SANParks.org Forums

Hi Everyone
This is my first time on the forum here.
My boyfriend and I are travelling to SA 25 April 2013. We are staying in J'burg for a wedding. Then flying down to cape town and traveling across to Port Elizabeth. over a period of about a month.

My question is about our time in J'burg. WE 'd like to spend 3 or 4 nights in Kruger park to explore and experience the wildlife, people and culture of this area. So far I have been researching the tours and lodges that provide transfers form Jo'burg, Food, accom, guided safaris the lot. It all sounds lovely. But a bit out my price range.

I'd appreciate any suggestions or ideas on which way to do this trip. our budget for both of us will be aprox. 12000 - 13000 rand if possible less. Including transfer from Johannesburg food etc.

The idea of self drive appeals to me I'd just like to have more information about where to stay and how to do it.

Thanks so much

Jo

Hi Jo,

I'm sure you'll get plenty of replies here.

It is very easy to get to Kruger from Jo'berg.

Just hire a car (you don't need a 4x4), and its a straight 5 hour drive on a good motorway to Kruger.

My advise would be to pick two camps depending on your interests. Something like Skukuza and Tamboti.

Skukuza is the largest camp and quite busy but it is in a great wildlife area and has the best bird hide right next to it. It has two restaurants, a pool and a museum.

Tamboti would be a nice choice if you would like somewher more remote, the accommodation is in tents so you would really get a bush experience, there is no restaurant but there are kitchen facilities. If you don't like the idea of roughing it maybe choose Olifonts for you second camp, the wildlife is great as are the views.

A very warm welcome to you, JOandSam

Your biggest challenge is going to be finding the right transport to fit your budget. Sadly, we have had many rises in petrol price and it is creating problems for travel.

It might be worth looking at getting a bus to and from Nelspruit and hiring a car in Nelspruit. Car hire is already going to cut deeply into your budget.

I would look at the Lower Sabie huts, possibly the best value in the Park. It is also a very popular camp, due to its location. The huts are R405 for two.

Another good budget option would be the Pretorius Kop huts. These are R275/2 people.

I would also look at Tambotie as Madforwildlife suggests. It is a very rustic, wild experience and their permanent tents are R435 for two.

Good luck and happy planning.

Welcome to the forum JOandSam.

Unfortunately your budget is a bit low for visiting Kruger at all.

IMHO there are 2 options available. Firstly, get public transport and stay at a gate that offers drives from the gate. That would be your cheapest, and you would have guides employed by Kruger, pay the set Kruger price, and be able to find the cheapest accommodation you can, as well as food, but you will have to google a lot.
Secondly, get public transport and hire a small car (you don't need a special type) and book the cheapest accom in Kruger that you can get.That usually comes without any facilities except a fridge and a barbecue, so you would need to plan carefully to prepare food. There are communal kitchens with hot plates and wash up facilities, but nothing else except boiling water on tap. Various camps and picnic spots have fiar to very well stocked shops where you can buy prepared or 'raw' food.

Both of those options will require probably your budget for each of you, and looking at independently guided tours or accom with facilities like plates, cutlery own ablutions etc will cost you the whole budget daily.

Hope this helps.

Don't forget to budget for your daily Conservation Fee.

You don't say where you are from, but it ranges from R50 pp/pd for locals to R204 pp/pd for international guests. Your 4 day stay is too short to benefit from a Wild Card.

Thank you all for the information very helpful!! Also I have to say I made a mistake with our budget... I meant it to be 12000 - 13000.. (900 pounds) So I am sorry to have wasted any bodies time with the wrong information!

Am loving the feed back and am planning I'll be in touch.

Hi J0andSam.
You will love Kruger.
Ok accomodation can be booked on this web site. Bungalows with own loo bathroom and kitchen work out at about £70. 35 quid each, cheaper than Blackpool!
As stated in previous posts there are daily conservation fees to pay too.
Car hire is easy to pre book via the major car rentals you have heard of either from Joburg or Nelspruit if you decide on coach travel. A small car is more than enough for the roads in Kruger. Even the "gravel" roads are well maintained.
I you stick to the major camps there are restaurants for meals(perhaps not fine dining!) and shops with a wide range of food meat and alcohol, for you to cook or braai (bar b que. ever hut has its own braai!)
The driving you do yourself using a map you can buy in camp. Every minute is a new adventure.
Hopefully everyone else will pitch in again now they are over the shock of your first budget.
Kind regards Andy n Lisa

Don't be scared off by talk of a rough and remote tent at Tamboti. It is one of my favorite places to stay. The tents are cozy and exotic to me, the beds are comfortable with electric lanterns. You have a refrigerator and some of them have their own bathrooms. Each tent has braii facilities and a deck over looking a mostly dry river. You will definitely have a comfortable stay.

I wish that I could add naughts to the end of my spending budget. That makes all the difference.

Like most places, check in to your accommodation is after 14:00 and check out by 10:00. This makes changing camps something of a mission because, like the animals you'd want to rest/swim during this, the hottest part of the day. We have just returned from 4 nights in the south, staying two in Lower Sabie, one in Skukuza and one in Berg n Daal on the way out and back to Johannesburg. We thought this was one change too many.
I would recommend accommodation with kitchen and utensils. This will give you more options and mean you won't have to take all your meals in the restaurants.
Three or four nights should be easily doable within your budget if you follow the advice on this forum about car hire.

You will probably get a good nice 3-4 nights in KNP self-drive, self-catering for easily half your budget! (Since the budget increased 10X, that is... ).

Rent a basic sedan vehicle from many rental companies at OR Thambo (JHB International airport), and drive yourself to the South of KNP - Malelane gate is only 426km from JHB. Then one can stay in any of the Southern camps - Berg-en-Dal, Lower Sabie (would be my first choice), Skukuza or even Biyamiti (a bit more expensive - but more private). You have great roads and good sightings in the South, and it is not too far to drive there and back in 3-4 days. Buy food for the trip at any place from JHB to Nelspruit - but rather buy it outside of KNP - it is a bit expensive inside the park. If that seems a bit too difficult - just buy inside the park - most camps stock a good variety of everything you need. Get accomodation that includes utensils - that will include all cuttlery, crockery and cooking utensils you will need! Also buy a map of KNP at the gate or your first camp - that will help you navigate your way through the park.

It is easily doable, affordable and you don't need to go on an expensive guided safari at all!

I'd recommend you go on a morning or evening drive too. Very early start before dawn, but well worth it to have a guide do the driving and talking. It's great to feel the wind in your hair in an open 4x4.

I would suggest two camps for two nights each, rather than one night each in four. Do remember that you drive slowly in the park so distances which don't seem far actually take a long time when you stop often to look at things. The speed limit is max 50 kph but they say to work on 25 kph to get the best bush experience.

There is plenty of choice in SA shops for quick and easily prepared meals to take with you, or salads, and have rusks and coffee for breakfast. The larger camps have restaurants and cafeterias which serve reasonable food - I had very nice toasted sarmies at Lower Sabie which came with chips which I didn't expect.

Sunset drives are my favourite, you go out before sunset and come back after dark, getting the best of both, and the opportunity of seeing night creatures. Be sure to take a jacket, it can be chilly on the open truck.

Enjoy your visit and don't forget a yellow ribbon on your wing mirror seeing as you are now forumites.

Agreed with chirinda

And Skukuza has relative cheap permanent erected tents
So does Crocedile Bridge
Or Lower Sabie have basic huts, also not so expensive

Just remember to bring along your own utensils

Agreed with chirinda and bert.