Many people who go on safari in the Greater Kruger Park find that their journey begins and ends in Jo'burg, and driving there is a relatively easy journey, albeit long - you would need to allow anything up to 6 hours.

The main advantage is that, if you have the time, you can take the scenic route via Dullstroom and the Long Tom Pass, which takes in some of the best scenery in South Africa.

Many visitors choose to do this route, and stop in Hazyview for a few nights either before or after their safari, to explore the beautiful Lowveld area around the Kruger Park.

The highly promoted 'Panorama Route' is a self-drive route, which takes in many of the scenic sights, and there are also several other attractions which makes a 2 or even 3 night stay plausible.

Daily Scheduled Flights

If you don't fancy the long drive, there are daily flights from Johannesburg to the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP), Hoedspruit Airport (HDS), or Phalaborwa Airport (PHW-H. Van Eck), all of which are just outside the Park.  The flights all takes about an hour. 

You can then either pick up a hire car from the airport when you arrive, and drive yourself to your safari - the advantage of this is that you then have a car to explore the beautiful Lowveld area around the Park after your safari if you have time in your holiday plans - OR a road transfer can be arranged.  Air hops are also possible.  

The journey time by road, whether you drive yourself or you take a road transfer, from the airport to your safari destination would be anything from 30 minutes up to 2 - 3 hours (depending on which airport you flew into, and to which lodge you were going, etc).

If you are coming from Cape Town, there is a direct daily scheduled flight from Cape Town to the Kruger Mpumalanga Airport, which takes just over 2 hours, or there is a direct flight between Cape Town and Hoedspruit Airport on a Tuesday and a Thursday (and from 2nd October 2011, a Sunday flight too), which takes about 2 hours 40 minutes. 

Of course, you can still choose to fly via Johannesburg, where you then have the choice of any of the above methods! 

If you are travelling by air from any other place in South Africa, your plane will almost certainly be routed via Johannesburg, and you will need to need to change planes.

Charter Flights

In addition to the regular scheduled flights from Jo'burg, there are also a number of charter flights to the safari reserves. The service is run by Federal Air or Bateleur Air, and it really does make the safari experience a totally luxurious treat.

Some of the lodges have their own airstrip, other share an airstrip, but either way, you are met from your flight and transferred to the lodge by Land Rover. 

There is, however, a baggage restriction of 20kg per person, and you have to have a 'soft' bag (for easy storage in the plane), but you can leave any excess baggage safetly at their office at the Airport which you can then pick up when you return.