Kruger Park & Swaziland Safaris: Day and Night Game Drives

Blyde River Canyon in Mpumulanga, South Africa

What to expect on this itinerary

Explore an untamed corner of South Africa, one that's ablaze with color and bathed in unique experiences. Thrilling South Africa safari adventures, spectacular scenery, serene beaches, mountainous kingdoms, evocative history; why choose a vacation theme when this unique itinerary packs it all into ten days? So embark on a magical journey that covers an endless collection of Africa's great experiences.

Countries Visited

South Africa, Swaziland

Places Visited

Balule Private Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, Mhlambanyatsi, Hluhluwe-iMflozi Nature Reserve, Durban

Suggested Duration

9 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Balule Private Game Reserve – Green Canyons and the Start of a Safari Adventure

Everybody is aware that Nevada's Grand Canyon is the largest in the world. Yet nobody has really heard of Blyde River Canyon, the third-largest. Immense red sandstone walls tower above the river, individual pinnacles rising to over 6,000 feet above sea level. A lush green carpet covers the canyon walls, extending onto the rocks and providing a unique subtropical landscape. You'll stop at all the famous lookout points, walking along the cliffs beside the Pinnacle, God's Window, Lisbon Falls, and the Three Rondavels. Sheer cliffs overlook the abyss, vistas stretch all the way across Kruger to Mozambique, and bizarre peaks rise like fairytale chimneys. Then wander down to the Bourke's Luck Potholes, a bizarre collection of eroded rock that glimmers below vivid sandstone.

Africa's unique wildlife lurks around the corner, the famed Big Five all living in the Balule Private Game Reserve. Elephants wander across raw dusty plains, lion prides rest beneath broad acacia branches, and rhinos join the hippos in the lake shallows. Balule and Kruger National Park share an unfenced border, the wildlife freely roaming between the two reserves. It's an idyllic first safari, a smorgasbord of Africa's great mammals to be admired, but no long distances to travel. Is that a kudu? Or a springbok? Perhaps an eland? Your guide reveals all as the diversity of untamed Africa begins to take center stage. Dinner is served under the stars, a watchful guard ensuring that the elephants don't get too close.

What's Included:

Accommodation
Transfer
Dinner, Lunch, Breakfast
Day 2

Kruger National Park – Walking Safari and Entering Kruger National Park

Day 3

Mhlambanyatsi – More Spectacular Safari en Route to Swaziland

Day 4

Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park – A Swazi Experience and a Dramatic Evening Game Drive

Day 5

Durban – Nature's Great Water Park and the City Lights

Day 6

Weenen Game Reserve – A Historical Journey through the Zulu Kingdom

Day 7

Drakensberg Mountains – Dramatic Scenery in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Mountains

Day 8

Durban – Indigenous Rock Art

Day 9

Durban – Farewell to South Africa

Trip Highlights

  • Explore world famous Kruger National Park, each game drive revealing an untamed world teeming with white rhinos, big cats, and marauding elephants
  • Marvel at the forested floor of the Blyde River Canyon then gawp at its shimmering red walls and bizarre rock formations. This is the world's third largest canyon and the vivid colors are as enticing as its immense scale
  • Wander through big game country on foot, coming face to face with Africa's giants on a thrilling walking safari
  • Travel across the mountainous Kingdom of Swaziland and discover a beautiful nation that stoically continues its tribal traditions
  • Take a boat cruise across nature's great water park, the lakes and estuaries of iSimangaliso covered in wading hippos, sunbathing crocodiles, and countless soaring birds
  • Enjoy an evocative history lesson that covers quaint gold mining towns, Gandhi, Mandela, Churchill, and the secrets of the Zulu Kingdom
  • Lose yourself in the dramatic uKhahlamba Drakensberg Mountains, the peaks rising some 10,000 feet and offering endless views over luscious valleys
  • Discover the world's largest collection of rock art, individual paintings depicting the lives of the indigenous San Bushmen who once roamed through uKhahlamba
  • Drive through Hluhluwe-iMfolozi in the dark, rustling sounds suggesting what's lurking in Africa's oldest nature reserve. Spotlights reveal nocturnal wildlife while white rhinos stare at you through the gloom

Detailed Description

South Africa is famed for its diversity and this unique itinerary epitomizes the myriad of experiences on offer. There are iconic safari adventures, traditional game drives supplemented by thrilling walking safaris and mystical night-time exploration. Landscapes have a daily role in providing wonder; dramatic mountains, forested valleys, fairytale meadows, deep blue water worlds, and shimmering red cliffs. Throw in a dose of history, and find that a nonstop cast of wildlife keeps you company throughout the whole trip.

And it wouldn't be a South African vacation without a unique geological feature baffling the eyes; Blyde River Canyon is the world's third largest, while the wetlands of iSimangaliso seem to stretch on forever. On this action packed adventure you're always discovering something new, each day as alluring as the last. Every night is spent in a different place, but the proximity of the destinations ensures you're never travel weary. Furthermore, crossing the landscapes often is the experience; this corner of Southern Africa is as iconic as anywhere on the planet. Forest Gump once likened life to a box of chocolates, saying that “you never know what you're going to get.” On this vacation you're reaching into an endless box and savoring just about everything.

