A Kruger National Park safari offers some of the finest Big 5 game viewing in the world, award-winning accommodation, smooth-running logistics, and some of Africa's best trackers and guides. If you’re looking for some of the very best luxury Kruger safaris, then visiting the Kruger’s private game reserves will satisfy your every need for a five-star safari experience.
Set along most of the unfenced western boundary of the Kruger National Park, these private game reserves offer immaculate accommodation, fewer restrictions than in the public park – activities like off-road game driving, guided nature walks and night drives are permitted – and virtually guaranteed Big 5 sightings. We’ve rounded up our best luxury Kruger safaris, all completely customisable to suit your travel wishes:
1. Five-Star Service in Cape Town & Kruger
Duration:
- 9 days
Destinations:
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Kick off this swanky vacation in South Africa’s Mother City, regularly voted one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Enjoy the exceptional service, fantastic cuisine and tranquillity on offer at the elegant Ellerman House, a favourite among stars like Oprah Winfrey. After four days of exploring Cape Town, you’ll be whisked off to Singita Lebombo Lodge, an award-winning safari lodge in a private concession with access to the Kruger National Park. Cape Town and Kruger is a very popular route when visiting South Africa – read our handy guide on how to combine Cape Town and a Kruger safari.
Trip Highlights:
- Opulent accommodation and impeccable service
- Ellerman House, a regular on Condé Nast’s Gold List
- Tours of Table Mountain and Cape Winelands
- Big 5 encounters in Kruger
- Fine dining and exceptional wine cellar at Singita Lebombo
Best Suited For:
- Couples
- Honeymooners
2. The Ultimate Bush-to-Beach Getaway
Duration:
- 14 days
Destinations:
- Victoria Falls, Zambia
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Eden Island, Seychelles
- Denis Island, Seychelles
This luxury Kruger National Park safari package presents you with the best that Southern Africa has to offer, culminating at a private coral island surrounded by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. This is one of safari’s most popular routes: Victoria Falls to Kruger to the Seychelles. Designed for couples looking for exclusivity, intimate hideaways and outstanding wildlife encounters, this itinerary includes top experiences like encountering the world’s biggest waterfall, seeing the Big 5 and basking in sunshine on a palm-fringed beach with no other towel in sight.
Trip Highlights:
- Tongabezi Lodge, included on The Condé Nast Gold List
- Boat cruises on the Zambezi River
- Guided tour of Victoria Falls
- Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, an award-winning luxury Kruger safari lodge
- Big 5 sightings in the exclusive Sabi Sands Game Reserve
- Barefoot luxury on Denis Private Island in the Seychelles
Best Suited For:
- Couples
- Honeymooners
3. South Africa’s Best Cities & Private Game Reserves
Duration:
- 15 days
Destinations:
- Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa
- Cape Town, South Africa
Stay at a collection of Africa’s best hotels and safari lodges like Dulini River Lodge in the acclaimed Sabi Sands Game Reserve, the world-famous Saxon Hotel, The Motse on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, and the award-winning Cape Grace in Cape Town. Enjoy exceptional Big 5 game viewing in Kruger, superb service and culinary experiences, and discovering unique desert wildlife like meerkat, aardvark and the elusive pangolin (if you’re very lucky!) in South Africa’s biggest privately-owned reserve. This luxury Kruger National Park safari package is ideal for discerning travellers in search of a diverse wildlife experience.
Trip Highlights:
- Service and cuisine at Dulini River Lodge
- Big 5 game viewing in Sabi Sands
- Fine dining at the Saxon Boutique Hotel
- Privately guided tour of Johannesburg city centre
- Bush walks, stargazing and sleep outs at The Motse at Tswalu
- Game drives and hot-air ballooning in the Kalahari
- Service and fine dining at the Cape Grace
- Tours of Table Mountain and Cape Winelands
Best Suited For:
- Discerning travellers
- Wildlife enthusiasts
- Couples
- Honeymooners
4. A Bush & Beach Family Vacation
Duration:
- 12 days
Destinations:
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique
This holiday of a lifetime offers you and your family a chance to experience one of the world’s most-beloved cities, unbeatable game viewing in the Kruger, and barefoot luxury on a tropical island. This Kruger National Park safari itinerary kicks off at the splendid Cape Grace, situated in Cape Town’s popular V&A Waterfront. Then you’ll enjoy game drives and guided walks in the sensational Sabi Sands Game Reserve, before saluting breathtaking sunsets on a sheltered coastline on Mozambique’s Benguerra Island.
