6 Day Budget Kruger National Park Safari
» Johannesburg » Johannesburg » Johannesburg
From $863.28
6 reviews (5.00)
Price varies by group size
Lowest Price GuaranteePricing Info: Per Person
Duration:
Departs: Johannesburg, Johannesburg
Ticket Type: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Free cancellation
Overview
•
1 night accommodation in a chalet and 4 nights in a tent
•
3 hour sunset drive on Balule Big 5 Reserve
•
Bush braai at Marula Tree Boma
•
4 hour Big Five bush walk with armed rangers
•
2 hour afternoon game drive on Balule
•
2 full days in Kruger on open gameviewer
•
3 hour Motlala Game Reserve drive
•
Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre
•
Morning walk at Marc’s Camp with armed ranger
•
Scenic highlights of Blyde River Canyon
What's Included
5 nights accommodation
All activities
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Hotel and/or Airport pickup and drop-off
Local guide
Local taxes
Lunch on non transfer days & days not in Kruger
National Park fees
Transport by air-conditioned minivan
What's Not Included
Drinks
Flight to South Africa
Gratuities
Items of a personal nature
Lunch on transfer days and days in Kruger (we will stop at places where lunch can be purchased)
Traveler Information
- INFANT: Age: 0 - 0
- CHILD: Age: 1 - 11
- ADULT: Age: 12 - 99
Additional Info
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- For the subsequent 4 nights you will be staying in our equipped canvas tents at Marc's Camp. Each tented unit has bed and bedding, electric light, fan and plugs and has its own deck. There are mosquito nets above the beds or on windows and door openings.
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- On the first night you will be staying in an air-conditioned en-suite chalet at Tremisana Lodge.
- Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- For the subsequent 4 nights you will be staying in our equipped canvas tents at Marc's Camp. Each tented unit has bed and bedding, electric light, fan and plugs and has its own deck. There are mosquito nets above the beds or on windows and door openings.
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- On the first night you will be staying in an air-conditioned en-suite chalet at Tremisana Lodge.
- Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Reviews
Value for money safari experience with Game Viewing at its heart
vit666, 18-07-2022
Viva Safari do a stunning job with very good quality safari experience. It is a budget safari and therefore the prices are substantially lower than many other comparable safari experiences. But for that price they provide excellent guides who know their stuff. A special shout to Smiley Halala and Victor who were both excellent guides who kept us informed and entertained. The rooms are clean and well maintained and all the hotel staff are friendly. The food is basic but delicious and they catered to us as vegetarians always ensuring we had a veggie alternative. Balule Reserve is decent with our best lion and rhino sightings inside Balule. The drive to Kruger is 90 min and the access from the Orpen Gate often results in amazing animal views. The whole lodge is surrounded by an electric fence which keeps the animals (apart from vervet monkeys) out which can be both positive and negative from your viewpoint. Overall a good safari experience especially given the competitive price offered
This was Fantastic!
Mav_Mi, 25-03-2020
This was my first visit to South Africa and I am so glad we used this service!
We were a family of 6 and ages ranged from 7-40+ and all were catered to.
The organisation was perfect and logically set out. We knew what to bring, where we were going, when to be where and what was happening always.
Staff were organised, very accommodating, professional and very funny.
The food provided was great and very delicious.
Accommodations were unique, very comfortable and very beautiful.
We were taken care of before we arrived and right up til the tour ended.
I recommend this Safari service base on their amazing staff and the services they provide beautifully.
We were a family of 6 and ages ranged from 7-40+ and all were catered to.
The organisation was perfect and logically set out. We knew what to bring, where we were going, when to be where and what was happening always.
Staff were organised, very accommodating, professional and very funny.
The food provided was great and very delicious.
Accommodations were unique, very comfortable and very beautiful.
We were taken care of before we arrived and right up til the tour ended.
I recommend this Safari service base on their amazing staff and the services they provide beautifully.
Excellent Budget Safari
jonathaneMichael, 12-09-2019
This was a peak experience for me. It was just incredible to see these animals in their natural habitat. This safari included time in Kruger Park and also on some smaller reserves. Both were great. I always felt like my guides knew what they were doing and in general I was well taken care of by the staff. Just one word of warning: there is no drinkable tap water at either of the lodges I stayed at - you have to buy individual water bottles at the bar (not great for the environment!). I would recommend buying a couple gallons of drinking water on your way in. Also, if you are staying out in the tent-cabins, be sure to bring a flash-light or head-lamp.
