This is one of the most common questions that we get because everyone wants to try and time their visit to coincide with the best game viewing. Is there a best time ? well this depends on your expectations. The simple answer is that the end of the dry seasons (winter - August) offers the best game viewing as the bush provides the greatest visibility and the animals are highly dependant on what water is available. Temperatures range from 8C - 25C with little to no rain. Whilst this may be the best time for large mammals the summer season or green season between November and March is incredibly beautiful with the savanna in full bloom and wider diversity of life and activity. This is also the best time to bird some of Krugers 520 avians. Summer temperatures range from 18C - 45C and is also our wet season so you can expect rain and humidity.

The reality is the Park is not a Zoo and whilst you just never know whats waiting around the next corner, a bit more time is better than to little. For this reason we do advise that a Privately Guided Safari on Open Safari Vehicle is the best option and over a minimum of 3 nights and 4 Days. From our experience and having guided hundreds of clients on Overnight Safaris in Kruger, our recommended minimum duration is 3 nights and 4 days. This timeframe allows sufficient travel time to and from the Park as well as enough time to expose our clients to the incredible diversity of Kruger, its wildlife, heritage and Camps. This is an un-rushed experience that allows us to get out of the busy South and head north into the central region and experience the remote and quieter parts of the Park. Having your won guide will ensure that you see and experience the best parts and will guarantee good game viewing.

Your accommodation is dependant on three things 1) your budget, 2) your time frame and 3) the type of experience that you want to have. Outside of the Park, along its Southern and Western boundary there are several small towns that offer B&Bs, AirBnb's as well as hotels. The main towns are Malelane, Nelspruit, White River and Hazview in the South. These destinations offer the typical B&B as well as hotel offerings and would include day safaris into the Park. Guests would be collect and dropped of daily from the accommodation. Guests can requests breakfast pack from their destinations and also have dinner in the evening. On Safari we would stop at on of Krugers camps from Lunch at at restaurant. Our preferred option and what we consider to be the better of the two would be an Overnight Kruger Park Safari staying within the Park at their Camps. The Park has 12 main camps with each offering a variety of service accommodation from 2 sleeper bungalows to 10 sleeper family cottages. All meals are had at the different camp restaurants and over 4 Days guests can experience far greater diversity within the park and get away from the business of the south. Based on you requests we will establish the best accommodation for you budget, group size and expectations.

Inside the Park we have 12 Main Camps that are spread out from the South to the North. Each of these Camps has a variety of bungalows and cottages. The accommodation we select for our clients offers fully serviced units with bed linen and towelling daily. All the units we offer have a on-suite bathroom and air-conditioning. All of the main camps have shops which offer a wide variety of food, beverage and personal supplies. There are also 5 Bushveld Camps in the Park that are spread out in the more remote regions. These Camps offer greater exclusivity with only a handful of cottages and focus on a more intimate bushveld experience. They also offer fully serviced cottages but do not have a shop or restaurant. The Park also has 10 Luxury Camps on private concessions that range from high 4 star to very luxurious 5 star. Selecting these camps and incorporating them into our itineraries is something we do based on client expectations, budget and our own experience.

All of the 12 Main Camps in the Park have a restaurant as well as a shop with a wide variety of food and beverage options. Over and above this you also two outposts in the Southern Regional, Tshokwane and Afsaal, which offers a bush kitchen menu with local favourites. All of the Camp restaurants have a menu that covers breakfast, lunch and dinner and also has vegetarian options available. The Park does not support Halaal. So weather you are on a Day Safari or Overnight Safari there are many options available. All our Safaris are private so when you area with us we will establish a daily route and itinerary that covers an area and includes stops at the Camps for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For guests on a Day Safari we recommend a daily budget of R185pp for food and beverages. We do provide Coffee, tea and waters on our Open Safari Vehicles.

