This short 3-day Klaserie safari stays at Baobab Ridge Safari Lodge, an intimate 4-star lodge in Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, part of Greater Kruger. Ideal for a quick Big Five safari - it includes exclusive game drives (with fewer vehicles than in Kruger National Park), and optional guided bush walks - for a more personal safari experience.
__large.jpg "Kori Bustard Greater Kruger birdlife by Flowcomm")
Your Budget Klaserie Safari at Baobab Ridge Safari Lodge departs from Johannesburg early on the first morning. From the city, you are transferred to Klaserie Private Reserve, within the Greater Kruger National Park, in a shared air-conditioned shuttle vehicle. Upon arrival at the Eastgate Airport in Hoedspruit, a friendly safari guide from Baobab Ridge collects you to take you to the game lodge, located inside Klaserie Private Game Reserve. As soon as you enter the Big 5 Klaserie Reserve, your game viewing adventure begins.
After settling in at the comfortable safari lodge, it's time to enjoy lunch and relax. Later in the afternoon, you head out on your first full game drive in an open safari vehicle. This game drive takes place at sunset, which is an ideal time to sight wildlife and birds in the African bush.
All of the game viewing activities on this quick Greater Kruger Safari are conducted by qualified senior guides with a passion for African wildlife. As you explore, your experienced game ranger shares the wonders of the African wilderness with you, pointing out creatures great and small. Klaserie Private Reserve is home to the Big 5 of Africa (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino). Other African animals you may see include cheetahs, wild dogs, giraffes, zebras, a variety of antelopes and many more.
After stopping for sundowners in the bush, you continue searching for wildlife. The safari vehicle is equipped with a powerful spotlight used to locate nocturnal creatures that are only active after dark. Back at Baobab Ridge, a three-course dinner is served. On clear nights, dinner is served around the campfire in the open-air boma under the stars. Alternatively, a hearty home-cooked meal is served in the comfy dining area.
On day two of this Budget Greater Kruger Safari to Big 5 Klaserie Lodge, we wake up before dawn for our sunrise game drive. Start your day with a fresh cup of coffee or tea and rusks (tea biscuits) before heading out into the bush.
We set off before sunrise, as daybreak is one of the best times for sighting wildlife and birds. Your guide takes you to local waterholes where the animals and birds gather to bathe and drink in the early hours of the day. The wildlife in Klaserie Reserve is habituated to safari vehicles, so you can often get up close to the animals. Birdlife is also prolific in this part of Greater Kruger with various eagles, owls, francolins, kingfishers, rollers, and weavers among the over 300 bird species recorded.
The game drives are all conducted in open safari vehicles that offer the best views for taking photos and watching the wild inhabitants of Klaserie Reserve at close range. There are only a handful of game lodges in the Klaserie Private Reserve. This means that you are unlikely to encounter other vehicles on your game drives. The guides also stay in contact with other vehicles to share exciting wildlife sightings, which increases your chances of seeing big game species.
Along the way, we stop for coffee and snacks in the unspoiled bush. The morning game drive lasts for about three hours, after which you return to the lodge for a tasty brunch.
The morning game drive can be replaced with a guided bush walk on request. The guided morning bush walk is included in your safari tour price and allows you to take a closer look at the smaller details of the African bush. Your knowledgeable guide will lead the walk and point out interesting features and creatures of the local ecosystem as you explore on foot.
After your morning game drive or walk, you are free to freshen up and relax at the private lodge. Recline on a comfy lounger with a book from the library and take a dip in the pool overlooking an active waterhole. Unwind in the lounge area or retreat to your tranquil suite for a siesta.
Later in the day, your professional guide takes you out on your second sunset game drive. During the game drive, your guide may take you off-road in search of wildlife, a privilege reserved for private game reserves. You will also stop for sundowners and snacks at a scenic spot in the bush. Then your game viewing adventure continues into the dark using a powerful spotlight to scan for nocturnal creatures.
Back at your intimate lodge, pre-dinner drinks are served around the campfire. Then a delicious dinner with locally sourced, fresh ingredients is served either in the outdoor boma or dining area (depending on the weather).
Wake up early on day three of this 3-Day Klaserie Safari at Baobab Ridge Safari Lodge and have a refreshing coffee or tea and confectionery. Then it is time to head out on our final game drive in the Klaserie Reserve of Greater Kruger Park.
