6 Day Southern Kruger Tented Camps Safari
Summary of this Budget Safari Package
Explore the wildlife-rich southern region of Kruger National Park on open 4×4 game drives and a bush walk with expert guides. Highlights on this Tented Camp Safari include:
- sunset game drive in a private wildlife concession within Kruger
- full day of open 4×4 game drives in Kruger National Park proper
- guided morning bush walk in Manyeleti Game Reserve
- visit to Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre
- morning game drive in Manyeleti Game Reserve
- optional game viewing activities (extra cost) in Kruger or Manyeleti
Our game viewing adventure is based at two tented camps, starting in a private wildlife concession within Kruger Park and moving on to a private concession bordering on Manyeleti. Accommodation is in comfortable tented suites on raised wooden decks with small verandah areas. These spacious tented rooms feature air-conditioning, beds with linen and mosquito netting and en-suite bathrooms.
Itinerary for this Tour
Day 1: Johannesburg to Kruger National Park Concession Area – South Africa
On day one, you are collected from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at about 07:45. Our shuttle service transfers you east to Hazyview in the Lowveld region of the Mpumalanga Province.
Your guide then collects you and drives you to the tented camp, located on a private concession area within Kruger National Park. Settle in and freshen up, before our first wildlife adventure in one of Africa’s best game parks.
This afternoon we embark on our first game drive, heading into the private wildlife concession of Kruger Park. The concession is home to the legendary Big Five of Africa – lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant, along with numerous other wildlife and bird species.
Spend the evening relaxing at the tented camp, unwinding at the bar and sharing tales around the campfire.
- Meals included: Dinner
Private Kruger Concession Area
The private concession area incorporates about 11 000 hectares of untamed bushveld inside the borders of Kruger National Park. The concession area, which is owned by the local Nkambeni community, is located near Shabeni Koppie and the Pretoriuskop Rest Camp.
Open vehicle game drives, nature walks and bush barbecues (braais) are conducted in this private concession area with traversing rights in Kruger Park. Elephants, giraffes, buffalos, baboons and various antelopes are often spotted in the concession area, along with other wild animals and birds.
Day 2: Kruger National Park – South Africa
Day two is set aside for game viewing in Kruger National Park, one of the most famous safari destinations in the world. We spend the entire day exploring Kruger National Park on game drives in open 4×4 safari vehicles, sighting all kinds of wild animals and birds.
While in Kruger we break for breakfast and lunch, stopping at one of the well-equipped rest camps or picnic areas. The camps usually have a cafeteria, restaurant and shop, as well as ablution facilities and often a swimming pool too. Breakfast is provided by the tented camp and enjoyed at one of the picnic areas. Lunch is not included in the tour price and can be purchased at the camp restaurant or shop, where various light snacks and meals are available.
Later this afternoon, we make our way back to camp, game viewing as we drive through the untamed wilderness.
- Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
About Kruger National Park
South Africa’s flagship national park and one of Africa’s best game parks, Kruger National Park is a world-renowned safari destination. The national park covers a massive 19485 km² of unspoilt wilderness in northeastern South Africa – an area similar to the size of Wales or Israel.
Kruger boasts healthy populations of the Big Five, making it a top Big Five game viewing destination. Due to its large scale and geographical location this park incorporates several biomes, hosting an unusually high diversity of animals, plants and other creatures. Some 147 mammal species, 507 bird species and 114 reptile species have been recorded in Kruger Park. Large mammals include hippopotamus, cheetah, hyena, giraffe, zebra, African wild dog and numerous antelope species, such as kudu, eland, impala, springbok and hartebeest.
Day 3: Kruger Concession to Manyeleti Game Reserve – South Africa
Today we drive to our next tented camp, heading further south to the Manyeleti Game Reserve region of Greater Kruger.
First, we travel through Kruger, to the Satara and Skukuza rest camps. On this section of our drive we take our time and stop to watch wildlife and birds in the bushveld around us. Next we leave the official national park, transferring from Orpen Gate to our camp bordering on Manyeleti Game Reserve, keeping an eye out for animals as we drive.
Tonight we have dinner in the spacious dining area beside the pool, at our second tented camp next to Manyeleti Game Reserve, which borders on Kruger National Park.
- Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
About Manyeleti Game Reserve
The 23 000 hectare Manyeleti Private Game Reserve lies between the prestigious Timbavati and Sabi Sands private game reserves of Greater Kruger Park. The reserve shares unfenced borders with Kruger National Park, but is not open to the public, providing an exclusive and uncrowded safari experience.
The word Manyeleti translates from Shangaan as ‘Place of the Stars’ which befits this comparatively undeveloped wilderness area. Manyeleti is owned and run by the local community of Mnisi, featuring few lodges and maintaining low visitor numbers.
The park is known for its excellent leopard sightings, as well as regular sightings of the rest of the Big Five – lion, rhino, elephant and buffalo.
Day 4: Moholoholo & Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre
On day four we visit two acclaimed wildlife rehabilitation centres near Blyde River Canyon, in the Limpopo Province.
At Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre see animals that have been rescued from across South Africa, getting up close to various species. Sick, injured and orphaned animals are treated at the wildlife centre and where possible, released back into the wild. Rescued animals that cannot be released into the wild, become residents of Moholoholo. The resident animals play an important role in education, helping to create awareness about wildlife conservation issues. We view lion, leopard, lynx, honey badger, African wild dog and serval at the centre, which runs a highly successful serval breeding program.
At the well-known Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, we find out about the research, breeding and rehabilitation work being done here. The Hoedspruit wildlife sanctuary focuses on helping rare, vulnerable and endangered species through its programs. Rescued animals are also rehabilitated here, with the aim of releasing them into the wild. The centre breeds and rehabilitates cheetahs for release, championing this species of big cat. In addition to cheetahs the centre hosts buffalo, elephant, rhino, leopard, African wild dog, lion, serval and birds, such as endangered Cape vulture and ground hornbill.
Our visits offer valuable insight into the species that are being cared for, treated and bred at the wildlife centres, at the same time enabling us to get a closer look at these fascinating creatures. At about 15:00 we return to our tented lodge in Manyeleti.
- Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 5: Manyeleti Game Reserve – South Africa
Today starts with an early morning game walk in Manyeleti Game Reserve. We set off into the private concession on foot with an armed ranger leading the way. For the next two hours we take a close-up look at the local flora and fauna, getting a real feel for the untamed African bushveld.
The rest of the day is free for relaxing at the lodge or doing optional activities (extra cost) in and around Kruger Park. Embark on a thrilling afternoon bush walk or set off on an open 4×4 game drive at sunset. Take an exhilarating night game drive in the private concession area or join a traditional braai (barbecue) in the bush.
- Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 6: Manyeleti Game Reserve to Johannesburg – South Africa
On our final morning, we are up early for one last game drive in the Lowveld of Limpopo. We head into the Manyeleti Game Reserve, watching for animals and birds beginning to stir in the bush.
Then it is time to pack up and say farewell to the African bushveld, transferring to Hazyview where the shuttle collects you. The shuttle takes you back to OR Tambo in Johannesburg, bringing your unforgettable Southern Kruger Safari to a close.
- Meals included: Breakfast
Kruger Concession Tented Camp
This permanent tented camp is situated in the Nkambeni Private Concession, accessed via Numbi Gate, and falls within the borders of Kruger National Park.
Accommodation is in en-suite tented rooms raised on wooden platforms with deck areas. The luxury timber and canvas suites have been designed to have a low environmental impact on the natural surroundings. Each permanent tent features air-conditioning and is fitted with comfortable beds, basic furniture, tea and coffee stations and mosquito nets. The en-suite bathrooms are fitted with indoor and outdoor showers, a toilet and a basin.
The tented camp has a big swimming pool with deck chairs beside it. From the pool area, hippos, other wildlife and birds are often spotted at the nearby dam. The main lodge facilities include a bar and lounge area, a curio shop, a spacious restaurant with an outdoor dining deck and open-air boma areas.
Tented Camp in Manyeleti
In Manyeleti, we stay at one of two camps, located at the entrance to the private concession area.
Both camps feature outdoor boma areas for dining under the stars and relaxing around the campfire at night. Accommodation is in comfortable tented rooms with en-suite bathrooms. These twenty canvas and timber structures are designed to provide more comfort than camping, whilst still immersing you in the African bush.
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