If you have a particular dietary requirement or you are staying outside the Park and wanting to book a Day Safari, you are certainly welcome to bring your own food in. On a day Safari guests can bring a cooler box with food, snack and beverages however no alcohol will be allowed through the entrance gate. On the overnight Safaris we include meals so this wont be necessary but should you be Halal or Vegan we can make prior arrangements to cater fo you.

This really depends on what your own expectations are. Firstly you will need power, if you are using the latest mobile phone or a state of the art DSLR camera. For those wishing to capture the moment a fancy phone like a iPhone XR or a simple point and shoot will do just fine. If you looking to enhance the quality of landscapes, structures and close up animals, then a DSLR with 18mm-55mm lens is just just. For those that wish to get decent close ups but dont want the bulky DSLR, we recommend a Bridge Camera with a Lens that offers a 24 - 480 mm f/2.8-4.5 20x Zoom as well as 4K camera for video footage. Our preferred brands are Canon Powershot, Nikon Coolpix or Sony Cyber-Shot. For those shooting with a DSLR Camera we recommend a 100mm-400mm lense with 1x8 converter in the event that you need to get a bit closer for Birds etc. Charging points will be available ate all Camps and Lodges as well as USB on the Open Safari Vehicle. We can also help you with camera rentals and offer clients rental options of DSLR cameras on a daily rental rate.

Not to take away from any of the excitement but its important to first remember that the Kruger National Park is not a Zoo. The exciting part is that every Safari is a treasure hunt and the Park offers us an incredible variety of fauna and flora to discover. There are over 140 mammal species, 520 Bird species, 172 reptiles, 2400 flora species and countless invertebrates. During the course of a single day guests can expect to encounter many mammals species with the common ones being Impala, Zebra, Wildebeest (Gnu), Giraffe, Elephant, Buffalo, Kudu, Warthog, Hippopotamus and Waterbuck. Then their are of course the rarer species which include the predators like Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wilddog and Hyena. All of these species are mainly nocturnal in their behaviour but they do sometimes offer us a glimpse during the day light hours. The benefit of having a Private Safaria Guide is they he/she will know exactly which areas are likely to have the greatest predator activity and will get you right into the hotspots. Whilst we can never guarantee see these rarer species in a single day we would have a far greater opportunity to see then during a longer duration in the Park. Also don't forget that our guides also love seeing them so they will engage with other guides and also structure each safari in such a way that it improves your opportunities of seeing one of the more elusive animals. Our Safaria style doesn't chase the Big 5 but rather offers a clients a holistic experience of Kruger that incorporates all its fauna and flora to create much more rewarding experience. Yes sure we also want to see the Big 5 but from experience and what our clients have taught us, the greater Safari experience is the most important part.

The most important part of your Safari experience is the Guide. Just think about it for a moment, you travel half way across the world to come and experience the Kruger National Park and whilst the environment and atmosphere is exciting your guide is a disappointment and doesn't offer the kind of experience that you were expecting. Our philosophy is simple in this regard, learn from the best, train with the best and qualify with the best. All our experiences have been personally designed to deliver the very best and this first starts with our Guides. All our Guides are FGASA Qualified, they are the industry leading authority on nature guiding and regarded as the gold standard. What this guarantees you is that you will receive deep, insightful facts across a very wide variety of species both fauna and flora. In fact we go so far as to say that if your Guide doesn't have a FGASA qualification then rather find someone who does. FGASA guides go through intensive training which includes detail learning about all of the local ecological factors that encompass a savanna system to ensure that you are never left wanting for information. With that much knowledge its also makes for some great story telling and sharing. So if you want the best from your experience be sure to enquire about your Guide. Go check our Andrew Wagner's page to find our more about him and his experience. You can also check that up on LinkedIn if you wish to reference.

