Let's face it, travel to Africa (under which South Africa) is generally considered expensive in the Netherlands. Indeed, a trip to South Africa will cost more than a week in an all-inclusive hotel Turkey. It is a lot further to fly and the safaris and lodges generally cost a lot of money. But did you know that you can also discover South Africa with a smaller budget? In this article I will share tips with you about the most beautiful sight in the country: Kruger National Park and how you can do that with a small budget.
This blog is also full of lots of self-made animal photos to give you an impression of what you see and maybe even take you to Kruger a bit…
Plan your holiday to Africa here
- Itineraries you can compare + request quotes Africaplus, Africa tailor-made, Djoser, king monkey, rickshaw travel, sawadee en shoestring.
- Flight tickets for Africa you book through Skyscanner.
- Hostels, Hotels and Resorts in Africa you book Booking.com.
- Rental cars : Sunnycars en rental cars.
- Tours and Activities in Africa you book through GetYourGuide.
- travel items such as suitcases, bags and more you can buy at Bol.com.
- SIM cards for Africa you buy extra International sim.
- Parking at the airport you can arrange via Parkos, park care of iParking.
About Kruger Park
Kruger Park is perhaps the most famous safari park in Africa. If you search for Kruger Park in Google maps, you will have to zoom out a bit to see the whole park. The park covers an area of 20.000 km². It extends from the most north-eastern tip of South Africa to almost Swaziland about 380 kilometers away. The east side is adjacent Mozambique.
In Kruger you will find a lot of animal species. 148 species of mammals, 505 species of birds, 118 species of reptiles, 53 species of fish and 35 amphibians. Moreover, the nature in the park is beautiful! Most tourists go there to spot the 'Big Five'. The lion, the leopard, the African elephant, the rhinoceros and the buffalo. You will easily encounter buffaloes and elephants, for the other animals you will have to make a little more effort…
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Access
The park has five entrances on the south side, two on the north side and two in the middle section. You pay an entrance fee at the gate, unless it is included in your organized tour or trip. For an adult, the day entrance is 460 South African rand (approximately 24 euros). People who live in South Africa or one of the other countries in southern Africa pay less.
Most lodges are located on the southwest side of the park. That's why most people drive through Numbi gate (Location here) On Paul KrugerGate (Location here) into the park. You can also expect the most crowds there.
In the park it is mandatory to keep driving on the roads and it is not allowed to get out. You can only leave the car in one of the camps in the park, which are closed off with fences to protect people and animals. In these camps you will find shops, restaurants, toilets and lodges. Comfortable on safari!
Game drive or self drive
Many game drives are offered in and around Kruger. A game drive means that a guide takes you in a jeep. With his/her experience, the chance of encountering wildlife is greater. Of course he/she knows what to look out for and where to find the animals. You don't have to drive yourself, you can look around you and receive a lot of information about the animals during the ride. This way you can optimally enjoy the park.
Driving yourself (self drive) is a lot cheaper and that is easy to do in Kruger. You drive on the same roads as the game drives. The chance of encountering animals is still high, but there are animals that are very good at hide and seek. The chance that you will spot a leopard, for example, is very small. Fortunately, there are also places in the park where the animals gather and where searching is not even necessary.
Tip: With a self-drive, look at where other cars or safari vehicles are standing still and where the people in the car are looking. They probably have an animal in mind.
Stay in Kruger Park
In the park
It is possible to stay in Kruger Park in one of the 19 camps. However, you will have to dig deep into your pockets for this, because one night will cost you at least a few hundred euros. They are beautiful luxury and green lodges. I will of course also talk about the budget options, but for enthusiasts and dreamers I have some suggestions for lodges in the park below. Especially the hotel-in-the-old-train is a very beautiful, unique experience. Maybe one little night?
- Kruger Shalati – Train on the Bridge & Garden Suites. Click here for prices and availability.
- Jack Safari Lodge. Click here for prices and availability.
- Sweni Lodge 91 Mjejane Kruger Park. Click here for prices and availability
At the park
There are of course also many lodges around Kruger, especially in the mid-west and south-west.
Many lodges that are adjacent to Kruger have their own piece of land, with beautiful nature and animals, just like in the park. You can then just enjoy the Kruger area from your own lodge.
Remark: We do not recommend staying at lodges that offer activities in which there is interaction between humans and animals. Or to do this kind of activity in the Kruger area. Unfortunately it still exists…
Animals are not on earth for our entertainment. As long as it makes money, this form of animal abuse (taking an animal from the wild) will be maintained. It is wise to find this out in advance.
On the other hand, there are many animal rehabilitation centers, where you can get close to the animals. They are committed to returning animals to the wild in good health and your contribution will help with this. An example of this is Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre.
Midwest
In and around the place Hazyview (Location here) the prices for overnight stays vary widely. The cheapest options can be found at guesthouses and hotels, where you can stay for about 30 to 100 euros per night. There are also luxury lodges, where prices are more between 200 and 300 per night. Below you will find some affordable and fine options near Hazyview.
- Bergdale Cottages. Here they have luxurious, affordable, clean houses in a pleasant location. Close to Kruger and close to shops, restaurants etc. click here for prices and availability.
- Thulamela Couples Retreat has romantic chalets with jacuzzi and breakfast. Click here for prices and availability.
- Shingalana Guest House is only a 10 minute drive from Kruger Park. They have a nice garden with outdoor swimming pool. Click here for prices and availability.
