Cheap safari?
 

I went on a safari with a friend two years ago in South Africa and we would like to go back this year in August or September. We stayed for 4 nights at the Arathusa Lodge and we loved it but it was pretty expensive. We didn't mind paying that much since it was our first time but for this trip, we want to spend a full week (7 nights) on safari and we'd like to pay as little as possible, as long as the camp is clean and offers a good safari experience. I know it would be cheaper to rent a car and explore Kruger on our own but we don't feel comfortable doing that. Is there any chance we could do this for under 1500$ total per person?

Be comfortable doing it, it is easy. Only thing you have to get used to is driving on left side. It is great fun to be out on your own taking it easy and discovering you never know what.

You can do (we have done three times) Kruger National Park for $150 per day per person. This includes park fees, rental car (Avis), gas, bungalow/hut, meals at camp restaurants.
KNP web site - http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/ There you can find everything yo need to know about visiting Kruger NP.

regards - tom

jenmansafaris.com good info for you also
travelzoo.com has some flySA.com packages
on sales close to what you want to pay
including air. also Kenya with friendlyplanet.com
from $1795 or so.

Not everyone's cup of tea, but we did this and we loved it. It worked out to $220 or so pp/pn, all inclusive except air. You just have to research on your own. I highly recommend the places that S Africans go, like some of these.

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...zulu-natal.cfm

Would Zambia be a better alternative for a safari? I've always wanted to see the Victoria Falls...

Been looking at Zambia myself, and it's rather expensive. Most lodges 400$ pppn and up. Only Luangwa South has cheaper options, if you don't mind being 10kms or more outside the gate.

I assume there's good safaris to be had for 1500$, but all involve national parks, possibly self driving, and using campgrounds.

But an experience like Arathusa, with a guide, tracker, real game vehicle etc... in a private park where you can off-road, do night drives, and with no crowds around sightings... hard to get for 1500$.

Although I can get close to that. Here's my tips;

- look beyond Sabi Sands. Look at reserves like Timbavati, Klaserie, Manyeleti, ...
- look for lodges that have deals like "pay 3 stay 4". Although those may be hard to find as it's mostly last minutes.
- book with a local TA. Their prices are a bit lower than the rates you get when booking directly. I recommend Sun Safaris.
- Minimize your transfer costs as much as possible as that can cost quite a lot.
- Go for lodges that offer walking safaris in the morning and drives in the afternoon. Their pppn prices are a bit lower as vehicle life span is longer when only doing one drive per day.

Given all the above, here's what I can come up with;

- Jo'burg <-> Hoedspruit flights with SAA: R2300
- 3N Africa On Foot, Klaserie: R4950
- transfer; will be very little. They might even do it for free, as distance between the camps is not that much (about 45 mins).
- 4N Shindzela, Timbavati: R6000

Total; R 13250 = USD 1750 (but as I said; booking via a local TA will result in a price a bit lower than that)

Happy travels!

J.

Hi mcbg1
You could do a Kruger Safari with one of the reputable operators but as cary999 says it is easy. I have been going to Kruger on my own since 1965 (with my Late Dad of course) and we still do it about 6 or 7 times a year. Don't be scared it's easy.

Yours on Safari
Mark

I'm a huge fan of doing Kruger on your own. If you feel like sharing your reasons for being uncomfortable about it, maybe some of us can reassure you.

Some of the things I really like about a self-drive trip to Kruger: you will meet and talk with some South Africans, not just other foreigners; the rangers are as knowledgeable as those in the private reserves; you can spend more time actually out looking for wildlife than you can in a private reserve.

You don't have to camp in Kruger; you can rent a bungalow or safari tent. It's not the Ritz, but it's perfectly comfortable.

Celia

The reason we can't do a self-drive is because I don't have a driving license and my friend isn't the best driver in Canada so I can't imagine how we would survive in a wildlife reserve driving on the other side of the road LOL. It really is a shame because I know it would be so much easier/cheaper to do Kruger on our own.

Look into Lion World Tours...had fabulous time with them in Kenya...considering them for SA

How about this?

http://www.wild-wings.co.za/best.html

I booked my last safari with Wild Wings :) I emailed them and I'm waiting to see what they can offer...

Hi mcbg1
Wild Wings are good and here is another operator that is also Top Notch. http://www.outlook.co.za/

Yours on Safari Mark

OK so I may have convinced my friend to drive so a self-drive MIGHT be an option. We looked online and renting a small car with Avis is so cheap we have to look into this more. Ideally, we'd find a guided safari under our budget but it's not looking good.

