Compare Kruger in Style | Exclusive Safari Package by Siyabona Africa vs Cycling the Drakensberg & Kruger by Exodus Travels

Day 1: Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport to Kruger Park

Depart Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport for Kruger National Park on a commercial flight. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be transferred into Kruger Park to your first luxury lodge accommodation for the next 2 nights. Lunch will be your first feast and the start of many good meals to come.

You have time to freshen up and indulge in the luxuries of your room or spend time familiarizing yourself with the lodge surroundings. Then the highlight of the day awaits with a 3-4 hour safari in Kruger National Park with your guide. Return to lodge for a traditional meal and an early night to rest well for the days to come.

Day 2: Lodge in Kruger National Park

An early morning wake-up call begins the day as you head out on the morning game drive with your guide and tracker who will teach you more about the natural environment and wildlife of Kruger National Park. You can satisfy your increasing appetite at a breakfast feast back at your luxury lodge. If you are still seeking adventure, do not miss the walking safari. Otherwise indulge in one of the Wellness Centre treatments before lunch time.

The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax, read a book, catch a nap or simply enjoy the sounds of the African bush. You can also take part in a guided historical tour or spot some rare species of birds in Kruger National Park. After teatime you will be off on an afternoon-night drive tracking Africa's Big Five. Cool down with sundowners before having dinner. Your lodge offers African cuisine, which incorporates an abundance of flavors accumulated on the trade routes through this area.

Day 3: Travel to central Kruger Park

This morning, another extraordinary wildlife adventure awaits you. Your personal guide will pick you up from your lodge for the transfer drive through Kruger National Park to your next destination in the central region of the park. You will be staying at a luxury tented camp for the following 2 nights of your safari.

The luxury tents offer silver service, personalized cuisine, a secluded pool and an open tented lounge. Large king beds, en-suite bathrooms, air-conditioning and ceiling fans provide you with as much comfort as possible. Nothing could be more wonderful on a safari tour than watching the incredible African sunset while sipping on your drink in the bush and tonight is no different with a memorable sundowner stop before the night drive commences. Dinner will be served back at the lodge after your game viewing experience.

Day 4: Lodge in Kruger National Park

This day of your South African safari will start with an early morning game drive followed by a satisfying brunch. The afternoon is at leisure with more than enough to do at your luxury safari lodge until the next game drive. Overlooking the waterhole is a hide where you can sit for hours waiting for that perfect photographic shot, or you can take a swim in the sparkling pool. In the late afternoon you will be served a light meal after which your afternoon-evening game drive commences. This will give you the perfect opportunity to see some nocturnal animals and also predators which are more elusive during daytime. Return to lodge for dinner.

Day 5: East to the Lebombo mountains

Your next ultra luxurious lodge will be one of the highlights of your tour. Your accommodation for the last 2 nights of this safari package, is ideally situated in a remote wilderness area of Kruger National Park, which allows for an exclusive and unique South African safari experience.

Everything at this premier lodge is exquisitely decorated, from the private and tranquil suites to the outdoor showers and bush health spa. Afternoon high tea is a glorious affair with only the best offered as snacks before the evening game drive. Another beautiful sunset awaits on your game drive and with a cocktail in hand you would hardly imagine that there exist anything outside of this magical world. Tonight you will be served a gourmet dinner and can indulge in some of the best South African and international wines from the lodge's wine cellar.

Day 6: Lodge in Kruger National Park

In the early morning, you wake up to coffee or tea and rusks before setting out on a fascinating game drive in a 4X4 open safari vehicle. Your professional guide will take you out on a thrilling adventure to seek those animals that have eluded you so far. This afternoon you will do well with a nap after all the early mornings.

Alternatively if you still have energy for another adventure, you can also join your guide on a short walk which will give you the opportunity to see all the smaller things one usually misses from a game drive vehicle. Otherwise, you can simply indulge in one of the treatments the spa offers before the afternoon game drive which will be followed by dinner.

