7 Day Sabi Sands & Kruger Safari - Tented Camp Safari

Day 1: Johannesburg to Sabi Sands Tented Safari Camp – South Africa

At the start of this Sabi Sands & Kruger Safari, you are collected from the OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg at 07h00 in the morning. From Johannesburg, you are transferred to Sabie Sands Game Reserve in a comfortable shuttle vehicle with air-conditioning.

Your driver takes you to the tented safari camp inside the world-renowned Sabie Sand Game Reserve. This private game reserve forms part of Greater Kruger Park and shares unfenced boundaries with Kruger National Park. After checking into your luxurious tented room there is some time to freshen up and relax. Settle in and enjoy the beautiful setting of this private game lodge tucked away in the indigenous trees of Sabi Sands.

In the late afternoon, you head out on your first thrilling game drive in Sabie Sands Game Reserve. This sunset game drive is conducted in an open 4x4 safari vehicle. The camp's professional guides take you out into the Big 5 Sabie Sands Game Reserve in search of the Big 5 animals and many other species. Sunset is the ideal time for game drives on African safaris. That's because the diurnal animals are more active in the evenings and the nocturnal animals begin to stir as darkness falls.

Our first exciting game drive ends back at the tented safari camp in the southern part of Sabie Sands Game Reserve. End the day off with dinner and drinks around the campfire in the spacious open-air boma. Then, retreat to your luxury tented room for a peaceful night's sleep out in the African bush.

• Meals included: Dinner
• Accommodation: Standard Tent, Luxury Tent, or Superior Tented Suite (based on your choice)
• Safari activities included: Sunset game drive in Sabie Sands Game Reserve

Please Note: The price of this safari varies depending on the tented accommodation you choose. Options include standard tents, a luxury tent, or a superior tented suite (see full tour pricing for details).

Day 2: Full-Day Kruger Safari – South Africa

On day two of this Sabi Sands & Kruger Safari, we get up before sunrise. Start the day with an early morning coffee or tea at the tented safari camp in Sabie Sands Game Reserve, before we embark on our full-day Kruger Safari.

Your Kruger safari guide will collect you from the tented lodge in Sabi Sands. In winter (April to September) pick-up is at 05h00 in the morning, and in summer (October to March) it is at 04h30. Be sure to pack your camera, binoculars, sunblock, and a sunhat. Mornings and evenings are often chilly, especially in winter, so take warm clothes (jacket, gloves, beanie) with you. Leaving Sabi Sands behind we make our way to the Paul Kruger Gate of Kruger National Park. Keep an eye out for wildlife en route to neighboring Kruger Park.

Spend the whole day on game drives in the massive Kruger Park. South Africa's top safari destination, Kruger covers about 19,485 km² (7,523 sq mi). It is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, about the size of Israel or Wales. All of the full-day Kruger Safaris are conducted in open 4x4 safari vehicles with professional game rangers. These comfortable open vehicles provide optimal visibility for watching and photographing wildlife and birds.

The safari guides stop at one of the Kruger camps where you enjoy packed breakfasts provided by the tented lodge. You will also be able to buy various teas and coffees at the Kruger camps. Your experienced guides take you to scenic viewpoints and watering holes that attract diverse animals and birds. During your game drives, the guides will pause regularly to give you a chance to stretch your legs and top up on refreshments. Lunch stops will be at the main Kruger camps which have restaurants where you can buy lunch.

In the late afternoon, you will start making your way out of Kruger Park. Your guide drops you off at the tented lodge in Sabi Sands at about 16h30, depending on wildlife sightings along the way. Sit back and enjoy a cold drink around the campfire before tucking into a hearty meal at the comfortable camp.

• Meals included: Packed Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Standard Tent, Luxury Tent, or Superior Tented Suite (based on your choice)
• Safari activities included: Full-day Kruger Safari

Day 3: Full-Day Kruger Safari – South Africa

This morning we are up early for our second exciting day in Kruger National Park.