One of the beautiful things about the Kruger National Park is its access. Let's start with road infrastructure. If you are Self-driving or going by private transfer or shuttle, there are decent and well maintained roads into the Park. The N4 Main highway is managed with toll gates so expect to pay to have access if self driving. If you are self driving from Johannesburg you should carry at least R300 per way. The distance from Johannesburg is roughly 475km and should take 5hr30min hours with a stop. We recommend stoping at either Alzu Petro-Port or Milly's Petro-Port. Flights from Johannesburg fly into both KMIA Airport as well as Skukuza and Hoedspruit were we will then collect and transfer our guests to their accommodation. These are quick flights taking 45min to 1hr in duration. As part of our Safari Packages we do accommodate Self-drives but prefer to include and manage your Private Transfer or Shuttles services from Johannesburg CBD OR Tambo Airport or locally from KMIA Airport or Skukuza Airport. If we are not personally doing it we had tried and tested relationships that ensure a safe and comfortable journey with the most reputable service providers.

Naturally one of the most common questions asked when visiting the Kruger National Park concerns the risk of Malaria and what precautions should be taken. If you are planning a trip to the Kruger National Park we do recommend that every traveller first consult their Doctor or the appropriate medical practitioner for more insights on the disease and answers to critical questions asked. Remember we are not Doctors and always recommend that you ask their advice ! Please read our BLOG on Malaria for greater insights and recommendations. https://www.safaria.co.za/malaria-in-the-kruger-national-park/

The idea of driving through the African savanna on a Open Safari Vehicle and being exposed to all the wildlife can be quite a scary thought for some. The good news is that you don't have to be scared. Firstly our guides are highly qualified and experienced in dealing with the wildlife and secondly because the animals to see you on the vehicle anyway. Lets explain. Sitting on a Open Safari Vehicle offers you the best advantage as you are high up with better views but most importantly uninterrupted views. Once you've been on a Safari vehicle you will never be able to view game and experience the savanna from a closed vehicle again. Sitting inside a Open Safari Vehicle our human figure is disguised by the vehicles shape as well as our scent so we don't come across as the "up-right two legged walker" who comes with fire and kills. ie Man. So as a result they don't fear the vehicle and as such see it as a another fixture in the savanna. This means that we are left alone and they don't bother us and we respect their space in return. Sometimes we will get really close, like seriously close but under the experienced guidance from you Guide these moments will offer you incredible opportunities to experience Africas wildlife from the uninterrupted views of the vehicle.

Our recommendation is that you pack simply with a lightweight mentality and clothes that have a earthy natural tone. Its useful to note that if you are at Private Lodge or in the Kruger National Park, both offer laundry services if needed. The right colours are khaki and tan for the obvious reasons that they hide the dirt, lend into the surroundings and good for game walks. When you are travelling by Open Safari Vehicle you can wear similar but also include jeans. We do however recommend that you avoid shirts that are bright in colour with unusual patterns, theres no point scaring the animals and other guests. Here is a list of the general safari attire must-haves for your South African safari: 1. Comfortable walking shoes and a pair of sandals or flip flops 2. A decent hat or cap which can take direct sun and protect your face 3. Waterproof windbreaker 4. Fleece jacket for layering during morning and evening game drives 5. Jeans (one or two pairs depending on length of stay and destinations) 6. Chino or cotton pants/slacks in khaki for dinner time and day time 7. Earth tone t-shirts for daytime ( moisture managing T’s are the best) 8. Button-down long-sleeve sport shirts (technical material best) 9. Long-sleeve and mid-sleeve shirts for layering 10. Shorts or cut-off cargo pants that can be stripped away midday 11. Swim suit 12. Sports bras for the ladies are recommended for game drives 13. Socks and of course under wear 14. A sense of adventure and always bring some humour along

The answer for most of the Park is yes, and thats pretty good considering that you are out in the middle of know where. Of course certain service providers are better than others due to there mobile partners locally and their infrastructure. Locally the strongest signal in our experience comes from MTN so if you wish to buy a local MTN simcard this will come in handy. They are available at most retail shops and only require registering online. The cost is less than 1 USD$. The strongest signal is found in the Camps and is good enough to download most items and even to a quick whatsapp call. The western side of the Park receives the best signal quality. Outside of the Park you will be fine with 4G available almost everywhere.

