Private BIG 5 Safari in Kruger Park combines the flexibility of self drive and luxury of a personal guide. Exclusive use of vehicle, ensuite bungalows (with AC). Customise to suit you.
Highlights: 4 Days Safari (Half day safaris on first and last day); Night Safari; Breakfasts & Dinners.
Accommodation: Kruger National Park - Ensuite Private Bungalow.(Airconditioned, shower, basin, wc, fridge and private patio)
Day 1: Early morning (before 09:00) you are picked up from the airport or your hotel. Soon you leave the concrete jungle behind as you travel across the eastern Highveld towards Mpumalanga. The first two hours of your journey takes you past maize fields, grasslands, coal mines, power stations to the edge of the escarpment. As you decent down the escarpment you can sense the change in climate and see the vegetation changing. At Nelspruit you will pass through the subtropical Lowveld region and continue to Kruger Park.
After check-in at the park's entry gate you are straight onto our first game drive. This short game drive brings you to your restcamp - your home for the next three days.
You have time to unpack, relax, put your feet up or scout the camp environment. Mid afternoon is time for your next game drive - search for Giraffe, Kudu, Zebra, etc.... and yes the BIG 5: Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Leopard and Buffalo.
Back at the restcamp you enjoy a sundowner drink, listen to the sounds of the African Bush. After a multi course restaurant dinner you can enjoy the stars that fill the African sky before heading to bed. Overnight: Kruger National Park Restcamp. Meals: Dinner.
Day 2: Today is a full day Safari! As you travel through the park your guide will share his knowledge about the history of the park, animals - big and small, birds and other creatures found in the park.
Remember: Because of the small groups you will almost have an one-on-one experience with your guide - he will share many years' knowledge about the African bush.
Breakfast will be at a rest camp or picnic spot inside the park after which you continue your game drive.
Around mid-day you will have a well deserved stop for lunch - the restaurants at the rest camps offer a large variety. Your choice to enjoy a buffet or only a take away.
After lunch you will have a short siesta before you continue with your afternoon game drive. You visit some waterholes, scenic stops and vista viewpoints - the ideal opportunity to take that picture that show the wide plains of Africa.
As the sun set in the west you will return to camp. A sumptuous dinner bring this exiting day to a close. Overnight: Kruger National Park Restcamp. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner.
Day 3: Another day on safari... Today you follow some other routes - visit different waterholes, see new lookouts and some more of the African bush. Lunch will be at a different rest camp - most likely on the banks of one of the many rivers traversing the park.
Arriving back at camp will be in time for the departure of the night safari. This exciting safari with the guidance of an experienced ranger-guide will be one of the highlights of your African story... With the help of bright search lights you will search the bush for Africa's many nocturnal animals - aardvark, porcupine, caracal, servet, owls, nightjars, etc.
Dinner will be either before or after the night safari - depending on the group. Overnight: Kruger National Park Restcamp. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner.
Day 4: Your final morning in the bush. Early morning you have a choice of activities - join the early morning game drive / join an open vehicle game drive (cost not included) / relax in the camp visiting the souvineir shop / spotting some birds / read your favourite book. Check-out is after breakfast. You do your last game drive enroute to the exit gate.
Arrival in Johannesburg/Pretoria will be late afternoon or early evening. Your guide will drop you at your hotel. Overnight: None, but available on request. Meals: Breakfast.
Discount: Available for groups of 4 and more guests - please enquire!!
Included: Full time guide, transfers, game drives, conservation fee. Meals: 3x Breakfast, 3x Dinner
Excluded: International Flights, Lunches, Drinks, Items of personal nature.
Optional (not included): Open vehicle safari; Bush walks.
Why us? 1. This is a Private Safari - exclusively for the party making the reservation. This offers a number of critical advantages: a. There are no "other" people on your safari; b. It allows you flexibility with your safari - stay as long as you like at a waterhole, watching game, waiting for that perfect picture, depart early or late... Your Safari - you can decide!
2. We are managed hands-on by the owner. He often does these safaris himself and has more than 30yrs experience in the Kruger Park. He advises every safari as to which area in this vast 2 million hectare park is the best for game viewing at the point and time.
3. Because we are not the cheapest! Our guides are hand picked for interpersonal skills, knowledge about the bush and professionalism... you will arrive as guests, departs as friends... your own African story...
Note: See also the other Safaris and Tours offered by us by clicking on the "view all trips by this operator" link above.
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This trip: 4 Days Kruger Park - Private BIG 5 Safari
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
The holiday excelled our expectations ...