Our full-day Kruger Safari takes us in search of the abundance of wild animals and birds of Kruger Park, including the Big 5 of Africa. With luck, you will see all five of the Big 5 animals by the end of this Sabi Sands & Kruger Safari. The Big 5 being rhino, elephant, leopard, lion, and buffalo. Of the Big 5, leopards are the most difficult to track down because these big cats are shy, solitary, and nocturnal. Sabi Sands is however famous for its excellent leopard sightings so between your full-day Kruger Safaris and game drives in Sabi Sands you will hopefully get to see them in the wild. You are almost guaranteed to see lions, elephants, and buffalos, with good chances of seeing rhinos too.

On our Kruger Safari drives we explore the best routes for game viewing and photographic opportunities. The qualified safari guides are happy to answer questions and share their insights into this beautiful game reserve and its wild animals with you. Your full-day game drives are ideal for learning more about Kruger and its fascinating wild animals, birds, insects, plants, and habitats.

The open safari vehicles used on your full-day Kruger Safaris are equipped with blankets to keep you warm in the chilly early mornings and evenings. There are also waterproof ponchos on hand to keep you dry if you get caught in the summer rains. The vehicles have USB charging points for charging your camera and phone on the go and bottled water is provided on the game drives.

At the end of your second rewarding day on safari in Kruger, you return to the tranquil tented lodge in Sabi Sands. The evening is free for you to recount the wildlife adventures of the day over dinner and drinks.

• Meals included: Packed Breakfast & Dinner
• Accommodation: Standard Tent, Luxury Tent, or Superior Tented Suite (based on your choice)
• Safari activities included: Full-day Kruger Safari

Day 4: Sabi Sands Game Drives & Bush Walk – South Africa

Day four of our Sabi Sands & Kruger Safari starts with an early morning wake-up call. Watch the sunrise over the African bush while you have your morning coffee or tea on the deck.

Then you embark on a morning game drive in Sabie Sand Game Reserve. The camp's professional guides take you out in open 4x4 vehicles to see what animals and birds you can spot in the warm morning light. Mornings are a great time to be out in the African bush because many of the animals and birds are at their most active during this time. Sabi Sands is renowned for its close-up wildlife encounters and Big 5 sightings. The safari guides do their utmost to get up close to the wildlife encountered on your game drives in Sabi Sands, providing excellent photographic opportunities.

Breakfast is served back at the tented safari camp nestled in the indigenous bush. After breakfast, we set off on a thrilling bush walk in Sabie Sands Game Reserve. The bushwalk is lead by an armed game ranger who has experience with encountering large mammals of Sabi Sands on foot. The guided walk starts at the lodge and lasts for about an hour. A walking safari is the best way to experience the mysteries of the African bush up close. On your morning bush walk, the guides point out the small details and creatures of the bush, sharing more about the small creatures and micro-habitats of Greater Kruger.

Your bush walk is followed by free time at the tented safari camp. Take a refreshing dip in the pool and sit back in one of the comfortable lounging areas. Retreat to your comfortable, walk-in tent for a snooze or watch for wildlife from one of the viewing decks. A light lunch is served and later in the afternoon, we venture back out into Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Keep your eyes open for the Big 5 animals in the famous Sabie Sands Reserve. After dark, we return to the private game lodge, where the campfire and cold beverages await. Tuck into a tasty dinner in the open-air boma under starry skies, before retiring to your comfortable tented room for a well-deserved rest.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Standard Tent, Luxury Tent, or Superior Tented Suite (based on your choice)
• Safari activities included: Morning game drive & bushwalk in Sabie Sands, Afternoon game drive in Sabie Sands

Please Note: The order of the safari activities on this Sabi Sands & Kruger Safari is weather dependent and may need to change to accommodate conditions at the time.

Day 5 & 6: Kruger Safari (Full-day Game Drive) – South Africa

Days five and six of this budget Sabi Sands & Kruger Safari are set aside for two full-day Kruger Safaris. Start your days with an early morning coffee or tea before sunrise, departing from the lodge between 4h30 and 5h00 (depending on the season). Then spend the rest of the day exploring Kruger National Park with a qualified safari guide in the comfort and safety of an open 4x4 safari vehicle.

