All inclusive BIG 5 Kruger 2 Day Safari from Johannesburg

Wild animals make the long road worthwhile. This two-day safari combines Johannesburg transfers, an overnight stay near Kruger, and two open-vehicle drives, making it a practical choice if you have limited time in South Africa. I especially like the early morning drive, when the park opens to cool air, soft light, and animals returning from their night activity. I also like that the tour keeps the group to a maximum of 15 people.

The main drawback is the amount of time spent on the road. The journey from Johannesburg to the Hazyview area takes about four hours each way, so this is a compact safari, not a leisurely park holiday. The package also has mixed information about dinner and the lodge name, so you should confirm those details before departure.

Key points to know before booking

• Two game drives with different moods: You get a three-hour afternoon drive on day one and a four-hour morning drive on day two.
• A 5:30 am start matters: The early departure aims to get you into Kruger at about 6:00 am, a useful time for spotting active predators and other wildlife.
• The Big Five are possible, not promised: One visitor saw four of the five, while another saw all four except the lion. Nature sets the schedule.
• Open vehicles offer better views: The safari truck provides broad sight lines and a sturdy ride for photography and animal watching.
• Transport removes much of the hassle: Pickup is available from Johannesburg hotels, the airport, or Pretoria, with return to Johannesburg around 4:00 pm on day two.
• Check the meal and lodge details: Breakfast, bottled water, and two lunches are listed as included, but dinner information conflicts, and the accommodation name may vary.

Why this short Kruger safari works

Kruger National Park is too large to see properly in a quick visit. Still, this tour gives you a useful first taste without requiring you to arrange a car, park entry, accommodation, meals, and safari vehicles on your own.

You spend one night near Hazyview, then enter the park twice. That timing is important. The first drive lets you see Kruger in the afternoon, while the second begins before sunrise. These are not identical outings squeezed into two days. The heat, light, and animal activity can change sharply between them.

I like this setup for a first visit from Johannesburg. You avoid the work of driving a long distance on unfamiliar roads, and you get a trained safari guide in an open vehicle. The 15-person maximum also keeps the group smaller than a large coach outing, though the actual group size can vary.

The tour has a listed price of $722.68 per person. That is not a bargain-basement day trip, but the price covers major pieces of a short safari: round-trip transport, accommodation, two game drives, bottled water, breakfast, and two lunches. You are paying for convenience as much as for wildlife.

The value is strongest if you have only two days and want a planned route. It is less compelling if you already have transport, accommodation, and a longer Kruger stay arranged. With only seven hours of game driving, you should think of this as an introduction rather than a full park expedition.

The four-hour road trip from Johannesburg

The pickup begins around 7:00 am from Johannesburg hotels or the airport. Pretoria pickup is also offered, although the detailed schedule focuses on Johannesburg, so confirm the exact meeting point and time before setting off.

The first road leg takes about four hours to the Hazyview area in Mpumalanga. This is a substantial part of the trip. You may find the ride easy if you enjoy watching South Africa pass by and talking with the driver, but it will feel long if your main goal is time inside Kruger.

The drivers receive some of the strongest praise in the available feedback. Nic is described as friendly and well informed, with a gift for explaining South African history, culture, plants, and wildlife during the drive. Tabu is also praised for being kind, informative, and attentive from hotel pickup through the return journey.

Those details matter because the driver is not just handling a transfer. You spend roughly eight hours on the road across the two days, and a calm, capable driver can make that time far more comfortable. One group also had the option of stopping for food choices such as Spur or Nando’s, though the exact stop can depend on the day.

The schedule lists the first pickup at 7:00 am, but one person had to call on the morning of departure to confirm the time. I recommend checking the pickup details the day before. That small step can prevent a rushed start, especially if you are leaving from the airport.

Hazyview accommodation and the overnight pause

The overnight accommodation is described as Tembo Guest Lodge in the tour details. Some feedback refers to Umbhaba, so the exact property may depend on the operating arrangement or the departure date. Confirm the lodge name, room setup, and dinner arrangements when you book.

