7 Day Kruger & Victoria Falls Safari

Guests are met and welcomed on arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and assisted with check-in for a scheduled flight to Hoedspruit, gateway to the private reserves that border the world-renowned Kruger National Park. On arrival, a road transfer carries you into the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, where your Kruger and Victoria Falls Safari begins. This premier reserve shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger and is famous for Big Five viewing and particularly reliable leopard sightings in a classic savanna setting.

After settling in at Arathusa Safari Lodge, enjoy some time at leisure before your first afternoon game drive in an open 4x4 vehicle. As the sun softens and the heat of the day fades, the bush comes alive. Nocturnal species begin to stir, herbivores move cautiously towards water, and predators use the long shadows of dusk to their advantage. Your ranger and tracker will interpret tracks, calls, and behavior, setting the tone for an authentic first night in Greater Kruger.

From waking to the chuckle of hippo in a nearby waterhole or the haunting call of a fish eagle overhead, Sabi Sand quickly reveals why it is regarded as one of South Africa’s most coveted safari destinations. After coffee and light snacks, you depart on a morning game drive in search of lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, leopard, and the many other species that thrive in this richly diverse ecosystem. The unfenced boundary with Kruger allows animals to move freely, supporting exceptional densities of wildlife.

Returning to the lodge, a hearty brunch is followed by time to relax at the pool, on your deck, or in one of Arathusa’s comfortable guest areas. In the afternoon, you may join an optional guided bush walk to appreciate smaller creatures, tracks, and plants often missed from a vehicle. Later, another open 4x4 safari explores the reserve as the light softens, with sundowners in the bush and the chance to encounter predators becoming active as evening approaches.

The moods of Greater Kruger are ever changing, and a third day in Sabi Sand allows you to settle into the slower rhythm of the wilderness. This morning’s game drive focuses on areas you have not yet explored, perhaps following tracks left overnight or visiting different waterholes and riverine belts. Your guide will tailor the route to sightings and interests, whether you are hoping for more time with elephants and giraffes or a second encounter with the area’s famously relaxed leopards.

An optional walk provides a chance to experience the bush at eye level, where you can learn about medicinal plants, insects, and the role of smaller antelope in the ecosystem. In the afternoon, your final drive from Arathusa takes you deeper into the reserve as the sky glows pink and orange. The emphasis is on unhurried, quality encounters rather than ticking off a list, and the day ends back at camp with dinner under the stars and a last night immersed in the sounds of the African bush.

After a final early morning game drive and breakfast, you bid farewell to Sabi Sand. A road transfer returns you to Hoedspruit Airport for a scheduled flight back to Johannesburg. On arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport, you are met by a representative and transferred by road to Pretoria, South Africa’s gracious administrative capital. Your overnight stay is at Castello Di Monte, an intimate Tuscan-style boutique hotel set on a hill with sweeping city views, landscaped gardens, and warm, personalized service.

The remainder of the day is spent at leisure. You may choose to relax on the terrace, enjoy the quiet of the garden, or stroll through the elegant interiors of the property. This pause between safari and Victoria Falls helps break up the travel and offers a comfortable base before your journey onward to Zambia. In the evening, a leisurely dinner at the hotel rounds off the day as you look forward to your flight to Victoria Falls the following morning.

This morning you are transferred back to O.R. Tambo International Airport for a scheduled flight to Livingstone in Zambia, the gateway town to Victoria Falls on the upper Zambezi River. After arrival formalities, you are met and driven to the David Livingstone Safari Lodge, which lies along the Zambezi’s tree-fringed banks upstream of the falls. The lodge combines modern comforts with an authentic riverside setting, offering views over the wide, gently flowing river and its islands.

Later in the afternoon, you board a leisurely sunset cruise on the Zambezi. This stretch of river is renowned for hippos, crocodiles, and frequent elephant sightings along the shore, with occasional elephants even swimming between islands in the dry season. As the sun sinks in a blaze of color, you enjoy refreshments on deck while birdlife wheels overhead and the soundtrack of the river surrounds you. After disembarking, you return to the lodge for the evening at leisure.

The day begins with a guided visit to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, located within Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known locally as “the smoke that thunders” for the towering spray and deep roar generated by the falling water. Walking trails and viewpoints offer a variety of perspectives of the gorge and cataracts, with conditions changing dramatically between the high-water and low-water seasons. In the drier months, it is sometimes possible to visit Livingstone Island for dramatic close-up views over the lip of the falls.

After exploring the falls and browsing the nearby craft market, where local artisans sell carvings, textiles, and other curios, you return to the David Livingstone Safari Lodge. The afternoon is free to relax on the riverfront deck, enjoy the pool, or book additional optional activities such as helicopter flips over the falls, cultural village visits, or additional cruises. As night falls, you can reflect on the contrast between your days in Greater Kruger and your time beside one of Africa’s most iconic natural wonders.

Enjoy a final relaxed breakfast on the banks of the Zambezi and a last glimpse of mist rising from Victoria Falls in the distance. Depending on your flight time, there may be a little free time to sit on the deck or stroll the lodge grounds before your transfer to Livingstone Airport. From there, you board a scheduled flight back to Johannesburg, where your Kruger and Victoria Falls Safari officially concludes.

On arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport, you are met and assisted with check-in for your onward international flight, or transferred to any pre-arranged location in either Johannesburg or Pretoria. With memories of thrilling game drives in Sabi Sand and the spectacle of Victoria Falls still fresh, you depart Southern Africa enriched by two of its most celebrated destinations.