Starting and ending in Cape Town, this unforgettable 7-day Cape Town and Kruger Safari offers a taste of the best South Africa has to offer.
Spend 3 nights at an ideally located Cape Town hotel near the V&A Waterfront. Experience the rich history of Cape Town on a fascinating half-day tour of the vibrant city centre, colourful Bo-Kaap and trendy seaside spots, enjoying sweeping views of Table Mountain and Table Bay. Spend a full day exploring the magnificent Cape Peninsula. Travel along scenic coastal roads to the rugged Cape Point Nature Reserve and visit a penguin colony before heading to the Cape Winelands to sample fine wines and cheeses.
Next head to a private Big 5 Game Reserve in Greater Kruger Park and spend 3 nights at the beautiful Rukiya Safari Camp on the banks of the Blyde River. Explore the private reserve on an exhilarating sunset-to-night game drive, and take a full-day Big 5 Safari in the Kruger National Park in an open-sided 4x4 safari vehicle. Enjoy early morning game drives in a private game reserve of Greater Kruger and embark on a leisurely boat cruise on the Blyde River. Between all the activities, relax under the indigenous trees on the riverbanks at Rukiya Camp.
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Welcome to sunny South Africa! At the start of this Cape Town and Kruger Safari, you are collected at the Cape Town International Airport and shuttled to the Waterfront Signature Lux Hotel which will be home for the Cape Town leg of this epic tour. Settle into your comfortable Cape Town hotel accommodation in the V&A Waterfront district, a bustling harbourside neighbourhood offering shopping, dining, entertainment, and stunning views of Table Mountain. This evening you can explore and experience one of the many excellent Cape Town restaurants.
After a hearty breakfast at the Signature Lux Hotel, head off to explore the city on a half-day Cape Town City Tour to some of the top attractions in the picturesque Mother City of South Africa.
Journey through the city’s past and present to discover the melting pot of diverse cultures, and experience the natural beauty, bustling streets, and captivating architecture of Cape Town. Visit highlights such as the colourful Cape Malay Quarter of the Bo-Kaap, Green Market Square with its African arts & crafts market, and the South African Museum. See the Company Gardens and Parliament buildings in the heart of the city, the beautiful City Hall and the historic Castle of Good Hope. Drive up Signal Hill for sweeping views over the city and out to Table Bay and Robben Island, then head to the fashionable Camps Bay and Clifton seafront district.
There is an option to do a diamond factory tour and/or catch the cable car up Table Mountain for iconic views of Cape Town city and the coastline from the top. (Cable car fee is not included in the tour price). If the weather is not suitable for going up the mountain, we may visit the Table View district, on the opposite side of Table Bay, to enjoy the iconic postcard view of Table Mountain from across the waters.
After an early breakfast, enjoy an adventure-filled journey to some of the Cape’s iconic tourist destinations. Explore the dramatic Cape Peninsula coastline and the famous Cape Winelands in one day!
Pass through the fashionable seaside district of Clifton and palm tree-lined Camps Bay, before heading out on a spectacular coastal drive past the Twelve Apostles mountains, beautiful Llandudno Bay and down into Hout Bay village. From there you take the spectacular cliffside road of Chapman’s Peak Drive to the stunning Noordhoek seaside.
Next head further south to the western tip of Africa to see ostriches and the scenery of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and iconic Cape Point. The tour continues to the historic naval town of Simon’s Town, where there is an option to visit the famous Boulder's Beach Penguin colony (optional extra). Then continue along the beautiful coastal villages of Kalk Bay and Muizenberg, passing along the False Bay coastline en route to the Cape Winelands.
Highlights of your Cape Winelands tour include visiting the historic town of Stellenbosch. Enjoy wine and cheese tasting at a Cape Winelands farm, then head back to Cape Town and the modern Signature Lux Hotel. The evening is free for you to experience the city of Cape Town as you choose. Cape Town is renowned for its vibrant nightlife and excellent restaurants, so you'll be spoilt for choice.
After breakfast, a shuttle will transfer you to Cape Town International Airport for your flight to Hoedspruit, the gateway to the wilds of the Greater Kruger Park. From here, a transfer will take you to your nearby private river lodge, Rukiya Safari Camp.