Beyond amazing experience! A must do for everyone
RhiannonR126, 07-05-2019
I can honestly say that this has been one of my absolute favourite experiences travelling thus far. The staff were incredible and the range of activities were perfect, we had enough down time to still feel like a vacation but were always looking forward to something. The accommodations were comfortable and the food was a great balance of flavours and substance - the staff even accommodated the Celiac, Vegetarian and Vegan requests of the large group. We were fortunate to meet some incredible people along the way too!
For those of you considering booking this tour, you absolutely should!! I’ll explain why below. (I titled it to make it an easier read).
The six day tour is perfect because you loose a lot of the first and last day to travel, with Kruger being roughly a 5-6 hour journey from Johannesburg where you get picked up. There’s still time for an activity and a meal either side while on safari: but it means the rest of the time isn’t too rushed. It also means you get to do just about everything they offer!!
THE AREAS YOU VISIT:
Being able to visit their private game reserves, as well as Kruger park, means you get the best of everything.
Staying on their reserves allow for quicker access to animals in a closer area. The fences have been removed, but animals still frequent the waterholes and areas they know closer to the lodges. The roads are more off-roading and weave in and out, so it’s easier to get closer to passing animals.
Kruger is further away and the roads through are paved or graded, which is great when your covering ground. Though animals may be further away than on the game reserves.
We wanted to attend the Rehabilitation Centre, another plus of the 6 day. Which was a really eye opening experience. Something that allowed us to learn a lot and get a true understanding of the size and habits of the animals. It’s tough to see them housed in a centre, though you learn what brought each of the animals to the centre and why they keep them as educational ambassadors or would be unable to put them back in the wild.
THE ACCOMMODATION:
Our first night was at Tresimsana. The accommodation at the Lodge was stunning, so plush and fancy considering how far you travelled to be in the bush. The showers were great and the pool area is stunning to hang out by. The area you eat in overlooked the surrounding reserve so you could see the warthogs and monkeys an occasional giraffe wander past.
The remainder of our stay was the Tents at Marks Camp. The tents are modest (we did book the Budget Tour) but comfy and secure. Ours was actually a hut with stick walls, a locking door and a tent roof. The sides are open to allow the geckos to come in and keep the bugs at bay. The beds were comfy and came with mosquito netting and a fan and I had no issues with bugs sharing my bed or mosquitos.
THE FOOD:
All the meals are served buffet style; with many different options and fruit that we opted to take with us for the days adventures. There is more than enough, everything (including the bread) is cooked in house and there’s many different options.
There were two days where our lunches were included because we were at the lodge around that time and every meal was hearty and different from the last. So you didn’t get bored.
The soups they made as the first course for dinner nightly, out of this world. Everyone looked forward to them!!
They also have drinks that were priced to match the other backpackers and pubs we had visited while travelling the Cape and Garden Route. You could run a tab and settle it on the last night, or pay cash each time.
The tents are a bit of a walk from the lodge and wind next to the river that flows through the reserve; I woke up one morning to a giraffe that was grazing 10 meters from our tent!
THE ACTIVITIES:
I would suggest the 6 day because it gave us the best chance to enjoy every aspects of yours they offer.
2 morning Bush Walks, which we got to see animals on and also learn so much about the area and the way people use to live off the land.
1 afternoon game drive on the private reserve so you could see animals moving around in a densely vegetated area.
1 day at the Rehabilitation Centre.
1 morning at the Blyde River Canyon - a shocking beautiful place !
2 sunset drives in the private reserves, where it appears easier for the guides to track the animals movements. The animals are likely to be more active at night as well.
2 chances to hang out by the pool and just relax or review the 1000 photos you took that day.
2 full day drives in Kruger, so if you didn’t get to see much on one of them you have the second day to see more. It’s a hot day and windy being in the open sided Jeep. As long as you bring a jacket, wear shorts and bring your hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and water bottle then you will be perfect.