From the minute our Guide Nic picked us up at Jo Burg airport to the time he dropped us back at our hotel ... Nic was so informed and helpful .. Answer all our questions and gave us a full history etc of South Africa which was excellent as our first visit ...
Can't thank the Company and Nic for the best trip ever ...
2
Client:
Rob & Jenny Atkin - from Australia
Trip:
This trip: 4 Days Kruger Park - Private BIG 5 Safari
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
Our tour through Kruger National Park took a little organising, mainly because we were unsure of our dates initially, and also because we did not know how much we were willing to pay for a tour.
However, Cecil provided us with some very clear choices. We selected our itinerary, confirmed it with Cecil, arranged payment via money transfer and that was it. However, before our safari, we spent just over 2 weeks in the UK and The Netherlands, before arriving in Johannesburg. 6am, and we were greeted with a very warm welcome from our guide, Nico Campher.
As time went by, we became very appreciative of the knowledge Nico has acquired over his years in a range of activities. The trip to the park was filled in with lessons on the social and economic history of SA. Our main objective was to reach Shingwedzi camp by 6pm. This was achieved with minutes to spare, despite having to stop for repairs to a noisy exhaust system, and despite a very large elephant deciding to stand on the road just a few hundred metres from the camp, holding up several vehicles. However, Nico won the game of bluff and we made it.
The five days we spent in the park filled us with a sense of awe and sheer delight. The range of plant, bird and animal life which Nico taught us about totally exceeded our expectations. We were so fortunate to have a guide of his calibre. The tour ended in Pretoria, somewhat with a sense of sadness that we were saying farewell, but the tour was the highlight of our 5 week vacation, and the memories and photographs will endure.
We must say thank you to Cecil for his organisation, and a big hug to Nico for his skills, knowledge and friendship.
3
Client:
Sue, Lou and Louis Kuhlmann - from United Kingdom
Trip:
This trip: 4 Days Kruger Park - Private BIG 5 Safari
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
My husband and I and our 6 year old son have just returned from our trip of a lifetime and it could not have been possible without the fantastic services of the operator.
From our very first contact, Cecil dealt with our queries with the utmost professionalism and dedication. He is a truly passionate South African with a wealth of knowledge and information about one of the worlds most beautiful countries.
After many wonderful suggestions and ideas from Cecil, we decided to spend our safari experience at the Serondella Game Lodge in the Thornybush Game Reserve.
From the moment we arrived we were treated with care and gracious hospitality. Our accommodations in a private thatched chalet was simply luxurious. Delicious meals were served on a beautiful deck overlooking the magnificent bush and waterholes, the sounds of the area were magical. Our hosts, tracker, and the entire staff were warm and welcoming - their knowledge of the bush, wildlife and surrounding areas made our visit that much more special.
The game viewing far exceeded our expectations thanks to our fabulous tracker Themba and Ranger John - we saw the Big 5 within the first 24 hours of our stay, not too mention the other countless spectacular species of mammals, birds, snakes and insects - we even had a constellation lesson of the stars on our game drive back one evening! Well done Jess and John of the Serondella Game Lodge for making it a truly magical place - we will treasure our beautiful memories for years to come, a trip we will never forget!
And a great big thank you to Cecil for guiding us through what has been a journey of a lifetime.
4
Client:
Fritz and Susanna - from Switzerland
Trip:
This trip: 4 Days Kruger Park - Private BIG 5 Safari
Rating:
rating 10/10
Comment:
We got what we were looking for. We saw a lot more tambuki than we expected...
The service provided by the guides on safari was very, very, very good. We learnt a lot about your country and the bush (from the helmeted guinnefowls to the wildebees, the hartebees and the marullahtrees...)
If one wants to see a lot of animals we blieve that a place like Masai Mara is more appropriate, especially so because there you don't have do drive on roads only.
Of course, when we come back to South Africa and we certainly will recommend your services to our friends all over Europe.
Tour Operators Reply:
– thank you very much for your most valuable feedback.
Nico told me that you were having a hard time to find lots of animals - the unprecidented high tambuki grass to blame. Allthough we are very thankful for the above average rainfall we had, it does make the game viewing very difficult.
And yes – If I had to choose… Masai Mara or Pilanesberg, I will definitely also go for Masai Mara. The experience is much more “Wild Africa” and the herds of Game you see there cannot be compared to Pilanesberg.
Thank you again for the compliments and effort to send us your feedback – it is very much appreciated.
