Budget Tips South Africa

How to Plan an Independent Safari in Kruger National Park

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

Going on an African Safari is an experience that features highly on almost everyone’s bucket lists. Most people cite it as a once in a lifetime experience- something that they’ll do when they win the lottery or when a rich relative kicks the bucket. However, getting out into The Bush doesn’t need to be expensive and it can be done independently on a budget.

On our trip to South Africa, we escaped Johannesburg for a few days and headed to Kruger National Park. Rather than going on an organised tour, we decided to do our own self-drive safari and it was easier to plan than you might think.

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

Due to the size of Kruger National Park, planning a safari there might seem overwhelming but there is no need to pay for a tour when you can do it yourself. Not only will you save a lot of money, you’ll enjoy the freedom and flexibility that comes with doing a self-drive. Plus, to make things easier for you, I’ve created this handy guide with everything you need to know!

These are the main steps you’ll need to take when planning your safari. You can use the following links to skip to each part easily!

 

Hiring a Car

Safari Kruger National Park South Africa Budget Independent Self Drive

Car hire in South Africa is extremely cheap and cheerful! You can pick up a car for as little as 250 ZAR ($20/£15) which is great if you’re on a budget. We drove around in Veeran’s family’s sedan however, I did wish we had a bit more height. For that reason, I recommend getting a 4WD if it’s within your budget. You’re not necessarily going to need it since the roads are well maintained, but the extra height will help you spot more wildlife.

Check out Thrifty for car rentals

Getting to Kruger

Kruger is easily accessible from both Durban and Johannesburg so I’d recommend pinning it somewhere between these two cities in your South Africa itinerary. If you’re doing a multi-country trip, you could put it between Durban and Mozambique!

Even if you’re planning to base yourself around Cape Town, it is possible to fly into Kruger Airport and hire a car from there. Flights cost around 2,300 ZAR (£130/$175) with a stop over in Johannesburg. It’s expensive but will save you hours of driving. There’s also one direct flight a day which will cost you much more. Have a look at kiwi.com for up to date flight prices.

Accommodation: Choosing and Booking Camps

Kruger is full of camp sites which have all the coffee shops, gift shops and restaurants you’ll ever need. Depending on your budget, you can stay in self-catering cottages, safari huts or even just pitch a tent. Some don’t have personal kitchens but there are always shared kitchen areas where you can prepare your own food (and of course, have a South African braai!)

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

Bear in mind, that you’ll constantly be driving less than 50km/h- much slower if you’re on dirt roads or trying to spot game. For this reason, I would recommend booking camps close together and not trying to cover too much ground in one day. It might be nice to even stay at the same camp for a few consecutive days and see that area in depth.

We drove to Kruger via Malelane Gate and stayed at Berg-en Dal, Pretoriouskop and Skukuza. The drive between each camp wasn’t too far, so we had no problem moving between each place. We exited the park from Paul Kruger Gate on our final night. This is a great itinerary if you’re coming in from Johannesburg and driving home through Mpumalanga like we did.

You can see a map of Kruger National Park here.

You can book your Kruger accommodation here.

Eating and Drinking

Every camp has its own restaurant- a lot of which have beautiful seating areas, perfect for spotting birds and wildlife. I recommend eating at a restaurant at least once or twice on your trip. For South African standards, these restaurants might be considered expensive but, by western standards, they’re a steal! All the food we tried was of a high standard. And, being in South Africa, the wine wasn’t bad either!

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

Aside from a couple of nice meals, I’d recommend bringing your own food and cooking for yourself. Regardless of whether you stay in a cottage with a fully equipped kitchen, or use the shared kitchens provided, the cooking facilities are sufficient enough. I was glad to have something filling and nutritious after a long day out spotting wildlife.

I’d also recommend bringing ingredients for quick, simple meals. We brought basic breakfast things like bread, eggs, cereal, tea, coffee and long-life milk. For dinners, we made stir fries, quick veggie curries, pasta dishes and salads.

Plus, since you’re in South Africa, you can’t forget your braai goodies! There are places to braai everywhere and a huge meat feast is most people’s meal of choice after a game drive. (We only had one once because I’m not a huge braai fan- sorry Vee!)

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

As for alcohol, you really can’t go wrong with a box of wine! Wine in South Africa is great value for money and the boxes aren’t bad at all. I don’t usually drink boxed wine but I was pleasantly surprised. Plus, it was nice not to have glass bottles clinking around in the car, scaring all the wildlife away.

Budget Breakdown

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

Here’s a look at how much you can expect to pay for things in Kruger.