Day 7: Depart Kruger Park for Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport

Today will be your last early morning wake- up call followed by a game drive, before returning to the lodge for breakfast. This marks the end of your 7 day Kruger in Style package. You will be picked after breakfast and transferred back to the airport and your onward flight to Johannesburg.

Day 1 Start Johannesburg; transfer to Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Upon arrival in Johannesburg we drive directly to the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in the Maluti Mountains of the Northern Free State. This transfer takes roughly 5 hours but will be broken up with stops along the route for bathroom breaks and to stretch the legs. The Golden Gate national park gets its name from the golden hue on the parks sandstone cliffs as the sun hits them. With 11,600 hectares of highland habitat, the national park is home to a number of animals including springbok, mountain zebra and wildebeest as well as the rare bearded vulture and bald ibis. Depending on the time of the group flights, we will either set up the bikes this afternoon or tomorrow morning. We will have a chance to test them out around the grounds of the accommodation before we begin the cycling. Accommodation: Glen Reenen Rest Camp (or similar)

Day 2 Ride over a spectacular mountain pass with a chance of spotting wildlife; transfer to Northern Drakensberg and cycle to our lodge

Getting up early, we cycle 15mi (25km) on roads through the national park. We start with a short climb to a viewpoint where mountain zebras are often spotted before descending a long, winding mountain pass. Later in the ride, we take a few short, steep up-and-down sections to get our hearts pumping before it levels out. All along this road there are great opportunities to see wildlife from the saddle so make sure you have a camera to hand. At the park exit, we transfer towards the Northern Drakensberg (37mi/60km) stopping at the vulture restaurant for views over the Sterkfontein Dam and an early picnic lunch. We then get back on the bikes and cycle down the Oliviershoek pass all the way to the Sungubala lodge, our overnight stay. Here we have the whole night to take in the stunning view of the Amphitheatre, a spectacular 3mi (5km) long vertical cliff face, while enjoying a meal cooked by the guides. Accommodation: Sungubala Eco Camp (or similar)

Day 3 Cycle to the Northern Berg before hiking and a chance to swim at a waterfall

In the morning, we cycle towards the Drakensberg mountains while following a backroad route into the Royal Natal National Park in the Northern Berg. This ride is fairly undulating but the views of the Amphitheatre at the top of each rise are well worth the effort. After entering the park, we continue on our bikes for approximately 1.2mi (2km) to our picnic spot – before lunch we can change into our swimwear and walk the short distance to a waterfall for a well-deserved swim in the cool waters. After lunch, we have time to explore the park and hiking trails or relax before transferring back to our accommodation. Accommodation: Sungubala Eco Camp (or similar)

Day 4 Transfer to Dundee; afternoon ride to Rorke's Drift Museum

We leave the Drakensberg after breakfast with a transfer (130mi/210km; approximately three hours) by road to Dundee. Here we have time for a little shopping and to resupply before continuing onto Rorke's Drift. At Rorke’s Drift, we have a guided tour around the area where 150 British and Colonial troops defended a small garrison against a near-5,000-strong Zulu force. After a hearty lunch and a change into cycling kit, it’s back onto our bikes for a 28mi (45km) ride from Rorke’s Drift to our overnight accommodation. This is a great ride through the scenic cattle country; the first 10.5mi (17km) is on a good-quality compact-dirt road, where we often spot many types of vulture and eagle flying overhead. Accommodation: Bella's Rest Guest House (or similar)

Day 5 Transfer to Badplaas before getting on the bikes for a great ride to our lodge

We have an early morning transfer (186mi/300km; about four hours) towards the hot springs town of Badplaas in the Mpumalanga province. After lunch, we get on the bikes and start our ride with a fantastic 10.5mi (17km) descent before an undulating route to our accommodation just outside town with views of the Hlumu mountains. Accommodation: Badplaas Forever Resort (or similar)

Day 6 Transfer followed by a scenic ride on edge of the Songimvelo Game Reserve and onto our lodge

