3 Days Bird Paradise Kruger Safari
Balule and Kruger on a 3-day Kruger safari with Big Five game drives
Overview
3-day Kruger safari
A 3-day Kruger safari from Johannesburg pairs the Panorama Route with Balule, where Ezulwini River Lodge sits in a private reserve bordering Kruger.
Ezulwini River Lodge, located in the Big 5 Balule Nature Reserve in a pristine region of Limpopo Province, offering a top-class Kruger safari. Reasons for visiting lie in the appeal of the natural surrounds, the expert owner-management, and the guides’ deep knowledge of the reserve. The location of the reserve means that it shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park, but without public thoroughfare, making it a little piece of private Kruger heaven.
A three-day packaged safari to the Balule Nature Reserve for two nights. On this packaged safari, guests stay at Ezulwini River Lodge on a full board basis. The package includes transportation and all game drives which are conducted in open 4X4 safari vehicles inside the Kruger National Park. The client has the choice of two daily game drives or possibly replacing one game drive with a bush walk instead. The package includes all road transfers.
Travel logistics
Start / Finish
Start
- Johannesburg
- JNBO. R. Tambo International Airport
Finish
- Johannesburg
- JNBO. R. Tambo International Airport
Highlights
What Makes This Safari Special
Big Five game viewing
Guided walking safari
Panorama Route sightseeing
Game drives with a professional guide
Explore Kruger National Park
Explore Balule
Day by Day
3-day Kruger safari itinerary
A professional driver will pick you up in Johannesburg on the morning of your departure. All transfers are done in a luxury air-conditioned vehicle, where you will be transported via the Panorama Route to Balule. Panorama route includes God’s Window, Lisbon Falls and Graskop and all entrance fees are included in the package. There are numerous stops along the way for comfort breaks and photo moments.
Arriving at Ezulwini River Lodge or similar, you will be greeted by the friendly lodge staff and have time to settle in and rest before embarking on the afternoon game drive. Balule has a high concentration of wildlife and is known for the predators, especially the cats. Although the Balule is a private reserve and is a more exclusive safari experience, it forms part of the Greater Kruger Park with its borders being mainly unfenced with the national park.
Late afternoon and into the evenings is a great time to spot wildlife, after which you will make your way to the lodge for dinner and an opportunity to have a relaxed evening.
You will be greeted with a cup of coffee before heading off for the morning game drive in a 4x4 safari vehicle, hopefully with an opportunity to spot the Big Five waking and roaming in your path. There is an alternative to go on a morning bush walk rather than the drive if you so prefer.
Upon return from your safari, you will be served a leisurely breakfast and have the remainder of the morning at the lodge to catch up on sleep or resting at the pool. Lunch will be served and there will be some more time to unwind before returning for an afternoon/sunset safari drive with your guide.
Sunset will be spent in the bush, after which you will be returned to the lodge for dinner and the evening at your leisure.
Early morning rise on day three and head out for your morning game drive to spot the animals that have been eluding you on your safari experience. Return to the lodge for breakfast and check out, where our driver will be waiting to transfer you back to Johannesburg via Nelspruit.
Should you want to fly in and out of Nelspruit (KMIA), rather than be transferred from and to Johannesburg, this can be arranged. The drive time is roughly two and half hours to Nelspruit from the lodge or about six hours to Johannesburg.
Gallery
Photographs
Where You Stay
Handpicked
Retreats
Every lodge and camp is chosen for its location, character and comfort, so the place you rest is as memorable as the adventure itself.
What's Included
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included
- All activities (unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation as stated in the itinerary
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
- All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section
Not Included
- Conservation Fees
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Services not mentioned in the program
- Travel insurance and medical repatriation
- Items of a personal nature
Questions
Frequently Asked
The price covers all activities (unless labeled as optional); all accommodation as stated in the itinerary; a professional driver/guide; all transportation (unless labeled as optional); all Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section. Budget separately for conservation Fees; personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.); services not mentioned in the program. Your personalized quote confirms the full breakdown line by line.
The prime months for this itinerary are May, June, July, August, September and October. That said, South Africa rewards visitors in every season. Tell us your travel dates and we'll advise exactly what to expect.
This is a private, tailor-made safari for your own party of 2 to 12 guests. You won't be grouped with strangers. The itinerary, vehicle and guide are yours alone.
You'll stay at Ezulwini River Lodge, as laid out in the day-by-day itinerary. If availability requires it, we substitute properties of a similar or better standard and always confirm before you travel.
Send an inquiry through the form on this page and our safari experts will come back with a personalized quote within 24 hours, free and with no obligation. Once the plan feels right, we lock in your dates and lodges.
Absolutely. Treat the 3-day program as a starting point. We can adjust the pace, upgrade or change lodges, add days, or combine it with other destinations. Tell us what your ideal trip looks like and we'll shape it around you.
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