The Kruger area is amazing and larger than life. They also have very large herds of animals traveling together, so if you are lucky enough to see them then it’s incredible.
THE STAFF:
They are all such incredible people who are so knowledgeable about the area, it’s animals and it’s history. Each of them are so willing to engage with you and sit down during meals to hang out.
I left feeling like I had made new friends that I hope to keep in touch with.
THE ANIMALS WE SAW:
Giraffe • Elephants • Zebras • Lion’s • Hyena • Impalas • Hippos • Rhino • Vultures • Mongoose • Kudus • So many birds • Dung Beetle • Warthogs • Monkeys • Baboons • Leopard • Wilder-Beast • Buffalo •
We have been told that we were luckier than most with our multiple animal sightings and how close and frequent they were. As every game drive is a gamble, you can’t tell the animals where you want them to be and to keep them wild they are not wearing fracking devises or fed by humans to lure them.
But we got to see the BIG 5 - twice over!!
If you made it to the bottom of this review - you MUST book with Viva Safaris!
For those of you considering booking this tour, you absolutely should!! I’ll explain why below. (I titled it to make it an easier read).
The six day tour is perfect because you loose a lot of the first and last day to travel, with Kruger being roughly a 5-6 hour journey from Johannesburg where you get picked up. There’s still time for an activity and a meal either side while on safari: but it means the rest of the time isn’t too rushed. It also means you get to do just about everything they offer!!
THE AREAS YOU VISIT:
Being able to visit their private game reserves, as well as Kruger park, means you get the best of everything.
Staying on their reserves allow for quicker access to animals in a closer area. The fences have been removed, but animals still frequent the waterholes and areas they know closer to the lodges. The roads are more off-roading and weave in and out, so it’s easier to get closer to passing animals.
Kruger is further away and the roads through are paved or graded, which is great when your covering ground. Though animals may be further away than on the game reserves.
We wanted to attend the Rehabilitation Centre, another plus of the 6 day. Which was a really eye opening experience. Something that allowed us to learn a lot and get a true understanding of the size and habits of the animals. It’s tough to see them housed in a centre, though you learn what brought each of the animals to the centre and why they keep them as educational ambassadors or would be unable to put them back in the wild.
THE ACCOMMODATION:
Our first night was at Tresimsana. The accommodation at the Lodge was stunning, so plush and fancy considering how far you travelled to be in the bush. The showers were great and the pool area is stunning to hang out by. The area you eat in overlooked the surrounding reserve so you could see the warthogs and monkeys an occasional giraffe wander past.
The remainder of our stay was the Tents at Marks Camp. The tents are modest (we did book the Budget Tour) but comfy and secure. Ours was actually a hut with stick walls, a locking door and a tent roof. The sides are open to allow the geckos to come in and keep the bugs at bay. The beds were comfy and came with mosquito netting and a fan and I had no issues with bugs sharing my bed or mosquitos.
THE FOOD:
All the meals are served buffet style; with many different options and fruit that we opted to take with us for the days adventures. There is more than enough, everything (including the bread) is cooked in house and there’s many different options.
There were two days where our lunches were included because we were at the lodge around that time and every meal was hearty and different from the last. So you didn’t get bored.
The soups they made as the first course for dinner nightly, out of this world. Everyone looked forward to them!!
They also have drinks that were priced to match the other backpackers and pubs we had visited while travelling the Cape and Garden Route. You could run a tab and settle it on the last night, or pay cash each time.
The tents are a bit of a walk from the lodge and wind next to the river that flows through the reserve; I woke up one morning to a giraffe that was grazing 10 meters from our tent!
THE ACTIVITIES:
I would suggest the 6 day because it gave us the best chance to enjoy every aspects of yours they offer.
2 morning Bush Walks, which we got to see animals on and also learn so much about the area and the way people use to live off the land.
1 afternoon game drive on the private reserve so you could see animals moving around in a densely vegetated area.
1 day at the Rehabilitation Centre.
1 morning at the Blyde River Canyon - a shocking beautiful place !
2 sunset drives in the private reserves, where it appears easier for the guides to track the animals movements. The animals are likely to be more active at night as well.
2 chances to hang out by the pool and just relax or review the 1000 photos you took that day.
