Upon arrival at Johannesburg airport you are met as you disembark from your flight by a representative who will hand over your travel documents before assisting you through customs and onwards to your connecting flight. You check in for your flight to Hoedspruit. Upon arrival at Hoedspruit airport you are collected and transferred to your safari lodge in the Greater Kruger Park. You check in and have time to settle in and relax before embarking on your first afternoon/evening game drive.

Flight time: Johannesburg to Hoedspruit Airport: approx. 1 hour

Transfer time: Hoedspruit Airport to Balule Game Reserve: approx. 1 hour

You have two nights on safari in this magnificent area. I have included the two night package at KuSungula which offers guests an afternoon/evening game activity on the day of arrival, a Full day safari into the Kruger Park on their second day and then a morning game activity before departure.

Balule Nature Reserve is a protected area in Limpopo Province, South Africa which forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park . As part of a wildlife conservation initiative, all fences separating APNR reserves – Balule, Timbavati, Klaserie, Umbabat, Grietjie Private Nature Reserve – and the Kruger National Park have been removed. The ecological benefits of this initiative has made the region a popular ecotourism destination and conservation efforts have ensured that the wildlife population includes all of the Big Five game: Lion, African Elephant, African Buffalo, African Leopard and Black Rhinoceros.

The Balule area of the Greater Kruger National Park initially consisted of several separate fenced game farms. In the early 1990s, landowners decided to remove the fences separating their properties in aid of conservation in order to increase the grazing area for the local wildlife and to diversify the animal gene pool. By the end of the decade, most Balule landowners had joined in the venture creating a much larger area for game to roam unhindered by fences, and hunting was curtailed. Balule was then incorporated into the Greater Kruger National Park as fences were dropped between Klaseire & Olifants Game Reserve.

Enjoy your last morning game drive and breakfast before you are collected and transferred to your safari lodge in Timbavati Game Reserve.

Arriving at your lodge in the early afternoon, you are met by the lodge members and a refreshing welcome drink before you are taken to your safari chalet for your two night stay. There is leisure time before you depart on your first afternoon game drive in the Timbavati Game Reserve.

You set off on your first afternoon game drive in the Timbavati Game Reserve. The Timbavati forms part of the two million hectare Greater Kruger National Park. It was the first private game reserve to be incorporated into the Kruger National Park and is part of one of Africa’s most innovative conservation partnership agreements. The Timbavati Game Reserve is 14 700 hectares (36 300 acres) and shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park.

Transfer time: Balule to Timbavati Game Reserve: approx. 1 – 1½ hours

You have two nights on safari in this magnificent area. Over those two nights you are taken on a total of four game drives.

Timbavati Game Reserve is situated on the Western boundary of the Kruger National Park and lies between the Klaserie, Umbabat, Manyeleti and Sabie Sands Reserves. In recent years, the fences separating Timbavati from the Kruger National Park were removed to form a pristine wilderness area of approximately four million hectares.

You enjoy your last morning game drive and breakfast before you are collected and transferred south to the your final safari lodge within the Kruger National Park.

The Kruger National Park was established in 1898 and is the oldest National Park in Africa. The 2-million hectare Park provides sanctuary to 147 mammal species, including the Big Five, as well as over 500 bird species. The Kruger National Park has more than its fair share of the Big Five, with an estimated 1,500 lion, 12,000 elephant, 2,500 buffalo, 1,000 leopards and 4,000 rhino. Cheetah, wild dog, spotted hyena, hippopotamus, giraffe, zebra, warthog and many antelope species are also regularly seen on game drives.

Transfer time: Timbavati Game Reserve to Lukimbi Safari Lodge: approx. 5 hours

You have three nights on safari at Lukimbi Safari Lodge. Over this time you will enjoy a total of six game drives.

Lukimbi Safari Lodge is situated in the game rich, southern section of the world renowned Kruger National Park. Bounded by 3 major river systems, the extensive 15 000 hectare area offers a diverse array of habitats. Vast grasslands dominate the northern portion, whereas the southern and central areas are more heavily wooded and interspersed with lush riverine thickets.

This provides ideal habitat for large herds of zebra, wildebeest and other plains animals. White rhino enjoy the numerous pans and wallows, whilst the shyer and more elusive black rhino can be found in the more thickly wooded areas. Herds of buffalo roam through grasslands seeking the succulent grasses, before moving down to rivers to amble slowly through the reeds. Elephants can frequently be seen all over the concession and in the river in front of the lodge is a favourite place for them to spend hours at a time. Guests relaxing at the lodge pools can find themselves enthralled, watching elephant families equally enjoying their own pools, particularly if the families include endearing babies.

This morning you enjoy your last game drive and breakfast and then have a bit of free time before you are collected and transferred back to the Nelspruit Airport to Johannesburg.

Upon arrival at Johannesburg airport you head to international departures where you check in for your home.

You bid farewell to our beautiful area!