We start with a short transfer to Maanhaar, close to the border with Swaziland. From here, we climb on the bikes and ride along a gravel road winding between the Songimvelo Nature Reserve and the base of the Hlumu mountains. We pass an abandoned mine; it’s now home to vervet monkeys, so make sure you have your camera ready. As the road starts to climb, we hop in the bus and transfer to the top of a mountain range overlooking the Songimvelo Nature Reserve. We stop on this road for a quick photo at a viewpoint overlooking the valley below before getting back on the bikes to cycle into Barberton town and then road transfer to our accommodation. Accommodation: African Rest Lodge (or similar)

Day 7 Cycle to Kruger National Park through the Kaap River Valley

After breakfast, we get on the bikes and start our ride through the Kaap River Valley as it winds towards Kaapmuiden. After about 31mi (50km), we reach our stopping point and get in the van for a short transfer to a shopping centre where we can change out of our cycling kit and stock up on cold drinks and snacks for Kruger. From here, we have a very short transfer to the Malelane Gate where we enter Kruger National Park and start our safari. We have a two-hour game drive through the southern tip of the park to Skukuza Camp. Keep your eyes peeled and cameras ready: the southern part of Kruger is known for being home to an abundance of big cats. Accommodation: Kruger National Park Camp (or similar)

Day 8 Game drives in Kruger National Park

Game drives in Kruger National Park An early start to the day, where you can fuel up on a South African rusk and coffee, before heading out in an open game vehicle with a local guide. We’ll stop for lunch and then continue our game drive in search of the Big Five before heading back to camp for dinner. After dinner you have the choice of relaxing at the camp or head out on a night safari, which is an optional extra and should be paid for locally (please see the optional activities section in the Trip Notes for prices and further information). Accommodation: Kruger National Park Camp (or similar)

Day 9 More game viewing, transfer to Hazyview

We aim to spend most of today in the national park searching for animals, and once again start with a morning game drive, but in the opposite direction to yesterday. We return to camp for brunch and to collect our bags before our final game drive in Kruger as we leave the park via the Numbi Gate. From here, we have a short transfer to our overnight accommodation in Hazyview, where we can stroll down to Hippo River or relax by the pool. Accommodation: Gecko Lodge (or similar)

Day 10 Cycle to Sabie and onto Graskop; visit Mac Mac Pools

After a few days of well-earned rest, we get back on the bikes for the most challenging ride of the trip. After a hearty breakfast in Hazyview, we cycle from our lodge up the escarpment and towards Sabie. This first part of the ride is stunning and very different from what we have seen earlier in the tour as our route takes us through avocado plantations and dense forests before arriving in Sabie where we can stop at a cafe for a coffee milkshake and muffin. From Sabie, we continue to climb until we arrive at Mac Mac Pools, where we stop for a swim in the natural pools while our guides make lunch. After food, our ride heads downhill for a visit to Mac Mac Falls and continues to Graskop and our accommodation overlooking the escarpment. Accommodation: Mogodi Lodge (or similar)

Day 11 Ride along the Panorama Route to God's Window via Bourke's Luck Potholes; afternoon ride to Blyde River Canyon

Our final day of cycling takes us through more beautiful scenery as we cycle along the Panorama Route. In the morning, we visit God’s Window to take in the breathtaking landscape before cycling past Wonder View and to Bourke’s Luck Potholes. We stop for lunch here and walk around the curious rock formations before getting back on the bikes for the last time and cycling to the spectacular viewpoint over the Blyde River Canyon and to our accommodation. For our last night in South Africa, we have a group meal in the hotel restaurant, which has an amazing view of the three Rondavels and the canyon. Accommodation: Blyde River Canyon Forever Resort (or similar)

Day 12 Drive to Johannesburg, end

After a leisurely breakfast and a short walk to the private viewpoint within the grounds of our accommodation, we get in the bus and transfer through the small towns of Ohrigstad, Lyndenburg and Dullstroom as we return to Johannesburg Airport. This transfer is roughly 260mi (420km) but we break it up with plenty of short stops and a longer lunch break. Please note, due to the often-high levels of traffic surrounding Johannesburg, we leave our accommodation with plenty of time to complete this transfer. This does mean that on some occasions when the roads are traffic free, we might arrive at the airport early.