Tour Information, Itinerary, Pricing

When

This photographic safari runs from 23 August to 06 September 2025. It is restricted to six guests and will therefore provide an exceptional photographic experience. Due to a large number of enquiries I am offering an additional tour from 09 to 23 August. (Tour start date may be customized to suit a group booking .)


Where

Tour starts and ends in Johannesburg, and is timed to connect with the Qantas flight arrival/departure schedule. (International travel costs are not included in the tour price – see inclusions and exclusions below.)


Tour Costs

The cost of this tour is NZD 4850-00 per person sharing (price correct as at 28 September 2024 and may vary). A 40% non-refundable deposit is required at time of booking. (Note: The tour will only proceed if fully subscribed within 5 months of the departure date (23 March 2025) – if not fully subscribed by that date all deposits received will be fully refunded.) The balance of the cost to be paid by 16 May 2025.

Above prices includes
Airport Hotel accommodation in Johannesburg. (City Lodge Hotel – twin sharing – single beds)
Return airfares - Johannesburg – Skukuza – Johannesburg. (Economy fare basis)
Tour vehicle is an Open Safari Vehicle (OSV) driven by a licenced safari guide which provides an excellent photographic platform.
Bungalow accommodation in the Kruger National Park. (twin sharing – single beds) We will stay in 3 different SANParks Rest Camps. (Note: a single supplementary option may be available.)
Gratuities for the OSV Guide and SANParks Housekeeping.
SANParks Daily Conservation Fees.

Not included in the above price

International Airfares (due to personal preferences, economy, premium economy or business class choices, reservations and payments for the international air travel sector is your personal responsibility),
Food and beverages,
Tipping,
Incidentals,
Visas (not required for NZ Passport holders), or other costs of a personal nature.
Travel Insurance - it is a requirement that you arrange your own Comprehensive Travel Insurance as soon as you pay your deposit (in case you have to cancel your trip).

NOTES:

Qantas Flights via CHC - JNB - CHC. Economy fares fluctuate between $2600 (Saver Fare) and $3600 (Flexi Fare).
Qantas flies Christchurch/Auckland - Sydney - Johannesburg with an easy connection. It is strongly advised that you use this flight for your travel.
Outbound Flights - Depart Christchurch and arrive in Johannesburg on the same day.
Inbound Flights - Depart Johannesburg in the evening and arrive in Christchurch the following evening at midnight.
The Airlink outbound flight from Johannesburg - Skukuza flight requires an overnight stay in Johannesburg after arriving on the Qantas flight.
The Airlink inbound flight from Skukuza - Johannesburg provides a three-hour transit in Johannesburg for the Qantas flight connection.
Guests need to consult their medical practitioners with regards to malaria medication (usually a course of prophylactic antibiotics).

Prices are correct as of 28 September 2024 and may be subject to change before confirmation of reservation.

Basic Itinerary

Day 1

For those traveling from New Zealand the Qantas flight depart Christchurch/Auckland Airport at 6-00am, with a connection in Sydney then on to Johannesburg, arriving at 4-00pm local time.
The tour starts at Johannesburg. Arrive Johannesburg Airport. Walk to City Lodge Hotel within the airport precinct.

Day 2

Check-out of Hotel and depart Johannesburg airport to Skukuza airport on Airlink flight, arriving late morning.
Meet our OSV at the Skukuza airport. Travel to Skukuza Camp and check-in.
Depending on how everyone feels (jet lagged) we can have a late afternoon drive.
Freshen up for dinner at the Camp restaurant. Earlyish to bed ready for the next day's early start.

Day 3 to Day 14

Rise at 5-15am for coffee and then depart the Camp at gate opening time at 6-00am.
We will drive until around 11-30am before returning to Camp.
You could have a light lunch or a siesta.
Leasure time until 2-30pm. During this time, you can explore the camp - they all have ‘viewing' areas overlooking the surrounding bush or rivers.
Depart the Camp at 2-30pm for a late afternoon drive and return before gate closing at 6-00pm.
Freshen up for dinner at the Camp restaurant or we can have a communal BBQ. Earlyish to bed ready for the next day's early start. I will be available to assist with Lightroom or Photoshop editing if required.
On the days we move between camps we will have a short early morning drive before vacating our accommodation by 10-00am. We then drive to the next Rest Camp, check in after 2-00pm, and have an afternoon drive. The move between Rest Camps is within the Park and will thus still provide for game viewing and photographic opportunities.

Day 15

We pack and leave Camp early for the drive to the Skukuza airport. (This will be a normal game-viewing drive, so keep your cameras handy.)
Departing Skukuza airport around midday on an Airlink flight, arriving at Johannesburg airport an hour later.
The tour ends here and we say our goodbyes and proceed to the International Terminal for the homeward international flight.

Day 16

For those returning to New Zealand, after a connection in Sydney the Qantas flight arrives in Christchurch/Auckland at 11-55pm.

Note: Daily schedule may be modified to suit the prevailing weather conditions (if overcast we can stay out longer, and if raining or too hot we can return earlier to Camp). Gate opening times vary as dictated by the seasons. We will vary our times daily drive times accordingly to allow us to experience the best game viewing opportunities.

