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Kruger National Park is a great location for your first safari. Although it's easily a drive of 4 to 5 hours, once you're out of Johannesburg and on the motorway, Kruger National Park is fairly easy to reach, you can see a lot of game if you're there for just 1 day but will still enjoy yourself when you're there for a week, you don't need a 4x4, there are well-stocked shops but you don't have to cook if you don't want to and you can make it as expensive as you want when it comes to the accommodation.

And in this post, we’re sharing our personal experience of the 7-night itinerary we shared here for a self-drive safari in Kruger National Park.

This was my 4th trip to the park and Sam’s 3rd. And to be honest, we were a bit nervous that we would not enjoy it as much as we did in the past. Because between the last time we visited Kruger National Park and now we had also traveled to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Etosha National Park. We were wondering if we could still enjoy this park that was so much busier, more touristic with the well stocked shops and the traffic jams with great sightings.

Want to know our thoughts? Keep reading below.

We are starting this post in Kruger National Park itself but will create another blog post on planning your first trip to Kruger National Park where we will include different options to get to Kruger.

If you want to see the full itinerary including info about the camps, the route we took and which animals we saw where, you a look at the 7-night Kruger Self-Drive Itinerary

Itinerary overview

Before we get into all the stories of this 7-night self-drive safari in Kruger National Park here's a quick overview of the itinerary including distances and driving times between the camps.

Day 1 - Arrival at Malelane Satellite Camp

Day 2 - Malelane Satellite Camp to Crocodile bridge // 55km and 2.10 hours

Day 3 - Crocodile bridge to Maroela (Camp close to Orpen) // 175km and 7.00 hours

Day 4 - Maroela to Balule Rest camp (Camp close to Olifants) // 102km and 4.05 hours

Day 5 - Balule Rest camp to Tsendze Rustic Camp (Camp close to Mopani) // 86km and 3.25 hours

Day 6 - Tsendze Rustic Camp to Lower Sabie // 209km and 8.20 hours

Day 7 - Lower Sabie - Malelane Satellite camp // 105km and 4.10 hours

There are 2 days (Day 2 and 5) that have quite a long distance because this itinerary takes you back to Malelane Satellite camp. This was a necessity for us because we had a flight to catch in Johannesburg in the afternoon to take us to the Western Cape. If you don't have this restriction you could stay over in Skukuza on your way up north, you could go as far as Olifants or Letaba as the game gets less here or leave the park at Orpen and take the scenic route to Johannesburg past Burke's luck potholes and the Blyde River Canyon.

Sunset at Satara Camp Site - Kruger National Park

Day 1: Arrival at Malelane - Satelite Camp

//Alternative: Berg-en-Dal

The first couple of times we would drive (5.15 hours) via Nelspruit on the N4 (now Mbombela), R40 to Hazyview towards the Paul Kruger Gate. But especially this last part of the trip is very slow as you're not on the motorway anymore. So because we're always cutting it fine in regards to arriving before gate closing time due to the time our night flight arrives, this time we decided to get into the park via Malelane Gate (4.50 hours from Johannesburg) and this was a great solution. Because you're staying on the N4 the whole time you're saving time vs driving to Hazyview and you get to skip the town centre of Nelspruit.

After checking in at Malelane Gate, it was just a short drive to the camp and we did not see any game. But to be honest, we were just happy that, after travelling for more than 24 hours we were at our destination. But when driving up to the gate we were a bit surprised as Malelane was unlike any other camp we had stayed at in Kruger National Park. There's no reception, so there's no one at the gate, so you need to get out of the car yourself to open the fence. So with a quick look around me, I jumped out of the car to open the fence to let Sam in. When he was through I closed the gate and realised it was only a small chain with just a hole and a pin to keep it closed.

But I did not think about it much and walked onto the campsite to pick a good spot close to the fence for our car. As the sun was already going down, we quickly started setting up the rooftop tent. Luckily by this time, we had done it so many times that we were done quite quickly and could start making some diner.

