Kruger Safari from Cape Town: 2 Days with Flights & Game Drives

Early morning flights, game drives hunting the Big 5, an overnight in the park

A 2-day Kruger National Park safari from Cape Town includes return flights, an afternoon game drive on day one, a dawn game drive on day two, overnight accommodation at a lodge in Hazy View, and breakfast. The itinerary departs Cape Town at 5 am, routes through Johannesburg, and returns the same evening, so the entire trip—flights, transfers, wildlife viewing and lodging—stays arranged without separate bookings.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Travel and afternoon game drive

• Depart Cape Town Airport early morning
• Arrive Johannesburg Airport and prepare for drive
• Arrive Protea Hotel and check in
• Afternoon game drive in Kruger National Park
• Return to hotel for overnight stay

Day 2 — Morning game drive and return

• Early morning game drive in Kruger National Park
• Drive to Johannesburg Airport for return flight
• Arrive Cape Town Airport and transfer to hotel

The Experience

The day starts before sunrise: you leave Cape Town Airport on the first flight out around 5 am, land in Johannesburg by 7:40 am, and drive straight to Kruger. By early afternoon you're checked into the Tembo Guest Lodge in Hazy View and heading out on an open vehicle with a game ranger for your first drive. The afternoon game drive is when the park begins to show itself—animals move in the cooler hours, and the ranger knows where to find them. You return to the lodge for the night.

Day two starts even earlier. The morning game drive departs around 5:30 am, when the Big 5 are most active. You roam the park on an open vehicle with periodic stops for photographs, then drive back to Johannesburg to catch your return flight at 8 pm. The arrangement means you're not organizing flights, transfers between airports, the lodge, or the game drives themselves—all of it is timed to fit into a single overnight trip.

Return flights from Cape Town are included; so are transfers from your Cape Town hotel to the airport and back. The lodge provides breakfast. A live English-speaking game ranger leads both drives. What you arrange separately is lunch and dinner on the second day.

What’s included

• Return flights from Cape Town to Johannesburg.
• return airport transfers from your Cape Town hotel.
• overnight accommodation at Tembo Guest Lodge in Hazy View.
• breakfast on day two.
• afternoon game drive on day one with a live English-speaking ranger.
• morning game drive on day two with a ranger.
• all transfers between Johannesburg Airport and Kruger.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Africa Moja Tours & Safaris

Is this one for you?Everything's coordinated—flights, lodge, transfers, and game drives—so you arrive ready to explore, with early starts catching wildlife at peak hours and return to Cape Town the same evening.

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Top questions

What are the Big 5 and when am I most likely to see them on this safari?

The Big 5—lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo—are the animals Kruger is known for. The morning and afternoon game drives, especially the dawn departure around 5:30 am on day two, are when these animals are most active and visible. A ranger leads the search, but sightings are never guaranteed.

Do I need to arrange my own flights from Cape Town to Johannesburg?

No. Return flights from Cape Town are included in the tour price. You depart around 5 am on day one and return around 8 pm on day two, with transfers from your Cape Town hotel to the airport included both ways.

What's included in the overnight stay at the lodge?

The Tembo Guest Lodge accommodation for one night and breakfast the following morning are included. Lunch and dinner are not covered, so you'll arrange those meals separately or purchase them at the lodge.

How much time do I spend actually on game drives?

You have an afternoon game drive on day one after checking in around 1 pm, and a morning game drive on day two starting around 5:30 am. Both are conducted on open vehicles with a game ranger, allowing 360-degree viewing of the park.

What happens if my flight from Cape Town is delayed?

The itinerary departs Cape Town at around 5 am, so arriving late would affect the entire day's schedule. Confirm your hotel pickup time with the operator before your travel date, as transfers from your Cape Town hotel to the airport are arranged in advance.

Is this tour suitable if I'm traveling with young children?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Infants can sit on an adult's lap during flights and game drives, and specialized infant seats are available if needed—confirm this with the operator when you book.