Self-Drive Kruger National Park in One Week

Road Trip Highlights

South Africa

4x4

7 days

436 km

Spot lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos along famous self-drive routes like H4-1 and S99.
Enjoy everything from riverside bungalows and safari tents at Lower Sabie to remote.
Set your own pace and schedule with a sedan, SUV, or 4×4

View the original road trip story

Author Bio

Micky Baker

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Suggested Vehicles for hire

Toyota Fortuner SUV 4x4 2.8l 2 Pax Camping Equipped

4 Seats | 4 Doors | 4 Medium Bags

Aircon
Power Steering
ABS
Diesel

Minimum rental: 14 days

SEE FULL SPEC

Toyota Hilux Double Cab 4x4 Camping Equipped 4 Pax 2023-2025 Model

4 Seats | 4 Doors | 4 Medium Bags

Aircon
Power Steering
ABS
Diesel

Minimum rental: 14 days

SEE FULL SPEC

Toyota Fortuner 4x4

5 Seats | 5 Doors | 3 Large Bags | 5 Medium Bags

Aircon
Power Steering
ABS
Petrol or Diesel

Minimum rental: 14 days

SEE FULL SPEC

Road Trip Itinerary

	Activities	Kms	Stay
Day 1-2	Start your journey in the south, entering through Crocodile Bridge Gate and driving to Lower Sabie Rest Camp. It should take you around five hours to reach the gate by road from Johannesburg. If you’re travelling from Cape Town, you’ll need to plan an overnight rest stop on your way to Mpumalanga. Located on the banks of the Sabie River, this camp is one of the park’s most scenic, with excellent game viewing right from the deck. It’s particularly famed for its resident leopards, as well as Sunset Dam, a small body of water just outside the camp gates filled with crocodiles and wading birds.	36	Lower Sabie Rest Camp
Day 3	A short drive from Lower Sabie along the Sabie River takes you to Skukuza, the park’s largest and most developed rest camp. It has a shop, restaurant, post office, fuel station, and even an ATM – making it a good place to restock and recharge. Famously, Skukuza is home to the Skukuza Golf Club. Visitors often observe wildlife gracing the perfectly-manicured greens. If you’re lucky, you might even witness a hunt between rounds!	57	Skukuza Rest Camp
Day 4	Heading north, you’ll pass through the central plains before arriving at Letaba Rest Camp, overlooking the Letaba River. The camp is shaded by tall trees and is a favourite among birders and elephant lovers.	162	Letaba Rest Camp
Day 5-6	Now you’re entering the less-visited northern section of Kruger, where mopane woodland dominates the landscape. Shingwedzi Rest Camp, situated on a seasonal river, offers a peaceful and remote atmosphere, with rivers populated with hippos and banks teeming with bee-eaters and other colourful birds.	109	Shingwedzi Rest Camp
Day 7	Your final stop is Punda Maria, the park’s northernmost main rest camp. The vegetation here transitions into sandveld and fever tree forest, creating ideal conditions for rare antelope and birdlife. Your drives in the north will take you through dense forests, where nyalas and elephants lurk between ancient trees and thickets.	72	Punda Maria Rest Camp