South Africa
Greater Kruger
Where it all started. The Lowveld, the Big Five, and the iron-red soil of home.
About this destination
The Greater Kruger National Park and surrounding private reserves represent both the birthplace of modern safari and the Vilane family's home territory. Sibusiso grew up in the shadow of the Lebombo mountains; the iron-red soil of Mpumalanga runs in our family's story. No destination is more personal to us — and no guides know it more deeply.
The Greater Kruger is not a single park but an interconnected wild system: Kruger itself, the Sabi Sand, Thornybush, Timbavati, Klaserie, and beyond. Over two million hectares of bushveld, home to every member of the Big Five, more than 500 bird species, and landscapes that shift from lowveld thornbush to riparian forest to fever tree woodland.
We guide here on foot and by vehicle. Our walking safaris here follow waterways where leopard drink at dusk. Our Big Five drives prioritise quality of encounter over volume — we will sit with one lion for an hour if she lets us, rather than tick five boxes in a morning.
Highlights
- —Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino in one ecosystem
- —The Lebombo mountains and iron-red Lowveld soil
- —Seasonal migration of game along the Sabie and Sand Rivers
- —Night drives revealing the nocturnal world most visitors never see
- —Walking safaris in private concessions outside Kruger
- —Year-round malaria-low areas available for family safaris
Safaris available
Best time to visit
May through October for dry-season wildlife concentration and cooler temperatures. January through March for birding and lush green bush — fewer crowds, different quality.
Getting here
Fly into Johannesburg (OR Tambo) or Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP). Most private reserves are within 90 minutes of MQP.
“The Lowveld is the Vilane family's home ground. Sibusiso's story begins in the landscape below the Lebombo range. When Bavu came back to safari, this was the territory he returned to. There is no place we know more honestly.”
The Vilane family on Greater Kruger
Plan your Greater Kruger safari
Ready to go to Greater Kruger?
Tell us your travel dates, group size, and what you most want to experience. We will design a safari that fits your family.