Let's say we did a self-drive in Kruger for 7 days, what kind of itinerary should we follow? Any good camps to recommend? My only worry is that we'd end up getting lost in the bush LOL.

First, there are private lodges in the Kruger area where you stay and the lodge every day has their own vehicle(s) which will tour you into Kruger. Not a cheap as doing on your own, and sorry I don't know any lodge names that do this.

For 7 days in Kruger I would stay in say three "rest camps" in the southern to mid areas. Camps have different facilities, some do not have restaurants, some only your own tent camping. Go to the Kruger web site and explore. You won't get lost driving in Kruger, roads are good even if only gravel, maps are detailed.

We like doing this in Kruger, you never know what you may find on or next to road -
http://tinyurl.com/7py9u6u
http://tinyurl.com/7kmkf8g

regards - tom

Fly to the Kruger area and rent as tall a car as you can afford (to see animals). That way the driving is easy. We saw few cars, especially the gravel roads. Just think left - and remind driver left. In seven nights, I'd visit camps in the lower half of the park, like tom.

Plan better than we did. Find a Pick n Pay (good supermarket) and buy snacks, drinks, breakfast and lunch food. Buy a cooler and ice as well as a plastic tote to store your dry food (it's the wilderness - there are mice). We got a huge jug of water from Oasis Water near the supermarket. It was the best - great water and we just refilled bottles as needed. The best game viewing is early and late, so you'll want to have breakfast on the go. We stopped at rest areas and ate breakfast from what we brought - cereal and fruit. If you drink coffee, get a Thermos!! Try to get accommodations that have all utensils and an attached kitchen. If you don't want to cook all of your food, stay in camps that have restaurants.

We loved it. Can't wait to do it again.

christabir is right regarding a "taller" car. Many small cars now are very low, small side windows, and a very raked wind screen with huge corner posts. We had one like that last time and never again, for photography it drove me crazy. (photo - http://tinyurl.com/7kmkf8g ). Problem is a "taller" car is much bigger and thus more expensive rental.

Also, as much as we love Kruger we were there for 7 days (in 2009) and "burned ourselves out" a little on it at the end. Every day we drove and drove and that got to be too much, not enough variety. But for sure we'll go back!!

regards - tom

Shameless bump. We are now looking at doing a self-drive in Kruger for 5 nights. What are the best camps to stay?

Also, is the Thornberry Reserve any good? We found a pretty good deal at the Jackalberry Lodge in case we chicken out of doing the self-drive LOL.

Satara and Lower Sabie tents are highly recommended. We loved both. I would probably avoid Skukuza because it is huge. Anything Letaba and south - good.

I think - and please correct me if this has changed - Thornberry is fenced. We've been to a few fenced camps and enjoyed them, but I would avoid them in greater Kruger. You could do both Kruger NP AND a private reserve. Best of both worlds, and evens out to affordable. Really no reason to be concerned about driving - it's very easy in the park and the short drive from airport.

Wish I could say I've stayed at very south end Kruger camps, but have not. Have stayed like CB says at Letaba, also Satara and Olifants and like all three. In central-south area. Probably pick Olifants if had to choose one of those.

regards - tom

Hmm I looked on the Sanparks website and all the camps are booked out for our dates. :X

I looked just now at the Sanparks website, and saw bungalows available for most of August and September at Berg-en-dal, Skukuza, and Lower Sabie. I didn't look at other camps.

We have loved Berg-en-dal as a camp -- nice bungalows and a beautiful swimming pool. We've had good game viewing there too. The tents at Lower Sabie are great, but the bungalows are pretty ordinary. The camp is well-located, right on the river, and you see hippos there all the time. I know Skukuza is big, but it's also a really good place for game viewing.

Skukuza is Great for us as it is within the shortest driving distance from our home. Appox 500kms. We often go there but do take a Family Suite on the River so we can have our privacy. I often book the Moni Guest House even though its just the two of us. We simply LOVE the Privacy.
Our other favourite which has not been mentioned is Tamboti Camp. Now that is being in Africa all on your own. Maybe I should not mention it as then you will all go and we won't get in. Seriously, this camp is very well worth while. No hordes of people, no Restaurants, no Tourist Busses and no Shop. Just two types of Tents, one with and one without en-suite facilities. For the ones without en-suite facilities there are ablusion blocks. Shopping can be done at Orpen Gate or Satara Camp. We normally book a Luxury Tent for ourselves for 4 or 5 nights and I tell you it is pure bliss.
Check it out.

Yours on Safari
Mark