$581 to $616 pp (USD)
This tour is offered in ZAR.
Show rate in ZAR
This Tour Is Offered By
Viva Safaris team look forward to seeing you soon!
Viva Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 50-100 employees (Founded in 1991)
- Member Of:
- Southern Africa Tourism Services Association
- Tour Types:
- Mid-range tours that, when possible, use accommodations owned and operated by them
- Destinations:
-
ZA
From humble beginnings in 1991, Viva Safaris has become the most sought after tour operator servicing the Kruger National Park. We are completely self-sufficient and highly experienced….we own our lodges; we have our own fleet of transfer and game viewing vehicles; our own rangers; our own chefs and managers. Our safaris vary from cost effective two night lodge/tent safaris to 5 star luxury lodge safaris. Our diversity of wildlife safari experiences easily beat those of any competitor.
Reviews339
Superb Authentic Safari Experience
I recommend this Safari experience without reservation. We transferred from J'Berg, with a smooth hotel pick up. Drive to the Tresimina Lodge was in a well air-conditioned minivan with a couple of good stops including one for lunch in Dullstroom. On arrival we literally saw an Elephant right by the lodgings and that was certainly not the last! We got shown to our rooms, clean with fresh linen and mosquito nets, and almost straight away went for a sunset Safari and evening Brai (BBQ) in the bush. This kind of rest, eat, Safari schedule went on for the entire four days. We saw SO many fabulous and healthy looking animals, for me highlights were the tribes of Impala, Zebra, Giraffe and in main KP accompanied by Wildebeest. I also loved the early (5 am!!) walk in the bush, and the random encounters with real live wild animals of all shapes and sizes. Viva Safari have EXCELLENT guides, they are knowledgeable, they make you feel safe, and they clearly love the animals and the bush and don't seem to mind the at times naive questions from all tourists. We really had a great time. We encountered a Rhino at very very close quarters, all of us were surprised including the Rhino. Herds of buffalo and Impala in the distance and close by and for those that count 4/big5 🦁🦏🦛🦬 (and I often felt a Leopard was lurking somewhere near) 5/5 ugly 5 and so many birds big and small. As for the incredible strength of the dung beetles!! This would suit all types, Viva Safari look after you very well and the FOOD is fantastic, varied, plentiful and delicious. I also enjoyed meeting fellow travellers some single some couples and some mixed family groups. All made welcome.
Outstanding - loved every minute
We have just come back from a 6 day Safari with Viva Safaris at the Tremisana Lodge and I have to say it's the best safari experience we could have hoped for.
We began the tour from Johannesburg and were picked up on time and the transfer up took about 6 hours with multiple stops for comfort breaks and lunch. Once we arrived (at about 4pm) we just had time to check in and then go out for an evening game drive. It took less than 5 minutes for us to come across our first elephant, promptly followed by rhino, as well as other common species like antelope and zebra.
The following day we did an early morning sunrise drive + bush walk which was a lovely experience to see the park on foot. The walk down to the river was fantastic and we got to see up close (but safely!) animals like hippo and crocodiles. Our evening drive that day was super eventful and we got to see more rhino and elephants as well as an incredibly rare encounter with african wild dogs!
The following 3 days we spent on full days in Kruger via Orpen Gate. These were the 3 best safari days you could want.
Immediately Day 1after entering the park we encountered a pride of lions and we proceeded to see a massive range of other wildlife and we lost count of how many elephants - as a guess we came across 200 of them throughout the day including several large herds with very young babies.
Day 2 we finally (after many years of trying) managed to see a leopard, thus completing our big 5! It was so nice to see it happily sat under a tree watching the world go by close to the side of the road. We also spotted many more elephants and more lions etc.
Day 3 was equally as exciting with 2 more sets of lions, more rhino and even more baby elephants and a super cute baby giraffe.
Our last morning before heading back to Johannesburg was an early rise 2h drive where we got to see Rhino again and also a leopard in the distance attempting to catch something but failing. The journey back again took us via Blythe Canyon which is one of the most spectacular views you could imagine. We got back to the airport by about 4:30 which left plenty of time for our evening flights.