 



Storm


Camps and Accommodation

Shingwedzi

Shingwedzi lies in the northern part of the Kruger National Park in the heart of mopane country. The camp itself is in riverine vegetation with large trees along the river edge. Immediately adjacent to the river, are alluvial planes created by centuries of flooding.
It is a rustic camp that still carries the essence of the bush and is untouched by modern technology.
Predators include lion, leopard and spotted hyena and there are a couple of packs of wild dog that roam these northern reaches of the Kruger National Park.
There are open plains to the north where cheetah are regularly recorded. This is a good place to search for the rare large antelope species: roan, sable, tsessebe, eland and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest.

bung1 bung2



Satara

Satara is a busy camp, and not without reason. It is situated in an excellent game viewing area, with the bush relatively open and the animals plentiful and diverse.
The region is regarded as one of the best game viewing areas in the park and is particularly noted for the big cats, with lion, leopard and cheetah recorded regularly.
Of the smaller animals, the honey badger is something to look out for. At night spotted hyena regularly whoop from the camp’s perimeter while the repetitive sonar chink of fruit bats blends with the chirp of cicada and crickets.

bung3 bung7



Lower Sabie

Lower Sabie situated on the banks of the Sabie River, one of the few perennial rivers to flow through the Kruger National Park. Visitors cannot but feel soothed by the view over the river watching the endless procession of animals coming to drink.
The Camp has many examples of the mighty sycamore fig tree, which provides generously for many birds and insects.


General

All the Rest Camps we stay in have a restaurant, an appropriately stocked shop, fuel facilities and swimming pools. Skukuza is the only Camp with a resident doctor.
Gratuities are well received by staff, usually 10% of a restaurant bill.

Shing restu Mab LS

CB Sat



Accommodation

Accommodation could be best described as basic but clean. The bungalows are serviced daily, beds are made-up, but dishes need to be washed by yourself. Dish washing liquid and cloths are provided. Bungalows have air conditioning, two single beds, an en-suite with shower and toilet, a small kitchenette with fridge, hob and basic utensils. Note: the fridge is inside in some bungalows due to marauding monkeys and baboons in some camps.

Other Tour Options

When
The dates for these photographic safaris may be customised to suit clients. Due to high demand, both internationally and from within South Africa for both accommodation and internal flights, clients should plan to finalize their travel plans at least 9 months prior to travel and try to avoid South African school holiday periods.

Tour Options
There are two tour options, and dates may be customized to suit clients:

Intimate Groups – these tours are restricted to three guests.
The cost of this tour is available on request and is quoted per person sharing.

Small Groups – these tours are restricted to six guests.
The cost of this tour is NZD 4850-00 per person sharing (price correct as at 28 September 2024 and may vary).

Pricing when quoted will be subject to the following:
Included
Airport Hotel accommodation in Johannesburg. (City Lodge Hotel – twin sharing – single beds)
Return airfares - Johannesburg – Skukuza – Johannesburg. (Economy fare basis)
Vehicle hire in the Kruger Park, including fuel.
We utilize a Toyota Fortuner (or equivalent) driven by myself for the Intimate Tour, and an Open Safari Vehicle (OSV) driven by a licenced safari vehicle operator for the Small Group option. Both vehicles provide excellent photographic platforms.
Bungalow accommodation in the Kruger National Park. (twin sharing – single beds) We will stay in 3 different SANParks Rest Camps. (Note: in order to keep costs down, two ‘singles’ will bunk together in one bungalow as well as a share hotel room on arrival in Johannesburg. Non-share options may be available at a supplementary cost.)
Gratuities for OSV Guide (if applicable) and SANParks Hospitality staff.
SANParks Daily Conservation Fees.
Not included
International Airfares (due to personal preferences, economy, premium economy or business class choices, reservations and payments for the international air travel sector is your personal responsibility),
Food and beverages,
Tips,
Incidentals,
Visas (not required for NZ Passport holders), or other costs of a personal nature.
Travel Insurance - it is a requirement that you arrange your own Comprehensive Travel Insurance as soon as you pay your deposit (in case you have to cancel your trip).


General Information

Weather

Rainy Season (October to March)

The subtropical climate has hot rainy summers starting in October and ending around March. Daily temperature averages range from highs in the mid-30s and lows around 20 degrees Celsius. Day temperatures during peak summer can reach the low 40s! The summer rains transform the arid park into a lush flowering paradise, but the increased foliage does make animals harder to see.

Dry Season (April to September)

The winter months from April to September are extremely pleasant with warm dry days and cold nights. Daily temperature averages range from highs in the mid-20s and lows ranging from the mid-teens to single digits in mid-winter. Traditionally, the best game viewing is in the winter as the vegetation becomes sparse and water is restricted to rivers and water holes. Visitors going on early-morning or night drives, will require warm clothing.

Other Information

The Kruger National Park, as with the rest of South Africa, is subjected to planned power cuts to preserve the national grid. All Camps have generators which trip on when the power trips off. On occasions generators may fail which then results in no power until the main grid is reconnected; this may be between two and four hours.
Due to its remoteness, mobile phone coverage in the Park can at times be challenging. There is usually wi-fi available at the restaurants, and some cell phone coverage at the Rest Camps although not reliable. Whilst on game drives there is no coverage.

Dusty Glow