Half day and full day Kruger National Park safaris

Enjoy and experience nature as it was thousands of years ago.

On a half or full day Drive The Big 5 Kruger National Park safari you will be collected from your hotel, lodge or B&B in time for you to be at the Kruger gate closest to your hotel, lodge or B&B as soon as it opens. You will exit the Park at gate closing time and will arrive back at your hotel, lodge or B&B depending on the driving time from the point of exit to your hotel, lodge or B&B. See below for gate opening and closing times.

In order to get the most out of your time spent in Kruger it’s advisable to get to the gate as early as possible, as soon as it opens in the morning, as the animals are most active during the early morning when it’s still cool and to depart Kruger as late as possible in the afternoon. I.e. at official gate closing time, for the same reasons. The animals only start to move when it cools down in the late afternoon. See below for these gate opening and closing times as they change with the seasons and month by month.

During the heat of the day the animals are usually at rest, lying down in the shade of a tree or in the dense bush in the cool of the riverbeds. As you can imagine, this makes the animals very difficult to spot. This time however is not “unproductive” as there is still so much to see, experience and enjoy. Your knowledgeable guide will select the best routes which could follow river courses where the animals congregate in great numbers to quench their thirsts and to cool off during the heat of the day. This time of day is also the best time of day to look for birds, especially the raptors circling above as they need the thermals generated by the sun heating the surface of the earth thereby causing updrafts which they need in order to stay aloft. You will also be enlightened as to the trees and shrubs and the many medicinal purposes they possess.

Your experienced ranger also knows the best places in the park where to find the animals as he/she is in the Park almost on a daily basis and is also in constant radio contact with other guides who radio in various animal “sightings”. They also know where the animals current favorite water holes are, where the bird hides are and where rest stops are to further enhance your Kruger experience. Your time spent in the Kruger National Park on a Drive The Big 5 one day safari will imprint on your memory Africa as it was, 1 000 of years ago, before man started upsetting the balance of nature.

We offer a morning safari, an afternoon safari and a full day safari in either a “4x4 open safari vehicle” which conforms to the Kruger Parks specifications or in air-conditioned comfort in a VW micro-bus. Please note that should you elect to opt for the “4x4 open safari vehicle” you could find yourself sharing the vehicle with other people, unless you hire the vehicle exclusively.

The morning safari is from gate opening time to 12 noon. The pick-up time at your lodge, hotel or B&B will depend on the driving time from your hotel, lodge or B&B to the closest Kruger entrance gate or at any time suitable to yourself, subject to the approval of any other paying guests, if applicable.

The afternoon safari is pick up at 12 noon with drop off after the Kruger gates close in the evening or any time you elect subject to the approval of any other paying guests, if applicable.

The full day safari is from gate opening time to gate closing time. The pick-up time at your lodge, hotel or B&B will depend on the driving time from your hotel, lodge or B&B to the closest Kruger entrance gate. You will exit the Park at gate closing time and will arrive back at your hotel, lodge or B&B depending on the driving time from point of exit to your hotel, lodge or B&B.

Cost: Half and full day Kruger National Park Safaris on Open Safari Vehicles

Half Day Safari (Morning or Afternoon)
2-3 people:  R 980 per person plus R 160 per person KNP Conservation Levy. Total R1 140 per person.
4-5 people:  R 600 per person plus R 160 per person KNP Conservation Levy. Total R  760 per person.
6-10 people: R 490 per person plus R 160 per person KNP Conservation Levy. Total R  650 per person.

Full day Safari (From gate opening time to gate closing time, depending on the month of the year)
2-3 people:  R1 300 per person plus R 160 per person KNP Conservation Levy. Total R1 460 per person.
4-5 people:  R  800 per person plus R 160 per person KNP Conservation Levy. Total R  960 per person.
6-10 people: R  690 per person plus R 160 per person KNP Conservation Levy. Total R  850 per person.

Rates are current and are subject to change in line with SA National Parks Conservation Levies.

Included:
Open safari vehicle with a maximum of 10 passengers; services of a qualified guide; chilled mineral water; toll fees if applicable.
Excluded:
Meals, items of a personal nature; gratuities.

Kruger National Park Gate Times:

January
05h30
18h30

February
05h30
18h30

March
05h30
18h00

April
06h00
18h00

May
06h00
17h30

June
06h00
17h30

July
06h00
17h30

August
06h00
18H00

September
06h00
18h00

October
05h30
18h00

November
05h30
18h30

December
05h30
18h00