Sit back and enjoy nature as your passionate guide shows you the beauty of the African bush and its inhabitants. After exploring the wilderness for about three hours, you return to the Klaserie Reserve game lodge for a late breakfast. Then it is time to pack up and prepare for your return to civilisation.
There is time to relax at the game lodge while you wait for the private transfer to arrive. At around 10:00 am, you will be transferred back to Johannesburg on a private shuttle. Here, your short Greater Kruger Safari comes to an end.
The idea of Klaserie Private Nature Reserve was born in 1969 when three farmers discussed combining their privately owned farmland along the Klaserie River to create a nature reserve to protect the natural landscape. The idea bore fruit in 1972 when a group of farmers had committed, a board had been elected, a game warden employed, and the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve was officially proclaimed. From the outset, the board was passionate about conservation, and today, the reserve is involved in a number of wildlife projects, including the Ground Hornbill Project, Rhino Protection, the "Tembo" project currently studying buffalo, and the Elephant Project.
With no fences between Klaserie, Kruger National Park, and Timbavati Reserve, wildlife roam freely between these Big 5 game parks. Spanning 60,000 hectares on either side of the Klaserie River, Klaserie Reserve is home to an abundance of wildlife. Inhabitants include the Big 5 - lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo, and leopard - whilst other regular sightings include giraffe, zebra, warthog, spotted hyena, baboon, hippo, impala, and kudu.
The board's philosophy has always been to keep the reserve pristine by minimizing the human footprint, so the number of bush camps and game lodges in Klaserie is limited. This means fewer tourists at a time, so guests can enjoy an exclusive African safari experience away from the more crowded national parks. The Klaserie game lodge you stay at on this safari offers game drives and guided bush walks with an experienced game ranger. This includes night game drives and off-road driving at times.
Klaserie offers a unique safari adventure, free from the stresses of modern living and far away from the crowds of tourists.
This Budget Greater Kruger Safari stays at Baobab Ridge, a small 4-star game lodge that offers high-quality accommodation at an excellent price.
This affordable upmarket lodge is located inside the prestigious Klaserie Private Game Reserve. It has traversing rights to 6,000 hectares of pristine bushveld within Klaserie. Guests at the game lodge are thus treated to varied landscapes and high chances of spotting the Big 5 animals.
Baobab Ridge is a family-owned establishment with a laidback atmosphere. It is a family-friendly safari lodge that is known for its warm hospitality and friendly staff. This intimate Greater Kruger safari lodge features seven guest cottages tucked away in the bush. Each free-standing cottage is set on a raised wooden deck and has its own private lounge and plush en-suite bathroom. The cottages are open-plan and equipped with luxurious facilities and fittings. The decor is classical and elegant, incorporating neutral tones and natural elements with splashes of color. These modern cottages also have verandahs with sitting areas overlooking the African bushveld surroundings.
The main lodge includes a comfortable lounge and bar, a small library, and indoor and outdoor dining areas. There is an open-air boma with a fire pit for drinks and dinners out under the stars. The game lodge has a swimming pool and an expansive wooden deck overlooking a permanent waterhole that attracts a variety of wild animals and birds. The outdoor areas are scattered with comfy loungers that are ideal for watching the comings and goings of visiting wildlife.
Looking for more time in the bush? See our 4-day Klaserie safari at Baobab Ridge Safari Lodge.
Want the most complete Klaserie experience? See our 5-day Klaserie safari at Baobab Ridge Safari Lodge.
Guests are transported from Johannesburg in shared luxury, air-conditioned vehicles on this 3-Day Klaserie Safari. The return journey to Johannesburg is conducted as a private transfer
Collection and drop-off will be at the OR Tambo Bus Terminal Building. Transport to and from this meeting point is not included in the tour price.
Shuttle departures are as follows:
Collection times on the first day:
Drop-off times on the last day:
Would you rather fly to Hoedspruit airport instead of driving in the shuttle? Please speak to one of our friendly travel experts who will be happy to arrange this.
Please note that we offer convenient pre and post tour lodge accommodation for before and after this Klaserie Safari at Baobab Ridge Safari Lodge, 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 pre- or post- safari accommodation rates.
If you are looking for an excellent-value Kruger National Park safari, this 4-Day Kruger National Park Safari spends four days exclusively game-viewing within the Kruger National Park.
This tour does take children.
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