Settle in at the Rukiya Camp and enjoy lunch beside the peaceful Blyde River. Then, it is time for our first 4x4 safari adventure in the Greater Kruger area. Hop on board the open-sided safari vehicle and venture into the private nature reserve surrounding the river lodge. Sit back and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the South African bush, encountering wildlife and birds as you explore.
Along the way, we stop at a scenic spot to watch the sunset with sundowners and snacks. Keep an eye out for wildlife, especially leopards, as night falls. After experiencing your first serene sunset in the African bush, we return to the safari lodge, using spotlights to search for nocturnal animals along the way.
Back at Rukiya Safari Camp, we have dinner in the spacious dining area or one of the lantern-lit outdoor dining spaces. After dinner you can have a drink at the bar, sit around the campfire, or head straight to your comfortable tented suite next to the river for a good night's sleep. Gaze up at the stars and tune into the nighttime sounds of the bush after your first eventful day on safari in South Africa.
Wake up bright and early for your exciting full-day safari in Kruger National Park. After a quick coffee at the private Rukiya Camp, we board our open safari vehicle and head to the Orpen Gate of the Kruger National Park.
Day 5 is devoted to exploring South Africa's most famous national park on a guided 4x4 Kruger Safari. Your guide takes you in search of the dazzling array of wildlife and birds to be found in Kruger Park. Sit back and relax as you experience the untamed African bush and its rich habitats. Before long, we stop at one of the rest areas in Kruger National Park and tuck into our packed breakfasts from the safari lodge.
Then our Kruger safari adventure continues, until our lunch break at one of the park rest camps. There will be time to do a bit of curio shopping, snooze in the shade, buy some snacks and cold drinks from the shop, and have lunch (own expense) at the camp restaurant. After lunch we return to the rugged bush, searching out the multitude of wild animals, birds, and reptiles of Kruger Park and pausing to take photos of exciting wildlife sightings.
Kruger National Park is massive at about 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 square miles), yet the game viewing is superb because there are so many animals here. Mammals alone number at 147 species! And that includes big populations of Africa's Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo). Common wildlife sightings include herds of elephants, antelopes, buffalo, lion prides, packs of hyenas and wild dogs, hippo pods, and lurking crocodiles. Giraffes, zebras, monkeys, warthogs, baboons, and impalas are commonly sighted, with leopards and cheetahs being less ubiquitous.
Back at Rukiya Safari Camp this evening, we tuck into a delicious dinner and relax in the tranquil natural setting of the private nature reserve. Choose a comfy place to unwind - one of the lounges, the open-air boma, or the bush bar - take a night swim, or retreat to your comfy tented suite with its own deck overlooking the Blyde River.
After an early morning coffee, day 6 of our Cape Town and Kruger Safari kicks off with a dawn 4x4 game drive in a private game reserve of Greater Kruger Park close to our safari lodge.
Your safari guide takes you on an exploration of the African bush, tracking down wild animals and revealing the marvels of this remarkable ecosystem. The private game reserve hosts large African mammals, including the Big 5 of Africa, along with numerous birds, plants, and small creatures. Other frequently seen animals include hippo, hyena, giraffe, zebra, kudu, bushpig, crocodile, and blue wildebeest.
After our morning game drive, enjoy a hearty breakfast back at Rukiya Camp. Then we head to the banks of the Blyde River where we embark on a scenic boat cruise through the rugged mountain banks of the Blyde River Canyon, one of the largest vegetated canyons in the world. Sit back, relax and take in the grandeur of the landscape, the unusual mountains and stunning rock formations from the boat. This area has an interesting history and hosts many unique geological features that your river guide can tell you more about. Enjoy the quiet setting and watch for hippos, crocodiles, and birds along the unspoiled course of the Blyde River.
After our leisurely boat cruise, return to the private Rukiya Safari Camp, tucked away in indigenous vegetation. Take time out to swim and soak up the wild surroundings before feasting on a hearty dinner. Dine under the stars or in the inviting covered dining area. End the day off with a nightcap at the bar or sit out on the lantern-lit deck listening for lions in the distance. On cool winter nights, make yourself comfortable at the cosy fireplace in the lounge or sidle up to the campfire.