Disclaimer: These are the average prices which are accurate, now, at the time of writing. Currency conversions are, of course, subject to change.

Hiring a Car

Car Hire (Basic, small car): 250 ZAR ($20/£15) per day

Car Hire (Large, 4WD): 600 ZAR ($46/£35) per day

Litre of Petrol: 13 ZAR ($1/£0.77)

Litre of Diesel: 12 ZAR ($0.90/$0.72)

I’m not a driver but the world wide web tells me you’ll probably go through about 10 litres of petrol per day. This is obviously dependent on your car.

Thrifty had the cheapest rates for car hire while we were in South Africa so I’d look there first for rentals.

Accommodation

Fully equipped, self-catering, 2 person bungalow: 1310 ZAR ($100/£78)

2 person hut with shared kitchen: 1205 ZAR ($93/£72)

2 person safari tent with access to shared kitchen: 600 ZAR ($46/£36)

Camping spot with access to shared kitchen: 305 ZAR ($18/£24)

You’ll need to book your accommodation through SANs Park here.

Eating and Drinking

In the Camp Restaurants:

Lunchtime Snack: 30 – 60 ZAR ($2.40-4.80/£1.80-3.60)

Dinner Main Course: 75 – 150 ZAR ($6-12/£4.50-£9)

Bottle of House Wine: 60 ZAR ($4.80/£3.60)

Buying Groceries:

3 Days worth of Groceries between 2 People: 200 ZAR ($18/£12)

3 Litre Box of Wine: 120 ZAR ($8.50/£7)

Bottle of Amarula: 120 ZAR ($8.50/£7)

Park Entry

Per day for a South African: 76 ZAR ($6/£4.50)

Per day for a foreigner: 304 ZAR ($18/£24)

Wild Card (1 year free entry to every National Park in South Africa) for a South African: 500 ZAR ($39/£30)

Wild Card for a foreigner: 2210 ZAR ($131/£171)

Check up to date park entry rates here.

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

Because I love doing my sums, I’ve worked this out for you and calculated what you can expect to pay in each price range.

Budget: camping in your own tent, preparing your own food and hiring a small car = 1355 ZAR ($105/£80) per day between 2 people.

Mid-range: staying in a safari tent, driving a 4WD and mainly preparing your own food, with a few meals out = 2128 ZAR ($175/£135) per day between 2 people.

Luxury: staying in a fully equipped bungalow, eating out at every meal and driving a 4WD = 3250 ZAR ($250/£195) per day between 2 people.

Obviously, if you manage to get two or three more people to tag along, you can cut down on car hire costs and save money by sharing accommodation, too. There are lots of family sized cottages which would be economical to share between 4 or 5 people.

A Kruger safari doesn’t need to be expensive if you bare bone it. After all, you’re there for the wild life, rather than the frills! But if you do want luxury, doing it yourself is still much better value than going on an organised safari which can cost thousands of pounds!

Hints and Tips

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

  • The park is open between 6am and 6pm every day. The rest of the time, you must stay in your camp.
  • The earlier you get up, the better since most predators are nocturnal. Sunset is also a great time for spotting wildlife.
  • Most people tend to drive early in the morning, take a long lunch break and then drive again in the late afternoon.
  • Most camps also offer early morning drives and night drives out with the usual park opening hours. I recommend doing at least one while you’re there. They’re reasonably priced and cost between 250 ZAR ($20/£15) and 350 ZAR ($27/£21) per person for a 2-3 hour drive. Your chances of seeing wildlife are much higher at these times and you’ll have the added advantage of a trained guide.

Kruger National Park South Africa

  • If you want to splash out on one thing, I’d make it a 4WD. Kruger National Park has really lush vegetation and you’ll be happy to have the extra height when trying to spot the elusive leopard!
  • Stock up on groceries outside Kruger National Park. There are supermarkets in the towns of Malalane and Nelspruit which are both close by and en route from Johannesburg. You can get things inside the park but the selection isn’t always great and prices are inflated.
  • Kruger is well equipped. You’ll find everything- petrol stations, ATMs and even swimming pools. It has it all so don’t think you’ll be deprived of much. I didn’t love this aspect of Kruger but the camps really are like their own city which is handy.
  • When you’re in the park, use the wildlife spotting board to see where other people have spotted animals over the past two days. You can use this to decide where you want to drive to. There’s also an app called Latest Kruger Sightings that you can use on the move!
  • If you want to upload photos of rhinos to social media, please don’t use any geotags. Rhino poaching is a huge problem in South Africa. Heartbreakingly, a rhino was killed by poachers while we were in the park. Even sadder is the fact that this happens on an almost bi-daily basis.
  • Kruger’s mosquitos are vicious and, unlike other parts of South Africa, the park has a high malaria risk. Speak to your doctor before you go and bring some anti-malaria tablets. At night, make sure you’re fully covered and don’t scrimp on the mosquito repellent!
  • I don’t leave the country without travel insurance, and neither should you. World Nomads is the most comprehensive policy money can buy.
  • You might never see these animals in your life so, if you can, bring a DSLR and an extra long lens.
  • Be patient and remember that nature is completely unpredictable. If you want to see the Big 5, you’ll need to go slow and keep your eyes open.
  • And, last but not least, for the love of God, don’t get out of your car in the middle of the park!

