Kruger and the reserves
Big Five country, from self-drive rest camps in the national park to open-vehicle drives in the private reserves beside it.
Overview
Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s largest parks, in South Africa’s north-east. Private reserves such as the Sabi Sand, Timbavati and Klaserie share unfenced borders with it and offer open-vehicle drives, off-road tracking and bush walks. It suits families, first-time safari travellers, photographers and anyone combining a safari with Cape Town.
The range is the reason to go: you can self-drive between SANParks rest camps, join guided drives in the park, or stay at an all-inclusive lodge in a private reserve. It is a short domestic flight from Johannesburg or Cape Town.
What the trip looks like
Built around your dates. There is no fixed itinerary. These are the lengths of stay most of our travellers choose, and we plan the detail with you.
Private reserve safari
Fly in, stay at a lodge in a private reserve, with two game drives a day and a guided walk.
Kruger National Park
Rest camps or park lodges, with guided drives or your own hire car.
Cape Town and Kruger
The city and the bush in one trip, linked by a domestic flight.
Kruger and the Panorama Route
Add the escarpment viewpoints and Blyde River Canyon on the way in or out.
Experiences
Game drives
Early-morning and late-afternoon drives in open vehicles in the private reserves, or guided drives in the park.
Bush walks
Guided walks with armed rangers, where the lodge or park offers them.
Night drives
Spotlight drives for nocturnal animals, mainly in the private reserves.
Self-drive in Kruger
Tarred and gravel roads between rest camps, at your own pace. Gate times are strictly enforced.
Panorama Route
Blyde River Canyon and the viewpoints along the escarpment west of the park.
Birdlife
Hundreds of species recorded, with the summer months especially good.
What you might see
- Lion
- Leopard
- Elephant
- Buffalo
- White rhino
- Giraffe
- Plains zebra
- Wild dog · rare
- Cheetah
- Hippo
- Spotted hyena
Sightings depend on season, area and luck. No individual animal can be promised.
Where you'll stay
Choose a level and we match properties with availability on your dates. Specific hotels are confirmed on your quotation.
SANParks rest camps
Self-catering cottages and bungalows inside Kruger, ideal for self-drive trips.
Lodges bordering Kruger
Established lodges near the park gates, with guided drives into the park.
Private reserve lodges
Lodges in the private reserves, usually with meals and two drives a day included.
All-inclusive lodges
Top lodges in reserves such as the Sabi Sand, with private vehicles on request.
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
- Best period
- Good / shoulder
- Quieter or wetter
The bush thins and animals gather at water, making game easier to find. Cool mornings and evenings.
Warming up; October can be very hot before the rains.
Hot and green, with young animals and excellent birding. Some roads can be affected by rain.
Kruger is in a malaria area; speak to a travel clinic. South African school holidays fill the rest camps early.
Getting there
Fly to the lowveld
Short flights from Johannesburg or Cape Town to airports near the park, including Kruger Mpumalanga International, Skukuza and Hoedspruit.
- Quickest option
- Lodges often collect you from the airport
- Light-aircraft transfers to private reserves have lower baggage limits, usually around 20 kg in soft bags
Drive from Johannesburg
A long day’s drive of roughly five hours or more to the southern gates, depending on route and traffic.
- Suits self-drive trips
- Can include the Panorama Route
- South Africa drives on the left
Ask us to compare flights and driving for your dates.
What we arrange
What we arrange
- Flights from Nairobi and domestic connections
- Rest camps and lodges matched to your level
- Airport transfers and car hire
- Guided drives and walks, booked in advance
- Malaria and health guidance to discuss with your clinic
- Travel insurance
What varies by trip
- National park or private reserve
- Self-drive or guided
- Lodge level and board basis
- Conservation fees
- Flight or road
- Number of nights
Your written quotation lists exactly what is included for your dates.
Gallery
Where you'll be
Kruger stretches along South Africa’s border with Mozambique. The private reserves lie along its western boundary.
Pricing
What changes the price
- Travel dates
- Park or private reserve
- Lodge level
- Self-drive or guided
- Flights
- Conservation fees
- Number of nights
Final pricing depends on dates, traveller numbers, accommodation and availability.
Interested in Kruger and the reserves?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. A consultant will come back to you with options and a firm quotation.
- Only name and email are required
- No obligation; a travel advisor replies, not an automated sequence
- Flights, hotels, transfers and visa guidance handled together
Prefer to talk it through? Talk to a travel advisor on +254 727 443840 or email travel@travellifectm.com.
Kruger and the reserves: good to know
How many nights do I need?
Three nights in a private reserve gives six game drives. Four nights or more suits self-drive trips in the park.
Park or private reserve?
The park is better value and suits independent travellers. Private reserves offer open-vehicle drives, off-road tracking and more exclusive sightings.
How do I get there?
Fly from Johannesburg or Cape Town to an airport near the park, or drive from Johannesburg in roughly five hours or more.
When is the best time to go?
May to September, the dry season. Summer is green and hot, with good birding.
Is there malaria?
Yes, Kruger and the lowveld are in a malaria area. Speak to a travel clinic before you go.
Can Travel Life Africa arrange flights and transfers?
Yes. Regional and domestic flights, car hire or drivers, hotels and activities are booked together as one trip.
Other places to explore.
Photos via Unsplash (Unsplash Licence). Images show the type of place and experience and are not from a specific Travel Life Africa trip or property.