8- Day Kruger Park Safari
An 8-day safari to the Kruger National Park is a once-in-a-lifetime way to experience the genuine African atmosphere, as it allows you to observe many animals in their natural habitat in one of the world’s most famous game parks.
What Is an 8- Day Kruger Park Safari?​
Whatever you decide, don’t pass up the opportunity to go in search for Africa’s Big 5: the elephant, lion, rhinoceros, leopard, and buffalo.
Such a Kruger Park safari might include a private, high-end tour as well as some low-cost, traditional group or solitary experiences.
While staying in one of Kruger National Park’s excellent rest camps, you can observe incredible wildlife. A private luxury safari, on the other hand, will be a more refined safari hideaway with creature comforts and luxury facilities.
The finest Kruger Park safari would be a combination of the two, since an 8-day safari is a terrific opportunity to sample both. You can travel along several roads known for good sightings and spend your nights in a cosy chalet, tent, or lodge.
Brief overview of the Kruger National Park
The north-eastern portion of South Africa is home to Kruger National Park, which is a national reserve that spans over 2 million acres.
Greater Kruger is an extension of the national park’s western boundary that encompasses an extra area of approximately 200,000 hectares of privately protected game reserves.
SANParks is in charge of managing Kruger National Park, and the park features a number of main rest camps, a few bush camps and lodges, as well as private camps located on privately managed concessions that are contained within the park’s limits.
The majority of safaris that visit Kruger Park offer a combination of services, such as lodging that ranges from four to five star lodges and open vehicle safari drives to more basic lodging that may or may not include the option of self-catering, as well as the choice to either self-drive or be driven on game drives.
What Should I Pack for My Safari
- Your passport, itinerary, insurance papers, and electronic tickets are the most important things you need to bring on your safari.
- Clothes and personal items: Bring casual, comfortable clothes in neutral or “non-bright” colours, as well as walking or hiking boots. Pack clothes that you can put on in layers.Â
- Sunglasses, a hat, lip balm, sunblock, and long sleeves.
- Binoculars and a camera. Kruger is a photographer’s dream. The park has a lot of different kinds of animals, as well as beautiful scenery and good lighting.
- A good flashlight or torch. The best flashlight is one that you can charge, and an LED light that you can wear on your head is also a good choice.
- Electronics: Don’t forget your phone, music player, tablet, or laptop, as well as their chargers and adaptor plugs.
- A good book: When travelling, it’s always nice to have something to read. A travel journal or diary is also a good idea.
Best Time to Go on Safari
The months of May through October offer the most favourable conditions for going on safari in the Kruger National Park. These are the best months to go game viewing because the animals are congregated near water sources and are easier to identify through the thinned-out foliage that the dry season brings.
3 Best 8-Day / 7-Night Kruger Park Packages
- If you have time for an 8-Day safari in Kruger Park, your safari can ideally include 2-night stays at four different camps in the north, central and southern part of the park, with daily game drives and other activities like walking safaris or bush braais.
- For an 8-day safari in Kruger, you may prefer an Ultimate Budget Safari from Kruger Safari Company Tours.Â
You can be picked up from the Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport Bus Terminal, from where you will travel towards Hazyview near the Kruger National Park.Â
You may stay in comfortable and well planned chalets, or safari tented rooms, dependent on availability when booking.
Your open vehicle sunset safari drives will last for around 2 to 2 and a half hours, after which you will return to the lodge in time to enjoy some sundowners and dinner.Â
For the next few days you will wake up early to depart on your sunrise safari drive in the open safari vehicle, after which you will enjoy breakfast at the lodge.
Your days can be filled with relaxation, walking safaris or visiting some of the museums and other attractions in the camps.
On the last day, you will depart back to Johannesburg and will be dropped off at the OR Tambo Airport Bus Terminal between 17:30 and 18:00.
- The Kruger Safari Company offers Budget 8-day /7 night safaris in the Kruger National Park in the park’s own rest camps.
