6 days · South Africa
Kruger Safari & the Panorama Route
From AED 4,570per person, twin share
Few seats left on Mon 25 Jan 2027
A six-day tour of South Africa’s scenery and wildlife, for nature lovers and safari seekers.
- Duration
- 6 Days / 5 Nights
- Route
- Starts and ends in Johannesburg
- Country
- South Africa
- Activity level
- Light (2 of 5)
- A relaxed pace with only three stops and two free days, built around seated game drives in Kruger. The only notable walking is at Bourke’s Luck Potholes and the Panorama Route viewpoints
- Accommodation
- 5 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels, with 3 of those at a safari lodge in central Kruger
- Meals
- 5 breakfasts and 5 dinners
- Group
- Small group, up to 8
- Guide
- English-speaking tour leader throughout
- Transport
- Air-conditioned coach
- Best time to go
- Runs most of the year, with no departures in February or March. Kruger’s dry season (May–September) suits game viewing
Tour overview
This South African wildlife adventure starts in Johannesburg and heads into the Kruger National Park Region, where safaris bring Big 5 sightings. The way back follows Mpumalanga’s Panorama Route, past the Blyde River Canyon, then on to Bourke’s Luck Potholes, with nature, wildlife and views throughout.
Highlights
- A full-day game drive in Kruger National Park
- The Three Rondavels viewpoint
- Bourke’s Luck Potholes
- The Blyde River Canyon Viewpoint
- A farewell dinner in Johannesburg
See the journey come to life
Route and hotels
Where the tour goes and where you sleep, night by night.
Johannesburg
Day 1 · start
Kruger National Park Region
Day 1 · on the way
Southern Kruger Region
1 night · Day 1
Hazyview Sun
Kruger National Park Region
Day 2 · on the way
Central Kruger Region
3 nights · Days 2–4
Timbavati Safari Lodge
Three Rondavels
Day 5 · on the way
Blyde River Canyon Viewpoint
Day 5 · on the way
Bourke’s Luck Potholes
Day 5 · on the way
Johannesburg
1 night · Day 5
Garden Court O.R. Tambo International Airport
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Start of tour in Johannesburg – Kruger National Park Region
Dinner included
Your tour of South Africa starts with a meeting at a hotel near Johannesburg airport, before travelling towards the Kruger National Park Region for the night. The park covers an area only slightly smaller than all of Belgium. A welcome dinner with the group follows this evening.
- Travel
- Johannesburg → Kruger National Park region by coach
- Overnight
- Southern Kruger Region
- Hotel
- Hazyview Sun
Day 2
Kruger National Park Region
Breakfast and dinner included
A full day of game drives in the Kruger National Park brings sightings of African wildlife in their natural habitat, including elephants, rhinos, leopards, lions, cheetahs and wild dogs. In the late afternoon, the group moves to lodging on the park’s western edge, with time for a swim or a sundowner before an included dinner this evening.
Included
- Full-day game drive in Kruger National Park, in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Overnight
- Central Kruger Region
- Hotel
- Timbavati Safari Lodge
Day 3
Kruger National Park Region: Free Day
Breakfast and dinner included
Today brings a choice of optional safaris, half-day or full-day,, driving through prime game-viewing areas with stops at waterholes and rest camps. Back at the accommodation, there is time for a swim and to relax before an included dinner.
Included
- Free time in the Kruger region
Optional extras
- Half-Day Game Drive · AED 375 per person
- Full-Day Game Drive · AED 440 per person
- Sunset Game Drive · AED 375 per person
- Overnight
- Central Kruger Region
- Hotel
- Timbavati Safari Lodge
Day 4
Kruger National Park Region: Free Day
Breakfast and dinner included
A further half-day safari at sunset, led by a local wildlife specialist, is on offer today, or you can relax by the pool at the accommodation instead. Tonight is the last dinner here, with time around the bush fire to share safari stories over a glass of Amarula, a liqueur made from fermented marula fruit.
Included
- Free time in the Kruger region
- Overnight
- Central Kruger Region
- Hotel
- Timbavati Safari Lodge
Day 5
Three Rondavels – Blyde River Canyon Viewpoint – Bourke’s Luck Potholes – Johannesburg
Breakfast and dinner included
This morning, the drive follows the Panorama Route through Mpumalanga, with a view over the Blyde River Canyon from the Three Rondavels viewing point. Afterwards, the tour heads to Bourke’s Luck potholes, a natural feature with hundreds of potholes and plunge pools, before returning to Johannesburg for a farewell dinner.
Included
- Panorama Route drive via the Three Rondavels viewpoint, overlooking Blyde River Canyon
- Visit Bourke’s Luck Potholes: waterholes and rock formations carved by the river
- Farewell dinner in Johannesburg
- Travel
- Central Kruger → Johannesburg by coach, via the Panorama Route
- Overnight
- Johannesburg
- Hotel
- Garden Court O.R. Tambo International Airport
Day 6
End of tour in Johannesburg
Breakfast includedYour South African wildlife and scenery tour reaches its last day today. The group shares one last breakfast together before saying goodbye. Guests are welcome to stay on in Johannesburg, known locally as Jozi, and explore Soweto with an optional half-day tour of this historic township.
Optional extras
- Soweto Half-Day Tour · AED 330 per person
Dates & prices
Prices per person, sharing a double or twin room. A single room costs the supplement shown.
16 dates
Mon 2 Nov – Sat 7 Nov 2026
Sold out
Mon 16 Nov – Sat 21 Nov 2026
Sold out
Mon 25 Jan – Sat 30 Jan 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 5 Apr – Sat 10 Apr 2027
Available
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 19 Apr – Sat 24 Apr 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 3 May – Sat 8 May 2027
Available
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 17 May – Sat 22 May 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 14 Jun – Sat 19 Jun 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 12 Jul – Sat 17 Jul 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 9 Aug – Sat 14 Aug 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Show all 16 datesShow fewer dates
Mon 6 Sept – Sat 11 Sept 2027
Available
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 20 Sept – Sat 25 Sept 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 4 Oct – Sat 9 Oct 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 18 Oct – Sat 23 Oct 2027
Available
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 15 Nov – Sat 20 Nov 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
Mon 13 Dec – Sat 18 Dec 2027
Few seats left
AED 4,570
Single room +AED 2,090
What’s included
Included
- 5 nights in mostly 3-star and 4-star hotels, in twin rooms with a private bathroom
- A room to yourself for a single supplement, subject to availability
- 5 breakfasts and 5 dinners, with a vegetarian option at every meal on request
- A modern coach with air conditioning, reclining seats and a toilet
- Guided from start to finish
Not included
- Flights to the start of the tour and home from the end: we can book them from Dubai
- Travel insurance: take out a policy that suits your trip
Optional extras
Excursions and upgrades you can add to the tour. Prices are per person.
Half-Day Game Drive
Day 3AED 375per personWith an expert guide, spend half a day on a game drive around the Kruger National Park region, including breakfast out in the bush. R1700, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 3 in the itineraryFull-Day Game Drive
Day 3AED 440per personA full day exploring the Kruger National Park region with a qualified guide, with a good chance of seeing the Big Five. R2000, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 3 in the itinerarySunset Game Drive
Day 3AED 375per personA sunset-timed game drive around the Kruger National Park region, when nocturnal animals start to appear. R1700, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 3 in the itinerarySoweto Half-Day Tour
Day 6AED 330per personA guided half-day visit to Soweto, taking in the Hector Pieterson Museum, Freedom Square, Vilakazi Street and the former homes of Nelson and Winnie Mandela. R1490, booked with your tour leader on the day.
See day 6 in the itinerary
To add an extra, mention it in your booking notes, and we confirm it with your seats before you pay. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day instead: their description says so.
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Good to know
Practical details to read before you travel.
Passport & visas
South Africa asks most non-exempt nationalities for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), applied for online and tied to the passport you travel on. It only works if you land at OR Tambo (Johannesburg), Cape Town or Lanseria airport, which matches how this tour starts and ends.
Rules differ by passport, so our visa team checks what you need and handles the ETA application when you book.
Flights and timings
Flights to and from Johannesburg aren’t included. Day 1 starts at the Garden Court Hotel, OR Tambo International Airport, where you meet your tour leader in the late morning; they fly in with travellers continuing from the Cape Town portion of the trip, so wait in the lobby until they arrive. Full contact details reach you by email about a week before you travel. The tour ends in Johannesburg after breakfast on day 6.
Our team can book your flights from Dubai to match.