An English speaking guide will accompany you, allowing you to sit back and watch the landscapes roll by the window. From Johannesburg you head through quaint mining towns and into Mpumalanga Province, famed for its remarkable wildlife. Kruger National Park is one of the world's best, home to half of the planet's rhinos and teeming with an abundant collection of the Big Five. Elephants, lions, leopards? They can all be found beside your safari truck. By staying in the adjacent Balule Reserve you'll also explore these savannahs on foot. It's perfectly safe, but it always gets the heart racing. Before this wildlife submersion you'll explore the immense cliffs of Blyde River Canyon, gazing onto shimmering red walls, rich green tropics, and bizarre rock formations.

Now leave South Africa behind, taking glorious mountain passes to the Kingdom of Swaziland, a fascinating country that continues to follow all its centuries old traditions. Some might say it's a country lost in a time warp, but this nation is fiercely proud of their lifestyle and wouldn't have it any other way. You'll cross the country north to south, and then return to South Africa and the rhinos of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi reserve. Lions and elephants join them on the lush landscape and it all looks so picturesque in the late afternoon light. But when dusk falls and night-time descends you'll stay out on safari, discovering the nocturnal world of untamed Africa.

You're now in the Zulu Kingdom, and this majestic province offers a diverse final four days. Take a cruise along the immense waterways of iSimangaliso, slowly traveling past wallowing hippos and sunbathing crocodiles. Follow an endearing coastline down to Durban and then head into the Midlands for an evocative historical journey that involves Mandela, Ghandi, and Churchill. The dramatic mountain landscapes of uKhahlamba Drakensberg complete the itinerary; stand10,000 feet above endless green valleys, hike to rumbling waterfalls, and discover the world's largest collection of rock art. So what will be the highlight? Canyon? Safari? Beach? Zulu Kingdom or traditional Swaziland? Most likely it will be the little moments, the surprises that make this corner of Africa so unique, and the stories that will be enthusiastically shared for years. 

To add on to your safari adventure, be sure to read travel reviews of African safaris.  Not only will you find travel reviews, but you will also find ideas of how you can extend your time in South Africa.

Starting Price

$5,900 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 1196 reviews

Patricia K.
South Africa, Zimbabwe Travel Review: Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Sabi Sands, Cape Peninsula, Franschhoek, Winelands, Game Drives, Wine Tasting, Scenery, 11 Nights

Zicasso's travel designer was extremely helpful in our trip planning process, giving us multiple suggestions for itineraries and price ranges. He listened to our ideas and shared his experiences to aid us in our final decisions. Communication during the preparation for our trip was amazing. We were very pleased with the five-star accommodations he recommended, the pace of the activities included, and the order of the destinations we visited.

We spent three days in Stellenbosch, three days in Cape Town, three days in Victoria Falls, and three days at the private game reserve in Sabi Sands. The accommodations, service, and scenery started out top-notch and seemed to get better as we went along.

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susan H.
South Africa Vacation Review: Cape Town, Kruger National Park, Table Mountain, Beaches, Wildlife, 1 Week

The trip was absolutely spectacular and exceeded all expectations! It was well thought out, to the point where neither one of us had to think about anything! We were able to just enjoy the beauty of Africa and the excitement of the trip without worry of who was going to pick us up or how we were going to get to our next spot.

The guides and hotel staff could not have been more wonderful. They were extremely kind and communicative, and made us feel incredibly comfortable. We can't thank Zicasso's travel company enough for putting together the trip of a lifetime!

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Sean L.
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana Trip Review: 17 Nights

Zicasso's travel consultant and the tour operator were excellent; the entire trip went flawlessly. They had every detail planned perfectly.

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David M.
South Africa, Zimbabwe Trip Review: 2 Weeks

Zicasso's trip planner and his team were amazing! He worked with us to plan the perfect trip to South Africa and Zimbabwe. From the moment we landed in Johannesburg until our flight home from Cape Town, everything was seamless and flawless. We can't thank him and his team enough. If you are looking to visit South Africa and beyond, I highly recommend our agent and his team!!! He and his team will be the first to be contacted if we venture to the African continent again. Thank you again! We can't thank you enough!

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David B.
Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa Trip Review: Okavango Delta, Safari, Game Drives, Wine Experience, 13 Nights

Our trip was amazing and Zicasso's travel company and our agent could not have been more helpful in planning the trip and making sure it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. She listened to our desires and planned a trip that met all our requirements. She was very patient in making little modifications until we were completely satisfied.

When we encountered some delays during the trip, she was very responsive in helping notify people on the ground and rescheduling our activities so we didn't miss a thing.

She was very knowledgeable about Southern Africa and selected exceptional lodging facilities for us. The accommodations were not only beautiful, but the staff were extremely professional, friendly, and attentive.

I would highly recommend this travel company if planning an African adventure!

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diane B.
South Africa Travel Review: Safari, Wildlife, Nature, 12 Nights

Zicasso's tour agents planned an amazing trip; everything was perfect and every detail was covered! Their recommendations on when to go, where to go, and what to see were spot on.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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