Trip Highlights:
- Cape Grace, a regular on Condé Nast’s Gold List
- A tour of the Cape Peninsula and Cape Winelands
- Private game drives in Big 5 territory
- Benguerra Island, home to 140 bird species and rare dugong
- Scuba diving and snorkelling at Two Mile Reef
- Dhow (traditional sailboat) cruises on the Indian Ocean
Best Suited For:
- Families
- Groups
5. Cape Town, the Winelands and Kruger's Big 5: An Unforgettable City & Safari trip
Duration:
- 11 days
Destinations:
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Franschhoek, Cape Winelands, South Africa
- Kruger National Park, South Africa
This 11-day adventure is set in private, fully serviced villas that suit groups and families, allowing you to explore South Africa’s best attractions at your own pace.
Blending plenty of rest and relaxation with hand-selected day tours, the itinerary takes in Cape Town, the Cape Winelands and Big 5 game viewing in the greater Kruger National Park.
This dream vacation was designed to be tailored by an Africa Safari Expert to fit your preferences and interests - consider this to be your inspiration for your South African holiday!
Trip Highlights:
- Private vacation villa accommodation throughout
- Taste vintages in the Cape Winelands
- Spot the Big 5 in the greater Kruger National Park
- Extremely luxurious and artfully decorated villas
- Ideal for multi-generational families
- Explore the heart of Cape Town and Zeitz MOCAA
- Views of Table Mountain and Robben Island
Best Suited For:
- Gourmets
- Family
- Friends
6. A Romantic Vacation in Cape Town, Kruger & KwaZulu-Natal
Duration:
- 13 days
Destinations:
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Stellenbosch, Cape Winelands, South Africa
- Timbavati Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Phinda Private Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Spend 13 days journeying from one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature to South Africa’s first World Heritage Site, with a premier Big 5 safari in between. Begin your holiday at a hotel on the slopes of Table Mountain, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Town’s Blue Flag beaches. Then spend a few days at the exquisite Delaire Graff, one of the top wine estates in South Africa, before heading off to Timbavati to spot the Big 5 as well as giraffe, spotted hyena and rare wild dog. If you’re looking for diverse game viewing, then this is one of the best luxury Kruger safaris. Your last few days will be spent at a zen-like forest lodge in the wildlife-diverse Phinda Private Game Reserve, located on the country’s subtropical Indian Ocean coast. This itinerary demonstrates the country’s diverse offerings and is a great example of why South Africa is such a fantastic tourist destination.
Trip Highlights:
- Facilities and service at the Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa
- Azure restaurant’s fine dining and panoramic views
- Cape Town’s beaches, Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront
- Delaire Graff Estate’s superb wines, fantastic dining and exceptional spa
- Big 5 viewing and night game drives in a private game reserve
- River views from Ngala Tented Camp
- Guided walks and rhino tracking excursions from Phinda Forest Lodge
Best Suited For:
- Couples
- Honeymooners
7. A Private Adventure from Kruger to Zambia
Duration:
- 12 days
Destinations:
- Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Zambia
- South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Ideal as a luxurious family getaway or an indulgent honeymoon with a difference, this safari is all about outstanding service, exquisite cuisine, stunning lodges and game viewing in phenomenal wilderness areas. Journey from South Africa’s home of the Big 5 to the untamed birthplace of guided walking safaris. Throw in a stay at a wonderful lodge on the Zambezi River just upstream from the colossal Victoria Falls, and you have a Kruger National Park safari itinerary that’s hard to beat.
