African Safari: Is It Worth It?
With our safari guide Moses!
Anna and I traveled to South Africa to do a Safari at Kruger National Park. Kruger National Park is the size of New Jersey and is home to the big 5 (Elephants, Rhinoceroses, Water Buffalos, Lions, and Leopards). Although Kruger does not have Gorillas or Chimpanzees, they basically have every other wild animal you could think of including Hippopotamus, Cheetah, Giraffe, Porcupines, Baboons, Monkeys, Hyenas, Wild Dogs, Jackals, and many others… If you are traveling from North America, South Africa is one of the most difficult places in the world to get to, so many wonder… Is it worth it?
We spent 3 days in Kruger National Park at Hoyo Hoyo Safari Lodge before flying to Cape Town. Although it was a relatively short stay, we were truly blown away by the amount of wildlife we saw in their natural habitat. Each day started with tea, coffee, and biscuits at 5:00 AM before leaving for our safari drive that took about 3 hours. We then returned, had breakfast, and relaxed until our next safari drive at 4:00 PM. There is an optional bush walk at Hoyo Hoyo but you have to ask for this specifically. Hoyo Hoyo is located inside Kruger National Park which prevents you from having to enter through the park gate each morning to see the wildlife. We were able to watch elephants, monkeys, impalas, warthogs, mongoose, and even a leopard from the comfort of our bedroom or dining area at the lodge. It’s pretty remarkable to watch these animals while eating breakfast!
An elephant joining us at breakfast!
If you are staying outside the gate, there is often a line to get into the park. Additionally, most hotels aren’t all inclusive so you have to pay for your game drives in addition to your food and drink. This is not the case at Hoyo Hoyo. Everything is inclusive, so although you are paying more, it might actually be worth it overall. We paid $1177.14 for 3 nights at Hoyo Hoyo booking through TripAdvisorPlus. While that may seem a lot, it’s actually an astonishing good deal for a luxury all inclusive safari lodge within the park. Most lodges within the park start at over $1,000 per night which is a really steep price. Another advantage of being within the park on a private reserve is that your safari guides are allowed to drive off road to get closer to the animals. If you are driving by yourself or an outside tour agency, you must stay on the road which is a huge disadvantage. Just look how close we got to the lions!
Close up with Lions in Kruger National Park!
Back to the Safari… Being Americans who have seen little wildlife and large fauna, it was an exceptional experience. Our game driver Moses asked what we wanted to see each day and then did his best tracking it down. We saw all of the big 5 over 3 nights and 2 days which I feel is quite incredible. We also saw a wide variety of wildlife from zebras, impalas, kudus, dorcas, mongooses, warthogs, giraffes, and vultures. Being within the park on a reserve allowed us to get super close to the animals and not stay on the road. Is it worth the extra price? I would say yes given how difficult it is to get to South Africa and the assumption you will not be traveling here frequently. l would recommend spending extra to stay in the park since you won’t be nickeled and dimed and you will be able to get closer to the wildlife. It also removes a lot of logistical challenges with regards to booking game drives, getting through the park gates, and being allowed to drive off road. Overall, Anna and I would definitely do a safari again, and I might recommend 4 nights instead of 3 nights. I’ll also add Anna received two massages at Hoyo Hoyo and they were both reasonably priced in the range of $30 (not including tip). Overall it was a magical place that we would recommend for anyone! Here are our photos of the big 5…
Kruger Park Lion
Kruger Park Rhinoceros
Kruger Park Leopard in the Evening
Kruger Park Elephant with her Calf
Kruger Park African Buffalo
Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
We definitely recommend going on a safari! I think it might have gotten a little old if we were there for over a week, but it is a once in a lifetime experience. We give a safari in Kruger National Park an exceptional 18/20 rating which puts it firmly in the “can’t miss!” category.
