Collection in Johannesburg

You will be picked up between 07h00 and 07h30 am from your Johannesburg Hotel or from any early morning flight into Johannesburg International (Oliver Tambo) Airport. Then we take a leisurely 4 hours' drive through Mpumalanga Province to its capital, Nelspruit.

A break in Nelspruit giving you time to do a little last minute shopping before setting out for the bush. Suggested items: Cool drinks, film, snacks, mosquito repellent.

Another 45 minute drive up to the Kruger National Park, where we enter the game-rich Southern region of the park by the Numbi Gate.

Collection from MQP or KMIA:

If you're flying into Mpumalanga Airport ,or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, your Game Ranger will pick you up off your midday flight. Then there's a leisurely 40 minute' drive up to the Kruger National Park, where we enter the game-rich Southern region of the park by the Nubmi Gate.

Day 1: Johannesburg - Kruger Park - Skukuza Camp (D)

From Numbi Gate we drive northeast towards Lower Skukuza and follow the Numbi to Skukuza road, viewing plenty of game as we do. Many animals move towards water in the hot afternoon sun, and you'll see herds of Impala and Waterbuck on the banks of the waterholes. When we pass a shallow section of the river you may see a family of Hippos sleeping in the river, a sharp lookout being kept by the head of the family. Crocodiles are dotted about on the banks of the river, basking in the sun. By the time we arrive at Skukuza, the largest camp in the Kruger National Park, you will have had a good idea of what's to follow in the next few days.

You'll be booking into Skukuza Camp before the gates close for the night, and after checking in you'll get a chance to freshen up in your chalet before joining others for a delicious dinner at the camp's restaurant. The restaurant is alongside the river, so keep your eyes open for the spotted hyena, warthogs, the purple-crested Lourie and fruit bats.

Day 2: Kruger Park - Kapama Game Reserve (B L D)

Everything starts early in the Kruger park in order to have a greater chance of seeing game, so you'll get a wake-up call at 05h30 in order to get on the road when the gates open at 06h00. We'll stop for breakfast at 08h30am, after which we bid the Kruger National Park farewell and make our way on towards Hazyview and the Kapama Game Reserve. passing through several traditional rural villages on the way. We enter the famous Kapama Game Reserve and make our way to the camp, where you get to check in and move into your chalet. This will give you time to freshen up before lunch at about 14h30. In the afternoon your time is your own - you can grab a siesta, take a cooling swim in the pool, or just socialize. Tea and coffee is served at 15h00, and afterwards you'll make for the open Land Rovers, which are to take you on the late afternoon's game drive.

Before setting out you'll get a short safety talk from the game ranger that is to accompany you - Being you're first open vehicle game drive your given a 5-minute safety talk by your game ranger. He'll be sitting on a special seat on the front of the Land Rover so that he can look for animal tracks and all the better spot any wildlife for us. After nightfall he uses a powerful spotlight in order to pick out game in the surrounding bush.

Your game ranger is very experienced and will be able to find a whole lot of wildlife for you. When there has been a kill the message gets around by bush telegraph so he'll be able to take you directly to any reported kills. Today after viewing Giraffe and Waterbuck we'll drive to a spot where there was a lion kill this morning. Most of the pride is sleeping under the Mopani trees when we arrive, and the trees themselves are full of vultures waiting for the lions to depart.

As the sun goes down we take a break, stopping the vehicles in the bush a short distance from the kill where we can enjoy sundowners (a drinks break). This is the time the ranger breaks out his powerful spotlight. If we're luck we should get to see some of the nocturnal animals - the spotted genet, white tailed mongoose and the nightjar, with its distinctive plaintive cry. We eventually get back to the camp at 20h00, and it's time to freshen up in your chalet before drinks in the bar and a full evening meal, followed by some socializing around the campfire. Eventually it's time to turn into a comfortable bed and fall asleep to the sounds of the bush.

Day 3: Kapama Game Reserve (B L D)

This is the last full day of your safari, and it all starts off with a wake-up call at 0530. Before we set off today you'll get tea or coffee in the camp's thatched lapa. We climb into the Land Rovers and commence our morning's drive. Your game ranger decides to check out the lion kill you saw yesterday - you can smell the carcass well before you arrive - it's now a couple of days old and has started to get a nasty stench. The lions are still there under the Mopani trees, and there are now a few Hyenas tearing bits off the carcass.

On continuing the drive you come across a small herd of bachelor elephant, then a huge herd of three or four hundred buffalo moving towards a waterhole. Your driver stops right at the heart of the herd for you to take some photographs. At the same waterhole are some Impala and a small cluster of stately Waterbuck. Zebra are dotted about, and a couple of Warthogs run past with tails straight up in the air.

It's been an eventful morning's drive, and we return to the camp at about 10h00 for breakfast. After breakfast there's a walking safari you can join, or you may prefer to spend the rest of the morning swimming in the pool, taking an early siesta or socializing. Lunch is served at 14h30 and tea and coffee at 16h00.

We then make for the Land Rovers for another late afternoon game drive - there are more than 500 species of birds in the Kruger region, so if you are an avid bird watcher, keep your eyes peeled - you'll see birds here that you won't find anywhere else in Africa. We take a break to stretch our legs and enjoy a sundowner, then it's into the vehicles again - the game ranger wants to see if he can find a Leopard, and as luck would have it, there is one at a small waterhole - a beautiful female. When she has had her fill she meanders off into the bush and we follow her with the spotlight. Just as we are about to give up and continue with the drive we see her move into a crouch. She pounces onto a small Steenbok, killing it in a few seconds. She drags the body of the small buck up onto the branch of a Marula tree and starts to eat. It's time to drive back to camp for dinner and a good night's sleep.

Day 4: Kapama Game Reserve - Johannesburg (B)

A 05h30 call again followed by tea or coffee, then it's time for your final game drive. We're going to have a last look at the two kills we have seen. First the Leopard - the carcass is still in the Marula tree, half eaten, but there is no sign of the leopard. She'll be back later. At the lion kill there are now just hyenas and vultures - there's no sign of the lions. As you are taking photographs a white rhino lumbers into view. But time is now getting on, and we must drive back to the camp for 09h00 breakfast, after which it's time to pack and to settle the bar bill.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Drop-off back in Johannesburg

Your guide will drop you off in Johannesburg by 16h30 either at your hotel or at the Oliver Tambo International Airport.

Drop-off back at Kruger Mpumalanga International or Hoedspruit airports

If you're flying out of one of the airports close to the Kruger Park, you will probably be lucky enough to spend an extra couple of hours viewing game. Your guide will ensure that you leave the park in plenty of time to catch your flight from either Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) or Mpumalanga Airport (MQP)

------------------------------------------------------------

Note

(B L D) refers to the meals included - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Skukuza camp is used for explanation purposes in this itinerary and may not be the camp you are booked into as all accommodation is subject to availability.

Itinerary may vary slightly due to gate opening times, game movements, weather etc ....

Price: Per Person Sharing R11,900.00 Single: R12,950.00