The largest game reserve in South Africa, the Kruger National Park is larger than Israel. Nearly 2 million hectares of land that stretch for 352 kilometres (20 000 square kilometres) from north to south along the Mozambique border, is given over to an almost indescribable wildlife experience. A Kruger National Park safari offers some of the finest Big 5 game viewing in the world, award-winning accommodation, smooth-running logistics, and some of Africa’s best trackers and guides and it certainly it ranks with the best in Africa and is the flagship of the country’s national parks – rated as the ultimate safari experience. Lying in the heart of the Lowveld is a wildlife sanctuary like no other, its atmosphere so unique that it allows those who enter its vastness to immerse themselves in the unpredictability and endless wilderness that is the true quality of Africa.

You will be transferred to your accommodation on the bounds of Kruger National Park (KNP) and after checking in, take a walk onto the Crocodile River Bridge. The bridge is actually in the Kruger National Park, but you are safe to stand and see animals such as crocodiles, hippos in the river and other animals coming to drink.

After check-in at the lodge, you can have lunch at the lodge and get to know your surroundings before your afternoon game drive.

Late this afternoon, you will be collected for your sunset safari drive in the KNP returning later in the evening to have dinner at the lodge. Enjoy the sights, sounds of the bush and connect with nature around you as you relax under the African stars on the lodge’s open deck. You can have a late evening swim or buy a drink from the bar.

This morning, you’ll need to arise at dawn and go for your sunrise safari with the park ranger. This is a special time of day as the Kruger awakens and comes to life. By now you’ll have heard the iconic fish eagles cry, common along the river and learned to recognize it. Hopefully, there will be a matriarchal herd of mother elephants and babies. Or a savage but necessary lion kill, perhaps a majestic bull elephant, and a herd of stern-looking Cape Buffalos. It becomes easy to see why the Kruger National Park is consistently rated as one of the top safari destinations in Africa! There are thrilling encounters around every corner!

Afterwards, we return to the lodge for a lovely breakfast and to spend the sunny part of the day at leisure. As optional extra activities, we can arrange a visit to a local town and/or to a private reserve that offers horseback safaris, microlight flights over the reserve and nature walks. Or you may just wish to relax and enjoy lunch at the lodge.

This morning after an early breakfast, your guide will collect you for an exciting day on the Panorama Route. This route is situated along the edge of the highveld (highlands) escarpment. Panorama Route is a loose circuit of mostly natural attractions associated with the towering cliffs that divide the highveld around Sabie and Graskop from the lowveld of the Kruger Park and Mpumalanga’s provincial capital Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit).

The road follows towering cliffs and reveals astounding vistas from its viewpoints such as God’s Window. It is also the location of many beautiful waterfalls and its high point is one of the world’s deepest river canyons; The Blyde River Canyon. There are also strange geological formations formed where the Blyde (happy) River meets the Treur (sorrowful) River called Bourke’s Luck Potholes. The climatic conditions along this route are in total contrast to the hot KNP. Here, it is misty and cool most of the year. Your guide will stop for lunch at one of several unusual and attractive locations. Later the afternoon, you’ll return to the lodge.

Another early morning drive is on the cards for you last day in the KNP. It is also possible to change any of your morning game drives in this safari-to-safari walks. This one or the one on day 2 can be changed. This does however need to be arranged well in advance. A walk in the bush gives an entirely different perspective to driving.

After breakfast at the lodge, you will be collected by our driver and start your journey back to Johannesburg. If you plan on going through to Cape Town, there is a very convenient flight leaving at lunchtime every day from a local airport.

Be advised that you may also extend your trip by spending an extra night in the independent Kingdom of Swaziland close by.

If pushed for time we can fly you in and out to a local airport at a surprisingly little extra cost. Please ask us about the price of this extra option.

Although the Cheetah breeding programme was the main initiative that led to the foundation of the centre in 1971, there are many other animals whose continued existence and genetic diversity is supported by various breeding programmes at the centre. Here one can see African Wild Dog, Brown Hyena, Honey Badger, Caracal, Vultures, Ostriches, Impala and Meerkats in various projects.

The African Wild Dog is greatly threatened in the wild mainly by domestic dog diseases such as canine distemper amongst others, to which it has no resistance. Spending a morning or afternoon at the cheetah centre is one of the most worthwhile experiences while visiting this part of Southern Africa. You will surely learn something affirming about the existence of people dedicated to nature and preserving it for the benefit of the present and future generations. The beautiful natural surroundings enhance the entire experience.

Guests are guided on foot through The Elephant Sanctuary. Our well-informed guides will provide you with in-depth information and insight about African Elephants! You will meet, face-to-face, these gentle giants and experience their warm breath and their unique trunks while feeding them. Take a walk with these majestical giants and appreciate them in their natural habitat.

You will get to interact with our elephants and touch them all over their uniquely created body parts, from the front to the back. Here you will meet the Caretakers, where you can appreciate and become part of the special, trusting relationship they share with our elephants. You will witness a cheetah run activity this morning and interact with elephants during the late morning hours, and also see the monkeys this afternoon.

*Note: You will be transferred from Lodge in KNP to the Ann Van Dyk’s Cheetah Centre and thereafter to the Tuskers Elephant Lodge where you will be accommodated this evening. Please know that you will either stay at the Tuskers Elephant Lodge before or after going to Kruger National Park for your safari. This is dependent on availability.

Today we have reached the end of our program and you will be transferred to the OR Tambo International Airport or the Mpumalanga International Airport for your departure to back home.