2 full day drives in Kruger, so if you didn’t get to see much on one of them you have the second day to see more. It’s a hot day and windy being in the open sided Jeep. As long as you bring a jacket, wear shorts and bring your hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and water bottle then you will be perfect.
The Kruger area is amazing and larger than life. They also have very large herds of animals traveling together, so if you are lucky enough to see them then it’s incredible.
THE STAFF:
They are all such incredible people who are so knowledgeable about the area, it’s animals and it’s history. Each of them are so willing to engage with you and sit down during meals to hang out.
I left feeling like I had made new friends that I hope to keep in touch with.
THE ANIMALS WE SAW:
Giraffe • Elephants • Zebras • Lion’s • Hyena • Impalas • Hippos • Rhino • Vultures • Mongoose • Kudus • So many birds • Dung Beetle • Warthogs • Monkeys • Baboons • Leopard • Wilder-Beast • Buffalo •
We have been told that we were luckier than most with our multiple animal sightings and how close and frequent they were. As every game drive is a gamble, you can’t tell the animals where you want them to be and to keep them wild they are not wearing fracking devises or fed by humans to lure them.
But we got to see the BIG 5 - twice over!!
If you made it to the bottom of this review - you MUST book with Viva Safaris!
INCREDIBLE FAMILY SAFARI EXPERIENCE!!! OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND SIGHTS!!
jpeloqui, 22-04-2019
We booked a 6 day budget safari with Viva Safaris for our family's first trip to South Africa. I found them on africanbudgetsafaris.com and this trip was a great fit for our family of 5 (2 adults and 3 teens).
From the time we were picked up at the airport until returning, we had a fantastic experience! We saw everything we could have imagined and more! Lions, buffalo, giraffes, elephants, zebras, impalas, leopards, white rhinos, black rhinos...
The lodge rooms have air conditioning-which is nice! The linens are a bit dated but clean.
The 11 passenger van was spacious and nice-the luggage is pulled behind in a trailer. The drivers were wonderful-my husband sat up front and enjoyed chatting with them which made the safari start off well! We switched vans at the lunch stop, making our way up towards the reserve. I love that we pre-ordered our lunch from the van to save time and we had a reserved table on the patio which was so lovely. Food was great with extra generous portions! I've never seen a double cheeseburger so big!
Upon arrival at the lodge, we received a brief orientation, dropped off our luggage, and went out for our first sunset drive with Raymond. We rode in a 9 passenger open air Land-Rover (not counting the driver and/or tracker seats). All of our guides were incredibly knowledgeable and certified field guides. We were so impressed with their expertise! We saw so many things on the first night-including a leopard and a lion!
We stopped at a boma for a brai-an outdoor eating area for a bbq. We tried local fare of chicken legs and pap (corn but with mashed potatoes consistency). Hyenas were even seen in the distance waiting for the leftovers! Unforgettable experience!
One thing that we weren't sure about at first-it's customary to tip your driver/guide after each drive instead of all at the end.
The sunrise bush walk with Rex and Shannon was amazing. They are armed. Don't miss it.
Loved seeing all the monkeys around the grounds-but watch your things bc they do steal!
Next we went to the campground for 4 nights. We stayed in permanent tents that have a bed, a fan, a nightstand and a lamp. It's a bit of a hike down to the tents, but we they helped us with our bags. Our tent had a queen bed and my teens were in a separate tent that had 4 single beds-more like a treehouse on the ground-bamboo all around with a hinged door. The bathrooms are pretty close by each area and have hot water and separate showers. Bring a flashlight! There are armed guards around the camp 24 hrs/day. Roland (one of the guards) will respond quickly if you scream! lol
There may be nyalas and buffalo around camp as well as lots of other creatures! You really are out in the bush for this safari!
Collette-our host greeted us so warmly. My son has LOTS of SERIOUS ALLERGIES and she made sure he had safe food during our entire stay! This personal service made our trip so wonderful! Outstanding kindness and care! Loved chatting with her!
The wifi at the reception area is spotty at best, and in the evening when everyone is there, just don't even try. The experience of meeting others from around the world to share the safari with is far more exciting! We all ate breakfast and dinner together, usually lunch was out with your day group. Bonding as a group is part of it all. We became known as the Big 5!
