing basic amenities and simple rooms. The budget lodge has 18 thatched chalets and a two-bedroom guest house, all rooms featuring en-suite bathrooms and air-conditioning. The en-suite bathrooms have a shower, toilet, and basin. The chalets have tea and coffee stations for making your own cuppa and the windows are fitted with mosquito netting to keep the insects out. Each bed also has a mosquito net above it.

The backpackers' lodge has a swimming pool in its lovely shady gardens and an open-air boma for dining and relaxing around the campfire. There is also a lapa that looks out onto a nearby waterhole where a variety of animals and birds can be spotted. Electric fencing keeps big game out of the lush gardens, ensuring the safety of guests. Vervet monkeys are, however, regular visitors, along with birds.

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, which can be added to your tour booking upon request. The 4-star lodge accommodation is located 10-15 minutes from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Follow the link for information on rates.

Child Policy

This tour does take children.

While children from 6 years of age are accepted on this safari, there is a minimum age restriction of 16 years on the bush walk activities.

Enquire About This
Departure Dates
Send to a Friend

Browse Similar Trips

Filter Tours by Price, Length & Destinations

+Where does the tour go to?
+Included in the Tour Price
  • all transfers
  • park entry fees
  • meals as per itinerary
  • safari activities as per itinerary
+Not Included in the Tour Price
  • lunches
  • drinks 
  • personal items
+Departure Dates

This tour departs daily on request.

Scheduled Tour Departures
Click on a departure date to enquire

If you do not see departures listed for your dates, please do contact us for further info.

Explore the Route

Map

Unsure of where, when or what to book? Talk to a friendly human!

Our team has the destination knowledge to help you plan an unforgettable African adventure. We're based in Cape Town and ready to help.

The African Budget Safaris team

We can also plan you an affordable private group or tailor-made tour. We built our business on turning luxury travel into affordable travel.

Talk to us today