Sublime private reserves and opulent lodges with enhanced wildlife intimacy are yours as you immerse yourself in 10 days of unrivaled Kruger safari. This luxury safari blends a handcrafted collection of Kruger's finest accommodation with its most inspiring activities to provide the true glamor and grandeur of African safari. Mixing rustic experiences with safari chic, it's the ultimate luxury trip to one of nature's most untouched realms.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Sabi Sands – Contemporary Safari Introductions at Singita Boulders
The Kruger is a long way from home. There is the actual distance required to reach South Africa, but then there's the sensual shock of your arrival in such an untouched environment as this is nature's wild realm. No cities, no advertising boards, no flashing neon; rather your eyes are filled with lion pride, elephant tusks, and big herds of buffalo. Singita Boulders is the most contemporary of the lodges on this itinerary and provides an easy introduction into this raw landscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow you to watch wildlife from your bed; a private heated plunge pool helps to reenergize after your flight, and the five-star interiors reflect the lodge's membership of the Relais & Chateaux portfolio.
After you touch down at O. R. Tambo International in Johannesburg, you will be assisted as you transfer onto a Federal Air flight to the Sabi Sands reserve. You will be picked up in an open-sided vehicle, and the transfer is also a game drive and your first impression of an African safari. Rhinos watch you pass, springbok skip along the horizon, and there's a herd of elephants scattered around Singita Boulders lodge. On your journey from the airstrip, you could spot the full Big Five. While the landscape is rugged and wild, the lodge is warm and homey, a place to slowly open the senses to the Kruger rhythm. You can see wildlife from your room, and you can always hear it as an atmospheric soundtrack that drifts across the savannah.
What's Included:
Day 2 - 3
Sabi Sands – Intimate Safari Chic at Singita Boulders
Day 4 - 5
Dulini Game Reserve – A Private Retreat Brings a Classic Safari Experience
Day 6 - 7
Londolozi Game Reserve – Stylish Tree House Accommodation and Walking Safari
Day 8 - 9
Mala Mala Game Reserve – Getting Closer Than Ever to the Big Five
Day 10
Johannesburg – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Enjoy Africa's most exclusive safari accommodation, with four boutique lodges hand-picked for their style, luxury, and service
- Savor the easy immersion of Singita Boulders, a chic and contemporary lodge that provides an effortless introduction to modern safari
- Surround yourself with big game in Dulini Game Reserve, a private retreat where the safari experience is intimate
- Connect with nature in the luxurious tree houses of Londolozi, situated in another private and unfenced Kruger reserve
- Celebrate the beauty of Africa's wildlife with an intimate array of experiences in Mala Mala, one of the continent's largest and most luxurious private reserves
- Enjoy a full range of safari activities to discover nature from many angles, including a hot air balloon ride, thrilling safari walks, and nighttime drives
- Watch wildlife roam past your private plunge pools and balconies, then get even closer with twice-daily game drives
Detailed Description
The Kruger provides one of Africa's oldest and most luxurious safari adventures. Draped across the northeast of South Africa, this ancient landscape is revered for both its abundance and diversity. It's way beyond the Big Five. Over half of the world's wild rhinos are found here, their horns as expressive as the tusks of huge elephant herds. Dozens of ungulates find their haven to congregate around the rivers and provide a feast for the big cats; there are very few places that can rival the Kruger for raw hunting scenes and close-quarters predator action. While safari activities reveal it all, the experience is always encompassing. You will see wildlife from your camp verandah as you hear the fabled roars through the night, and always be surrounded by the four-legged giants of Africa.
Kruger is one of Africa's oldest and largest protected lands, gazetted as a wildlife reserve in the late 19th-century. This history and commitment to conservation have ensured that life always rolls to nature's rhythm. It has also helped to form Africa's most sophisticated safari tourism industry. Camps and lodges are carefully spaced, often located in their own unfenced private reserves to ensure a unique exclusivity for visitors. They offer an unrivaled opulence and contemporary safari chic; each lodge decked out with wonderful grandeur, yet they also merge effortlessly with their surroundings. Imagine watching rhinos from a lavish bar lounge, and then waking to elephants that drink from your plunge pool, as you experience buffalo encounters from the luxurious tree houses.