This is when I heard some sounds coming from the gate. To our surprise, an elephant decided to eat some leaves from the tree next to the gate. Instantly I was worried about the gate, 'did I close it well enough?' But then I got distracted by something that was flickering in the bushes. By this time it was really getting dark and I had to get my torch to see what it was. But it did not take us long to realise there were hyena's pacing alongside the fence. So I went back to the main gate, to make sure it was securely closed.

I have had some encounters before on Kruger's campsite but that was with one of the small antelope that roam around that was standing right in from of me when I was crawling out of my tent. That caused a slight scare but this had a whole other feel to it and I kept my eyes on the threesome till we went to sleep.

the camp

Location: Malelane is a satellite camp and is close to Malelane gate (6km) and lies along the N4, which makes it a great first night stay up entry to the park.

General: Very small camp with 5 self-catering bungalows and a campsite with 17 spots and communal bathrooms & showers and a communal kitchen to cook if you don't want to braai. This camp does not have its own reception so you will need to check in at Malelane Gate.

Which game can you spot here: Rhino, Leopard & Fish Eagle

Day 2 - Malelane Satellite Camp to Crocodile bridge

// route: 55km and 2.10 hours

As always when on safari, it was an early morning, and we left the camp around 5.30 on our way to Berg-en-Dal to buy some food and drinks for the day ahead.

From the moment we left Malelane we were very lucky as we almost instantly spotted some giraffes, which are still my favourite, so it was a good start to the day. It wasn't long before we spotted our first rhino standing behind some bushes. And before we reached Berg-en-Dal we also saw zebra and a female Kudu.

As Crocodile Bridge was only just over 2 hours away we explored the park towards Skukuza. Starting with the Matjulu Loop (S110) going over in the S120 towards the tarred road (H3). This is where we almost missed our first lion as he was laying on the ground.

Lion on the group at the Matjulu Loop - Kruger National Park by TravelTaale — Lion on the ground at the Matjulu Loop - Kruger National Park

We like to take the loops off the tarred roads or the small roads to the waterholes or pans so along the H3 we took the 2.2km dirt road towards Renosterpan where we spotted a waterbok and a few female kudus. But on the way there we came across elephants, 3 male kudu's, wildebeest, a large bull elephant, buffalo and more zebra's.

After Renosterpan we continued on the H3 for a quick stop at Afsaal Traders Rest for some snacks and a quick bathroom break. You never know how long it will be till you come across the next one so I would advise taking the opportunity when it's there.

From Afsaal Traders Rest we continued on the H3 till the S113 and then worked our way down towards Crocodile Bridge over the dirt roads spotting giraffes, wildebeest, elephants, kudu, zebra and 2 rhinos. Unfortunately, the rhino’s were too far away for a clear photo.

Arriving at the camp it wasn't long before here we also had a hyena walking along the fence. Apparently, this had become a larger issue since we last visited as people throw scraps over the fence, making them dependant on this as one of their food sources, which can also make them more aggressive. So be sure to never feed them, as you might even be signing their death warrant, as they will be shot when they become aggressive.

We stopped a bit early this day as we had a late-night drive planned. These take about 2 to 3 hours and give you the opportunity to be in the park outside of camp closing times when it isn't hot anymore (so bring something warm and I like to wear long pants as it can get chilli). Due to the size of the groups, these drives are often done with big safari trucks witch limits you to the tar roads. When you get into the truck the guide will hand out a couple of large lights that will be used to shine along the roads to spot the game.

