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2-Day Kruger Safari Tours

4.5/5  –  440 Kruger Reviews

If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing lions, elephants and other African creatures in their natural habitat, you won’t want to miss out on Kruger. This is South Africa’s largest national park and most popular safari destination, extending across 19,485km²/7,523mi² of bush country inhabited by a diverse array of wildlife. Kruger supports substantial populations of all the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo) along with other safari favorites such as giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, warthog and cheetah. And while you may not get to see all of these iconic African animals on a 2-day Kruger safari, you’ll surely see most of them, along with a host of antelope, birds and other fascinating creatures.

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5 Questions About 2-Day Kruger Safaris

1. Is 2 days enough time for a trip in Kruger National Park?
2. What are the accommodations options?
3. Which animals am I likely to see on a 2-day Kruger safari?
4. How much will this safari cost?
5. What can I expect from a 2-day Kruger safari?
 
 

5 Questions About 2-Day Kruger Safaris

Answered by Philip Briggs

Is 2 days enough time for a trip in Kruger National Park?

“Two days is sufficient for a Kruger safari, but it’s on the short side. If you’re unable to spend longer in Kruger, then a 2-day safari is well worth doing. If you can allocate an extra 1 or 2 days, however, we would recommend this. The main reason why longer is better is that animals don’t line up waiting for visitors, so there’s a large element of luck on any given game drive. So while you’ll see a good selection of African wildlife on a 2-day Kruger safari, every additional day in the park improves your chances of seeing everything you’d like to see. If your 2-day safari leaves from Johannesburg, then bear in mind that it’ll be five hours’ drive to the closest entrance gate. This means you’ll spend your first morning and second afternoon of the tour in transit. If starting in Hazyview, Hoedspruit or another place close to the park, 2 days feels less tight, as both days can be dedicated exclusively to wildlife viewing. Also worth noting, Sabi Sand Nature Reserve and other private game reserves bordering Kruger offer a more intense wildlife-viewing experience than the park itself. So if you have time restrictions but want to give yourself the best chance of seeing all the Big Five, consider booking a safari in a private reserve rather than Kruger itself.”

1

What are the accommodations options?

“Kruger has accommodations to suit most tastes and budgets. The main form of accommodations within the park are state-run rest camps with a variety of relatively affordable self-catering huts and bungalows. Most rest camp units have en suite bathrooms and toilets, but some cheaper huts use communal ablution blocks. Most rest camps also have campsites where you can pitch your own tent. If you feel like self-catering, a popular option is barbecuing, and most of the rest camps have shops where you can buy meat and other basics. Some of the larger rest camps have restaurants, too. Many Kruger safaris use a base outside the park, in or around towns such as Malelane, Mbombela (formerly Nelspruit), Hazyview and White River. These options are more varied than the rest camps, in terms of both quality and style, and they include everything from relaxed backpacker lodges to smart boutique hotels. A disadvantage of staying outside the park is that you’ll be less well positioned for early morning game drives. At the very top end of the scale, a number of small five-star lodges are situated in private concessions within the park or in private reserves that share an unfenced border with it. These exclusive lodges generally offer the ultimate upmarket safari experience, including stylish Africa-themed accommodations, attentive service, and world-class wining and dining. These are also usually inclusive of guided game drives in open vehicles, in areas that are closed to the general public.”

2

Which animals am I likely to see on a 2-day Kruger safari?

“Animals you’re almost certain to see on any Kruger tour include elephant, buffalo, hippo, giraffe, crocodile and zebra. More than a dozen antelope species are present, with wildebeest, waterbuck, greater kudu and impala among the most commonly seen. With a bit of luck you should also see white rhino and lion, though neither are guaranteed. Other predators to look out for include leopard, cheetah and African wild dog, all of which fall into the category of lucky as opposed to likely sightings. Kruger hosts one of the world’s largest remaining populations of black rhino, but these secretive animals are seldom seen. Don’t forget to keep an eye open for the small stuff. Kruger is home to a great variety of lizards, as well as iconic invertebrates such as the dung beetle and praying mantis. A striking feature of the park is its varied birdlife, which comprises more than 500 species. These include the oversized ostrich and Kori bustard, a variety of predatory eagles and hawks, the vultures that flock around fresh kills, and a host of colorful weavers, sunbirds and rollers.”

