Big 5 Wildlife, Private Reserves and Luxury Lodges
Kruger At A Glance
- Iconic Wildlife Destination
- Over 2 Million Hectares
- Oldest & Largest Park In SA
- Big 5 Safaris
- 147 Species of Mammals
- 517 Species of Birds
- Wide Choice of Safari Lodges
- Self-Drive Safaris
- Malaria Area
- Good Transport Connections
Kruger - Temperatures
Kruger - Rainfall
If you’re looking for really authentic safari experience in South Africa, there’s no place like the Kruger National Park. It’s one of the world’s great wildlife destinations, ranking up there with the very best that Africa has to offer. Here, you can watch the sun sink over the bush while you watch giraffes and elephants graze peacefully and take adrenaline-fuelled off-road safaris across one of the private reserves to track lion prides through the long grass at dawn. If you’re after some on foot adventure, you can even try going on an intrepid walking safari. It’s the Africa of your imagination and it’s there for the taking!
Covering a vast expanse of over 2 million hectares given over purely to conservation, Kruger is home to an immense diversity of wildlife featuring not only the Big 5, but some 490 different species of bird, 147 mammal species, 94 different reptile species, 33 types of amphibians and a magnificent array of over 200 different kinds of trees.
Kruger's Safari Lodges
There are over 200 safari lodges located either within one of the handful of concessions in the Kruger National Park itself, or in one of the adjoining private game reserves on the western side of the National Park, such as the Sabi Sands, Timbavati, Balule, Thornybush, Klaserie and Manyeleti. As if that wasn’t enough, there are also nearby fenced reserves such as Kapama, Karongwe and Makalali.
Staying at one of these lodges, you’ll be treated to sunrise and sunset guided safaris in open-topped 4x4 safari vehicles, giving you an incredible game viewing experience. You’ll stop for scenic coffee or sundowners in the bush accompanied by your highly skilled ranger and Shangaan trackers and roam the plains in search in wildlife.
The safari lodges all take huge pride in getting their guests as close as possible to the animals and in the private reserves the guides are not restricted to the roads, meaning that you can head off-track into the depths of the bush in search of wildlife. This really is a safari like no other, and will give you the game drive adventure of a lifetime.
Self-Driving
If you have more of an independent spirit, the Kruger National Park is also the premier self-drive safari destination in South Africa, with an unbeatable variety of wildlife and habitats to explore, an excellent infrastructure of roads and accommodation, and a feeling of huge, wide-open spaces.
A self-drive safari in Kruger is a truly wonderful experience - the thrill of driving along a road by yourself and coming across a pride of lions basking under a nearby tree, or waiting at a peaceful waterhole and having a sighting all to yourself is hard to beat.
When to Visit?
There is never a bad time to visit Kruger, and each of the two major seasons has its advantages. During the winter months of May to August, the temperature is cooler, and it is easier to find the animals as they tend to congregate around waterholes and rivers. This is also often the best time to find a special offer or lower price at a safari lodge.
During the summer months of October to April, heavy rain showers and storms are frequent. As a result of the rain, the grass is lush and green, and many animals give birth at this time as there is plenty of food and water around. The downside is that the lush green vegatation can make game viewing more difficult.
You can read more about the pros and cons of visiting at differents times of the year here, but the bottom line is that the game viewing is exceptional all year round.
Getting There And Away
If you book with Travel Butlers, we will, of course, ensure you have the most appropriate transport arrangements for your safari, however it is always helpful to have an idea of the options when planning your trip.
There are excellent flight connections from both Cape Town and Johannesburg to the Park - but keep in mind that the Park is large, so it is important to pick the correct airport for the lodge you will be staying at in order to avoid having a long drive on arrival and departure. Many of the safari lodges also have their own airstrips, and these are serviced by daily shuttle flights from Johannesburg, meaning you can fly straight into the heart of the bush. You can find out more about the travel options here.
Visitors on a self-drive itinerary will find that it is a strightforward drive from Johannesburg to Kruger, but you should allow up to 6 hours for the journey. There is plenty to do in the lowveld area bordering Kruger, which makes self-drive very appealing for the more independent and adventurous traveller.
Planning Your Own Trip To Kruger
All of the Travel Butlers team have been to Kruger many times, and we can’t recommend it highly enough. We’re familiar with all of the lodges that we offer and we’ll happily talk you through the differences between them. This way, you’ll get the safari holiday that you’ve always dreamed of.