While we love the opportunity night drives give you to get into the park when it's dark and less warm, so the chance to see a lion walking around, for example, is larger than during the day I always have mixed feelings about these drives. And I don’t mean organised drives in general (although there is a huge difference in quality between guides drives) but especially the guided drives, like this one, that are in large trucks. And I get it, Kruger is huge and therefore the number of people that want to do guides drives are large, so they do them in big trucks. But the result is that because of the weight of the truck you can only stay on the tarred roads. The information about the animals is very general. And I felt we were harassing the lions (see below) as we kept following them, blocking the road and shining the lights straight at them. This is just my personal opinion that I wanted to share so that you can make up your own mind about these drives.

the camp

Location: Crocodile Bridge is one of the main camps and lies along the crocodile river. The camp is close to Crocodile Bridge Gate and lies 1 hour further east along the N4 than Malelane and is only 30 minutes from the border with Mozambique.

General: It is one of the smaller main camps with a campsite with 18 spots and communal bathrooms & showers and communal cooking facilities, 8 safari tents and 20 bungalows.

Which game can you spot here: Rhino, Lion, Giraffe, Hyena, Kudu & Cheetah

3 baby elephants in a row on the road - Kruger National Park

Day 3 - Crocodile bridge to Maroela

// Alternative: Orpen or Lataba for bungalows or Tamboti for tented camp
// route: 175km and 7.00 hours

After the night drive, we had a slower start to the day but were still on our way just after sunrise. Because it was going to be a long drive to Maroela (close to Orpen Camp and gate) we mostly stayed on the tarred roads (H4-2 to H10, then the H1-3 to the H7).

As mentioned above, Crocodile Bridge is good for spotting hyenas and we were not disappointed. We had seen a couple of hyenas before on our trips but nothing like this trip to Kruger National Park. This morning we came across a clan walking along the road, standing still to watch, going a bit further and standing still again. Later in the day, after some heavy rains, we found 2 of them drinking from the puddles in the road. But as you can see they were not the only ones.

We made a quick stop at Nkumbe View Site where you have a high advantage point and can look over the valley below. Here we had a great sighting of a klipspringer high on the top of the hill.

View from Nkumbe View Site - Kruger National Park

From this point on the game started to become less and less as there were large parts that were completely burned down from a planned fire the month prior. For a while, we were only seeing elephants roaming around.

Till we came across a large traffic jam with people hanging out of the windows of their cars. As is often the case when there is a traffic jam you have no clue what people are actually looking at and it might be a long time till (if at all) you actually get to see something. These are the moments I like least, cars coming from both sides all trying to get a glimpse, cars jumping in front of other cars with their nose so there is no way out (so just be prepared it can become a bit crazy). But while we were moving ahead slowly and not spotting anything I realised why everyone was hanging outside their windows; there was something on the bank below.

I kept thinking I was not going to hang outside of the window but my curiosity got the better of me, and this became our first leopard sighting. It was quite far away and there are some branches in the way but I am still quite happy with this picture.

Sleeping leopard - Kruger National Park by TravelTaale — Sleeping leopard - Kruger National Park

the camp

Location: Maroela is a satellite camp and lies along the Timbavati River. The camp is close to Orpen (2km) and only has a campsite.

General: It is one of the two camps in the park that only has a campsite and therefore does not have a reception. You can check in at Orpen. It has 20 spots and has communal bathrooms & showers and communal cooking facilities. At the corner of the campsite is a viewing platform that looks out on the bank of the Timbavati River.

Which game can you spot here: Buffalo, Hyena & Elephant

Day 4 - Maroela to Balule Rest camp

// Alternative: Olifants
// route: 102km and 4.05 hours

Another early morning that we started off the day with a lion sighting. It was a male with at least 2 females but they were hiding quite well behind some branches.

In this area of the park, you can clearly see that there is a change in vegetation with long yellow grass and fewer bushes.

We followed the H7 to Nsemani waterhole where we saw giraffes, impala and zebra. From here we continued on the dirt road S40 to Timbavati, which is a picnic site with bathrooms. On the way, we spotted waterboks, elephants, more giraffes and zebra's and 3 very well camouflaged hyena's sleeping in the sand underneath a tree.

