Private Safari into Kruger from Marloth Park

Pickup from Marloth Park and Surrounding Areas

I also operate in Marloth Park, so your safari starts right where you're staying. We collect you from your lodge, guesthouse or self-catering house anywhere in Marloth Park, so there's no need to drive, find parking or worry about the gate queues on your own.

Pickup from your accommodation

Tell us where you're staying when you book and we'll pick you up at your door. Because we live and work here, we know every section of the park and can be with you at the time that suits your safari, including the early starts needed for a sunrise drive.

Staying nearby?

We also collect guests from Komatipoort, Malelane and the surrounding lodges and guesthouses. If you're staying further away, get in touch and we'll let you know whether we can arrange a meeting point.

Which Kruger gate do we use?

From Marloth Park, the Crocodile Bridge and Malelane gates are the closest entry points to Kruger. We choose the best gate for the day based on where the wildlife has been seen, the time of year and what you'd like to see.

Typical pickup times

• Sunrise safari 04:30 - 05:00
• Full-day safari 05:00 - 05:30
• Sunset safari 14:30 - 15:00

Times shift slightly with the season. We confirm your exact pickup time when you book.

Pickup times shift slightly with the season because gate opening and closing times change, so we confirm your exact time when you book.

What You'll See on Your Private Safari

Kruger's southern region, the area we cover from Marloth Park, is one of the richest game-viewing areas in the park. It has a high density of wildlife in a relatively compact area, which means more sightings without the long drives some other sections require.

The famous Big Five

Lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino are all present in this part of Kruger. Sightings aren't guaranteed on any single game drive, since this is a wild, free-roaming environment, but our local knowledge and daily presence in the park give us the best possible chance of finding the big five for you.

Beyond the Big Five

• Giraffe, zebra and large herds of impala and wildebeest
• Hippo and crocodile along the Crocodile and Sabie rivers
• Cheetah and wild dog, less common but seen in this area
• Over 500 bird species, including species drawn to the rivers and riverine bush

Why the south of Kruger

The rivers, waterholes and varied habitat in this section attract wildlife year-round, which is why we base our safaris here rather than driving further into the park. It also means less time on the road and more time watching animals.

A private, guided experience

As your private guide, I read tracks, calls and behaviour to anticipate where animals are likely to be, and can stop for as long as you like at any sighting. This is not a shared open vehicle following a fixed route: your safari moves at your pace.

Why Book a Private Open Vehicle Instead of Self-Driving

Many visitors staying in Marloth Park consider self-driving into Kruger since the park is right on the doorstep. A private open safari vehicle gives you a very different experience, and for most guests, a far better one.

You see more, because you're higher up and open-sided

Our vehicles are open-sided and raised above a normal car, so you can see over long grass, spot movement in the bush earlier, and get a clear line of sight in every direction. A sedan or SUV puts you at ground level, looking out through glass and pillars that block your view exactly when something moves nearby.

A trained eye, not a guess

Self-driving means watching the road and the animals at the same time, and hoping you recognise what you're looking at. Our guides are trained to read tracks, alarm calls and animal behaviour, so we know when a sighting is building well before it's visible from the road. That's the difference between driving past a quiet bush and stopping for a leopard resting in it.

No time lost finding your own way

Kruger is enormous, and a self-drive day often means long stretches of road with nothing, because you don't know where the animals have been. We drive the park daily and share information with other guides in real time, so we head toward what's active rather than searching at random.

You can stop, get closer, and stay as long as you want

On a private safari, there's no other passengers to consider. If you want to stay at a sighting for forty minutes, or move on after two, that's entirely up to you. Self-driving means managing your own timing, fuel, gate times and the pressure of other cars queuing behind you at a sighting.

No stress, no logistics

We collect you from your accommodation in Marloth Park, handle the park fees and permits, and bring you home again. You don't need to worry about your vehicle, the road conditions, or getting back to the gate before closing.

Ideal if it's your first Kruger visit

If you don't know the park, a private guided safari means you don't waste your visit learning as you go. You get the benefit of local knowledge from the very first drive.

Practical Information

Kruger Conservation Fees

Entry into Kruger National Park requires a daily conservation fee, Fees differ for South African residents, SADC residents and international visitors, and they're reviewed annually. From November, the international visitor rate rises to close to R700 per person per day, so please confirm the current rate with us when you book, especially for safaris close to or after this date.

Group Size

Our vehicle can take up to 10 guests, 9 on the back and 1 in front, but we prefer to run private safaris with a maximum of 6 people. A smaller group means more space per person, an easier view for everyone, and a more relaxed, personal experience, rather than a full vehicle where guests are competing for the best angle. If your group is larger than 6, let us know.

Children Welcome

Because this is a private safari, your children are welcome on any drive. We pace the day around your family, with shorter stretches between sightings, regular stops, and flexibility to head back earlier if young ones need a break. You're not sharing the vehicle with other guests, so there's no pressure to keep to someone else's pace.

What's Included

Expert guide, vehicle, water, park fees included, excluded, snacks, binoculars, etc.