3

How much will this safari cost?

“The price of a 2-day Kruger safari package is quite variable, and depends mainly on the sort of accommodations and experience you choose. For budget to mid-range 2-day safaris using rest camps or lodge accommodations outside the park, you should pay in the ballpark of US$450 to US$500 per person sharing. The price of a lodge-based tour in a private reserve or concession is likely to be upwards of US$700 per person, for which you can expect a more luxurious experience and a far better chance of ticking off all of the Big Five.”

4

What can I expect from a 2-day Kruger safari?

“Most 2-day Kruger safaris start in Gauteng, a province that incorporates Johannesburg, Pretoria and O.R. Tambo International Airport. It takes about five hours to drive to Kruger, excluding stops, so expect an early start (around 7 AM or earlier) in order to be there by lunchtime. You’ll almost certainly go on an afternoon game drive, ideally starting at least three hours before sunset, to look for elephants, lions and other wildlife. If you’re staying at a rest camp inside Kruger, you’ll need to be back in camp roughly at sunset (gate closing times vary from month to month and are posted on the camp gates). The situation is similar if you’re heading to a lodge or hotel outside the park. By contrast, game drives run by lodges in concessions and private reserves are allowed to stay out after dark. The usual ritual is to stop for sundowners, then go in search of nocturnal creatures such as leopards, bush babies and genets. Organized guided night drives are also offered at most rest camps within the park, and it’s well worth joining one, even if it’s not on your itinerary. Wildlife is most active in the early morning, so on your second day, aim to set off on a game drive as early as rules permit. This is when you’re most likely to catch lions and leopards on the prowl, or lying on the road. It is also usually when photographic light is at its best. After three or four hours, you’ll be ready for a late breakfast or brunch, before starting the drive back to Gauteng.”

5

Kruger Reviews

4.5/5 440 Reviews
Expert
Mike Unwin  –  
United Kingdom UK

Mike is an award-winning wildlife writer, former editor of Travel Zambia magazine and author of the Bradt Guide to Southern African Wildlife.

Africa’s Best DIY Safari
5/5

In 2026, Kruger’s centenary year, South Africa’s flagship national park continues to divide opinion. On the one hand, some argue that its developed infrastructure – complete with paved roads and large public camps – undermines the...

Full Review

Expert
Lizzie Williams  –  
South Africa ZA

Lizzie authored many guidebooks, including Footprint guides to South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

South Africa’s Flagship Park with Excellent Facilities and Unrivalled Game-viewing
5/5

South Africa’s largest park most certainly fulfils most visitors’ expectations of seeing magnificent herds of game roaming across acacia-studded savannah. After countless visits at different times of the year, I have found it can get a...

Full Review

Chintan Patel  –  
United States US
Reviewed: Jul 19, 2026
5/5

Kruger National Park exceeded every expectation and was the highlight of our trip to South Africa. The park is incredibly beautiful, well-maintained, and offers some of the best wildlife viewing in the world. We were fortunate enough to see...

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Alexander (Lex) Taylor  –  
Australia AU
Reviewed: Jul 16, 2026
5/5

A 3 day walking safari with Africa-on Foot in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, a Big 5 game reserve in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. It sits within the Greater Kruger….
Walking up to 15km a day, with 2 guides.

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David Seymour  –  
United Arab Emirates AE
Reviewed: Jun 15, 2026
5/5

We saw four of the Big 5 during our day trip (we didn't see a leopard here, but we did at the private nature reserve where we were staying). We saw lots of other animals too at Kruger, including wild dogs, hyenas, giraffes, wart hogs,...

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Mr Tim Hyde  –  
United Kingdom UK
Reviewed: Jun 13, 2026
4/5

Visiting The Kruger offers a fantastic opportunity to view the best of South Africa's wildlife in a relatively compact area. Whilst The Kruger is a huge space in it's own right, the tarmac roads make game spotting relatively easy and whilst...

Full Review

All 440 Kruger Reviews