After our stop, we took the S127 towards the H1-4 where we came across a small herd of impala's underneath a tree. Once you've been on your first safari in South Africa you have probably seen quite a few of them and it's easy to just drive by them. We're definitely guilty of that. But I was quite happy we did not do that this time as there were baby impalas. Or at least, that's what we thought initially but it turned out to be 1 baby impala and a female steenbok.

Because we were staying at Balule we had to check in at another camp and we decided to go to Olifants in stead of Satara so that we could have lunch overlooking the Olifants River. If you have the time, we would highly recommend stopping here for the view.

From here we drove the route to the camp where we kept on seeing a large number of elephants.

the camp

Location: Balule is a satellite camp and lies close to the Olifants River. The camp is close to Olifants which is one of the main camps (10km).

General: It is one of the smaller camps with a campsite and several huts. Therefore it does not have a reception and you can check in at Olifants or Satara. It has 6 huts and 15 camping spots and has no power points. The huts and the campsite need to use the communal bathrooms & showers and communal cooking facilities.

Which game can you spot here: Hippo, Hyena & Elephant

Elephants taking a mud bath - Kruger National Park

Day 5 - Balule Rest camp to Tsendze Rustic Camp

// Alternative: Mopani
// route: 86km and 3.25 hours

Another early morning as we booked a morning walk that left from Olifants but they would pick us up at Balule. They would be at the gate around 5 am but it could be a bit later depending on their speed and if they would find anything on their way to us. So at 5, we were at the gate waiting to be picked up. Just a couple of minutes later the guide that's part of the camp came to us asking if we were waiting for something and we mentioned the morning walk we were supposed to take. He told us that they were at the gate before 5 and had already left. He tried to get a hold of the office to see if they could turn back but there is not much reception in the park so he did not have any luck. So that was the beginning and end of the walking safari we were looking forward to very much.

We had already packed up everything so we got in the car and drove up north towards Tsendze Rustic Camp, which was also the furthest north we went this time visiting Kruger. But instead of directly driving up north over the H1-5 and H1-6 towards Mopani we drove to Letaba and took the H9 towards Phalaborwa Gate.

After we spotted a couple of elephants close to Balule we did not see anything till we arrived at the Sable Hide. This is a large hide overlooking the Sable Dam that can also be booked as a sleepover hide. This is a private hide so if you want to stay over you need to book the whole hide. But it is quite rustic as there is no electricity and therefore no light, you need to bring your own food, wood, water and utensils.

We did not stay overnight but we did spend a good hour here watching the elephants swimming at the dam. When we were about the leave and were walking towards our car, which is outside the fenced area, there was an elephant eating not that far from the car. So we decided to stay within the fenced area. While doing this there was a lot of sound on the other side of the fenced area as there was another elephant eating some leaves. So I pulled myself a bit upon the fence for a better view. I am not sure how long I stood there but it wasn't until the elephants were gone that I moved from my spot and we went to the car.

From the moment we left the hide we took the H14 up north but hardly saw anything. Because of this and because the next day was going to be our final full day in Kruger with an 8-hour drive to Lower Sabie we decided to change our reservation from Tsendze to Satara. That would cut the driving time down to 5.30 hours giving us the time to take it slower and hopefully see a bit more than we saw that day.

the camp

Location: Tsendze is a campsite and lies close to Mopani rest camp (7km). It is called a rustic campsite and has no electricity.

General: It is one of the two camps in the park that only has a campsite and therefore does not have a reception. You can check in at Mopani and need to do that at least 1 hour before gate closing time. It has 30 spots and has communal bathrooms & showers and communal cooking facilities. Fresh water taps are shared per 3 campsites.

