Itinerary

Day 1

Pretoria - Hazyview Leave Pretoria early in the morning by rental car and take the N4 to the eastern province of Mpumalanga. Slowly but surely, the countryside will become more meadow-like and hilly and traffic will become scarce. After a while the Drakensberg peaks will loom in the distance and you'll come across the impressive, in some areas 700 meter deep, gorge of Blyde River Canyon. Your trip ends in the village of Hazyview, beautifully situated between sugar cane and banana plantations, at the Kruger Park border. Spend the night just outside of the village in a cosy guest house with swimming pool in the midst of fields. Restaurants in Hazyview are easily accessible for dinner in the evening.

Total distance on Day 1 is approximately 400 km or 5.5 hours.

Day 2

Hazyview - Blyde River Canyon - Private Game Park Bush Lodge When morning comes it's time to get back behind the wheel of your car. There's plenty of time to explore the spectacular surroundings today. Drive along Blyde River Canyon and have a look at the uniquely shaped hills at the Three Rondavels, see the result of wind and erosion at Bourkes Luck Potholes and enjoy the elevated view at Gods Window (see picture above). You can see all the way to Mozambique when skies are clear. There are several other interesting stops along the way such as the quaint village of Sabie or former mining town Pilgrim's Rest with it's historic houses, facades and stores. Be sure to stop at one of the friendly cafés for lunch.

Just short of Klaserie you'll find the Orpen Gate exit at Kruger Park. During our search for South African 'gems' we found several private game reserves with small-scale lodges and tented camps in this area. These camps are located in intimate and secluded areas in the middle of the bush and consist of only a handful of rooms or comfortable safari tents. You'll spend two nights here. At the end of the day enjoy a roaring campfire, a glass of wine and thousands of twinkling stars above you. This is undeniably the best way to truly experience the African bush.

Total distance on Day 2 is approximately 200 km or 4 hours

Day 3

Private Game Park Bush LodgeYour stay at the bush lodge is based on full board. This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 game activities. Take part in a morning or afternoon game drive in an open land rover (see picture). You can also go on a ranger-lead bush walk and learn about all of the secrets of the bush. Other activities can be booked on location. Imagine soaring high in the sky like a bird duirng an ultra light flight, spotting wild animals from the air as you fly over the South African bush. On arrival at your accommodation, the owners will provide you with comprehensive information on all of the activities you can participate in. Of course, you can also always decide to pull up a comfortable chair, grab a good book and enjoy the sounds of the many wonderful birds serenading you.

Day 4

Private Game Park Bush lodge - Kruger National ParkAfter breakfast, say goodbye to your new friends at the bush lodge and drive down to Kruger's Orpen Gate. As you pass Satara and the Orpen dam, you'll head further and further south through Kruger. The roads are in excellent condition and you'll encounter all kinds of different animals during your drive. Stop at one of the many camps or rest stops along the way to stretch out for a bit.

Although you may get the urge to push the pedal to the metal, keep in mind that the speed limit in this area is 40-50 km/hour.

You'll spend the night in one of the southern camps: Skukuza, Lower Sabie, Pretoriuskop, Berg and Dal or Crocodile Bridge. The park is larger than you would imagine it to be, so keep an eye on the time. All camp and park gates close at 18.00 PM.

Total distance on Day 4 is approximately 225 km or 4 hours.

Day 5

Kruger Park - End of moduleAfter breakfast this morning, the module ends and you'll continue with your trip. You'll travel by car through one of the gates, for instance Malelane, Kruger's southern gate. Along the way you'll do one last 'game drive'. This corresponds well with another of our other travel tours: 'Beehive huts and St. Lucia'

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Overnight stay at Hazyview with breakfast, bush lodge overnight stays with bush diner upon arrival, all meals on day 3 and breakfast on day 4, overnight stay at Kruger accommodation only, two game activities on day 3 during stay at bush lodge, trail information

Exclusions -

Car rental, Timbavati and Kruger park entrance fees (R132 per person, per day