South West
The south-west is less popular, probably because you are from Johannesburg will have more travel time to this destination. The road goes towards Mozambique and many coal trucks drive on this road, which sometimes makes driving more difficult. Still, it's worth it for budget travellers, as there are many great-value accommodations to be found in Marlot Park.
It is also by the river and many animals come to visit the lodges in the park. We stayed with Serenity Du Bois Lodge. Here I watched from the pool warts, kudus, beautiful birds and much more… They even have bush babies (also known as nagapies / galagos) on the property! These super cute nocturnal animals occasionally show themselves during the day, see photo below.
Below I give some nice options for staying in Marloth Park.
- Kruger Private Lodge has clean, spacious rooms with a terrace with a nice view of the river. Click here for prices and availability.
- Bushbuck Chalets offers simple, clean apartments for a smaller budget. You can quietly admire the animals in the garden. Click here for prices and availability.
Budget tip: Serenity Du Bois Lodge is a 'self-catering' lodge, as you often find in South Africa. This also allows you to save a lot of money during your trip. Outside Marloth Park Komati gate (Location here) is a Spar supermarket, where you will find everything you need.
In Marlot Park you will also find some small shops, a liquor store and a number of restaurants. Eating out is not expensive, so you don't have to cook yourself every night.
Also read: What is the best camera for a world tour? And why?
Travel to Kruger
Johannesburg
Despite the rising prices of airline tickets in recent years, flying to South Africa seems to be becoming increasingly affordable. If you go to Kruger the international airport is from Johannesburg, OR Tambo, relatively close. You can start your tour from Johannesburg and of course end there. From the airport it is a 4/5 hour drive to your accommodation in or outside Kruger Park.
Tip: Do you not want to have to drive for a long time immediately after a long flight or do you want to relax before your flight back to the Netherlands?
Then book a night near the airport. There are plenty of options for this.
A good, affordable and actually quite luxurious option Premier Hotel OR Tambo (click here for prices and availability). You do not have to leave the hotel during your stay. You can eat affordable and it is fully equipped. They also have a free shuttle service to and from the airport.
We booked two nights here ourselves and were very satisfied with the hotel.
Book a flight
With Skyscanner you will soon be tempted to choose the Netherlands or Amsterdam as your starting point, but don't forget to see what you can save if you fly from Brussels or Dusseldorf. Unfortunately, it is still the case that you generally pay less if you opt for an indirect flight. A few years ago we booked our KLM flight from Brussels with a transfer in Amsterdam. This saved (don't be alarmed) 300 euros per person! And yes, we were still in exactly the same plane as if we flew directly from Amsterdam.
Now three years later we booked a similar flight only with British Airways via London. We flew from London in the mighty, extremely comfortable Airbus a380, the largest passenger plane in the world. Best of all? Again, we saved roughly 350 euros per person on the return flight to Johannesburg.
Below you can see what the (top floor) of this aircraft looks like. Very spacious in economy class with its own storage compartments next to your seat.
If you book the same flight directly from Amsterdam or London, you really pay a lot more. The logic behind this is hard to find, but the fact is that it saves a lot of money. Both KLM and British Airways fly with a detour (via Amsterdam, or via London) from Brussels to Johannesburg. The best you can this page from Skyscanner use to find those deals.
Also read: Skyscanner | How to save (a lot of) money on flights | 2023 UPDATE
Rent a car
The roads in South Africa are passable. Driving around with a car is therefore a very comfortable way to discover the country and Kruger. Not only to get there, but also to drive your safaris.
Don't be tempted to rent a 4×4. That is more expensive and unnecessary. Moreover, you are often not even allowed to go off the road with it. There are places where the roads are no longer paved, but your rental car can handle that. These roads are generally well maintained in South Africa.
Look below at rental cars and compare! Did you know that it saves a lot of money if you return your car at the same place you picked it up? And also not unimportant; Also check whether you are allowed to cross country borders by car and what is or is not included as standard.
Plan your vacation to America here
- Camper rental You can book this in combination with a tour Travelhome.
- Tours and Fly & drives compare to TUI, Americaplus, sawadee en Djoser.
- Flight tickets for America you book with TUI, KLM en Skyscanner.
- Rental cars : Sunnycars, Alamo en rental cars.
- Tours and Activities in America you book via GetYourGuide.
- Campsites in National Parks you book on RECREATION.gov.
- Travel insurance for America you will find at Allianz.
- Hotels & Resorts in America you can book with a discount Booking.com.
- SIM cards : USAsim en International sim.
- Parking at the airport you can arrange via Parkos, park care of iParking.
- travel items (suitcases, bags, world plugs, etc. can be ordered at Bol.com.
Continue traveling after Kruger
If you have visited beautiful Kruger, there are still plenty of options. The nearest is the Panorama Trail. Most travelers take this route before or after visiting Kruger. The name actually says it all, it is a route on which you will find one viewpoint after the other. Our blog about the Panorama Route is still in development.
You can also continue your way to the east coast of South Africa. Here you want the place St. Lucia not missing! This is a swamp area bordering the ocean. It is therefore particularly beautiful and rich in animals.
If you want to see even more of South Africa, it's a good idea to visit the Garden Route to drive and Kaapstad to visit. If you have a little more time, you can also visit the millions of elephants Botswana, the grandest waterfall is Zimbabwe, into the deserts Namibia and much more!
Closing comments
We were allowed to visit the park for a second time. We could stay there indefinitely. A visit to Kruger National Park Can't miss if you are going to make a tour through South Africa. You will marvel at the animals and the ease with which you can visit the beautiful park. Not only lovers of special game will be amazed here. Bird lovers and photo enthusiasts can also indulge themselves in this special environment.
