4 Day African Safari – Safari Itinerary incl Kruger NP – South Africa

If you go to South Africa you should also go to Kruger National Park of course. After I travelled from Cape Town via the coast to Port Elizabeth I went to Johannesburg. When I was there I booked a 4 day African safari in Kruger NP. This would be for me the first time that I really went on safari!

I was looking forward to it and my expectations were skyhigh!!

Of course I was going to see the big five on safari in Kruger NP! So the lion, the leopard, the elephant, rhino and buffalo. And no…the giraffe is big but not listed here 🙂

In Johannesburg I stayed at Brown Sugar Lodge and there I was picked up early in the morning to start the 4 day African safari in Kruger NP. I had booked with Detour Africa and the group consisted of 9 people I think. Just big enough to always get along with some good people and also to get to know everyone.

Day 1 Tremisana Logde – Sunset gamedrive

That first day we drive to Tremisana Logde which borders York Nature Reserve, Tshukudu Game Reserve and Ukhozi Nature Reserve. That same evening from Tremisana we made a nice sunset game drive and during this sunset drive we had dinner in the reserve and then drove back to Tremisana in pitch dark.

4 Day African Safari – South Africa

I totally loved it and was really happy that I had made the choice to book a 4 day safari even though it was quite expensive! I paid over 400 euros for this safari in Kruger NP. This was one of the cheaper options.

That first evening we saw several animals! How happy I always get from these places, the animals that just live in a huge area and therefore experience the freedom that we also experience! You have the freedom to go wherever you want!

We had already passed this tree a couple of times and the guide assured us that there should definitely be a snake in it. The last time we drove past it I was lucky. I spotted the snake and I could take a picture just fast enough. I was the only one who had seen it 🙂

My police eye sometimes has such an advantage!

Day 2 Tremisana Logde – Morning Walk + Safari

The next day would start early again because we were going for a walk. And if you go walking when you’re on safari, you’re protected by men with weapons. Of course you walk in the area where that big five lives and roam the area… and all those other great animals!

Of course you hope to see as much as possible but you don’t want to meet them on your path. So it’s a nice balance between adventure / wildlife spotting and ensuring safety.

Also read my tips on what Rules apply on Safari to get safely into the park on foot or in a jeep.

Unfortunately, we didn’t see so much that morning. We did see some traces of animals that had walked there that night. When we ate a sandwich near a river we did see hippos in the distance! I thought it was a lovely walk. The chance to see some wildlife and just the fact that you walk around in South Africa on a beautiful early morning… that’s just wonderful!

I don’t remember what was told here… If I’m looking for dung balls that make dung beetles, I can’t come up with this size!

If you know what this is, tell me!

Safari Itinerary incl Kruger NP – South Africa

After breakfast we had some relaxing time at the resort. I walked around and looked for the cute little birds and monkeys walking around. I was really surprised by the versatility and the beautiful colours of the birds!

And the most colorful one was also quite cheeky…he really tried to grab some food from me!

But of course you can also take a dip in this lovely pool!

In the afternoon we went on another jeep safari in the surroundings of Tremisana. Again we saw beautiful animals and birds. Just the area you drive through is of course great! You scan the area for wildlife and oversee the nature and landscape you drive through.

For dinner we moved to our new accommodation. This time at Marc’s Treehouse Lodge Accomodation. You can of course, as the name suggests, take a treehouse there but I went in a real safari tent. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was fully equipped. Close to the tents there was a shower and toilet block we could use and when we walked a bit further we looked out over a river.

We were just in the middle of a park!

That we were in the middle of a park was also proven when I woke up the next day with rustling around my tent… A nyala walked by casually! How cool!

Day 3 Marc’s Treehouse – Kruger NP Safari

This day we were finally ready to go into Kruger National Park ! We had seen quite a few animals but the famous Big Five still had to come of course! This was for me the first (2014) time I really went on an African safari and I was really happy of course.

We drove into the park and very soon we saw a herd of buffalo. The first of the big Five was spotted! I thought it looked impressive even though it was at a great distance. I don’t know how many buffalo it was but if they are going to run then you don’t want to be around…

We were safe in our jeep and drove on after the necessary pictures were taken of course!

4 Day African Safari

After this we drove for a while and of course saw a lot of birds, some deer and in the distance giraffes! I thought it was totally cool! It made me super happy. Seeing the animals in their own habitat and not caught in a much too small environment where they only stand so we can watch them. They just stand here because they just got out of there and just get some rest…or they pass by because they are on their way to a water spot.

This makes me so happy!!

Eventually we ended up at one of those water spots and we saw hippos lying down and resting from a long day and the elephants on the other side drinking the water. This can only make you happy, can’t it?

What a wonderful pictures this is!

As we drove on we got the message that the lions had been seen and that we were close by. They had a prey and were eating it. With the binoculars I borrowed from someone I could watch and saw some lions. I couldn’t see what they were eating but thought it was a mighty sight and realized that those big, dangerous animals were only a few hundred meters away from us and we were just sitting open and bare (as good as) in the jeep.

That gave me a strange feeling!

And that’s when we went to see the leopard. We eavesdropped that the guide had contact with other guides. He changed direction to go to the spot where the leopard was spotted at that moment.

How exciting!

They didn’t telll us anything, so you don’t know how far we should drive. Asking ourselves… is he still there? And how far away from our jeep is he? All those questions that went through my head and in the meantime I kept scanning the area for other animals of course! Even though we now had a clear goal…there was still a lot to see here!

Really…
If there hadn’t been a guide to tell me exactly where to look
I’d never have spotted him!

Would you?

At the bottom right you can see a branch and on the first picture you can just see those legs hanging down.

I totally had a great day on African safari in Kruger NP! I had seen everything I wanted to see and I never got bored in the back of that car. You always have something to see and I was constantly scanning the area in case I noticed something. In the previous days I had noticed that I spotted something way earlier than the average fellow traveller 🙂

Dag 4 Blyde River canyon and Three Rondavels

Day 4 of my African Safari had arrived and so we left Kruger NP behind us. This day unfortunately consisted only of the trip back to Johannesburg. However, we had a wonderful stop along the way at the Three Rondavels. A great piece of nature where you really have to make a stop if you come along.

You can also buy some souvenirs because the locals make use of the fact that almost every tourist makes a stop here.

This view as the end of your safari in Kruger NP is just the best!

I’ve had really wonderful days in the wilderness of South Africa with the highlight being an African Safari in Kruger NP! A day in a resort with a nice room and a day in a real safari tent. The best of both worlds!

I loved it so much!

So the option I chose cost me about 400 euros (2014) at Detour Africa. Safaris are expensive and if you travel alone you almost have to book something like this kind of trip with an organisation. This way you get to beautiful places and spend a few days in a mixed company which is also fun!

Did you like this 4 day African Safari in Kruger NP?
Then save it or share it!

Want to read more about Africa?

Hiking the Famous Knysna Heads, Featherbed NP – Knysna

Visiting the Prison on Robben Island – Cape Town

3 Day Safari at the Masai Mara – Kenya

Discover Morocco in 4 days – 3 nights

Having Dinner with the Locals – Resirest – The Gambia

Or what about a challenge? Go work as a ranger in a NP!

Volunteering in Tsavo National Park – Kenya

I hope you love this world as much as I do!!