On Safari in Kruger National Park

Live your travel story and save up to 15% on wish-list tours until Thursday, 13 March.

This very special safari holiday includes an all-inclusive six-night stay at a luxury tented safari camp by Kruger National Park. Camp Bethel is an intimate, family run – and family friendly – safari camp, with just six canvas-style luxury tents on elevated platforms amongst the pristine African bush – an essential part of the African safari experience! All tents are spacious, en suite and feature private large wooden decks, offering wonderful views of the surrounding bush. Relish unforgettable encounters as zebra, kudu, nyala and warthog frequently wander through the camp and savour cosy evenings spent relaxing beneath the starry African sky. From your authentic safari base, you’ll head out into Kruger National Park on three fantastic open-air safaris, visit a nearby animal rehabilitation centre, enjoy a wonderful panoramic tour, which takes in some of South Africa’s most dramatic scenery, and much more!

Highlights

Go in search of the Big Five as you take three safaris in the famous Kruger and Greater Kruger National Park (one full, day two morning safaris)
Family friendly tour – see ‘more info’ at the bottom of the page for further details
Visit at a local wildlife rehabilitation centre
Picturesque panoramic tour, taking in some of the Lowveld and the Blyde River Canyon’s best sights
Gentle guided nature walk at Camp Bethel
Fascinating Nyani cultural village tour, including dance performance
Traditional South African braai (barbeque) on your last night
Several exciting optional tours to choose from, including a night safari and a boat cruise on the Blyde River

Inclusions

Seven nights’ carefully chosen accommodation, including one at Sanctuary Mandela, and six at Camp Bethel, plus two on the aircraft
21 meals, including seven breakfasts, seven lunches and seven dinners.
Included water, coffee, tea and juice, together with local beers and wines during your stay at Camp Bethel
Return flights to Johannesburg
Fully escorted by a friendly, knowledgeable tour manager and wildlife specialist

Day 1

Overnight flight.

Day 2

Upon arrival, meet your tour guide and transfer to your hotel in Johannesburg. Enjoy lunch, then spend a relaxing afternoon unwinding and acclimatising. Dinner will be served at the hotel this evening.

Day 3

After breakfast make the scenic transfer to Camp Bethel, your home for the next six nights. A stop will be made on route for lunch. When you arrive late afternoon, you’ll have a brief camp orientation and the chance to freshen up. Enjoy a first night in the African bush, perhaps with a sundowner in hand, as the sunset turns the sky a vibrant patchwork of red, orange and yellow. Guests will meet at the boma before dinner, where the fires are lit for an authentic bush welcome. Dinner tables will be set on a wooden deck overlooking the bush – keep an eye out for the resident bush babies playing in the trees!

Day 4

Rise and shine early this morning, for the short journey to the Orpen Gate of Kruger National Park, home to some truly majestic animals, including the iconic Big Five – lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo – together with birdlife such as vultures and eagles. The camp chef will prepare a packed breakfast, which you can enjoy when we make a picnic stop in a picturesque spot in Kruger. You’ll explore the southern part of Kruger, which covers almost two million hectares of unspoilt terrain overall. The south of the park is lush and green, with plenty of knob thorn and bush willow trees, whereas the north is arid and sparse, largely dominated by mopani bush. We’ll stop to enjoy lunch at a rest camp in Kruger, where you can choose from a delicious variety of meals. Sit back and feel the breeze on your face as you enjoy a wonderful open-air safari through this great natural paradise, in search of the elusive leopard and other majestic creatures. You’ll make plenty of stops at waterholes and lookout points, before returning to camp later this afternoon. After a full day’s exploring, some guests might fancy an early night. A relaxing dinner will be served to an atmospheric campfire backdrop.

Day 5

After breakfast you’ll head out for a morning visit to a local wildlife rehabilitation centre, where they take care of injured and poisoned animals that sadly will not be able to be released back into the wild. Watch a film presentation before you head out into the centre’s grounds on a two-hour tour, where you will have the chance to get up close and personal with animals including cheetahs, African wild dogs and vultures. The centre is actively involved in several interesting research projects, including studying the movement and behaviour of leopards. Today’s visit will highlight the threats wildlife is facing today, but also demonstrates the positive impact of rehabilitation centres. Lunch will be enjoyed at a local restaurant. This afternoon, you’ll have the chance to join the optional boat cruise, which will take in some of the Blyde River Canyon’s most picturesque sights, including the ‘living’ Kadishi Tufa Waterfall. Tufa waterfalls are formed when water running over dolomite rock absorbs calcium, and deposits rock formations more rapidly than they erode the surrounding rock, supporting moss and other plant life. The Kadishi Tufa Waterfall is thought to be the second-oldest tufa waterfall on earth. The boat tour will also take in the Three Rondavels, a trio of rocky outcrops that have eroded over time and now resemble a traditional Zulu beehive hut. The Blyde River Canyon supports an impressive amount of biodiversity too, including numerous antelope species as well as hippos and crocodiles, together with birds such as the African fish eagle, African finfoot and much more. Refreshing soft drinks will be available on the tour, adding to the enjoyment of a wonderful afternoon.

