Kruger National Park · From Johannesburg
5-Day Private Kruger Safari from Johannesburg
A private southern and central Kruger adventure, with your own vehicle, guide and pace.
- Duration5 days · 4 nights
- DepartsJohannesburg (OR Tambo)
- Game drivesAt least 8 private game drives
- RateOn enquiry
Price confirmed for your travel dates on enquiry
Your 5-day private Kruger safari
This 5-day private safari takes you from Johannesburg to Kruger National Park, with four nights at Tembo Guest Lodge in Hazyview, return transfers, park fees and guided game drives in the southern and central parts of the park.
The tour is fully private: the open-sided safari vehicle and guide are for your group only, so you set the pace and choose how long to stay at each sighting. Game drives run from your first afternoon in the park to your final morning, giving you time to let the wildlife come to you.
Tembo Guest Lodge is close to Phabeni Gate. Southern Kruger is known for its riverine Big Five areas along the Sabie River, while central Kruger around Satara offers open savanna with herds of zebra and wildebeest and the lions that hunt them.
Package highlights
Why choose a private, longer Kruger safari.
- Fully private safari: your vehicle, your guide, your pace
- Game drives across southern and central Kruger National Park
- Open-sided 4×4 safari vehicle
- Four nights at Tembo Guest Lodge in Hazyview, close to Phabeni Gate
- Return transfers from Johannesburg included
- Suitable for families, couples and solo travellers
- Can start any day, subject to availability
Your safari route
Johannesburg
07:00 pick-up at OR Tambo on day 1
Hazyview
About 5 hours by road; four nights at Tembo Guest Lodge
Southern Kruger
Via Phabeni Gate; game drives on days 1 and 2
Central Kruger (Satara)
Game drives on days 3 and 4
Johannesburg
Return to OR Tambo or your city accommodation in the late afternoon of day 5
Route overview, not a map. Daily drive routes depend on sightings; travel times to central Kruger await confirmation.
View itinerary
Your itinerary
Day 1 Johannesburg to Kruger National Park and first game drive
Your guide collects you from OR Tambo International Airport at 07:00 for the drive east of about five hours. The route crosses the highveld and the Drakensberg Escarpment before dropping into the warm lowveld. You reach Hazyview around midday and check in at Tembo Guest Lodge.
In the afternoon, you enter Kruger through Phabeni Gate for your first game drive. Southern Kruger is Big Five country: lion prides move along the Sabie River, elephant herds travel between feeding areas and water, and leopard may be seen in the dense riverine bush. Sightings are never guaranteed.
Meals: Dinner
Overnight: Tembo Guest Lodge, Hazyview
Day 2 Full day in southern Kruger
Leave before dawn to enter through Phabeni Gate at first light, one of the most productive times of the safari day. The area between the Crocodile and Sabie rivers supports lion, leopard, white rhino, elephant and buffalo, and your guide reads the signs: fresh tracks, impala alarm calls and vultures descending in the distance.
After a midday break at one of the park's picnic spots, where hippos and Nile crocodiles are often seen, the afternoon drive resumes as the heat subsides and animals return to the waterholes. Return to the lodge for dinner.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Overnight: Tembo Guest Lodge, Hazyview
Day 3 Southern to central Kruger: the Satara plains
Today you head deeper into the park, to the central region around Satara. The terrain opens into savanna grassland with longer sightlines, supporting herds of zebra and wildebeest and the lion prides that hunt them.
Your guide works the roads and waterholes of the area, including the Nwanetsi and N'waswitsontso rivers, the Satara waterhole loop and the open pans that draw game in the dry season. Return to Tembo Guest Lodge in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
Overnight: Tembo Guest Lodge, Hazyview
Day 4 Central Kruger exploration
A fourth full day in Kruger, when the rhythms of the bush become easier to read and your guide can anticipate where the herds will be.
The morning drive covers central Kruger. In the afternoon, you may return south to revisit the best sighting areas from earlier days, or head north towards the Olifants River, a scenic river system known for buffalo, elephant and birds of prey. Return to the lodge for your final evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight: Tembo Guest Lodge, Hazyview
Day 5 Final morning game drive and return to Johannesburg
Enjoy one last early morning game drive before breakfast. After checking out of Tembo Guest Lodge, begin the return transfer to Johannesburg, arriving at OR Tambo International Airport or your city accommodation in the late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Rates
Rates depend on your travel dates, group size and room type. Send us your dates and we will confirm the rate for this safari.
What is included
- Private guided transport throughout in an open-sided 4×4 safari vehicle
- All guided game drives in Kruger National Park
- Kruger National Park entry and conservation fees
- 4 nights' accommodation at Tembo Guest Lodge, Hazyview
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Airport transfers from and back to OR Tambo, Johannesburg
- Road transfers between Johannesburg and Hazyview
- Dedicated professional guide throughout
What is excluded
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Alcoholic drinks
- Personal purchases and gratuities
- Lunch on days 1, 2 and 3
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
Where you will stay
Tembo Guest Lodge is in Hazyview, close to Kruger National Park's Phabeni Gate, and is your base for all four nights. Each day starts and ends at the lodge, with drives into the park.
The Panorama Route, including Blyde River Canyon, God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes, is within reach of Hazyview.
- Close to Phabeni Gate
- 4 nights in Hazyview
- Meals as listed per day
- Private tour for your group
A look at your safari
Questions about this private Kruger safari
How many game drives are included?
You have at least eight guided game drives: an afternoon drive on day 1, morning and afternoon drives on days 2, 3 and 4, and a final morning drive on day 5. Extra drives can be arranged on request.
Is this a private tour?
Yes, the vehicle and guide are for your group only throughout. You set the pace, choose where to stop and stay as long as you like at any sighting.
What is the best time of year for this tour?
The tour runs year-round, and the dry season from May to September usually gives the most consistent game viewing, with sparse vegetation, wildlife gathering at water and comfortable temperatures.
What wildlife can I expect in southern and central Kruger?
Southern Kruger is known for leopard, white rhino and riverine species, while central Kruger around Satara is known for lion and large herds of zebra, wildebeest and buffalo. Sightings are never guaranteed.
Is this tour suitable for families?
Yes, the minimum age is 1 year, so the tour suits families with young children as well as couples and solo travellers.
Can I add the Panorama Route?
Yes, a Panorama Route excursion to Blyde River Canyon, God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes can be added to the itinerary. Ask about arrangements and pricing when you enquire.
Make room for the extraordinary
Let’s plan your safari
Tell us what you have in mind. Your departure point, travel dates and the way you like to travel are a good place to start.
What happens next?
When enquiries open, share your dates and group size so the team can confirm availability, the total price and booking terms before you decide. This preview does not send or store enquiries.
Contact channels will be connected after the client confirms the details.