We saw so much wildlife. Kruger is incredible! So big-I'm so glad we could sit back and relax with a guide. They have a chat with other guides so they share where the animals are hanging out. It is unpredictable though-people that went the day after us didn't see nearly what we did. We saw the Big 5 and tons more-and lots of babies! The private reserves are just as wonderful and way more undeveloped-which is so cool and interesting to see!
Sunset drive with Jordan and was amazing. So informative and engaging! He can even smell where the animals have been! He really impressed my teenagers! Loved the 2nd bush walk with him as well! Harrison was a great driver as well! We also loved the guy who made the nightly announcements!
I could go on and on. Such an amazing experience! A dream come true! Thank you all so so much for the priceless memories!!!
From the time we were picked up at the airport until returning, we had a fantastic experience! We saw everything we could have imagined and more! Lions, buffalo, giraffes, elephants, zebras, impalas, leopards, white rhinos, black rhinos...
The lodge rooms have air conditioning-which is nice! The linens are a bit dated but clean.
The 11 passenger van was spacious and nice-the luggage is pulled behind in a trailer. The drivers were wonderful-my husband sat up front and enjoyed chatting with them which made the safari start off well! We switched vans at the lunch stop, making our way up towards the reserve. I love that we pre-ordered our lunch from the van to save time and we had a reserved table on the patio which was so lovely. Food was great with extra generous portions! I've never seen a double cheeseburger so big!
Upon arrival at the lodge, we received a brief orientation, dropped off our luggage, and went out for our first sunset drive with Raymond. We rode in a 9 passenger open air Land-Rover (not counting the driver and/or tracker seats). All of our guides were incredibly knowledgeable and certified field guides. We were so impressed with their expertise! We saw so many things on the first night-including a leopard and a lion!
We stopped at a boma for a brai-an outdoor eating area for a bbq. We tried local fare of chicken legs and pap (corn but with mashed potatoes consistency). Hyenas were even seen in the distance waiting for the leftovers! Unforgettable experience!
One thing that we weren't sure about at first-it's customary to tip your driver/guide after each drive instead of all at the end.
The sunrise bush walk with Rex and Shannon was amazing. They are armed. Don't miss it.
Loved seeing all the monkeys around the grounds-but watch your things bc they do steal!
Next we went to the campground for 4 nights. We stayed in permanent tents that have a bed, a fan, a nightstand and a lamp. It's a bit of a hike down to the tents, but we they helped us with our bags. Our tent had a queen bed and my teens were in a separate tent that had 4 single beds-more like a treehouse on the ground-bamboo all around with a hinged door. The bathrooms are pretty close by each area and have hot water and separate showers. Bring a flashlight! There are armed guards around the camp 24 hrs/day. Roland (one of the guards) will respond quickly if you scream! lol
There may be nyalas and buffalo around camp as well as lots of other creatures! You really are out in the bush for this safari!
Collette-our host greeted us so warmly. My son has LOTS of SERIOUS ALLERGIES and she made sure he had safe food during our entire stay! This personal service made our trip so wonderful! Outstanding kindness and care! Loved chatting with her!
The wifi at the reception area is spotty at best, and in the evening when everyone is there, just don't even try. The experience of meeting others from around the world to share the safari with is far more exciting! We all ate breakfast and dinner together, usually lunch was out with your day group. Bonding as a group is part of it all. We became known as the Big 5!
We saw so much wildlife. Kruger is incredible! So big-I'm so glad we could sit back and relax with a guide. They have a chat with other guides so they share where the animals are hanging out. It is unpredictable though-people that went the day after us didn't see nearly what we did. We saw the Big 5 and tons more-and lots of babies! The private reserves are just as wonderful and way more undeveloped-which is so cool and interesting to see!
Sunset drive with Jordan and was amazing. So informative and engaging! He can even smell where the animals have been! He really impressed my teenagers! Loved the 2nd bush walk with him as well! Harrison was a great driver as well! We also loved the guy who made the nightly announcements!
I could go on and on. Such an amazing experience! A dream come true! Thank you all so so much for the priceless memories!!!
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