My daughter is a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa. I am planning to come visit in March. Is it possible to go to Krueger for a 3 day safari and still be reasonably priced? She, of course, earns $15 a week, so I am paying for 2, on a teacher's budget!

pennismom

The cheapest way would be to rent a car and stay at one of the camps in Kruger Park. It's a lot of fun driving yourself around and the camp bungalows are nice. Most of the camps have organized game drives or walks, and unlike the game lodges, you can stay out all day looking at the animals. It's around $200 per night including car rental, lodging and meals.
If you want to check out the park, go to www.sanparks.org and click on Kruger Park.

Here are some threads that may help, Lesanne.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35033245

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34628289

Here is MATNIKSTYM's report & photos, which includes not only Kruger, but the neighboring private concessions, the Sabi Sands.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35083126
www.kodakgallery.com/dennisinzambia

This report also covers both Kruger and Sabi Sands
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35020747

You can perfectly tour Kruger on your own rented car. In fact we saw more game on our own than we did when we took an official tour at Kruger gate.

We stayed at Protea Kruger gate hotel in a chalet (very good and very reasonably priced) because all camps were full months in advance. The advantage of camps over Protea Kruger gate hotel (just by Paul Kruger gate entrance) is that you can start your tour as soon as you want. If staying out of the park, you cannot enter until door opens at 6 AM

No, even if you are staying in a Kruger camp you can not start driving about anytime you want. In Kruger you are staying in a camp that is fenced in. The camp gate is open only during certain hours e.g. 6am to 6pm. You must be inside the camp other than those hours. Unless you are on a Kruger sponsored night drive or such.

The big advantage to staying inside Kruger rather than outside (Protea hotel) is that when the gates open you are already there, where you want to be and do not have to drive the perhaps 60 miles to be in the heart of Kruger.

regards - tom

Protea Kruger gate is just by Paul Kruger gate (300 meters) Other hotels are in Hazyview which is a one hour drive away. Also, night driving is not recommended in SA, so you should not leave hotel before dawn.

Sorry, I think I did not understand cary999 reply. Yes, it is true, when you are staying in a camp you are right in the middle of the park. At Protea Kruger gate it takes you 40 minutes to get to the middle.

Anyway, you have very good chances to see game just by the gate. We went there last year (new year) It was cool and rainy. Lions love warm roads to sleep, and we saw some sleeping on the road near Paul Kruger gate just after gate opened at 6AM. Other game you do not have to worry, you will see tonnes of them (except leopards)

You'll love staying in Kruger (if the camps aren't already fully booked) and you will see a lot of game when driving yourself and/or going on organized drives with the rangers. Two years ago we paid about $60 for accommodation for two people. The cost of meals in the camp restaurants will not overburden a teacher's budget, and if you want, you can cook for yourself. The cabins/chalets/bungalows/etc. come equipped with cooking facilities, and you can buy groceries in the camp stores, or in the towns at the edge of the park.

You'll have a wonderful time!

Celia