Kruger Park is home to a mind-boggling array of animal and plant species, including 147 mammal species. Kruger's large mammals include cheetah, hyena, giraffe, zebra, hippo, painted dog, and numerous antelope species, along with the Big 5 animals. About 507 bird species have also been recorded in Kruger, as well as some 114 reptile species, 34 amphibian species, and 49 fish species. The flora of Kruger is as impressive, with over 2000 plant species, including 336 species of trees.

While on safari in Kruger, your guide will stop at beautiful lookout points and picnic spots so that you can admire the natural habitats and stretch your legs. There will also be opportunities to buy refreshments at the Kruger camps, take comfort breaks and enjoy lunch at one of the camp restaurants. As on the previous days in Kruger, a packed breakfast is provided by the Sabi Sands lodge.

At the end of your exhilarating days in Kruger, your guide takes you back to the secluded private game lodge in Sabi Sands. Enjoy a cold drink around the campfire, followed by dinner in the main lodge building or under the stars in the open-air boma.

• Meals included: Packed Breakfast & Dinner (x2)
• Accommodation: Standard Tent, Luxury Tent, or Superior Tented Suite (based on your choice)
• Safari activities included: Full-day Kruger Safari (x2)

Day 7: Sabi Sands Game Reserve to Johannesburg – South Africa

This morning a refreshing tea or coffee is served at the tented safari camp. Take some time to admire the wild scenery and listen to the sounds of nature as the day breaks.

After coffee, we head out on our final morning game drive in Sabie Sands Game Reserve. The highly professional safari guides of the camp are happy to share their extensive knowledge of Sabi Sands with you on your game drive. The guides make the most of your last chance to sight African wildlife, providing insight into the local fauna and flora of this special region of South Africa. Be sure to take your camera and binoculars to catch any wildlife action.

After your final 4x4 game drive, return to the private game lodge for a delicious breakfast on the shaded deck overlooking the bush. Then it is time to pack up and prepare for the drive back to Johannesburg. The air-conditioned shuttle collects you from the Sabi Sands lodge at about 10h00. In the late afternoon, the suttle drops you back at the OR Tambo Airport, where this budget Sabi Sands & Kruger Safari finishes.

• Breakfast included
• Safari activities included: Morning game drive in Sabie Sands Game Reserve

About the Tented Safari Camp in Sabie Sands Game Reserve

On this Kruger & Sabi Sands Safari guests stay at a private game lodge in southern Sabie Sands Game Reserve. This is one of the best game viewing areas of the prestigious Sabie Sands Game Reserve. It serves as an ideal base for exploring both Sabi Sands and Kruger National Park.

The tented safari camp is nestled in tall indigenous trees, overlooking diverse habitats where wild animals and birds are regularly sighted. It is tucked away in the bush, providing an authentic African safari setting. The tented safari camp is intimate and comfortable, yet simple and understated. The Sabi Sands lodge consists of a main treehouse building, six Meru-style tents, a large open-air boma, and a swimming pool. It offers an exclusive, yet affordable African safari adventure in South Africa's premier game reserves.

This well-priced tented safari lodge provides a rare opportunity to experience the sought-after Sabi Sands Reserve on a budget. The affordable game lodge provides excellent service and quality accommodation with home comforts and touches of luxury.

The main lodge building is a thatch-roofed structure that incorporates natural stone and wood. Its main feature is a spacious wooden deck set around a big old Weeping Boer-bean tree. Breakfast and lunch are served at tables under a thatch-covered area of the deck which overlooks the wild habitats of Sabi Sands. The treehouse building also has indoor and outdoor lounge areas, with a bar and indoor fireplace for chilly winter nights. There are comfortable deck chairs beside the pool for relaxing between game viewing adventures.

