Complete Guide to a South African Safari
Have you ever wanted to go on safari?
South Africa’s Kruger National Park is an amazing place to visit for a safari! This article is a complete Safari Guide that will tell you everything you need to know about ‘how to safari’, including how to get there, what to wear and your typical daily schedule.
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa and it is home to the famous Big 5 (lion, rhino, buffalo, elephant, and leopard). You may also encounter cheetah, hippos, giraffes, wild dogs, and hyenas to name a few. Lastly, Kruger boasts 500+ bird species and 300+ plant species.
Here are a couple links to different parts of the article so you can navigate to what interests you:
- Safari Schedule and What to Expect on “Game Drives”
- How to Get to Kruger National Park?
- What to Pack for Safari?
- How much will it cost?
- When is the best time to visit?
- Re-make of “Africa” by Toto song with original videos from Kruger
Safari Schedule and Game Drives
You will go on two ‘game drives‘ per day which last around 3 hours. The first game drive is at the crack of dawn (approx. 5am) and the other is in the evening/dusk (around 6pm) because these are the times the animals are most active.
Each game drive is led by your assigned guide and tracker. The guides are extremely knowledgeable of their properties as well as the wildlife on them. They narrate the whole safari experience and tell you everything you’d like to know about what you are seeing. You have the same guide for every drive so you really get to know each other and they might even have drinks/dinner with your group at night as well.
The trackers are incredible. They sit on the front of the 4-wheel drive vehicle (basically a tank) and look for fresh tracks. Right in front of you, they literally track down the the animals you’re looking for. The trackers and guides also spot any wildlife you randomly come across (which happens often).
Remember, these animals are completely wild. There are no fences and the wildlife roams freely between all the different properties. You have no idea what you will see that day! But, when you finally do track down something incredible, you can get within a couple feet of most animals because they are so used to the vehicles and don’t view them as a threat. Have you ever stared down a wild lion??
The middle of the day at Kruger is pretty hot and a lot of the larger animals are napping. Since you got up so early, it is a good time for you to get a nap in too. You could also go to the pool or gym on property. Remember, you are in the middle of nature, so you will not be able to venture off property without a guide.
My favorite part of the safari (besides getting face to face with wildlife), is that you stop on every game drive to watch the sunrise or sunset. Your guide sets out a table somewhere on the reserve with a gorgeous view and you have coffee, beer, snacks, etc and talk about what you’ve seen so far. Even if the drive was not as action-packed as you would have hoped (which does happen sometimes), this is still an incredible part of the safari experience.
How to get to Kruger National Park?
South Africa has 3 major cities where it is relatively easy to catch a flight into Kruger National Park: Capetown, Johannesburg, and Durban.
Drinking Tourist Tip: Depending on where you’re coming from, you’ve probably already had a heck of a journey. Take some time to check out one of these three cities prior to going on safari. We did Capetown first prior to safari and it was one of my favorite cities I’ve ever visited (post coming soon!)
Once you’re in South Africa, there are plenty of regional flights that can get you close to your accommodation. Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport and Skukuza Airport services the southern part of Kruger while Eastgate/Hoedspruit Airport services north Kruger. Regional flights can vary from $200-$450 USD depending on where you’re going.
Once you land in Kruger, you should arrange a transfer with your accommodation. The transfer includes a passenger van and could take anywhere from 1.5-2 hours journey to arrive at your camp.
The transfer ride sounds long, but it’s pretty breath-taking. It’s like the safari before the safari. We spotted elephants, giraffe, and buffalo (2 of the Big 5) before we even got to camp. Keep your eyes open!
You can also rent a car and drive into Kruger (which is the cheapest route), but you would lose valuable time on your vacation in the car.
What to Pack for Safari?
No, you don’t need to go out and buy a whole new ‘safari wardrobe‘. The most important thing is to layer your clothes. No matter what time of year you visit Kruger, the temperature changes with the sun. It’s cold in the morning and nighttime, but really heats up during the day.
We went in May (which is technically winter there) and we wore long pants, t-shirts, and a long-sleeved sweatshirt/quarter zip. You will also want to bring comfortable walking shoes and a rain jacket (just in case). Here is an example of our “safari outfits” below:
Other things to bring include: sunscreen, binoculars, mosquito repellent, and any camera equipment you’d like to bring.
Drinking Tourist Tip: Keep in mind that some airlines in South Africa limit the weight of your luggage. Some cap the weight around 44 lbs, so you’ll want to pack light. If necessary, you can wash your clothes at your accommodation. Less is more!
The last thing to bring is cash. South Africa currency is called South African Rand and you’ll want to have it for tips, which I’ll address below in the costs section.
How much will it cost?
The quick answer is the cost varies depending on how luxurious you’d like to go. This section is more to let you know what you should consider when booking and an average cost you might incur.
- Flight to South Africa – Depends on your original destination
- Round trip Regional Flight to Kruger Airports: ~$250-$400 USD
- Round trip Transfer from Airport to Accommodation: ~$200 USD
- Entry Fees into Kruger: ~$15 USD
- Accommodation (depends on luxury): ~$500 USD/night
- Tips for Guide, Tracker, Butler, Transfer: Ask accommodation for recommendations. ~$50/day
- Food/Drinks (if not included)
So, is this the cheapest vacation you’ve ever been on? Most likely not. But I can guarantee that it will be one of the most memorable things you’ve ever done in your life. Look no further than how close you can get to these leopards!
When is the best time to visit?
Kruger is beautiful all year around. Most people recommend going in ‘dry season’ which is between April and September. Average temperatures during this time can be as low as 50’s during the night and can reach the 80’s during the day.
While the ‘rainy season’ (October thru March) may have precipitation every afternoon, this is still a fine time to go. All of the foliage is coming back in bloom and there is lots of new animal birth during this time. The rainy season also tends to be a little cheaper.
So, there it is. The complete Guide to Safari in Kruger National Park. Please feel free to ask any additional questions or make comments below!