Wake up with the birds and enjoy a coffee beside the tranquil Blyde River. Then we take a final early morning game drive in the Greater Kruger Park. Sit back and enjoy being out in the South African bush while your expert guide tracks down the animals and birds found in the private game reserve. Your safari guide can tell you all about the animals, insects, reptiles, birds, and flora of Greater Kruger Park as you go.
After our last exciting game drive, head back to the Rukiya Safari Camp and tuck into a final tasty breakfast. Then a shuttle will collect you for a transfer to Hoedspruit Airport for your flight back to Cape Town.
This Cape Town and Kruger Safari includes three nights of B&B accommodation at the trendy Signature Lux Hotel in Cape Town. The Signature Lux Hotel by ONOMO Waterfront offers excellent value for money in a prime location. It is ideally located in the sought-after Waterfront district of Cape Town, only 500 meters from the V&A Waterfront! Signature Lux Hotel is also a mere 300-meter walk from the CTICC (Cape Town International Convention Centre) and a short 50-meter walk to the closest My Citi Bus Stop & Water Canal Stop. It is 15 minutes from the beach and the city centre is a stone's throw away.
The hotel is contemporary and well-equipped offering all the comforts and conveniences of a cosmopolitan city stay. Smart technology features at the Waterfront Signature Lux Hotel include contactless hotel check-in and check-out and a smartphone app for ordering in-room services online. Reception is open 24 hours. This Tour Package includes accommodation in standard rooms on a bed and breakfast (B&B) basis.
The Waterfront Signature Lux Hotel has its own stylish restaurant where guests can enjoy a fusion of South African and European flavours. The menu includes tapas, bistro-style meals, and salads - all made with fresh ingredients from the local market. This spacious restaurant (with a bar and lounge) hosts a live musical performance by local musicians every evening. Alternatively, guests can order room service from the restaurant menu.
Waterfront Signature Lux Hotel rooms feature:
This Cape Town and Kruger Safari includes three nights in a private game reserve that forms part of Greater Kruger Park. Greater Kruger consists of over 20 private game reserves that share unfenced borders with Kruger National Park and/or each other. This means that the wild animals in the game reserve we visit get to roam freely between Kruger National Park and the other reserves of Greater Kruger.
Greater Kruger Park and Kruger National Park proper form part of the even larger Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. This truly huge wildlife park provides an enormous range for Southern Africa's wildlife to roam freely. However, the movement of people between the different game reserves and national parks in this region is restricted. This means that the number of visitors allowed into the private game reserves is limited to provide less crowded game viewing experiences.
The Rukiya Safari Camp is one of the few lodges with access to the section of Greater Kruger Park that we get to explore. You are therefore unlikely to see other safari vehicles while out on your game drives. And you get to take your time watching the animals without having to share wildlife sightings or make way for other vehicles and onlookers. The private game reserve has a traversing area of 2,000 hectares in Greater Kruger Park, which includes 12 kilometres of riverfrontage along the Olifants River, as well as open bushveld and rocky outcrops.
Game drives in the private game reserve are all about experiencing the South African bush. Your safari guide takes you on an adventure of discovery that is as much about the small details of the ecosystem as the large animals. The game drives give you insight into the animals, birds, insects, and plants found here. The guides show you interesting tracks, dung, and disturbances that help explain animal behaviour and identify species. Going on a wildlife safari here is a rich experience that takes you beyond chasing the Big 5 of Africa (even though they are all found here too!).
This Cape Town and Kruger Safari stays at a private river lodge, the Rukiya Safari Lodge. This tented lodge is located inside a private nature reserve in the Greater Kruger Park area. The Rukiya Safari Camp is set on the banks of the Blyde River which attracts an abundance of wild animals and birds. It is an intimate and eco-friendly tented safari lodge tucked away under beautiful old indigenous trees.
The ideally located Rukiya Camp offers guests understated luxury in a peaceful, wild setting. The safari camp is 500 meters upstream of the confluence of the Blyde and Olifants Rivers. The shady trees, tranquil river, and mountain views combine to create an idyllic bush getaway within a private nature reserve that covers 3,000 hectares of wilderness. It forms part of the larger Blyde Olifants Conservancy, incorporating 12,000 hectares of bushveld in the Greater Kruger safari region. The reserve is home to a variety of animals and prolific birdlife. Regularly spotted species include leopard, hyena, crocodile, jackal, mongoose, civet, genet, zebra, giraffe, hippo, and various antelope species.