Day 6

Keep your eyes peeled for buffalos and elephants, as your guide shares their expert wildlife knowledge. Kruger National Park is home to some of the most diverse wildlife on earth, including 146 species of mammals, nearly 500 different kinds of birds, 114 species of reptiles, 49 freshwater fish, 33 species of amphibians and countless insects and flora and fauna – many of them found nowhere else on earth. After an exciting morning, a well-deserved lunch will be served in a dry riverbed back at camp. At dusk, why not join the optional night safari, giving you the unique opportunity to witness how the bush changes as the sun goes down, and a different animal kingdom emerges? As the sun dips behind the horizon, the colour of the sky changes and new scents fill the air as the nocturnal hunters appear. Keep an eye out for caracals, bush babies, porcupines and ant bears!

Day 7

After a sumptuous breakfast in the camp’s boma area, you’ll set out on a stunning panoramic mountain tour. Don’t forget your camera! The tour will take in the Drakensberg Mountain Range, which stretches over 600 miles from the Eastern Cape toward Mpumalanga. The tour will take in the Blyde River Canyon, the third-largest canyon on earth, spanning over 16 miles and over 2,000 feet deep. Formed over millennia, dramatic cliff drops are carpeted in bush and forest, high above the meandering Blyde River. The tour continues to the Three Rondavels, a trio of rocky outcrops, shaped like a traditional Zulu beehive hut. You’ll also call at God’s Window, named for its sweeping panoramic views of the Lowveld and lush forest-clad ravines below. God’s Window is part of a 160-mile-long network of sheer cliffs that boast wonderful views. When you get there, you’ll see why it’s called God’s Window! Continue to Lisbon Waterfalls, which is 308 feet high and one of the most dramatic and picturesque waterfalls in the region. You’ll make a lunch stop at Graskop, a small town nestled amongst picturesque pine and eucalyptus forests, known for pancakes and curio shops, before starting our scenic journey back to camp.

Day 8

This morning, enjoy a final included safari into a private game reserve that forms part of the Greater Kruger National Park, as you savour every second spent in this unique natural paradise. We’ll stop for breakfast at a picnic spot, before your guide tells you more about the plant life in the area, which is vital to the park’s existence. Among many others, Kruger is home to the iconic marula tree, the fruit of which is used to make South Africa’s famous Amarula liquor. Return to the camp for lunch and then join your guide for a fascinating nature walk around the camp, which sits on its own private reserve. Keep an eye out for wonderful creatures such as zebra, kudu, nyala and warthog that frequently wander through the camp. Later this afternoon, you'll head to the Nyani cultural village. Learn all about the local culture as you watch a performance in a traditional Boma theatre, featuring music and dance from local tribes including the San (Bushmen), Tsonga, Shona, Venda, Swati and Zulu. Return to the camp for your final night in the African bush, where you will feast on a braai later – a traditional South African barbeque. Enjoy a wonderful evening eating and chatting with new-found friends, no doubt reflecting on a wonderful week in South Africa.

Day 9

After breakfast, bid farewell to the wonderful staff at Camp Bethel as you transfer to Johannesburg airport for your overnight return flight after a fabulous, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Day 10

Early morning arrival.

Further Information

Prices for children

Child prices are available for children aged between four to eleven years, when sharing a room with two adults. An extra bed will be placed in the room. Please note, this tour is not suitable for children younger than four years old. Please contact us on 0330 160 7707 for a quote.

Itinerary changes

Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.

Hotel transfer times

The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately 30 minutes. On Day Three, the transfer time to your hotel is approximately six hours.

Passports and visas

A visa is not required for UK citizens travelling to South Africa, but your passport must be valid for six months beyond the date of entry to the country and have two adjacent blank pages. Special entry rules apply for children under 18 years.

Foreign Office Travel Advice

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.

Luggage allowance

You are permitted to take one suitcase per person on the aircraft, which should not exceed 23kg.

Special requirements

If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.

Disabled access

The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made. In many developing countries access is sometimes not as easy as at home. Should you have walking difficulties, getting around monuments and attractions may be harder and, in some cases, impossible. Should you have any concerns whatsoever please do contact us prior to travel.

Travel vaccinations

Requirements and advice can vary over time, and from person to person, so please contact your GP about eight weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or any other preventive measures.

Changes to your hotels

Should circumstances require, we reserve the right to accommodate you in alternative hotels, of a similar standard, nearby. Full details of your hotels will be sent with your Final Travel Documents.

Terms and conditions

The Save up to 15% offer discount applies to selected wish-list tours. This offer applies only to new bookings made between 23th December 2024 and 13th March 2025 inclusive, and cannot be retrospectively applied to bookings already confirmed. This offer does not apply to holidays with late availability pricing, and excludes other location tours not on the wish-list offer, such as Ocean Cruise, River Cruise, Lapland, Andre Rieu and Wimbledon. This offer does not apply to child prices/child pricing. This offer cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other discount, promotion, or concession. When booking a holiday as described above, prices shown will automatically have the discount applied. The discount applies to your final holiday price (excluding holiday insurance) at the time of booking. This offer is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Newmarket Holidays reserves the right to cancel, change or amend any tour. Holidays booked with Newmarket Holidays are financially protected in accordance with ABTA, ATOL & ABTOT regulations. Newmarket Holidays Limited is a company registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 02238316