$6,443 pp (USD)
This tour is offered in ZAR.
Show rate in ZAR
Arrival
Arrival
Day 1
Jo'burg to Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp, (Kruger National Park)
Jo'burg to Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp, (Kruger National Park)
There'll be an early pick-up at the hotel in Johannesburg (5:00am) to miss the traffic and take the N4 highway into the dawn to Malelane Gate (Kruger National Park) via Mbombela. The Mpumalanga Province translates as the Place of the Rising Sun. A welcome breakfast is had at a restaurant on the way.
You'll lunch at Malelane, then enter the park at Malelane Gate and do a slow game drive to Berg-en-Dal (Hill-and-Dale) Rest Camp, stopping to view and photograph animals and birds on the way.
This is a small camp, but it has a swimming pool, restaurant, and shop. You can choose whether to let David barbecue dinner or eat in the restaurant, followed by a short stargazing experience. Total Driving: approximately 6-7 hours excluding stops. David is a professional photographer and cinematographer of some 40-50 years standing, and will provide photo tuition or mentoring during game drives. During "downtime" he is available to help with editing and post-production of your photos.
- Main Destination:
- Kruger National Park
- Accommodation:
-
Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp
Wildlife in Kruger NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Berg-en-Dal to Lower Sabie Rest Camp via Skukuza
Berg-en-Dal to Lower Sabie Rest Camp via Skukuza
We leave Berg-en-Dal at daybreak as the rest camp gate opens, and enjoy a game drive with coffee and rusks to Afsaal Traders' Rest, where you can stretch your legs.
From there, we journey up to Skukuza, the "capital" of Kruger where we have a welcome breakfast under huge trees and overlooking the river. Then, we wend our way along the river to Lower Sabie, one of the prettiest rest camps, nestling on the banks of the Sabie River, home to bloats of hippos and many crocodiles. The accommodation sprawls under huge sycamore fig, mahogany and fever trees.
After lunch, there's time for a short rest before reassembling at about 4:00 pm for a two-hour game drive with a cooler box of refreshments and snacks (such as nuts or the famed "biltong" (dried jerky meat), returning to camp just before sunset for a well-deserved sundowner on the deck, gazing over the river, where elephants are often seen.
Thereafter, you can choose to eat in the restaurant or I can braai for you again.
- Main Destination:
- Kruger National Park
- Accommodation:
- Lower Sabie Rest Camp
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
Lower Sabie to Satara Camp via Tshokwane Picnic Site
Lower Sabie to Satara Camp via Tshokwane Picnic Site
We leave Lower Sabie as the gates open, with coffee and rusks on hand, and head north. It's quite a rewarding drive as the vegetation changes and different animals appear. The journey is broken by a welcome stop at Tshokwane Picnic Site, where we can have breakfast.
Then, we head north to Satara Rest Camp, in "lion country", approximately a third of the way up Kruger. As the vegetation changes, so do the animals that we see. Cheetah can be seen in this area.
We have a late lunch at Satara, check in, and have a short rest before the game drive at 4:00 pm, which returns to camp just before the gate closes. The highlight of Satara is a night drive with a Kruger ranger and other Satara guests. Not really a photo opp, but often a great experience. Lions are usually seen, either hunting or fighting off rivals, as well as hyenas looking to steal a kill, and other nocturnal animals.
- Main Destination:
- Kruger National Park
- Accommodation:
- Satara Rest Camp
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
Satara to Mopani Rest Camp via Olifants & Letaba Camps
Satara to Mopani Rest Camp via Olifants & Letaba Camps
We leave Satara as the gates open, with coffee and rusks packed, and head north again towards Mopani Rest Camp. We breakfast at Olifants Rest Camp, which has a magnificent vista over the Olifants River. From there, we head to Letaba Rest Camp, where we can visit the Elephant Museum before lunch. Elephants, lions and buffalo are very present in this ecosystem.
After lunch, a game drive to Mopani, where we check in, and then head down to the Shipandane Hide, which overlooks a small dam containing crocodiles, a bloat of about 20 hippos, and the ever-present herons and storks.
Elephants and buffalo often come here to drink, sometimes leading to spectacular stand-offs with the grumpy hippos. From there, we check out the Confluence Look-Out, as well as Mooiplaas, a picnic site known for hyenas and birdlife.
Then, you'll return to Mopani for sundowners, overlooking the massive Pioneer Dam, and that night, we get to bed early after a photo session.
- Main Destination:
- Kruger National Park
- Accommodation:
-
Mopani Rest Camp
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Mopani to Lodge in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve
Mopani to Lodge in the Timbavati Private Game Reserve
This crack of dawn routine can be tough! But the light makes it all worthwhile for photographers. We head out on an early morning game drive towards Ba-Phalaborwa Gate. If we're lucky, we may spot some hyena pups on the way. They are exceedingly cute!
After exiting Kruger, we stop for a well-deserved breakfast in Ba-Phalaborwa and then head south towards Hoedspruit, a town central to the private lodges.
We enter the Timbavati Private Game Reserve, home of the White Lion, and head to our chosen lodge, where we check in. The afternoon game drive begins around 3:00 pm. We regroup, have a drink and snack, and then board the open game drive vehicles with our ranger and tracker and head out on another safari adventure, not knowing what we will see and photograph! Will it be elusive leopard, lion, or a pack of fast-moving wild dogs?
After dusk, we head back for a sumptuous meal, and some post-processing, and then to sleep, serenaded by the eerie whoops of hyenas or the roar of lions!
- Main Destination:
- Timbavati Nature Reserve (Greater Kruger)
- Accommodation:
- Bateleur Safari Camp
Wildlife in Timbavati NR
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6
More Photography Moments at Private Game Lodge
More Photography Moments at Private Game Lodge
There will be two game drives today, in the early morning, followed by breakfast, and then again in the late afternoon, followed by a delicious dinner. During the middle of the day, it is a good time to catch up on photo processing and/ormentoring, resting by the pool, having a quick nap.
Alternatively, you may be able to do a bush walk or attend an educational bush talk.
David will do tuition/mentoring during the "downtime" or as required by his guests.
After the excitement of the afternoon/evening game drive, and a sumptuous supper, some chat around the fire or some further photo mentoring, it's off to blissful sleep, surrounded by the sounds of the bushveld at night!
- Main Destination:
- Timbavati Nature Reserve (Greater Kruger)
- Accommodation:
- Bateleur Safari Camp
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Private Game Lodge, Return to Johannesburg
Private Game Lodge, Return to Johannesburg
After a wonderful early game drive and a luxurious breakfast in the bush, it's back to camp to pack and check out. You'll have a last swim to cool down and begin the journey back to Johannesburg. If you prefer, at extra cost, you can fly back from Hoedspruit Airport on a small aircraft to avoid the six-hour journey back. The airport is a half-hour drive from the lodge.
The journey back to Johannesburg follows a different route, heading northwest to the lush countryside around Tzaneen, mountain passes over the mountainous logging areas to Polokwane for lunch, and then a super highway back to Tshwane (Pretoria) and then Johannesburg.
You'll get dropped off at your hotel and, sadly, that's the end of the tour. Only memories and photos will remain!
- Main Destination:
- Johannesburg (City)
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
