Private Kruger Safari
Your safari. Your people. Your day in Kruger.
A private safari in Kruger National Park gives you something a shared game drive cannot: the freedom to experience the park with your own people, at your own pace.
When you book a private safari with Eugene Safaris, the vehicle is exclusively yours. Whether you are travelling as a couple, with family or with friends, you don't have to share your day with strangers who may have completely different ideas about what makes a great safari.
I personally guide every safari, and I involve you in the decisions we make throughout the day. You can tell me what you are interested in, how you are feeling, what you would like to spend more time doing, and when you have had enough.
Because this is your safari.
Experience Kruger, rather than chase it
Kruger is an incredible place, but it can also be busy.
Sometimes a leopard is sitting beside the road and there are vehicles everywhere. Sometimes you find yourself completely alone with a herd of elephants, listening to nothing but the sounds of the bush.
I won't promise you that every sighting will be private or that we will avoid every traffic jam. That simply isn't the reality of a national park as large and popular as Kruger.
What I will do is read the situation.
If we arrive at a sighting and there is a huge amount of congestion, I'll look at what the animal is doing before deciding whether it is worth waiting. If we can see that the sighting is likely to develop, we may stay. If we are sitting there for an hour and can barely see a leopard's foot, we may decide that our time is better spent experiencing the rest of Kruger.
We can always come back later.
For me, a safari isn't about collecting sightings. It is about experiencing the park.
Slow down and notice what is around you
I love seeing animals, but I don't want the entire safari to become a race from one Big Five sighting to the next.
The early morning is a particularly special time in Kruger. Nocturnal animals are still moving towards quieter places, the light is changing and the bush is waking up around us.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is simply stop.
Listen to the birds.
Watch a herd of zebra walking past.
Notice the sounds they make.
Feel the atmosphere of the bush before I start explaining what you are seeing.
I will give you accurate information about the animals, their behaviour and the area, but I don't believe a guide needs to talk constantly to prove that they know something.
If something interesting happens in front of us, I want you to experience it first.
My job is to help you understand what you are seeing without taking you away from the experience itself.
A day shaped around you
We start the day by getting into Kruger early and taking things slowly.
As we drive, I'll keep you involved in what is happening. I'll use the map to show you where we are and explain what areas we might explore, but the day isn't locked into a rigid itinerary.
If you are enjoying a quiet stretch of bush, we can slow down.
If you want to spend more time looking for something, we can do that.
If you have had enough and want to return to your accommodation, that's fine too.
And if everyone is enjoying themselves and wants to stay out for the full day, we can make the most of it.
At some point we'll stop somewhere suitable for a quiet coffee and some rusks, giving us a chance to sit back, talk about what we've seen and simply enjoy being in the park.
We'll also stop for a break around the middle of the day, giving you some time to yourselves.
The afternoon is flexible too. Some days the heat or tiredness means an earlier finish makes sense. Other days, the group is still enjoying themselves and wants to stay out until the gates close.
There is no prize for staying out longer.
The point is to enjoy the day.
The Big Five aren't the whole story
Of course, I'll always try to find the animals you are hoping to see.
If you want to see rhino, lion, elephant or leopard, we'll keep that in mind as we move through the park.
But wildlife doesn't work to an itinerary.
On one of my recent safaris, my guests really wanted to see a rhino and lion cubs. We didn't find either.
Instead, we found cheetah cubs.
And suddenly nobody was thinking about the rhino or lion cubs anymore.
That is Kruger.
You can come with an idea of what you want to see, but the park ultimately decides what it gives you.
When the animals aren't cooperating, we slow down and look at everything else. Birds, tracks, plants, landscapes, sounds and all the small things that are easy to miss when you are rushing from one sighting to another.
I've been working in the safari industry for 13 years, and I've never had anyone tell me they travelled 11,000 kilometres just to see a bush.
But I've also learned that when there aren't animals around, a good guide can still make the bush interesting.
Who this safari is for
This style of safari works particularly well for people who want to slow down and experience Kruger together.
For couples, it means having the whole vehicle to yourselves and being able to enjoy your time together without worrying about another passenger who wants to do something completely different.
For families, it means being able to adapt the day to how everyone is feeling, while giving younger travellers the opportunity to develop a genuine connection with nature.
For friends, it means having the freedom to laugh, talk, explore and enjoy the day together.
And for anyone who simply wants to look beyond the Big Five, I am happy to slow down and show you the smaller details that make Kruger what it is.
What is included
Your private safari includes:
A private safari vehicle exclusively for your group
Personally guided game drives with me
Collection from your accommodation
A full day in Kruger National Park
A flexible safari experience shaped around your group
My knowledge and interpretation of the park and its wildlife
Coffee and rusks during a quiet stop
Bottled mineral water
Accommodation and meals are not included, so you remain free to choose where you stay and what you would like to eat.
You’re also welcome to ask for my recommendations when choosing where to stay, whether you’re planning to stay in Marloth Park in southern Kruger or Hoedspruit in the central Lowveld. If you’re flying in, I can also collect you from the nearest airport.
Kruger conservation fees can either be paid directly at the gate or added to your final invoice, in which case I can arrange payment on your behalf.
Your day in Kruger
You may come hoping to see a particular animal.
You may have a list of things you want to experience.
Or you may simply want to spend a day somewhere wild with the people you care about.
Whatever brings you to Kruger, my role is to help you make the most of it.
I won't promise you every animal on your list, and I won't pretend that Kruger is always quiet.
What I can offer is a private vehicle, personal guiding, honest advice and the freedom to experience the park at your own pace.
Come and experience Kruger your way.
Looking for a different way to experience Kruger?
If you have a particular interest in wildlife, there are other ways I can shape your time in the park.
Explore my Kruger Birding Safaris if birds are your main interest, or my Kruger Photographic Safaris if you want to put more focus on wildlife photography.
If you would prefer a more structured multi-day experience with accommodation, meals and other arrangements included, take a look at my Kruger All-Inclusive Safaris.