The overnight stop is useful because it breaks up the long Johannesburg to Kruger journey. You are not asked to complete the drive, take a safari, and immediately return in one exhausting day. Instead, you arrive in the Hazyview area before the afternoon park outing.

The accommodation receives warm praise for comfort, food, and its dinner selection. That is good news after a road journey and an afternoon in an open vehicle. Still, the meal details need checking because the package lists dinner under included items but also says dinner is not included. Alcohol is specifically excluded.

The best approach is simple: ask what dinner covers before departure. You may need to pay for the evening meal yourself, even though another part of the information lists dinner as included. Bottled water is included, and breakfast is provided, with a pre-packed breakfast mentioned for the morning safari.

The first three-hour drive into Kruger

The first game drive begins at about 2:00 pm and lasts roughly three hours. This is a pleasant introduction because you enter the park in afternoon light rather than rushing straight into a pre-dawn start.

The guide focuses on the Big Five: lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. You also search for other animals, with water holes serving as useful places to pause. Animals often come to drink in turns, so these stops can reward patience.

The guide also watches the bush for cats that may be lying low. That is an important part of safari viewing. Elephants and buffalo are easier to notice, while lions and leopards can disappear into grass, shade, or thick vegetation. A good guide helps you understand where to look, but no guide can order a leopard onto the road.

Given receives especially strong praise for his work inside the park. He is described as friendly, attentive, and highly familiar with Kruger’s roads, animals, and plant life. His explanations add substance to the drive, turning an animal sighting into a lesson about behavior and habitat.

The open vehicle is a real advantage. It gives you a wide view in several directions and makes it easier to follow movement across the bush. One person described the truck as sturdy, with excellent viewing positions. You should still expect sun, dust, wind, and changing temperatures, particularly on the early drive.

The first afternoon may produce several major sightings, or it may bring only smaller animals and distant movement. That uncertainty is not a weakness in the guide’s effort. A safari is wildlife watching, not a zoo visit. The strongest reason to book this trip is the chance to see animals in a natural setting, not a guarantee of a complete Big Five checklist.

The 5:30 am morning safari

Day two begins early. You leave at about 5:30 am to reach the park around 6:00 am, then spend about four hours on the morning drive.

This is the most valuable part of the schedule for many people. The air is cooler, the sunrise adds color to the park, and nocturnal animals may still be active. The schedule specifically points to cats returning from hunting and hyenas finishing their scavenging. These are exactly the kinds of encounters that make the early alarm worthwhile.

You stop at Skukuza camp for the pre-packed breakfast. That gives you a planned pause after the first stretch of driving, rather than asking you to wait until the return journey. Breakfast is listed as included, and two lunches are also included in the package information.

The morning drive lasts an hour longer than the afternoon outing. That extra time improves your chances simply because you cover more roads and can wait longer when an interesting sighting appears. It does not guarantee lions or leopards, but it gives the guide more room to search.

One person saw four of the Big Five during the two-day experience. Another saw the big four and noted that the guide worked hard to find lions, even though wildlife cannot be scheduled. That is a useful way to set expectations: seeing four major species can be an excellent result, while missing one or more is entirely possible.

If you are not comfortable with early starts, this tour may feel demanding. The morning begins before sunrise, and the same day includes the return to Johannesburg. For wildlife lovers, I think the early start is worth it. For anyone who wants a relaxed holiday pace, a longer stay near Kruger would be kinder.

The return to Johannesburg by about 4:00 pm

After the four-hour morning safari, the group begins the drive back. The return journey takes around four hours, with a lunch stop at Belfast before the final drop-off.

The stated arrival time is around 4:00 pm at Johannesburg hotels or the airport. That timing is helpful for planning, but I would avoid booking a tight onward flight or appointment without checking the transport details. Road conditions, park exit timing, and the lunch stop can affect the day.

