Kruger & Panorama Route
£1,500
/per person
- Recommended 8-12 Days
Where this route takes you
Spot the Big Five! This itinerary offers one of the convenient and most rewarding ways to see Africa’s iconic wildlife up close. Kruger National Park is exceptionally accessible, making it ideal for self-drive safaris, while its well-equipped rest camps also provide the option of guided game drives led by experienced rangers. Just outside the park, the town of Hoedspruit is perfectly geared for visitors, with a great selection of bars, cafés, and restaurants. It also provides easy access to many nearby private reserves that cater to a range of budgets – perfect should you wish to add a lodge stay to your itinerary.
Just a short drive from the park gates lies the stunning Blyde River Canyon, best explored via the scenic Panorama Route. With several viewpoints along the way, our personal favourite being the Three Rondavels – a breathtaking vista that truly captures the scale and beauty of the region.
Thanks to the excellent infrastructure, this route is easily navigable in a regular rental car or a 4×4, making it flexible and convenient for all travellers.
As with all our itineraries, this trip can be extended or tailored to fit your travel style, allowing more or less time in Kruger and the surrounding areas to suit your plans and budget.
| Landing at OR Tambo Airport gives you several options for starting your adventure. You can spend a night at a nearby airport hotel to recover from your flight and prepare for the journey ahead, or venture into Johannesburg to explore the city’s vibrant culture, browse its shops, or enjoy a meal at one of its many restaurants. Either way, this is where you’ll collect your fully equipped overlanding vehicle. For those eager to hit the road immediately, you can pick up your rental car and begin your overland adventure without delay. |  |
| This charming mountain village is the perfect stopover to break up the drive to the Kruger area. Known as South Africa’s fly-fishing capital, Dullstroom is a great place to try your hand at trout fishing in its clear mountain streams and dams. Nature lovers can visit the local bird of prey rehabilitation centre, where you’ll get up close to eagles, hawks, and owls while learning about conservation efforts. If you’d rather take it easy, settle into one of the cosy pubs or the local brewery, sample a craft beer, and soak in the sweeping views of the surrounding hills and valleys. |  |
An early start is recommended to make the most of your first day in Kruger National Park. The drive to the Malalane Gate in the southern part of the park is relatively short, giving you plenty of time to ease into your first game drive. This region of Kruger is teeming with wildlife and, in our experience, offers some of the best chances to spot white rhinos and even the elusive cheetah. The landscape here is lush and varied, with winding rivers and open savannahs that make for excellent wildlife viewing. Take your time as you enter the park because you never know what you might see within the first few kilometres. There are numerous accommodation options throughout Kruger at each of the rest camps. Whether you prefer pitching a tent, staying in a private bungalow, or choosing a more luxurious option for the night, Kruger has accommodation to suit every style and budget. |  |
| Your time in Kruger really is what you make of it. The park has a wide range of rest camps to choose from, each offering a slightly different experience. Skukuza is one of our favourites and a perfect base for your second night in the park. As the largest rest camp in Kruger, it has great facilities, a riverside setting, and easy access to some of the best game viewing roads in Kruger. The surrounding area is one of the most reliable spots in all of Africa to see the Big Five. Early morning and late afternoon drives often reward visitors with sightings of lions lounging near the river, herds of elephants crossing the roads, and leopards draped lazily over tree branches. Buffalo and rhinos are also frequently spotted here, and the area is excellent for birdwatching, with everything from fish eagles to colourful bee-eaters. Rise early, pack your binoculars, and prepare for a day full of wildlife encounters. |  |
Slowly making your way north through the park, exploring different routes, tracks, hides, and picnic spots, you will come across several rest camps including Orpen and Satara. This area offers excellent game viewing, with open grasslands that attract zebra, wildebeest, and grazing giraffe and the lions and cheetahs that follow them. Known as big cat country, this region is famous for frequent lion, leopard, and cheetah encounters, along with large herds of plains game like buffalo, impala, and kudu. There are many camps in this area that are ideally located to stay the night and cook dinner under the stars or enjoy a meal at the camp restaurants. As night falls, the distant roars of lions and the sounds of the bush will remind you that you are deep in the wild heart of Kruger. |  |
Heading further north, Letaba Rest Camp is a great spot for lunch and a cool drink after a full morning of wildlife spotting. Letaba is is also well known for its Elephant Hall Museum. By now, you will have spent countless hours watching Kruger’s elephants, but here you can learn more about their history and appreciate their size at the impressive ivory display. As you continue into the far northern reaches of the park, the scenery changes. Mopane woodlands, riverine forests, and remote open spaces replace the dense southern bush. Punda Maria is a quieter camp surrounded by thick vegetation that attracts incredible birdlife and regular sightings of big game, including elephants and buffalo, while the Pafuri region, near the Limpopo River, is famed for its fever tree forests, floodplains, exceptional birdwatching, and the occasional glimpse of elusive leopards and other big cats. |  |
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Leaving the park you'll next head for the tourist friendly town of Hoedspruit. Known as the gateway to Kruger, this small but bustling town has everything you need to rest, relax and restock after your Big Five adventures. Several great local bars, restaurants, cafes and craft shops, we know this area inside out and so we have a long list of recommendations for your time here. If you chose to do so we can arrange for you to extend your stay here and book yourselves into one of the many local lodges and private games reserves for some more wildlife viewing. |
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The first stop on your trip along the Panorama Route is arguably the most impressive. Three Rondevals offers an incredible view of the world's third largest canyon. This area perfectly demonstrates South Africa's incredible diversity of landscapes. Just a short drive from the bushveld of Kruger you'll be forgiven for thinking you've just landed in the red rocks of the American west. There a plenty more stunning views to admire along this route which can comfortably be seen in one day or alternatively stop overnight nearby to really appreciate this stunning region, maybe even taking a boat ride along the base of the canyon. If you chose to do so we can arrange for you to extend your stay here and book yourselves into one of the many local lodges and private games reserves for some more wildlife viewing. |
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Completing your trip, you'll head back to Johannesburg and return your hire vehicle. The drive back is achievable in one day or can be split up with an overnight stop. We highly recommend a guided cultural tour of Soweto, once home of both Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, before heading home or onto the next of your African adventures! |
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Included
- All accommodation
- Specialist vehicle hire
- Insurance for 2 drivers
- Camping and off-roading equipment
- Expert advice and support before and during your trip
- Comprehensive itinerary document including detailed route maps and must see recommendations.
Excluded
- International and domestic flights
- Fuel
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Personal travel insurance
- Food and drinks (unless specified at accomodation)
