Johannesburg Hostel
Hostel
Days 1, 9
Kruger — 6 days (Johannesburg, Blyde, Satara, Drakensberg & Amphitheatre)
Ten days, with a bush walk and the chain ladders. Six days on the Panorama Route and in Kruger only, driving back to Johannesburg rather than flying.
Dust & Thorn
Runs this trip
Wildlife safari
Ten days, with a bush walk and the chain ladders
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Apartheid MuseumTen days: the escarpment, Kruger and the Drakensberg. Blyde River CanyonBlyde is the largest green canyon on earth — most big canyons are desert, and this one is subtropical the whole way down. Orpen GateSatara sits in the middle of the best lion country in the park, and the camp fence has hyena outside it most nights. DrakensbergThe Drakensberg escarpment runs a thousand kilometres and the Amphitheatre is five kilometres of it standing vertically. SentinelTwo sets of chain ladders bolted to the cliff get you onto the rim.
Itinerary
Ten days: the escarpment, Kruger and the Drakensberg. The museum first, because the rest of the country makes more sense after it.
JohannesburgHow the day runs
- 1 hrsTransfer, then the museum in the afternoon
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationJohannesburg Hostel
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Museum entry
- Hotel night
LANDMARKS Apartheid Museum Soweto Constitution Hill Start point Johannesburg, O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), Johannesburg 00:00 - 23:59Blyde is the largest green canyon on earth — most big canyons are desert, and this one is subtropical the whole way down.
Johannesburg, BlydeHow the day runs
- 5 hrs7:00 AM — north-east to Mpumalanga
- 2:00 PM — God's Window, Bourke's Luck and the Three Rondavels
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationBlyde Hostel
Included Activities
- All viewpoint fees
- Lodge night
LANDMARKS Blyde River Canyon Three Rondavels Bourke's Luck Potholes Satara sits in the middle of the best lion country in the park, and the camp fence has hyena outside it most nights.
Blyde, Kruger, SataraHow the day runs
- 3 hrs7:00 AM — down to the lowveld and in at Orpen
- 4 hrs10:00 AM — the drive in to camp, which is a game drive
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationSatara Hostel
Included Activities
- Park fees
- Rest camp with all meals
- Evening drive
LANDMARKS Orpen Gate Satara Lowveld The bush walk is the one that changes how you see the park — tracking on foot with two armed rangers, at the pace the animals set.
Satara, KrugerHow the day runs
- 4 hrs5:30 AM — the gates open at first light
- 3 hrs3:00 PM — a guided bush walk with two armed rangers
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationSatara Hostel
Included Activities
- Two activities
- Rest camp with all meals
LANDMARKS Sweni Nwanetsi Big Five Kruger is roughly the size of Wales and self-driving it is normal — but a guide reads tracks and knows what moved overnight.
Satara, KrugerHow the day runs
- 10 hrs5:30 AM — a full day driving south with a packed lunch
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationKruger Hostel
Included Activities
- Full-day drive
- Rest camp with all meals
LANDMARKS Sabie river Skukuza Leopard country The Drakensberg escarpment runs a thousand kilometres and the Amphitheatre is five kilometres of it standing vertically.
Kruger, Johannesburg, DrakensbergHow the day runs
- 1 hrs10:00 AM — the hop from Skukuza
- 4 hrs1:00 PM — south-east to the escarpment
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationDrakensberg Hostel
Included Activities
- Flight and transfer
- Mountain lodge
LANDMARKS Drakensberg Amphitheatre Royal Natal Two sets of chain ladders bolted to the cliff get you onto the rim. Tugela drops 948 m off the edge and is often just spray.
Drakensberg, AmphitheatreHow the day runs
- 2 hrs5:30 AM — round to Sentinel car park
- 7 hrs7:30 AM — the Sentinel route and the chain ladders
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationDrakensberg Hostel
Included Activities
- Permits
- Guide
- Mountain lodge
LANDMARKS Sentinel Chain ladders Tugela Falls Escarpment rim The Drakensberg holds the largest concentration of San rock art in the world, and the shelters are visited only with a custodian.
DrakensbergHow the day runs
- 4 hrs8:00 AM — the walk in to the painted shelters
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationDrakensberg Hostel
Included Activities
- Guided walk with a custodian
- Mountain lodge
LANDMARKS Rock art shelters Eland paintings Royal Natal Four hours, and an airport hotel for the long-haul flight.
Drakensberg, JohannesburgHow the day runs
- 4 hrs9:00 AM — the drive back
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationJohannesburg Hostel
Included Activities
- Transport
- Hotel night
Johannesburg is the busiest airport in Africa and flies everywhere.
JohannesburgHow the day runs
- 1 hrsTransfer to O. R. Tambo
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Day 1Airport transfer
- Day 1Museum entry
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 2All viewpoint fees
- Day 2Lodge night
- Day 3Park fees
- Day 3Rest camp with all meals
- Day 3Evening drive
- Day 4Two activities
- Day 5Full-day drive
- Day 6Flight and transfer
- Day 6Mountain lodge
- Day 7Permits
- Day 7Guide
- Day 8Guided walk with a custodian
- Day 9Transport
- Day 1 · 1 nightJohannesburg Hostel
- Day 2 · 1 nightBlyde Hostel
- Day 3 · 2 nightsSatara Hostel
- Day 5 · 1 nightKruger Hostel
- Day 6 · 3 nightsDrakensberg Hostel
- Day 9 · 1 nightJohannesburg Hostel
- Day 1Johannesburg to JohannesburgTransfer, then the museum in the afternoon
- Day 2Johannesburg to Blyde7:00 AM — north-east to Mpumalanga
- Day 3Blyde to Kruger7:00 AM — down to the lowveld and in at Orpen
- Day 6Kruger to Johannesburg10:00 AM — the hop from Skukuza
- Day 6Johannesburg to Drakensberg1:00 PM — south-east to the escarpment
- Day 7Drakensberg to Amphitheatre5:30 AM — round to Sentinel car park
- Day 9Drakensberg to Johannesburg9:00 AM — the drive back
- Day 10Johannesburg to JohannesburgTransfer to O. R. Tambo
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Blyde Hostel
Hostel
Day 2
Satara Hostel
Hostel
Days 3, 4
Kruger Hostel
Hostel
Day 5
Drakensberg Hostel
Hostel
Days 6–8
What you'll eat
9 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 8 dinners across 10 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 10.
- DinnerServed on days 1–8
- BreakfastServed on days 2–10
- LunchServed on days 3–5
20 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.0/5
Based on 4 reviews
Review summary
Food3.8/5
Guide4.3/5
Itinerary3.8/5
Transport3.8/5
Accommodation3.8/5
Tour operator4.3/5
Sort by:Recommended
4
R
Rahul Menon – Pune2025-11-07 · Verified booking
Excellent sightings and the guides clearly knew the area. Recommended.
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5
P
Priya Nair – Pune2025-11-07 · Verified booking
Excellent sightings and the guides clearly knew the area. Plenty to eat and they were happy to work around a gluten allergy. Would book with them again.
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5
K
Karan Shah – Hyderabad2025-11-07 · Verified booking
Early starts, but that's where the wildlife is. Well run. Dorms were tidy and the common areas were where the group actually gelled. Food was plentiful and hot, which counts for a lot at altitude. Good value for what's included.
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2
R
Rohit Verma – Indore2025-11-07 · Verified booking
Sightings were thin on our dates, which is luck, but the drives felt rushed.
Reply from Dust & Thorn
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
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Questions people ask
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