The answer is Yes, all of the 12 Main camps in Kruger as well as the 5 Bushveld camps all have electricity. As a result you will have lights in your bungalow, a plug point to charge all your gear, a fridge to keep things cold and of course to power the fans and air-conditioning units. Be advised that whilst South Africa is experiencing "load-shedding" and we go through periods os scheduled outages, all the Main Camps have back-up generators which switch on within 15min. These scheduled outages can last up to 3 hours and then lights are back on.

Yes, the water in the Main Camps is safe to drink and is all bore-hole water that is cleans and prepared on site. For those guests that prone to tummy issues we just suggest grabbing some mineral water bottles from the Camp shops and playing it safe. Safaria does provides still mineral water on the vehicles daily for guests.

This is not allowed! The Park has a network of tar roads and dirt roads that offer guests over 1,500kms to explore but guests are not permitted to drive off-road and through the bush. This may sound disappointing to some but is for very good reason. The most important reason is for the benefit of the savanna and wildlife. Being a protected environment the whole purpose fo Kruger is to be caretakers of this iconic environment and ensure that we are able to pass it on to our children and their children. For this reason their are rules to protect the natural environment and limit the destruction of the savanna. Another reason is for your own safety, if you get stuck, or have a flat tyre etc. What if you land up getting a flat in the muddle of know where and don't know how to change it or nobody passes by to assist...big trouble. So stay on the designated roads and we both you and nature wins.

Our Vehicles are completely Open Safari Vehicles with just a high flat roof to keep our guests out of the direct sunlight. We don't have a Guide stuffed in a half closed Cab talking through a narrow space to guests. The reason for this is we want uninterrupted engagement for our clients and to ensure that they hear everything our guides have to say as well as being able to ask questions easily and conveniently. Our Vehicles can accommodate up to 10 guests but we prefer to have a maximum of 6 guests although this would be dependant on the family or group and personal arrangements can be made. The number of guests on a Open Safari Vehicle is completely dependant on you and your booking. We don't do "Shared Safaris" where we collect guests from a network of hotels or lodges. ALL of Safaris are private and exclusive to our guests as a couple, a family or a private group. Ultimately the number of guests is dependant on you but we opt for comfortable and space as we will be out for a long time in the savanna.

Only Skukuza Camp restaurant and Lower Sabie Camp restaurant offer Wifi to clients. NO other Camps in the Park offer Wifi.

Kruger National Park is of course a medium to high risk malaria zone but there is no need to bring with Mosquito nets. Our recommendation from experience is to firstly take a anti-malaria prophylaxis, use a mosquito diffuser in you room and utilise the fans and air-conditioners in your room to create a barrier for mosquito activity. They seemingly don't like a string breeze let alone a cold one. Another important practice is to ensure that you are covered in ling pants and long sleeve shirts before sunrise and after sun set. Using an effective "deet" filled aerosol spray is also useful.

Absolutely ! Like most things that involve kids, good parenting and a sense of responsibility are paramount. The Park is a wonder garden for kids and we grew up in the Park ourselves we don't just believe it safe but its far better than leaving them to watch tv or play games on your phone. The Camps are all fenced not just for your Kids safety but your safety as well. Being mindful of where they are playing and not letting them stick their little fingers in dark little spaces is a good idea regardless of where you are. TH Park and Camps present and endless wonder land of learning and adventure and what better than to start them young. The main concern is Malaria but there are already prophylaxis available now for small children so consult your Doctor. All our Safaris are private so if you have a baby, toddler or teenager we know exactly how it works and will help manage the Safari so you to can have a great time.

Even for us this is important. The very nature of Safari means long period sitting on a Open Safari Vehicle so when you have sone down time its critical to get the blood flowing. The simple answer is that NO, there are no gyms or training facilities within the Park but that shouldn't stop you from getting the blood pumping. Each Camp has ample space and our Guides even have their work out routines to stretch the legs and work of the yummy meals. We personally have a 5km running route through all of the Camps that we select for our Safaris so just bring your gear and we'll help stay active.

