An Incredible Safari in South Africa’s Kruger National Park

A South African Safari in Kruger National Park is an amazing opportunity to see nature up close and personal! The goal of any safari is to see the Big 5 (lion, leopard, black rhino, African bush elephant and African buffalo). We did this as part of a South African vacation that included Cape Town and Johannesburg. You can read about that part of the trip in our “Amazing Things to Do in Cape Town and Johannesburg” blog post.

Arrival

We embarked on our 4-night/5-day safari by being picked up at the Hoedspruit airport after flying in from Cape Town. Our first giraffe was spotted before even leaving the airport property! We were taken by van to connect with the game vehicle for the Waterbuck Lodge at Thornybush Game Reserve. This lodge is considered luxury but not premium luxury and costs around $440/night which includes all meals. It felt premium to us. September is a great month to go since it’s the end of the dry season. This means the brush isn’t overgrown, making it easier to find the wildlife.

Day 1 Drive

Evening Drive

After a 45 minute drive from the airport, we settled into our rooms and went out on the evening game drive within 2 hours…talk about hitting the ground running! On our very first drive into the reserve, we came upon a pond with several hippos. We also saw elephants on our first night along with some awesome night birds. We found quite a few herds of gnu (aka wildebeests) and many impalas, buffalo, and inyala.

Day 2 Drives

Morning Drive

The mornings start early on safari with a 5 AM knock on the door from Vusi, our tracker. There are light refreshments and coffee to get you started. Note, bring warm clothes you can remove in layers as it can be chilly in the morning but warm later in the day. We found a pride of lions on this day and more elephants. We found out the elephants are basically everywhere.

Breakfast

After the morning drive, it’s back to the lodge for a full breakfast. Beware of not leaving your plate unattended or your breakfast will become monkey food…quick little creatures! After breakfast, it’s nap time back in the cabin or lounging by the pool The pool overlooks a water hole. We sat and watched 16 elephants playing one day while swimming and relaxing by the pool.

Evening Drive

The evening drive was absolutely amazing. We were able to track down more elephants. We surprised one as our truck rounded a corner. I thought Vusi was a goner, since he sits in a chair on the front of the truck and was face-to-face with a not so happy elephant. We ended the drive without injury and returned to the lodge for an amazing dinner!

Day 3 Drives

Morning Drive

We started out the morning on the hunt for lions. We found an entire pride napping after a meal! That was a mic drop for Day 3! We drove around and learned about the ecosystem from our guide, Cornell, a PhD specializing in entomology (the study of insects and their relationship with humans, the environment, and other organisms).

Evening Drive

After more lounging by the pool and the back deck of our cabin, we headed out for the night drive. The back deck, by the way is not a place to take a nap. There is no fence between you and the animals, and you can step right off the deck which is raised only 2 feet. Do that, and you are officially in the reserve…good luck!

Our first encounter on this evening was finding the black rhino with its calf. What an impressive sight!

Day 4 Drives

Morning Drive

We found another lion pride, more elephants and oh yeah, I forgot about all the giraffes and hyenas we saw during our time on safari.

Evening Drive

This was our last chance to see the last of the Big 5, the leopard, and they’re particularly hard to find, because they travel alone. With coordination from other safaris in the area, we found one sleeping in a tree. From there, we booked it back to the lodge, because our cook scolded the guide for being late for dinner. LOL!

On the way back, we had a flat tire…IN THE DARK! Our guide told us to huddle in front of the truck lights and not to walk away from the group as there was a good chance of being stalked. So, we had some fun and took a selfie!

Day 5 Drive

Morning Drive

This was our final drive before flying to Johannesburg, and it did not disappoint. We tracked a lion pride on the hunt. Being an old Army guy, I truly appreciated how they moved like a special ops team.

For More on South Africa, be sure to read: Amazing Things to Do in Cape Town and Johannesburg

For overseas travel tips, you should also read: 10 Tips for a Great Overseas Travel Experience