This handcrafted itinerary celebrates the very best of Kruger's accommodation and safari experiences. Over your 10-day itinerary, visit four private reserves, each chosen for the quality of the lodge and intimacy with wildlife. These are lavish five-star affairs, regularly heralded as being amongst the world's finest hotels. Except they are not really hotels, they are boutique lodges reserved for just a small handful of guests. While the wildlife drama unfolds on the savannah, these lodges also provide a sumptuous air of tranquility to provide an escapist experience that helps you connect with both nature and yourself.
You will follow an iconic safari program, with at least two activities every day. On many days, this will include both morning and afternoon game drives. But there are also a hot air balloon rides, bush walks, and nighttime drives for your enjoyment. At each lodge, the program is flexible, so you always create your own program. With their permanent water and varied landscape, these reserves offer some of the world's most profuse natural realms; there really is far too much wildlife than it is possible to remember or count. Guides can take you off road to elevate the intimacy and reduce the proximity as you are fully submerged in the wild realm to enjoy it all at Africa's finest lodges.
Starting Price
$13,000 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.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.95 stars based on 1173 reviews.
The trip was the best we have ever had. Africa is a very special place. Zicasso's travel expert did a fantastic job of organizing the itinerary. The only disappointment was that we were not scheduled to see the mass migration across the river.
Reviewed By Andrew K.
Zicasso’s travel agent put together an amazing trip for our family. This travel agent was incredibly responsive.
Reviewed By David W.
We had an amazing trip, planned by Zicasso's travel partner. This is the first time I've ever used a travel agent and I'll admit, I was nervous. She took all of our feedback into consideration while planning. I highly recommend!
Reviewed By Kris C.
This was a well-planned trip that was personally rewarding and fulfilling.
This trip provided a great balance of the diverse locations from both countries (Namibia and South Africa).
I chose Zicasso as, at this stage of life, when taking well-deserved vacations, I just want to pay, pack, show up and have everything (accommodations, transportation, domestic and international flights, tours, attention to safety, and additional recommendations) accounted for. And that is exactly what the Zicasso's travel expert provided via her tour agency.
I was able to share my must-haves/nice-to-haves and she customized a vacation package that tended to every detail. It was a wonderful balance of rustic and luxury. It was also our July “birthdaycation” for my aunt and me, and we were surprised at multiple locations with surprise birthday acknowledgements. Birthdays are very special to me, so this was a major “icing” on the cake for me on this vacation.
Although there was a minor “hiccup” on the day of arrival, the travel specialist's “on-the-ground” (local) staff pivoted and quickly and professionally found another option for us for our airport pickup. This shows the mark of a company interested in ensuring the complete satisfaction of their clients.
For the destinations the travel expert specializes in, they will be my first point of contact when looking to make my next vacation destination.
Well done!
Reviewed By Andrea +.
The trip was carefully planned and we received optimal assistance throughout the trip and constant availability and monitoring during the journey. Our Zicasso travel agent was very professional and always available to respond to our requests and needs. The choice of hotels was excellent and reflected the expectations. The activities offered in the different locations were very well structured and the guides were of high quality, particularly those in Chobe National Park and Okavango Delta.
Reviewed By Roberto B.
Our family had a blast in South Africa, thanks to Zicasso's travel designer. She was meticulous in the planning and gave some good suggestions that worked well for our group. From fast-track tickets up to Table Mountain to food recommendations, she curated an itinerary that made the trip a breeze.
The guide in Cape Town was a wellspring of knowledge. We learned so much about the country from her, from history to economics and culture.
The safari portion of the trip was most memorable. The resort in Hoedspruit was just what the family needed.
We will definitely look up this travel company for future trips.
Reviewed By Lauren L.