Luxury Safari in Kruger National Park in South Africa

Today I want to share my review of a luxury safari in Kruger National Park with you. South Africa Tourism has brought me here to experience one firsthand, and here’s how it goes…

Luxury Safari in Kruger National Park

I’m nervous about Kruger. It’s one of the most famous places for safaris in Africa, but will it live up to the hype? South Africa Tourism put it on my travel itinerary, so I’m flying from Cape Town to Hoedspruit, and will have to wait and see.

The only thing left to think about is how it will compare with the safaris I’ve just done in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.

Luxury Safari in Kruger at Thornybush Game Lodge

My flight lands at Hoedspruit Airport and my group is met by a driver from Thornybush Game Lodge.

The luxury safari lodge is located 45 minutes’ drive from the airport in a private game reserve adjacent to South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park.

As soon as we arrive, we’re given a warm welcome and an orientation. The large open-air main lodge overlooks a watering hole where animals come throughout the day to drink.

Local art decorates the space, and large wooden tables and sofas make it the perfect place to relax in the afternoon heat. It’s the ideal spot for a luxury safari in Kruger.

Alongside the lodge and its adjacent swimming pool are individual suites fanning out over a dry riverbed.

We walk along a path to our rooms, opening the doors to discover luxury safari accommodations with big netted beds, balconies, air conditioning, and large bathrooms with indoor and outdoor showers.

Luxury Safari Game Drives in Kruger

We settle in before meeting back at the lodge for afternoon tea and our first game drive in the private reserve. As our open-top safari jeep rumbles along the dirt roads, we start to spot all kinds of wildlife.

From beautiful birds with bizarre mating rituals to baby elephants, black-backed jackals, and grazing rhinos, we spot creatures big and small on our luxury safari in Kruger.

The real treat, though, comes after sunset when we see a male lion walking through the bush as he roars into the night. He’s looking for females, and after a distance he finds them.

Three lionesses sit by a fresh kill, and he joins them for a late night snack. It is amazing to see these animals this close.

The next day we see more exciting wildlife, including a lone leopard in the grass and a female cheetah stalking a group of impala.

I’m impressed by the variety of game at Thornybush, and start to understand why luxury safaris in Kruger are so famous.

Over the next few days, we spend our mornings and evenings on game drives, enjoy meals on the terrace, and relax in the afternoons.

We get to know our guide and spotter, both of whom are experts in all kinds of wildlife and are clearly passionate about their work.

One morning we mix things up a bit by taking a walking safari, where we get close to the bush and spot some giraffes and a buffalo in the distance.

I’m a bit nervous about being away from the safety of the vehicle, but we don’t encounter any problems.

Another day we spot a massive herd of elephants moving through the bush. It’s a beautiful scene to watch, and we track them as far as we can.

The only downside is that we learn that all over Kruger, female elephants are put on contraceptives that allow them to give birth to live, healthy young, but not to lactate. The babies are born, but quickly die of starvation.

It’s heartbreaking and shocking to hear that this practice is allowed, and it reminds me that there’s a dark side to safaris in Kruger, too.

Thankfully, we’re informed that Thornybush has decided to discontinue the practice. I hope others follow suit.