This trip generates 44 kg of CO2-e per person per day. Learn more about our climate commitment.
Kruger Lodge Experience





Experience the wilds of Kruger National Park and spot all your favourite animals
Get a taste of one of the most famous game reserves in the world on this four-day safari through Kruger National Park. Stay in a comfortable lodge just outside the park and spend your days searching for the local leopards, lions, giraffes, rhinos, hippos, antelope and buffalo. After exciting days exploring the open savanna, relax in the evenings, eating traditional food and listening to the nocturnal symphony of this incredible safari destination.
4.8
20 reviewsStart: Johannesburg, South Africa
End: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Duration
- 4 days
- Group size
- 1 to 16
- Minimum age
- 6 years old
- Style
- Comfort
- Theme
Our themes categorize trips based on a common interest or activity, while showcasing the highlights of a destination.
- Independent - Short Breaks, Wildlife
- Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Why you'll love this trip
- Safari through a private game reserve next to Kruger National Park in an open top 4WD and local guides who know all the best spots.
- Enjoy traditional South African cuisine while dining under the stars, then fall asleep to the sounds of nocturnal wildlife from your lodge.
- Try to spot the Big Five in Kruger National Park on a full day game drive – can you spot a lion, leopard, buffalo, hippo, giraffe and zebra?
- Stay in a comfortable safari lodge in a communal setting with friendly hosts – this lodge sits in the greater Kruger area and is in a great spot for daily safaris.
- Visit the awesome Blyde River Canyon and view the Three Rondavels on your return trip to Johannesburg.
Itinerary
Sawubona! Welcome to South Africa. Your Short Break Adventure starts very early this morning. Please meet at the joining point hotel listed in the Essential Trip Information by 6 am. If you’re staying elsewhere, you’ll need to make your own way to the joining point hotel and let your booking agent know at least 14 days prior to departure. After a long drive full of changing scenery, you’ll arrive in the Greater Kruger National Park in time for lunch. After some time to settle in, head off on a 3-hour afternoon game drive in open 4WDs in a private game reserve. Look out for impala, zebras, giraffes and lions. You're likely to see any of the species that live in Kruger, since there are no boundary fences between this reserve and the national park itself. Half way into your safari, you’ll stop for drinks at one of the waterholes before continuing the game drive into the early evening. Your accommodation tonight is in an intimate lodge in the greater Kruger area. The lodge offers a comfortable lounge, a swimming pool, shaded deck area, dining tent and wi-fi.
- Lodge (1 night)
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Private Game Reserve - 4x4 Game Drive
Your travel time today will be approximately 9 hours.
Your lodge is located within the Greater Kruger Park ecosystem. It’s about a 50-minute drive to Kruger National Park’s Orpen Gate. If the lodge is full, you’ll be accommodated in a similar lodge in the same area.
One of the largest game reserves in Southern Africa, Kruger National Park is home to over 500 bird species, 100 species of reptile and 150 mammal species, including the Big Five and the endangered African wild dog. Early this morning, make your way into the park for a special wildlife experience. You’ll head into prime game viewing areas for a glimpse of some of the amazing animals found inside the park. Have breakfast at one of the picnic spots here, before continuing through the park and spotting all your favourite animals. The entire day is spent game viewing, bird watching and stopping off at the various waterholes. Leave in the late afternoon and return to the lodge for an evening of relaxation.
- Lodge (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Kruger National Park - 4WD Safari Full Day
Spend the day at the lodge at your leisure or maybe head out on another full day game drive in Kruger National Park – this is an optional activity, but if you’d like to spot mor wildlife and wild landscapes, it’s recommended.
- Lodge (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Panorama Route - Day trip - ZAR2750
- Kruger National Park - Day trip - ZAR2090
- Private Game Reserve - Big 5 Game Drive - ZAR1750
You may notice businesses offering optional visits to HESC (Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre) and Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. We ask all Intrepid travellers to avoid these as they are contrary to our Animal Welfare Guidelines and commitment to responsible travel. While wildlife viewing is a big part of many of our itineraries, we strive to only view animals in their natural habitats and to not include venues where animals are in captivity.
Rise early and head out on a morning bush through the surroundings on the property. Guided by a qualified nature guide, you’ll learn about bird, tree and spoor identification in the local area. Then, take your transfer back to Johannesburg. Along the way, take in amazing views at the viewpoint over the awesome Blyde River Canyon and view the Three Rondavels. When you arrive back in Jo'burg, you can be dropped at the airport or any nominated hotel. Here, your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to extend your stay, get in touch ahead of time to book additional accommodation.
- Breakfast
- Kruger Lodge Reserve - Morning Nature Walk
Your travel time today will be approximately 10 hours.