Meals and dietary needs
Breakfast and dinner are included on all five nights; lunch isn’t included, so you choose your own each day, including on game-drive days.
Tell us about any dietary needs, halal included, when you book, and we pass them on before the tour.
Money
South Africa’s currency is the rand (ZAR). Cards are widely accepted in cities and hotels; it’s worth carrying some cash for smaller stops along the way.
Optional extras booked on tour are paid to your tour leader in cash or by card, in the currency shown.
Weather and packing
Departures run most of the year except February and March. Kruger is hot and can be humid from October to March, and dry and cooler from May to September, which is also the best time for game viewing.
Pack layers, a light rain jacket, comfortable walking shoes and sun protection. Early-morning and sunset game drives can be cool, so bring something warm to put on.
Safari and malaria
Game drives are done from a seated, open or air-conditioned vehicle, so no particular fitness is needed, though binoculars and a camera with some reach are worth packing.
Kruger is a malaria area: ask your doctor or a travel clinic about prevention before you travel.
Plan your trip
Our Dubai team arranges what goes around the tour, so it is booked in one place.
Visas
Check the visa for each country on the route. Our visa team in Dubai applies for UAE residents once the tour is booked.
Flights
Flights are not included. We can book them with the tour: Dubai to Johannesburg and back. Tick “Flights” when you book and we quote them with your confirmation.
Pay in instalments
Split the cost with Tabby or Tamara, or over 3 to 12 months on a UAE bank credit card for bookings from AED 1,000.
Book this tour
Book in a minute. Your seats are held as soon as you book; you name the other travellers and pay once we have confirmed them.
Questions before you book? Our support team is on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001.
Questions about this tour
What will my days look like?
Days are full. Most start with breakfast, then the main sights with a local guide or your tour leader. Afternoons often leave free time to wander, stop for a coffee or join an optional extra. Expect a fair amount of walking: some days mean two or three hours on your feet, so bring comfortable shoes.
Who will I be travelling with?
Travellers from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds, who share a wish to see more. This tour runs as a small group of up to 8, and most people know each other’s names within a few days.
What are the hotels like?
Mostly 3 and 4 star, all clean, comfortable and well located, with private en-suite bathrooms. They are chosen so you sleep well and are ready for the next day. The destinations come first, but the hotels are never an afterthought.
How active is this tour?
You carry your own luggage, sometimes up hotel stairs. Some walking tours run for up to three hours, and a few sites have plenty of steps. The itinerary and the activity level at the top of this page show whether the pace suits you.
How do optional extras work?
Optional extras run in the tour’s free time, and your tour leader tells you what is on offer as the tour goes. The ones on this tour are booked with your tour leader on the day, and the Optional extras section shows each one with its price.
Will I have time to explore on my own?
Yes. The itinerary builds in free time to wander at your own pace, and your tour leader can point you to the places that suit you, so you are never left to work it all out alone.
What support do I have while I’m on tour?
Your tour leader travels with you from start to finish. They know the places most visitors miss, can suggest a restaurant before you ask, and deal with whatever crops up on the way. Transport and hotels are all arranged for you.
There is also an emergency number staffed 24 hours a day, and our team in Dubai is there to help.
How do I book Kruger Safari & the Panorama Route?
Press Book now, choose a date, your travellers and rooms, and give your name, email and mobile. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away; you then add each traveller as their passport shows on your booking page. Our Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails you a secure payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
When do I pay?
Once the tour operator confirms your seats. We email you a secure payment link for the total in AED, and your booking is complete when it is paid. To pay in instalments, say so in your booking notes.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room. Travelling alone? A single room costs the supplement shown next to each date.
Are flights included?
Only when the tour lists them under what is included. We can book flights from the UAE to the start city and home from the end city with your tour.
Do I need a visa?
That depends on your passport and the countries on the route. Our visa team arranges Schengen and other visas for UAE residents, and can apply for yours once the tour is booked.
Payment plans
Take the trip now. Pay for it in pieces.
Every booking qualifies, from holidays and tours to visas. Spread it over 3 to 12 months at 0% on a credit card plan, or with Tabby or Tamara; some banks add a one-time processing fee.
- Credit card plans from AED 1,000
- Tabby and Tamara, no minimum
- Terms from 3 to 12 months
Find your bank’s plan
Credit cards, from AED 1,000
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