Which game can you spot here: Buffalo, Waterbuck & Elephant

Day 6 - Tsendze Rustic Camp to Lower Sabie

// route: 209km and 8.20 hours
// Became: Satara to Lower Sabie // 140km and 5.40 hours

Leaving Satara we started followed the H7 towards Orpen camp and turned off at the S36 towards Muzandzeni picnic spot. On our way here we came across to lions laying on a dry riverbed watching 2 impala walk by. One of the lions started to stand up and stretch so we thought we might see some action but he just walked away.

But not much later we had a great sighting of 2 white rhino's. We only had seen 1 before that and it was too far away for a good photograph but these 2 made up for it.

From Muzandzeni picnic spot there we took the S26 towards the Welverdiend waterhole. This really was a trip with a lot of hyena's, luckily also besides the ones we found roaming along the fences of the campsites. This day we found 2 young ones laying on the side of the road just after we came across a small clan bathing and playing around in the water at Welverdiend waterhole.

2 rhino's - Kruger National Park by TravelTaale

After this, we continued towards the H1-3 and came through the burned area, which again was quite empty. Probably because most trees and bushed were burned down and did not have any leaves we were able to spot 4 lions sleeping on a hill followed by a lone giraffe, which made the burned down section look even more desolate.

The rest of the day we did not see much game besides a few elephants and a lone buffalo. So we decided to get to the camp a bit earlier than we normally would and have dinner at the restaurant overlooking the Sabie River.

Lions sleeping on a hill - Kruger National Park

the camp

Location: Lower Sabie is one of the main camps on the Sabie River and lies in between Skukuza and Crocodile Bridge.

General: It is a large camp with 33 campsites, 30 huts with communal ablutions, 24 permanent furnished safari tents, 60 bungalows, 2 family bungalows and a guest house.

Which game can you spot here: Leopard, Hippo & Lion

Day 7 - Lower Sabie - Malelane Satellite camp

// route: 105km and 4.10 hours

This was our final day in Kruger National Park so we had to make our way from Lower Sabie to Malelane camp so that we could leave early in the morning from Malelane Gate and drive back to the airport in Johannesburg.

When you leave the camp you drive along the Sabie River for a while where you can often see hippos. Just don't be surprised when you only see some eyes floating around, as they are mostly submerged. Which a Heron did not mind and used the hippo the hitch a ride.

As it was still early in the morning and the temperatures were still relatively low the lions around Lower Sabie were still active and were crossing the road just as we came driving up. Unfortunately, we had some cars in front of us and only got some blurry images.

We drove to Crocodile Bridge camp for a quick stop and supplies for our last dinner. When we were walking to the shop we heard some commotion at the edge of the camp and when we walked up to it, we saw a herd of elephants thrashing some of the barbed wire fences along the camp to get to some bushes. But it wasn't long till they were shouted at by some of the camp guides to move along.

Elephant trashing the fence at a camp - Kruger National Park by TravelTaale — Elephant trashing the fence at a Crocodile Bridge camp - Kruger National Park

The rest of the day we mostly followed the dirt roads first towards Jock Safari Lodge and from there down leading towards Malelane. We finished our trip with some great sightings of several Steenboks, a herd of Wildebeest drinking at a waterhole, elephants and giraffes.

When we're close to Malelane we spotted a rhino laying in a dry riverbed and probably a leopard in a tree. But it was so far away that we did not see more than some legs dangling from a branch. Better luck next time ;)

And there you have it...

..our 7 night Kruger Self-Drive Itinerary. And while we were a bit nervous if we would still enjoy it now we had also travelled to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Etosha National Park and we can honestly say we still do. Yes, it’s busier but if you also go to the middle and north section and take a lot of the gravel roads you can still drive for a long time before seeing another car. And yes, it’s more expensive but there is also more convenient with the restaurants and shops. It was a perfect location for us to still go on safari in the short timeframe that we had.

We hope you enjoyed it and if you have any questions just leave your comments below. And if you are planning your own trip let us know below what your itinerary is.

Want to know more about Kruger and self-drive safari’s? Keep on reading the following blogs:

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