The return transfer also makes this experience practical for people using Johannesburg as a base. You do not need to rent a car or work out how to reach the park on your own. The trade-off is that the day is long: an early safari, a meal stop, and a full drive back.

Guide quality and group size

The people leading the trip are a major part of its value. Nic is repeatedly praised for his conversation, driving, and explanations during the long road sections. Tabu also receives praise for being friendly and informative. Given is singled out for his effort and skill inside Kruger.

That division of roles makes sense. The Johannesburg transfer driver needs to keep you comfortable and informed over long distances. The safari guide needs to read animal behavior, understand the park roads, and explain what you see. On this trip, both parts receive strong marks.

The group limit is 15 people. That is small enough to feel more personal than a full-size coach, but it is not a private safari. If the vehicle is full, you may need to share the best viewing angles and wait while others take photographs.

A fortunate scheduling error once resulted in a private experience for one person, but that should not shape your expectations. Book this as a small-group tour, not as a private vehicle. If you need complete control over stops and seating, ask the operator about a private option.

What the $722.68 price really buys

At $722.68 per person, this safari is an investment. The price includes the parts that are often awkward to arrange separately:

• Pickup and return from Johannesburg or Pretoria
• Transport to and from the Hazyview area
• One night of accommodation
• Two open-vehicle game drives
• Breakfast
• Two lunches
• Bottled water

The package also gives you a guide, organized park visits, and a route that fits into two days. That is valuable for a first-time visitor who does not want to manage every detail.

The price feels harder to justify if you are already staying near Kruger or can arrange a cheaper self-drive visit. You also need to clarify dinner, since the information is inconsistent. Alcohol is not included, so budget separately for drinks and any meal that the operator confirms as excluded.

The high rating, listed at 4.9 from 11 ratings with 100 percent recommending it, supports the tour’s strong reputation. Still, the sample is small, and wildlife sightings will always vary. I would treat the rating as a sign of reliable service, not proof that every person will see all five major species.

Who should book this safari?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors based in Johannesburg, people with only two days available, and anyone who prefers having transport and park outings arranged in one package. It also suits nature lovers who care more about seeing wildlife than about luxury facilities.

The tour works well for solo visitors, couples, and small groups who like meeting others but do not want a large coach. A group of five work friends found the road trip comfortable and appreciated the flexibility around food stops.

You should think twice if you dislike long drives, early mornings, or uncertain wildlife sightings. Families and older visitors should also consider the four-hour road legs and the pre-dawn departure before booking. The tour is active and tightly scheduled, even though the safari itself is not physically strenuous.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book the two-day Kruger trip?

Book this safari if your time is short and you want a clear, organized route from Johannesburg to Kruger. The strongest reasons are the two different game drives, the open vehicle, the helpful transfer drivers, and the early morning entry into the park.

Do not book it expecting a guaranteed Big Five score or a slow, luxury safari. You are paying for access and convenience, then spending a lot of time on the road. Confirm the lodge name, dinner, pickup time, and airport return plan before paying. If those details suit your schedule, this is a strong two-day introduction to Kruger.

FAQ

Where does the safari begin?

Pickup is offered from Johannesburg hotels or the airport, and Pretoria pickup is also available. The stated start time is 7:00 am.

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts about two days. The first drive from Johannesburg to the Hazyview area takes about four hours, and the return journey also takes about four hours.

How many game drives are included?

Two game drives are included. The first lasts about three hours in the afternoon, and the second lasts about four hours in the morning.

What time does the morning safari begin?

The morning safari begins at about 5:30 am, with entry into Kruger planned for around 6:00 am.

Is the safari conducted in an open vehicle?

Yes. The safari drives use an open vehicle, providing broad views for wildlife watching.

Are meals included?

Breakfast and two lunches are listed as included. The information about dinner conflicts, so confirm whether dinner is covered before departure. Alcohol is not included.

Is bottled water provided?

Yes. Bottled water is included.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 15 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience begins. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.