Essential Things to Pack for your Safari

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

These are a few of the things that will come in handy on your safari. You can click on any of the images or text links below to buy these items!

64GB SD Card

You’ll be taking lots of photos so a huge memory card is essential and will save you having to back up on the move.Long Lens

If you want those perfect wildlife shots, you’ll need a long lens! I never had one for my Sony A6000 but I wish I did. These are the best entry level zoom lenses for Canon and Nikon cameras.

Canon EF 70-200mm F/4 Telephoto Zoom Lens

Nikon EF 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G Zoom Lens


Binoculars

Binoculars are a must for spotting wildlife and something I recommend you buy before you go.

Mosquito repellent

Mozzies in Kruger are vicious so invest in a good quality, ALL NATURAL mosquito repellent.

Head torch

Whether or not you’re camping, a head torch always comes in handy for something!

Foldable Cooler Box

Since Kruger is warm most of the year, you’ll need a cooler box for lunches on the move. Bring a foldable one that won’t take up a lot of space in your luggage.

Kruger National Park Map

If you want to start planning your route before you go, it’s best to get an in-depth travel map like this one.


Books to read before you go!

Birds of South Africa

Veeran always gets annoyed at me for not caring about birds but you’ll see some amazing ones on safari. The lilac breasted roller is my favourite. Use this book to help you pick it out from the rest.

Animals of South Africa

Kruger is brimming with wildlife- there are a lot more animals than just the big 5! We were glad to have ours when we came across a rare type of buck.

Lonely Planet Guide to South Africa

The Lonely Planet South Africa came in very handy for us when we were travelling around the country but it also has a lot of information about the camps in Kruger National Park, too. If you’re planning a trip through Mpumalanga afterwards, you’ll find a lot of great travel tips here as well!

Jock of the Bushveld

If you’re looking for some fiction to get you in the mood, Mr Saffa himself (Veeran), tells me that this is the book of choice!


So, there you have it! I hope this guide has shown you how simple it is to book your own self-drive safari in South Africa. In a National Park like Kruger that’s so well beaten, there really is no need to spend all your money on a tour.

If you’re about to go on safari and there’s anything you want to know, leave me a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!

Let me know, is going on an African safari on your bucket list?

Pin it for Later!

safari south africa kruger national park independent budget plan self drive

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As always, I only link to products that I would recommend and use myself. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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  • Kavey Favelle
    22nd July 2017 at 2:41 pm

    Aaah wonderful, you take me back to our own self-drive in Kruger, gosh I just worked it out it was 13 years ago! We spent five weeks in South Africa, divided equally between Cape Town and the garden route, and then the East of the country from Hluhluwe-Imfolozi and St Lucia wetlands to Ndumo and Kruger. So magical. We loved staying in the self-catering chalets and tents within the various parks, making sure we stocked up at supermarkets as and when we could. And the thrill of identifying some of the lesser known birds and animals on our own from our guide books was just amazing!
    Kavey Favelle recently posted…Learning How To Make Sausages with Jenius SocialMy Profile

    • Nicole Louise
      22nd July 2017 at 6:29 pm

      That sounds like it must have been an amazing trip, Kavey!!

  • Olivia
    22nd July 2017 at 4:01 pm

    OOO! I never even realized you could do it all by yourself. That bust have been quite an experience seeing all of those amazing and wonderful animals.
    Olivia recently posted…See the enchanting sculptures in Gatineau, QuebecMy Profile

    • Nicole Louise
      22nd July 2017 at 6:29 pm

      Hi Olivia, yes it was definitely a highlight of my travels!

  • Brianna
    22nd July 2017 at 5:51 pm

    I didn’t even know it was possible to do a safari without a tour company! My biggest question is: is it still as safe? I feel like going out into the wild on your own without an expert could be a recipe for disaster! Do you have any safety tips to share?

