Kruger National Park Travelers Recommend

A visit to Kruger National Park is a perfect chance to experience the beauty of South Africa, the diversity of its landscape and the excitement of spotting Africa's Big Five in one breathtaking place. Three days is enough time to explore this vast game reserve and the surrounding area overland, on foot, with a guide or even on your own.

Day One: Rise and Shine Set an early alarm and head out on a sunrise game drive. Warm up with hot tea and biscuits on the chilly ride to Kruger's gates. Watch the park wake up during a three-hour drive through the bush. After a hot shower and a bit of lunch, head to nearby Sabi Sands Game Reserve for an afternoon game drive. Guides in this park can go “off road”, giving travelers the thrill of getting up close with wildlife—including all of Africa’s Big Five.  

Day Two: Foot It Spend the day wandering wilderness trails of Kruger with expert armed guides. Wind through the bush on Nyalaland Trail and follow the Madzaringwe Stream before arriving at the Lanne Gorge. Spend some time reveling in the breathtaking views as you search for some of the rare birds that dot this mountain path. Finally, explore some of the recently discovered fossils on the way back to camp.

Day Three: Conservation After spotting animals in the wild, learn about efforts to protect and preserve them at the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center. Take the afternoon and tour this facility that releases captive-bred cheetahs into the wild and nurses orphaned and injured animals back to health. Round out the day with a final late-night game drive for a chance to catch Kruger’s nocturnal creatures hunting in the bush.

Multi-day treks in Kruger National Park show adventurous travelers the wilds of South Africa through a new lens. Leave behind the zoo-like safari caravans and instead explore the bush on foot, staying in remote camps and taking in the seclusion of the wilderness. The following trails offer much more than just big-game viewing.

Bushmans Trail This trail is not only frequented by elephants and rhinos, but also gives hikers a deeper look at the culture of the region. Within its tight valleys, rocky outcroppings, and sweeping vistas, this route affords a multitude of opportunities to spot both big game and bushman paintings.

Mathikithi Trail Amidst a region characterized by sandstone bluffs and iconic sunset views, the most common big game spotted on this trek are elephants and buffalo. The wooded base camp also offers excellent birding.

Napi Trail With both the Mbyamithi and Napi rivers coursing through, the environment surrounding the Napi Trail is rich with wildlife and unique plants. It is common to see both white and black rhinos along the trek and while staying at Pretoriuskop—the first established camp in Kruger.

Nyalaland Trail This trail and its remote camp provide access to river gorges that make for stunning views and a great place for hikers (and wildlife) to cool down on hot days. There are also dinosaur fossils—exclusively accessible to those who choose to take this trail.

Olifants Trail From a camp on the banks of the Letaba River, you can watch hippos and crocodiles, hear the call of eagles, and see herds of elephants. Day hikes take you to the Olifants River Gorge and into flat plains ideal for game viewing.

Sweni Trail The wide open plains surrounding the Sweni River create a viewing platform for predator-prey encounters, giving hikers the rare opportunity to see Discovery Channel–worthy action in real life. For an added treat, the flat expansiveness of the remote region creates unmatched stargazing.

Wolhuter Trail Isolated deep within Kruger National Park, this region is known for a high concentration of white rhinos. You can also hope to see elephants, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, and kudu from this trail. In addition to spotting big game, hikers have the chance to view numerous historic relics throughout the area’s granite outcroppings and deep valleys.

The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s largest game reserve. With more than 7,500 square miles (19,400 square kilometers) of bush and savannah, the park is home to Africa’s Big Five: lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. Here are some tips for finding your dream safari.

For the Bucket-Lister

Increase your chances of spotting the Big Five on a full-day tour and enjoy two game drives in one day. You might also see hyena, giraffe, wildebeest, and zebra, as well as hippos and crocodiles along the riverbanks. Most tours include entrance fees and pickup from hotels in Nelspruit, White River, or Hazyview; some tours also include lunch in the park.

For the Time-Crunched Visitor

You don’t need to spend a full day exploring the park; game drives typically last around three hours and offer incredible wildlife-watching opportunities at any time of the day. Opting for an early-morning tour leaves the rest of the day to spend as you please, while afternoon tours are ideal for late risers. Hotel pickup and drop-off help you maximize your time.

For the After-Hours Explorer

Wildlife is often at its most active around sunset, when temperatures drop and the animals head out to hunt or visit the watering holes. An evening safari offers a greater chance of sightings, and continuing your tour after dark affords a rare chance to observe nocturnal animals.

For the Adventurous Traveler

An African safari is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and opting for a multi-day tour lets you travel farther and savor the experience. Explore areas of the park such as Blyde River Canyon, the Drakensberg Mountains, and Sabi Sands; spend the night at a luxury safari lodge; and enjoy a traditional braai (South African-style barbecue).