Private Kruger Safaris is exactly that, a Private experience. We are one of the pioneering Private Safari operators who has established a variety of Safari experiences in the Kruger National Park that focuses on the guest experience. We don't do the shared safari that attracts multiple travellers on a more budget experience, thats just not who we are. We utilise the Parks infrastructure to offer our guests a completely personalised Safari in Kruger with a fully dedicated expert Guide and Open Safari vehicle over the duration. Our Safaris are personalised meaning that they are designed around YOU and your requirements and not part of a set tour or the typical set departure sausage machine. The reason we do it this way is because we know that whilst the cost may be slightly more, the true value and experience guests will have with their own Private Guide, far far far outweighs the marginal rate difference. Having spent hundreds of days and thousands of hours guiding clients on Safari, there is no set departure safari that will offer close to a what clients experience on a Private Safari. Lastly remember that your version of the "Best Safari Experience" is different to the next traveller so we prefer to keep it to a personal group of family or friends and they are always more likely to have a similar version but more importantly they are more tolerant and easy going with each other. For example we once witnessed a shared Safari Vehicle with guests that got into a huge fight because some where on a half day safari and other on a Full Day Safari and they didn't agree on which sightings to spend more time at. The one couple wanted to spend more time with the WIlddogs and the other couple wanted to rush of to find Lions because they only had a half day. So from experience, book a Private Safari and take the whole experience for yourself!

We don't believe that anyone coming to visit the Kruger National Park should go with the "bargain safari" or "budget safari" mindset. This is a very special journey and for most people its a dream realised or a once in a lifetime experience. Safari to South Africa takes a lot of planning and you want to make sure that you do it right and create the best possible experience and memory. For this reason we don't suggest that guest book the cheap seats, and by that we mean the bargain 3 day safari that shared and scheduled. Rather spend the extra 450USD and have the classic Kruger Safari staying inside the park at one of Camps with your own guide and safari vehicle. We can assure you that if you have to experience both and choose you will go Classic/Private every time. Why, because you getting the fully authentic experience staying inside the Park, exploring its endless terrain and doing it with a properly qualified, professional FGASA Guide.

ABSOLUTELY !! Beit a Day Safaris or Overnight Safaris you will be assigned a guide that is with you for the Day or the duration of your Safari. Your guide's personality, EQ, qualifications, general knowledge, and passion for their job will ultimately determine what kind of safari experience you will have. Your Guide is not only there to offer you accurate and insightful nature based information but also to manage your well being and your personal expectations. Booking your safari with a Bespoke, Privately Guided Safari operator where you engage personally with the Owner or Guide will ensure that you get the very best from you Safari Experience. A personal engagement and clear understanding of you and your dreams safari before you depart makes your trip so much easier. There are guiding standards and you want to make sure you guide is FGASA qualified as a minimum. This is the most reputable qualification and FGASA guides are regarded to operate from the highest standards within the industry.

Yes, it is completely safe to stay in the Kruger National Park. Just as the local 1,5 million South Africans that do it every year. With 12 Main Camps in the Kruger, each being fenced in with a game resistant, electrical fence. Each Camp has a designated entrance gate for vehicle that come in and out which is closed year night and opened on the morning. The Camp's accommodation offers circular bungalows that have electricity with on suite bathroom and are fully serviced. The rooms have windows with mosquito grids as well as fans and air-conditioning (a/c). The most important thing to remember is that the wildlife is more scared and threatened of us they we should be of them. The Camps do attract certain mammals like Vervet Monkey, Warthog and some of the small antelope species but its more than highly unlikely that you would see anything bigger. Every now and then the international media get wind of a wild animal getting up to something in the Kruger National Park but its always a case of misunderstanding the situation and publishing some fear mongering article that is completely inaccurate so if you are curious rather ask us and we will help qualify the matter. Staying in Kruger is absolutely SAFE and you will love it and far prefer the experience and atmosphere to staying in a B&B or hotel /lodge outside the Park.