Inclusions and activities
Destinations
South AfricaMeals
3 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 3 dinners
Transport
4WD Vehicle, Minibus
Accommodation
Lodge (3 nights)
Included activities
- Private Game Reserve - 4x4 Game Drive
- Kruger National Park - 4WD Safari Full Day
- Kruger Lodge Reserve - Morning Nature Walk
Optional activities
- Panorama Route - Day trip - ZAR2750
- Kruger National Park - Day trip - ZAR2090
- Private Game Reserve - Big 5 Game Drive - ZAR1750
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Why choose us
We’re adventure travel experts with decades of experience and proud to run trips in over 100 countries.
We keep our group sizes small and our experiences big, so you can get more out of your travels.
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Before you book you should know
- On Independent Short Breaks, you maintain a good level of independence and freedom, with the added bonus of having the details sorted out for you. You’ll have lots of free time and you won’t be accompanied by a Trip Leader. This means that all included activities and tours will be run by different local Intrepid partners, and these may operate independently from each other. The included activities and transfers will operate on a join-in basis, which means that you could have your Adventure all to yourself, or others may join you along the way. If you would prefer to travel in a group with a dedicated Trip Leader, just get in touch with your booking agent and they will take you through some alternatives.
- This itinerary starts and finishes in Johannesburg and includes 2 long travel days.
- The transport to and from Kruger National Park will be in a 13-seater minivan. This is a shuttle service that departs daily. You may be sharing this shuttle ride with other travellers booked on different trips and itineraries to you.
- As the early bird catches the worm, the early camper sights the animals. There will be many early starts either to make use of the better safari time or to beat the morning traffic on long travel days.
- Regardless of where you stay, power cuts and breaks in hot water are sometimes unavoidable, as in any developing country. In particular, South Africa suffers from load-shedding: rolling blackouts that are engineered specifically to share out available power in the region.
1. This trip departs between 5.30am and 6:30am on Day 1 so it is essential that you overnight in Johannesburg the day before the tour.
2. You will be picked up at 6:00 AM on Day 1 from the joining point hotel listed in your Essential Trip Information. Please refer to your Essential Trip Information for the hotel name and address. If you are staying elsewhere, you will need to make your own way to the joining point hotel for pick-up. Please advise your booking agent at least 14 days prior to departure.
3. This trip finishes upon arrival in Johannesburg on Day 4. Please do not book any flights until after 10pm this evening.
Visa information is provided by Sherpa, a third-party. The "Add connection" feature shows transit visa requirements only and does not include full entry visa needs. Please note, additional service fees apply if you choose to purchase a visa through Sherpa.
Travel and visa requirements
If you require a Sleep Apnea Machine to sleep please ensure that it is battery operated. Lodges and Permanent Tented Camps are often powered by generators which are turned off during the night.
Indaba Hotel
Winnie Mandela Drive, Pieter Wenning Road Johannesburg, Fourways, Sandton, 2191
Johannesburg
SOUTH AFRICA
Description
Indaba Hotel is conveniently located just 15km from Lanseria International Airport and 40km from OR Tambo International Airport. Rooms feature air-conditioning, tea and coffee making facilities, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, and en suite bathrooms.
Instructions
Intrepid can assist with pre-booking an arrival transfer from the airport - enquire with your agent. Please advise your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to your departure. Note that Johannesburg has two airports, Lanseria and OR Tambo International, so double-check your arrival airport.
We recommend pre-booking an arrival transfer, especially if this is your first time in Johannesburg or if you are travelling alone, to ensure a seamless and stress-free start to your trip.
If you have pre-booked a transfer, your driver will be waiting for you at the Information Counter in your respective arrival terminal (domestic/international). There are often large crowds here, so please look carefully for your transfer representative, who will be holding an Intrepid sign. Please ask them to confirm your name, and do not travel with anyone who cannot verify your name. Neither the driver nor any representative should ask you for additional payment.
If you cannot find your transfer driver, contact our local representative at +27 84 400 8896 or on WhatsApp at +27 84 40 08896, available 24/7. In case of flight cancellations or delays over an hour, please contact our local office using the number in the ‘Problems and Emergency Contact Information’ section. Local pre-paid SIM cards are available in the OR Tambo Arrivals Hall.
If making your own way to the joining hotel, there are several transport options available:
Metered taxis: Official airport metered taxis are available outside the arrivals exit doors. The journey takes 30–60 minutes, depending on traffic, and costs approximately ZAR400–650, payable directly to the driver.
Ride Share: Ride-share services like Uber are widely available in South Africa and often more affordable than metered taxis depending on traffic and demand. We recommend downloading the app and setting up your payment details before leaving your home country.
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July 2026
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