Tented Camp Accommodation Options

This tented safari camp can accommodate up to 12 guests at a time providing an intimate bush getaway. The camp features six en-suite safari tents with air-conditioning. These permanent canvas tents are set on raised wooden platforms, each with its own private balcony viewing deck. The tents are tastefully appointed and set apart in the bush, to give guests privacy at the lantern-lit camp.

Each tent is equipped with a tea-and-coffee station, standing fan, air conditioning, luggage stand, hairdryer, mosquito net, safety box, and bathroom amenities. The safari tents each feature comfortable beds with crisp linen and a small private seating area on its wooden deck. These tented rooms offer privacy and comfort in true African Safari style.

There are three different kinds of semi-luxury tents to choose from at the camp. These consist of four standard tents, one luxury tent, and one superior tent - all of which are well-equipped to offer a comfortable safari stay.

The cost of this Kruger & Sabi Sands Safari depends on the style of accommodation you request upon booking and is subject to availability at the time of booking.

Standard Tents

Standard tents are spacious, walk-in tents set on wooden platforms. The tents have small private deck areas set under canvas. These canvas tents have en-suite bathrooms fitted with showers. The tents feature king-sized beds or two twin beds and sleep two guests each.

Luxury Tent & Superior Tented Suite

The luxury tent is a larger, more secluded tented suite called Leadwood Tent. Tucked away to provide extra privacy, the luxury tent is fitted with a king bed and a sofa bed. It features a bathtub, his/hers basins, and an outdoor shower. Leadwood Tent can accommodate two guests and one child.

The superior tented suite is an even larger tent tucked away in the bush. It offers a completely secluded stay. The Monkey Thorn Superior Suite is fitted with a king bed and two single beds, accommodating up to three children along with two adults. This superior tented suite boasts a sitting area and a full bathroom with a bathtub, his/hers basins, and an outdoor shower.

Sabi Sands & Kruger Safari Game Drives

This Kruger & Sabi Sands Safari includes four game drives in Sabi Sands and four full-day Kruger Safaris

• Experienced guides share their extensive knowledge of the local wildlife and habitats with guests
• Open 4x4 safari vehicles immerse guests in nature and provide the best visibility for wildlife viewing
• See the Big Five of Africa - lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and elephant inhabiting Sabi Sands & Kruger Park
• Experience highly skilled and passionate guides who ensure you get the most out of your game drives
• Explore the best routes, for optimal game sightings and wildlife photography, in Sabi Sands & Kruger
• Bottled water, rainproof ponchos, and blankets are provided on the game drives in Kruger Park.

The Sabi Sands game drives are conducted in the private Sabie Sands Game Reserve, sharing unfenced boundaries with Kruger National Park. A guided bush walk with an armed game ranger in Sabie Sands Game Reserve is also included in this budget safari. The full-day Kruger Safaris include collection and drop-off back at the lodge in Sabi Sands.

About Sabi Sands Game Reserve

The Sabie Sands Game Reserve is renowned for its world-class game viewing, and particularly for its exceptional leopard sightings, along with superb sightings of lions, buffalos, elephants, and rhinos.

• Covers 65 000 hectares (153 000 acres) of the pristine African wilderness
• Shares a 50km unfenced border with Kruger National Park
• South Africa’s oldest private game reserve
• Pioneer of sustainable wildlife tourism in Southern Africa, protecting a wide diversity of wildlife species in their natural habitat
• Home to endangered species including African Wild Dog, Cheetah, Red-billed Oxpeckers, Ground Hornbills, Honey Badgers, and Bats
• Famous for its close-up wildlife encounters, including Africa’s Big Five animals
• Part of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a joint Peace Park initiative between Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa
• Pioneer of Greater Kruger Park, consisting of Kruger National Park and surrounding private game reserves

The original Sabie Reserve, established in 1898, incorporated what is today the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, as well as the main Kruger National Park.

Please Note:

This is an intended safari itinerary that may vary according to season and weather conditions.

Pre and Post Safari Lodge Rates:

Please note that we offer convenient pre and post-tour lodge accommodation for before and after the Sabi Sands & 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. For lodge rates follow the link.