Safari Holidays to South Africa and Namibia for independent travellers.

Summary of the Route

For those with longer time on their hands, and who want to see the very best of what South Africa has to offer, a 2 week trip combining Cape Town with a stay in the Kruger area, including a safari in one of the private reserves that adjoin the Kruger National Park as well as self-driving in the Kruger Park yourself, makes for an unforgettable holiday, not to mention a truly memorable safari experience !

Private safari lodges range in price - anything from R1,400 per person per night to over R5,000 per person per night. These rates are fully inclusive of all meals and guided game drives, and the more expensive lodges include extras such as drinks, laundry, etc.

The accommodation in the Kruger Park is much more reasonably priced - it is 'basic' but clean and comfortable, and is on an 'accommodation only' basis - so you do have to pay for all your meals, but the accommodation starts from around R500 per night for a chalet sleeping 2 adults. There is also a daily conservation fee payable directly to the Park when you are there, which is currently R140 per person per day.

Another factor to consider is the time of year you travel: whilst May to September are the cooler, wetter 'winter' months around Cape Town it is an excellent time to go on safari in Kruger - especially as most private safari lodges offer a 'Low Winter Season' rate, and the prices can drop quite dramatically.

For more information on the climate and seasons, click here.

1. Cape Town
2. Hazyview
3. Safari Lodge
4. Self-drive safari
5. Getting Home

Please note: Kruger is a malarial area - for malaria-free safaris please click here.

Hazyview and the Lowveld (2 days)

For much of the year there is one direct flight a day from Cape Town Airport (CPT) to the Kruger Mpumalanga / Nelspruit Airport (MQP). If this flight is full or not available, there are other flights that connect through Johannesburg.

Hazyview is a small town less than 40 minutes from the Kruger Mpumalanga / Nelspruit Airport and 15 km from the nearest gate into the Kruger National Park.

The Lowveld area around the Kruger Park is beautiful, and definitely worth exploring. The highly promoted 'Panorama Route' is a self-drive route, which takes in many of the scenic sights and attractions, including God's Window, Bourkes Luck Potholes, the Blyde River Canyon and Pilgrims Rest.

Suggested Accommodation :

Top : Jatinga Country Lodge

Mid : Rissington Inn, Blue Jay Lodge

Budget : Idle & Wild

If you want to get within a couple of metres of lions or leopards in the wild, then these are the places to stay - and you can be certain that your safari will be utterly magical.

Starting in a private safari lodge will give you unbeatable wildlife sightings and you will also pick up some tips on spotting and watching wildlife that you will be able to use yourself on the next self-drive part of your trip.

Suggested Accommodation :

Top : Singita Ebony Lodge, Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge, Ulusaba Safari Lodge

Mid : Notten's, Inyati, Tanda Tula, Motswari Game Lodge

Budget : Gomo Gomo, Elephant Plains, Arathusa, Nkorho

Time permitting, staying at a couple of different camps also gives you the opportunity to see more of this magnificent Park.

Lower Sabie is one of the best camps in the Park, and boasts a fantastic location right on the banks of the Sabie River. The area is rich with game, and the drive along the river between Lower Sabie and Skukuza is widely held to be one of the best in the Park for lion sightings.

Skukuza is by far the largest camp, and has the most facilities, including a bank, post office and garage.

Getting Home (one more night in Hazyview)

Staying one more night back in Hazyview before driving to the Kruger Mpumalanga / Nelspruit Airport to catch your flight home will not only mean you get to spend longer in Kruger, but will also make your whole journey home much more relaxed.

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