The main rest camps and satellite camps, as well as bushveld camps, bush lodges, overnight hides, and a remote camp site, are all suitably equipped, and visitors can bring their own food and drink to these self-catering accommodations. For those who prefer, there are restaurants or takeaway food options at the major rest camps.
Over eight days you can thoroughly enjoy the scenery and animal sightings, either by self-driving or by taking a morning, sunset or night drive with the park’s knowledgeable and skilled local guides.
On a budget Kruger Park safari, you can save a lot of money by taking your own car or renting one for your trip. If you have your own car, you can take your time exploring the park and stop at popular bushveld spots for a picnic or braai.Â
Pros and Cons of an 8-Day / 7-Night Safari
| Pros | Cons |
| You can thoroughly experience the Kruger National Park from north to south | If your activities are not planned properly, it may become boring |
| You should be able to see all of the Big 5, perhaps more than once | The longer the safari the more money you will spend |
| You will have time for several additional activities | You will have to pack very sensibly to stay within travel luggage restrictions |
5 Tips for Going on Safari
If you are going to spend 8 days in Kruger Park, follow these tips to get the best wildlife sightings:
- The greatest time is during the dry season (May to October), when the vegetation are dry, and animals concentrate near waterholes.
- Don’t sleep late – Even if you have earned a well-deserved rest, you must be up extremely early to observe predators, particularly big cats, who sleep much of the day and hunt at night in lower temperatures.
- Be aware of the gate opening timings. Depending on the season, camp gates open between 4:30 and 6:00 a.m. If you arrive first, you will have better visibility, quieter roads, and better light for photography.
- Use animal sightings boards at campgrounds and picnic areas. Visitors report their amazing sightings and pin their positions on notice boards at various rest stops.Â
- Obtain a map and wildlife guide – This will inform you where to expect specific species as well as other fascinating landscape elements.
Luxury vs Budget Safaris Explained
A luxury safari will provide luxury accommodations – either extravagant lodges or lavish tented camps in the best spots and guaranteeing exclusivity.Â
You will experience superb dining options including bush dinners or breakfasts or picnics in the wild. Food may range from local to international cuisine, all prepared by expert chefs.Â
Budget safari accommodation is normally defined as those places that offer low-priced and smaller rooms with necessary, but basic facilities.
A luxury safari in Greater Kruger can provide some of the best opportunities to observe the Big 5 with expert, skilled trackers and guides while when choosing a budget safari, you will probably opt to stay in one of the main camps in Kruger National Park.
Optional Activities on Your 2-Day Safari
Even on a budget safari, you don’t have to miss out on the fun. During your trip, you can do any of the following things in the park without breaking the bank:
- Drive your own car to search for game
- The main rest camps offer guided walks through the bushveld.
- Use Skukuza Golf Club to play golf.
- Picnics and braais in the bush
- Birdwatching
Types of Accommodation to Choose From
Self-Catering Rest Camps in Kruger Park
The self-catering accommodations in Kruger National Park are not expensive and provide a wide variety of lodging options like campsites, huts, safari tents, cottages, bungalows, rondavels, and guest houses.Â
The camp facilities include restaurants, stores, and gas stations.Â
These camps are ideal if you prefer a self-drive safari, but you can also go on guided game drives if you want.
Concessions & Luxury Lodges in Kruger National Park
Within the boundaries of Kruger National Park are several concessions leased out for usage on a private basis.Â
They are managed independently from the rest of Kruger National Park and is only accessible to booked guests. The lodges within these private concessions are of the best standards found anywhere in the world.Â
FAQ’s
Can You Go to The Kruger Park for 8 Days?
Yes, you can go to the Kruger park for 8 days. If you plan properly, you won’t get bored at all.
How Many Days Do You Need to See the Big 5 in Kruger National Park?
There is no guarantee that you will see the Big 5 in the Kruger National Park, but the longer you stay, the better chance you have.
Which Season is Best for a Safari in Kruger National Park?
The best season to visit the Kruger National Park is the dry winter season from May to October.
What Colour Clothes Should I Wear on Safari?
Light, cotton clothing in light tones is the best to wear on safari.