There is a big infinity pool and poolside deck with sun loungers for relaxing in the dappled shade. The spacious dining room and lounge open onto an expansive shared deck with outdoor seating. An outdoor fire pit (boma) and casual bar area complete the picture. The game lodge has WiFi and electric outlets for guests to charge their devices. There are also mountain biking trails, ranging from 5 to 30 kilometres, inside the private nature reserve.
Accommodation at Rukiya Safari Camp is in luxury tented suites set along the banks of the Blyde River. Each tented suite boasts an outside deck overlooking the bush offering guests the chance to immerse in the peaceful surroundings. The suite is a canvas tent on a timber platform in the dappled shade of the riverine trees, providing a cool retreat from the African heat.
Rukiya Safari Camp has only six tented suites set apart in the natural vegetation to offer guests privacy. Two of the tented suites sleep four people in two inter-leading tents making them ideal for families with children. Four of the tented suites overlook the Blyde River and the two family tents offer views over the bush. Large windows and doors, fitted with mosquito netting, enable guests to immerse themselves in nature and watch visiting birds and animals.
Suites are connected to the main lodge areas, pool, and each other by well-lit wooden walkways. Each of these luxury safari tents has an en-suite bathroom, separated by a zippable canvas door, and fitted with a shower, toilet, and basin, stocked with fresh towels and complimentary bath products. Suites feature standing fans and comfortable beds with high-quality linen and bedding. Sustainably made and locally sourced wooden furniture has been used throughout to reduce the environmental impact of the safari lodge.
This tour starts and ends in Cape Town, but speak to our friendly travel consultants if you wish to end in Johannesburg instead. Should you prefer to start your tour in Johannesburg check out the 7-Day Kruger & Cape Town Safari.
The Cape Town and Kruger Safari package includes 4 airport transfers:
To add a transfer from Cape Town International Airport at the end of your tour (at a small extra cost) and/or book extra nights of post-tour accommodation in Cape Town, talk to one of our travel experts.
This Cape Town and Kruger Safari combines well with our 4-Day Victoria Falls Tour. Experience Africa's greatest waterfall, magnificent Victoria Falls, with a combination of activities to explore the area, on foot, by air and on the mighty Zambezi River while staying at a friendly hotel within walking distance of Victoria Falls. Speak to your travel advisor to add Victoria Falls to your tour package.
Flight costs are not included in this Cape Town to Kruger Tour package and must be booked separately. Our friendly travel advisors are happy to assist with booking your flights through our trusted flight partners.
We highly recommend extending your Cape Town vacation after this Cape Town and Kruger Safari so that you can explore this beautiful city and its surroundings further. With so many activities and attractions to choose from, you'll find plenty of reasons to linger in Cape Town. The Cape Winelands has many different districts, so take a more extensive scenic Cape Winelands Tour, go on a Cape-style Big 5 Wildlife Safari, do a township tour, go cycling or kayaking, scuba diving, shark cage diving, or surfing, the options are endless. The selection of world-class restaurants and dining experiences is exceptional too.
Simply ask your friendly travel advisor to add pre-tour and post-tour accommodation to your South Africa safari booking. For guests choosing to finish their tour in Johannesburg, we can arrange comfortable 4-star lodge accommodation located just 10-15 minutes from the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
Our affordable Kruger and Cape Town Safari packages are all customizable upon request. Talk to our safari experts to have your safari tailored to your needs. You can add pre-tour or post-tour accommodation, spend extra days in Cape Town or Kruger National Park, book day tours, add a Victoria Falls safari, change where to start and end your trip, and more.
For more details contact African Budget Safaris
For up-to-date and confirmed pricing info for optional items, please drop us an enquiry.
This tour does take children.
Please Note: Children aged 12 to 16 are permitted to join the Bush Walks subject to confirmation from the ranger. Permission is granted on a case by case basis.
All Cape Town Departures | All South Africa Tours |
1. Cape Town, South Africa
2. Cape Point, Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, South Africa
3. Stellenbosch, South Africa
4. Hoedspruit Airport, Hoedspruit, 1380, South Africa
5. 21, Wild Rivers Private Nature Reserve, Hoedspruit, 1380, South Africa
6. Kruger National Park, South Africa
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