    • Nicole Louise
      22nd July 2017 at 6:28 pm

      Hi Brianna, it’s perfectly safe as the park is set up for self-drive game viewing. Most South Africans go out there on their holidays. As long as you stick to the paths, stay in your car and only drive around when the camps open, it’s fine. There are so many other people out so it’s not really like being in the wild and it’s a national park so there are also park rangers 🙂

      • Kevin Keenan
        13th August 2019 at 10:18 pm

        Hi Nicole and Brianna, thanks for the well-written doccie and the publicity of this fantastic aspect of The Best Place on Earth – where my soul resides. such a wonderful reminder of the many-times-a-year excursions my wife and i did every year, before relocating to England. All great information, to which I’d like to add – respect the animals. I have seen people out of their car (against which you do advise, thanks) but with their naive explanation that, ‘we only want to photograph these buck, zebra, tortoise etc etc’ or, ‘we won’t go far into the bush’ or’that elephant LOOKS docile enough’. Other than great, thanks and enjoy your respective travels, Ladies.

  • Sabine
    22nd July 2017 at 6:48 pm

    I have done so many safaris in Kruger, and this list ticks off all you need to know for a self drive. Love the photos and love it that you enjoyed Kruger as much as I have always done. It’s a great place for a safari.

    • Nicole Louise
      22nd July 2017 at 6:57 pm

      Thanks so much Sabine! Kruger is awesome. Luckily, my boyfriend is South African so I’ll surely return again one day 🙂

  • Penny
    22nd July 2017 at 7:04 pm

    Wow! Your photographs are amazing. I had to smile when I read that you have to travel at 50 km/hr or slower. It’s something that we take for granted in India. Sigh! How I miss the roads in a more well planned country.

  • Amanda
    22nd July 2017 at 7:17 pm

    I’d never thought of doing a DIY safari and it never occurred to me that it would be safe to, but this sounds amazing thanks for sharing

  • Wendy
    23rd July 2017 at 5:56 pm

    This is the first time I’ve learned that you can self drive for a safari experience. And then you have your boyfriend to rely on since he knows the place well. Congrats on the experience albeit the wish for a bigger car. Your post is very helpful for those who would want to have the same experience but are still clueless how to do it.
    Wendy recently posted…Remarkable Friendship Made Through MyRockingCradle.comMy Profile

  • Nathan Anderson
    24th July 2017 at 3:28 pm

    Awesome tips! I’ve always dreamed of going on safari, but it’s always seemed like a super expensive endeavor. Nice to know there is a budget option! Can’t wait to make it to SA and check out Kruger for myself someday.

    I love that shot of the hyena lounging by the road. Did you see many of them?
    Nathan Anderson recently posted…Best Credit Cards and Checking Accounts for TravelMy Profile

  • Shelley
    25th July 2017 at 2:26 am

    Great round-up! We did a safari in the Serengeti but went the fully guided, private route, and stayed in a full service tented camp with hot showers and flushing toilets right in the Park. There were giraffes and wildebeest around us all night long, and it an incredible experience, but yes, insanely expensive and probably once in a life-time. We also visited South Africa at that time, but didn’t go to Kruger cuz we had the Serengeti already planned, but if we ever make it back – I’ll def go the independent route. Even doing it top end, it looks very affordable!
    Shelley recently posted…How to Survive a Super-Hot, Super-Humid Seoul SummerMy Profile

  • Hallie
    25th July 2017 at 2:41 pm

    This is such a thorough post! Good for you. I didn’t realize you could plan one by yourself either. Looks like some work but well worth it. What an experience and your photos are beautiful. To see those animals in their own habitat. Breathtaking.
    Hallie recently posted…Yongma Land: The Abandoned Amusement Park in SeoulMy Profile

  • Izzy
    26th July 2017 at 11:58 am

    ESSENTIAL! I am loving these megaposts Nicole! Seriously, who else could beat you in this realm of information?? I am visiting SA next year and was wondering how I’d be able to execute this. Thank you for doing all the work for me, so excited to explore 😀

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    31st July 2017 at 6:22 am

    […] How to Plan an Independent Safari in Kruger National Park […]

  • Jake
    10th July 2018 at 5:29 pm

    This is just amazing! The animals are beautiful and I can’t wait to get to South Africa and go on a safari trip!

  • Prakash
    12th November 2019 at 6:01 pm

    Hi,
    Great post!
    Thanks for shearing such beautiful information with us. I hope you will shear some more info about it. Please Keep sharing!
    Thank You!

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