Trip Highlights:
- Londolozi Pioneer Camp, an intimate lodge with superb river views
- Predator sightings in Sabi Sands Game Reserve
- Spot-lit night drives and guided walking safaris
- Thorntree River Lodge’s excellent proximity to Victoria Falls
- Sunset boat cruises on the Zambezi River
- Big game viewing in South Luangwa National Park
- Incredible riverside setting at Chinzombo
Best Suited For:
- Families
- Couples
- Adventurous travellers
8. Cape Town & Kruger's Finest
Duration:
- 9 days
Destinations:
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park, South Africa
Experience world-class cuisine and sample award-winning wines in South Africa’s diverse Mother City, Cape Town. Then experience sheer luxury and drink in unrivalled Big 5 sightings at two of the best luxury lodges in Kruger National Park. If you’re looking for an unforgettable honeymoon in Africa, look no further than this luxury Kruger National Park safari.
Trip Highlights:
- Award-winning service and fine dining at Cape Grace
- Tours of Table Mountain, Cape Point and Cape Winelands
- Fine dining and famed wine cellar at Singita Boulders Lodge
- Big 5 encounters – especially leopard – in Sabi Sands Game Reserve
- Spa treatments at Singita Lebombo Lodge
Best Suited For:
- Discerning travellers
- Gourmets
- Couples
- Honeymooners
9. The African Hat Trick: Wildebeest Migration, Big 5 & Cape Town
Duration:
- 11 days
Destinations:
- Masai Mara, Kenya
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Sabi Sands, Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Cape Town, South Africa
See multiple and iconic blockbusters from the comfort of luxurious safari lodges and hotels. Visit three outstanding African destinations in 11 days: the Masai Mara, Kruger National Park and Cape Town. Start with sensational game viewing in Kenya’s flagship Masai Mara, the stage for the action-packed Wildebeest Migration. Move to the iconic Kruger for unbeatable Big 5 game viewing in Sabi Sands, one of South Africa’s top private game reserves. Then cap your luxury Kruger safari in one of the most popular tourist destinations in world, Cape Town.
Trip Highlights:
- Excellent game viewing in the Masai Mara
- Kichwa Tembo Camp’s pool with the best view in the Mara
- The Great Migration between about August and November
- Superb culinary experience at Dulini River Lodge
- Exceptional Big 5 sightings in Sabi Sands Game Reserve
- Acclaimed service and fine dining at Cape Grace
- Table Mountain, Cape Point and Cape Winelands
Best Suited For:
- Couples
- Adventurous travellers
10. A Luxury Kruger & Kalahari Safari for the Family
Duration:
- 10 days
Destinations:
- Kapama Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa
The emphasis of this safari is on exquisite service, exceptional cuisine and unsurpassed relaxation. At Jabulani Safari Lodge – a Relais & Chateaux property in the Kruger’s Kapama Game Reserve – you and your family will have access to the open-air Therapy Lapa spa, gym and sauna. Plus, a special children-only programme will introduce under-12s to the many exciting secrets of the African bush. Enjoy game drives in search of the iconic Big 5 as well as exhilarating walking safaris with your ranger and guide. A true highlight of this Kruger National Park safari is the soul-stirring interaction you’ll have with the Jabulani Herd: rescued and orphaned elephants that have matured over time to become a very close-knit family group. More incredible wildlife experiences await in the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, where you’ll stay at the sensational Motse, an award-winning lodge situated on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. Explore the beautiful and surprisingly diverse landscapes of Tswalu, home to lion, cheetah, giraffe, buffalo, and both white and black rhino.
Trip Highlights:
- Exceptional safari cuisine
- Big 5 game viewing
- Jabulani Safari Lodge, a Relais & Chateaux member
- Team Tusker, a dedicated group of rangers who facilitate special children-only programmes
- Meaningful interactions with rescued elephants
- The Motse at Tswalu, an award-winning luxury lodge
- Seeing Kalahari rarities like bat-eared fox and aardvark
Best Suited For:
- Families with children
Ready to Start Planning Your Kruger National Park Safari?
Are you inspired by any of the above luxury Kruger safaris? We’ve been tailor-making dream holidays in Africa for thousands of travellers since 1998. Get in touch with one of our Africa Safari Experts to help you plan a Kruger National Park safari to suit your personal travel wishes: