Matt Davison
The Kruger National Park, South Africa, is best known for an array of distinct birds, animals, flora, and, of course, the Big 5.
An itinerary for Kruger National Park is vital for the traveler on a tight schedule. It provides peace of mind and surety that you’ll have experienced everything the land has to offer.
Many who visit here are mesmerized by how vast it is. If you’ve only got three days to spare, why not make the most of it?
At Kruger National Park, safari packages are a good way to relieve any holiday anxiety. With countless specials on offer, from day trip activities to week-long vacation packages, planning this holiday can amount to work.
Keep reading for a thorough look at a 3-day safari in Kruger National Park, what it costs, and an itinerary that includes adventures, safari tours, and exciting packages.
Kruger National Park 3-Day Safari | What to Expect
Since the park was established in 1898, it has become the cornerstone of nature conservation in South Africa.
- The park boasts about 140 mammals, from the Big Five to leopard tortoises and rhino beetles.
- Around 500 bird species—including the fish eagle, hornbill, and various vultures and owls—can be spotted throughout the park.
- You could try your luck at spotting one of the 110 different reptile species, like snakes and lizards.
- There are also 330 types of trees in the park.
The Kruger National Park is about as large as Wales, covering just under 20 million hectares of land. However, the animals that live here are not the only drawcard. There are private lodges, public campsites, and activities in the surrounding areas that will make any 3-day Kruger safari fun and family-friendly.
While bumbling through the bush, you’re also invited to visit some archaeological sites where African culture and the history of ancient San and Zulu settlements are preserved.
- You can visit Thulamela in the north
- View the Prospectors Grave close to Skukuza Camp
- Masorini Archaeological Site, 11km from the Phalaborwa gate
3 Days in Kruger National | Itinerary
Planning a Kruger National Park itinerary can be exhausting. You’ve got to figure out accommodation, transport, food, activities, and much more. To make your life a little easier, we’ve set out a guide to spending three days in this magical park.
Day 1:
3 days in Kruger could be an addition to your South African adventure or a holiday on its own. To squeeze every drop of excitement out of your trip, you might want to consider taking a drive from Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park.
The distance from OR Tambo Airport to Kruger National Park is 263 miles, a 5-hour drive. Some tours like this full-day tour offer a pick-up and drop-off service from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park. If you’re driving yourself, you might want to check out some of the reserves around Johannesburg as an introduction to your ultimate Kruger National Park trip.
No two game reserves are exactly the same. Visiting one or two of them might introduce you to some cool creatures that you might miss going to only one park.
Johannesburg has some beautiful places like:
- Pilanesberg (Just over 3-hours drive from OR Tambo International Airport) has a stunning tour with pick-up from Johannesburg
- Moreleta Nature Reserve (30-minutes drive away from the airport)
- Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve (35-minutes from the airport)
After a drive out of Johannesburg and through parts of the Kruger National Park, you deserve a delicious cocktail (or mocktail). Get out some board games and let the competition begin. Or you might want to start a fire and get some marshmallows roasting as a sweet treat to end off a pretty spectacular day.
Day 2:
Today is the day that you wake up to birds chirping, breakfast cooking, and hopefully, some lions roaring near your camp or perhaps your 5-star Kruger lodge. You’ll have an entire day to cruise through the park.
Once you’re dressed and ready at (literally) the break of dawn, you’ll head out for yet another game drive. Morning safaris are quite fruitful as many Kruger National Park animals are out and about preparing for their day ahead of the harsh midday sun. Unlike humans, animals always look cute when they wake up — go and see for yourself.
Hopefully, your trusty guide will be able to spot some tracks and lead you to the animals you’d like to see. All the guides are well clued up on the way things work out in the bush, so do not hesitate to nerd out and ask them as many questions as you can think of.
If you’ve opted for a full-day safari, you’ll most likely refuel at some of the restaurants and shops before heading out for the second part of your day.
Midday usually brings some of the animals out to the watering holes for a quick drink. Get your Instagram stories ready for a few pics of the hunters and the hunted sharing the same body of water.
Day 3:
On your third day, you can sit back and relax. There’s still time to fit in an extra afternoon safari. One day around the block is not always enough, and you might see some other animals that you hadn’t seen the day before.
Once you’re back home, you can take out your book and relax. Or, you can head down to the swimming pools at the Berg-en-dal camp, Olifants, Orpen, Lower Sabie, or Skukuza Camps and catch a tan under the African sun.
After your trip to Kruger National Park, you’ll feel relaxed, humbled, and happy that you’ve taken the time to visit.
Kruger National Park Safari Prices
For a self-drive day trip, you’re looking at around $27 for entry into the park. This allows you the entire day within the gates and use of basic public facilities. Camps in Kruger park range from around $22 to $550, depending on the season, accommodation type, and the number of guests.
There are also some Kruger National Park all-inclusive packages which vary from one-day trips to three-day trips. You can mix and match to perfect your ideal itinerary.
How to Get to Kruger National Park
Traveling to Kruger National Park might seem confusing at first if you’re from elsewhere but South Africa. We promise it’s simple. We’ve got everything you need to know about how to get to the Kruger National Park.
Distance from Cape Town to Kruger National Park
While a Cape Town safari will whet the whistle, the ultimate trip from Cape Town to the Kruger National Park is almost 1800 kilometers worth of traveling.
In Cape Town, you’ll find yourself in the southernmost part of the country with some incredible South African vacation attractions. If you’re driving, it will take you just under 19 hours to arrive at the Kruger National Park. The fastest route along the N1 National road takes you through the Karoo and once you get closer to Johannesburg, you’ll see a lot of farm towns.
It’s worth noting that South Africa will feel a lot slower than what you might be used to. So, this is the time to unplug and enjoy the scenery that this magnificent country has to offer you.
Once you get past Bloemfontein (about 621 miles away from Cape Town), you’ve got two choices before reaching your final destination. You could either drive through bustling Johannesburg, or take the road less traveled and see some of the lesser-known farm towns like Bethlehem, Standerton, and Barberton.
Once you reach Kruger Park, you’ll most likely enter through the Malelane Gate on the southern side of the park. It’s only about 24 to 30 miles away from the Skukuza Main Camp (distance varies based on the route taken).
If you prefer to fly, you could set off from Cape Town International Airport to Johannesburg, or to one of the airports in the surrounding area such as Hoedspruit Airport or Nelspruit Airport. This trip takes you roughly two and a half hours.
Kruger National Park Airports
If you’re hoping to spend as little time on the road as possible, a flight from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg will have you reach the park in about an hour.
There are three major airports serving Kruger National Park visitors. Each one—except for the Kruger Park Gateway Airport—is about an hour’s drive away from the main entrances to the park.
- Kruger Park Gateway Airport is situated just outside of the park and is closest to the Phalaborwa gate. Once you’re on Letaba road, you’re only 5 minutes away from the gate.
- You can also choose to land at the Hoedspruit Airport and drive for about an hour before reaching the Phalaborwa gate. It’s worth noting that there are a few other nature reserves along the way, such as Lekkersmaak Game Reserve, Olifants North, Olifants River, and Tshukudu Game Reserves.
- The final option is the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (previously known as Nelspruit Airport).
Kruger National Park Safari Tours & Packages
The version of the best safari in the Kruger National Park differs from person to person. With the help of their website, you have the option to curate the ultimate safari at the Kruger National Park personally.
Although, there’s a multitude of Kruger National Park multi-day tours and experiences that have been conveniently arranged for your benefit.
For those of you who simply can’t budget in three days, Kruger National Park day tours are quite spectacular in and of themselves.
3 Day Kruger National Park All-Inclusive Packages
With this all-inclusive tour operated by Viva Safaris, you’ll only have to plan your way into the country and set aside 3 days for a Kruger safari.
This tour sets you back by about $593 USD, although we feel that spending two nights in a treehouse is absolutely priceless. This is a Kruger National Park tour from Johannesburg, where you’re picked up from the airport and taken straight to the park.
From here, you’re able to enjoy a sunset safari before heading to your treehouse accommodation. You’ll have something to eat for dinner and then the next three days are all yours.
Tours Outside of Kruger National Park
After experiencing a Kruger safari in 3 days, you may be ready for a new adventure close by. Just outside of the Kruger National Park, in the province of Mpumalanga, lies a myriad of activities that have been conveniently wrapped up in this package for you. The Panorama day trip takes 7 hours out of your day to show you around the world’s third-largest canyon, the Blyde Canyon.
This trip starts from Hazyview, which is 18 minutes away from the Phabeni Gate of the Kruger National Park. While you journey to the south of the park, beyond it is the Great Escarpment. It takes you around three beautiful lookout points: Three Rondavels, God’s Window, and Wonder View.
Thereafter, you’ll be delighted to find the Lisbon and Berlin waterfalls after stopping off for lunch at one of the Graskop stops (note that food is not included in the package).
This tour only costs you about $100 for the day and is suitable for anyone looking to explore the great outdoors or an old mining town that has been preserved since the gold rush days in the 1800s.
Final Say on 3-Day Safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa
After you’ve conquered the ultimate South African safari, why stop there? The rest of Africa awaits, especially the most enticing Africa trips for couples.
Take your loved ones and journey from one end of South Africa to another. Enjoy three days of pure animal and bird-watching bliss. With so many animals to see, you have no time to waste.
Book your favorite trip and start spamming your friends with the most magnificent photographs.
