3-Day Kruger Safari from Johannesburg: Lodge and Treehouse

Sunset drive, safari, sunrise walk: nights split between a chalet and a treehouse in Kruger.

A 3-day safari from Johannesburg combines two nights in Kruger National Park (one in an air-conditioned chalet at Tremisana Game Lodge, one in a treehouse at Marc's Treehouse Lodge) with a 4-hour sunset drive on Motlala Game Reserve, a full day of open-vehicle game viewing in Kruger, and a morning bush walk along the Klaserie River with an armed ranger. The itinerary includes scenic stops at the Three Rondawels in Blyde River Canyon on the return to Johannesburg. Hotel and airport pickup from Johannesburg is included, as are all park fees, transport, activities and a local English-speaking guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Pickup and Sunset Drive

• Pickup from Johannesburg hotels and airport
• Travel to Tremisana Game Lodge
• Relax at lodge bar or gardens
• 4-hour sunset drive in open Landcruiser
• Spot nocturnal animals with spotlights
• Bush BBQ dinner at Marula Tree Boma
• Continue night drive
• Overnight in air-conditioned chalet

Day 2: Full Day Kruger Safari

• Breakfast at lodge
• Full day safari in Kruger National Park
• Dinner at lodge
• Overnight in treehouse at Marc's Treehouse Lodge

Day 3: Bush Walk and Return

• Morning bush walk along Klaserie River
• Breakfast at lodge
• Visit Three Rondawels on return to Johannesburg

The experience

You're picked up from your Johannesburg hotel or O.R. Tambo Airport and driven through farmland toward the Lowveld, arriving at Tremisana Game Lodge in the Balule Section of Kruger. After time to settle (swim, rest in the tropical gardens or sit at the bar), you board an open Landcruiser for a 4-hour sunset drive on Motlala Game Reserve. The guide points out animals and birds as light fades, then switches to spotlights to find nocturnal species moving through the bush. Dinner is a bush BBQ at the Marula Tree Boma, followed by a night drive before you return to your air-conditioned chalet.

Day two is a full day in Kruger National Park on an open vehicle, moving through the reserve with your guide. That night you sleep in a treehouse at Marc's Treehouse Lodge, a stilted chalet that sits above the bush. On the final morning, you walk along the Klaserie River with an armed ranger (a different pace and vantage than the vehicle drives) before heading back toward Johannesburg. On the return transfer, you stop at the Three Rondawels in Blyde River Canyon, the scenic rock formations that rise above the canyon floor, then continue to Johannesburg for drop-off at your hotel or the airport.

The 3-day span means you get both the night and dawn wildlife rhythms without the commitment of a longer trip. Accommodation, all park fees, transport by air-conditioned minivan, activities and your guide are included. Lunch on the transfer days and the day in Kruger can be purchased at stops along the route. The itinerary suits all fitness levels, and vegetarian meals are available if you request them when booking.

What’s included

• Hotel or airport pickup and drop-off in Johannesburg.
• 2 nights accommodation (one air-conditioned chalet at Tremisana Game Lodge, one treehouse at Marc's Treehouse Lodge).
• 4-hour sunset drive on Motlala Game Reserve with night drive.
• full-day Kruger National Park safari on an open vehicle.
• morning bush walk along the Klaserie River with an armed ranger.
• scenic stop at Three Rondawels in Blyde River Canyon.
• all park fees and local taxes.
• transport by air-conditioned minivan.
• local English-speaking guide.
• bush BBQ dinner.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (1 to 11 years) · Infant (under 1): free

GroupUp to 9

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48h

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Viva Safaris

Is this one for you?Three days is the span that fits a first safari from Johannesburg without taking a full week: long enough to move through two different parts of Kruger and sleep in two distinct settings (lodge and treehouse), short enough to slot into a longer trip or a weekend. If you want a longer immersion in the reserve or a shorter taste of it, other itineraries in the region run 2 days and 5 days.

Traveler reviews

4.63★★★★★★★★★★

19 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 11 years); Infant (under 1): free.

What animals might I see on the sunset and night drives in Kruger?

The sunset and night drives on Motlala Game Reserve and the full day in Kruger expose you to the reserve's wildlife (the guide uses spotlights after dark to locate nocturnal species), but the specific animals present depend on the season and the reserve's movement patterns on the days you travel.

Why stay in two different accommodations over three days?

The chalet at Tremisana Game Lodge on night one offers air-conditioned comfort after your arrival and sunset drive, while the treehouse at Marc's Treehouse Lodge on night two puts you deeper in the bush for the dawn walk along the Klaserie River the following morning.

Is the armed ranger on the bush walk a safety measure?

The armed ranger on the morning bush walk is standard for walking safaris in Kruger, allowing you to move on foot through the reserve (a different experience from the vehicle drives), while maintaining safety protocols in an active wildlife area.

Can I arrange lunch during the tour?

Lunch on the transfer days and during the full day in Kruger can be purchased at stops along the route. It is not included in the package, so you choose where and what to eat at those points.