Accommodation wise we stayed in the rooms at Tremisana. They were plenty big enough, had nice hot showers and even air-con if you really needed it. Not fancy, but absolutely what you need for a safari. What made the lodge so special though was it's location and set up. Because you're in the old private reserve you literally are amongst the animals! At breakfast we had elephant walk straight past us the other side of the fence and in the morning hyena could be seen watching you and sniffing out the fantastic hot breakfast food etc.
The staff and guides were first class. So friendly and knowledgeable and they really were so invested in wanting to make sure you had the best time possible. Quite how the guides spot the animals is also a mystery - they must have laser vision as they just see everything so quickly leaving you all the time you need to focus and do your own spotting once you work out what they have seen. They are super patient, they know exactly the right pace to go at and which angles are best for photos etc.
Overall - Viva Safari and Tremisana Lodge are right up there - and amazing value for money too. Definitely check them out!
Very good value safari
I booked 6 days in Kruger through viva safaris. Such good value. I stayed in marc’s treehouse camp. The staff were fabulous. Meals were excellent. I had a lovely cabin with a comfortable bed and good hot water. I thoroughly enjoyed our safari drives - seeing fabulous wild animsls close up.
ES
Wow!
Wow!
Just returned from a fabulous 7 day safari staying at Tremisana Game Lodge.
Situated on the Balule Nature Reserve, on the edge of Kruger National Park. Accommodation is in thatched lodges, in beautifully landscapes gardens, with many water features and a fabulous swimming pool. The staff are like one big happy family and we felt honoured to become part of the family during our stay. The Lapa, where all meals are taken is an ideal place to chill out and watch the animals visiting the waterhole just outside the property. Just beware of the pesky monkeys who’ll try and steal any food left lying around. The holiday included a bush walk, many drives at sunrise, sunset, barbecues in the bush, a couple of days in Kruger and a visit to the rehabilitation centre. All extremely memorable and every day is completely different. All the guides are extremely knowledgeable, so prepare to get educated on everything from mating habits to footprints and animal behaviour to spotting the different types of animal poop. It’s so much more than a holiday it’s is a huge learning experience! The guides are in regular radio contact so if an animal is spotted elsewhere then there’s nothing to match the excitement of a high speed rally drive to find the animal. Hang on tight, because you really will get bounced around in the jeeps, but it’s all part of the fun! The guides ensure you get to see everything you can and we were lucky enough to see all the Big 5 within 48 hours of arriving at the lodge. Whilst we were on holiday, we celebrated a big wedding anniversary, so a big shout the staff who decorated our lodge with flowers and also set out a romantic candlelit table for two at the bush barbecue. The whole holiday exceeded our expectations and we would most definitely recommend Viva Safari’s.
IT
A wonderful experience
Our 6 days with Viva Safaris were exceptional. They picked up us in Johannesburg, and we stayed at Tremisana Lodge, which is very welcoming. The room was simple but had everything we needed. The meals prepared by the women at the lodge were always good ( and sometimes an elephant would show up at breakfast to keep us company).
Of course, the most important part were the game drives. We really appreciated the variety of drives experiences offered, some at sunrise, others at sunset, and full day safaris in Kruger Park. The walking safari with guides Luke and Whian was also wonderful.
Mark has great knowledge of the area and explains everything in an exceptional way. A special thank you goes to our guide Smiley, who was absolutely phenomenal.
My partner and I have wonderful memories of the six days we spent with them, and we highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting South Africa.
Cheers from Andrea "the mechanic"
Other Safaris & Tours16 – Offered by Viva Safaris
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4-Day Tremisana/Tent Kruger Park Safari
$810 to $857 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
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5-Day Tremisana/Tent Kruger Park Safari
$880 to $927 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Olifants River, Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
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3-Day Tremisana Lodge Kruger Park Safari
$851 to $903 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
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4-Day Katekani Tented Lodge Safari
$1,350 to $1,408 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Buffaloland, Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
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6-Day Tremisana/Treehouse Kruger Park Safari
$1,168 to $1,226 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range LodgeYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Kruger NP, Moholoholo Wildlife Centre (Wildlife Sanctuary), Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
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5-Day Katekani Tented Lodge Safari
$1,526 to $1,584 pp (USD)
South Africa: Shared tour (max 9 people per vehicle)
Mid-range Lodge & Tented CampYou Visit: Johannesburg (Start), Balule NR (Greater Kruger), Buffaloland, Kruger NP, Blyde River Canyon (Panorama Route), Johannesburg (End)