Yes, there are 3 main airports that access the Kruger National Park and have an average flying time of 45min to 1hour from Johannesburg OR Tambo International airport. These airports inlcude : 1. KMIA Nelspruit (Mbombela) - this airport is roughly 38km form the nearest gate which is Numbi Gate found in the South West corner of the Park. 2. Skukuza Airport - this is with out a doubt the most convenient Airport available as its found inside the Park and offers almost immediate access to Skukuza Camp. This is the most convenient Airport to access Kruger. 3. Hoedspruit Airport - this Airport offers access to the Central region of the Park as well as the Private Lodges in the Timbavati and Klaserie Game Reserves. The closest Kruger National Park gate is Orpen Gate and is roughly 80km away,

The entrance gates and camps gates have different opening and closing times based on the seasons and time of year. During the summer months (Oct-March) the gates open earlier and close later as a result of summer time sunlight hours. Entrance Gates (main Gates that enter into the Park): - October: 05:30-18:00 - November to February: 05:30-18:30 - March: 05:30-18:00 - April: 06:00-18:00 - May to July: 06:00-17:30 - August to September: 06:00-18:00 Camp Gates (Camp gates, these are camps inside of the Park) - October: 05:30-18:00 - November to January: 04:30-18:30 - February: 05:30-18:30 - March: 05:30-18:00 - April: 06:00-18:00 - May to July: 06:00-17:30 - August to September: 06:00-18:00 Its important that you understand these times and plan your routes should you self drive as many guests are caught out and land up having to overnight somewhere else or return back to their accommodation late at night in the dark because they get distances and times wrong. Our suggestion is to take the risk out and lets us handle this for you.

This is where local knowledge os key and no travel agent can offer you better advice than the guys on the ground with the contacts and the know how. For any traveller going on Safari we recommend that you firstly get travel insurance and secondly ensure that you medical aid covers you for travel abroad and particularly Safari to Africa (South Africa). For the small self medicating items there are several pharmacies outside the park that offer a 1st world standard supply of items. Inside the Park only basic paracetamols etc are available. If you need a Doctor there is one available at Skukuza main camp but should there be a more serious issue arrangements can be made to get guests to one of the private hospitals outside the park. This is where the true benefit in having a Private Guide comes in as your well being is their priority and their knowledge of how to deal with these sorts of emergencies is invaluable. All Guides are first-aid trained and our Safaria Guides a little better trained than most so we are ready to assist our clients in every event. Nelspruit MediClinic is the closest main hospital and in the event that the situation is life threatening

The good news is that Yes, many of the main camps are all wheel chair friendly and offer easy entry bungalows with ramps and the necessary support aids inside to ensure that even if you are travelling in a Wheelchair you wont miss out on any of the action. Our Safari Open Safari Vehicles all have an easy entry front seat and with a little help its a quick transfer across and your wheelchair can be easily accommodated in the back of the vehicle.

Yes there is ! Many of the Lodges and Private Game Reserves market as "Kruger National Park" but this isn't quire correct. The Kruger National Park is defined National Park that is run and managed by SANParks and offers us 25 Park owned, run and managed camps as well as 10 luxury lodges on concessions found within the defined boundaries of the Park. In 1994 the western boundary fences where dropped offering and additional 400,000Ha of land that the game could freely traverse and genetically mingle with other populations of game found in the Sabi Sands, Timbavati and further Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) along the western front. These Private Reserves are association managed and not run by SANParks although they do need to adhere to certain rules and regulations. This collective space is referred to as the Greater Kruger National Park. Its in these Private Reserves that we find the many Luxury Lodges but one must remember that you cannot access these from the Kruger National Park. Also its important to remember that in Kruger we have access to 20,000 square kilometers of pristine wilderness, whilst the Private Reserve Lodges may have access to between 4,000 and 10,000Ha. Yes, you may be able to travel off-road but you will be limited and there is no such thing as a Full Day exploring the savanna in a Private Reserve.