3 Day Classic Kruger National Park Safari

Posted By : VilelaH

This experience was below our expectation. The given evaluation is mainly justify by the poor quality of accommodation. This is not the best option in terms of cost/benefit. For the price paid, we felt a lack of comfort on this experience.

The lodge was quite disappointing: the lounge was very outdated, need some renovations particularly in bathroom, our bed sheets were coloured and very used, the room had a bad smell, we didn’t had any hands towel and the amenities available had really bad quality.

As a good side:
All employees at Viva safari were very polite and helpful.

Finally, keep in mind that this is Balule Reserve Game (in great Kruger) but outside the official perimeter of national park. It took about an hour from our lodge to the park.
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Posted On : 2023-09-29 07:26:14

Posted By : X985LSsamg
One of the most amazing trips of my life, the staffs at Viva made it possible. The accommodations were great, the tours were awesome. Thank you!!
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Posted On : 2023-07-02 05:12:02

Posted By : amandalQ9726MS
We absolutely loved our experience with Viva Safaris! We saw 4 of the big 5 on the first day's sunset drive on the private reserve and saw plenty more in Kruger Park on the second day (though we weren't able to off-road within the national park). The food was delicious every night, the rooms were comfortable, and every single guide we had was hilarious, kind, and excellent at their jobs.

The one downside was the drive to and from Johannesburg actually took far longer than initially estimated - from pickup at our hotel until arriving at the reserve was ~8 hours, and the way back took almost 12, though we had stops along the way. I'm sure it's difficult to coordinate pickups with so many groups on different packages, but there were likely ways to make the trip more efficient for guests, where hours were added to the journey.

Big shout out to our favorite guide KG, "King George", for some of the biggest laughs we've experienced in a long time.
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Posted On : 2023-03-17 11:07:41

Posted By : debbiekP228BB
We took a 7 day safaria and didn't Want to leave. It was so amazing. Everything about it was fantastic...the people the food and the animals. We stayed at Marcs tree house and loved every minute of it. Or guides were awesome...one morning we saw the big 5 before 11:30. Thanks Victor for that. A amazing day..
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Posted On : 2021-08-18 11:42:23

Posted By : Broom1park
Collection from Joburg 7 hour journey there and 9 back in a small Toyota van. Very crampt and uncomfortable. Lunches not included as detailed in some descriptions. Accomodation very basic, dated with little upkeep. Meals also very basic with little choice. Kitchen hygiene standards were poor. Drinks including water availability was limited at the camp to when bar open from 7pm to 10pm only. We did the 3day safari. Only one good Krougar safari day out of the 3 days. 2 days effectively traveling but you start 9am first day, finish 9pm. Day 2, 7am to 5pm, Day 3 5.30am till 7pm. We did, however, see the big 5. Next time it will be with more basic comforts and not with Viva which would appear not to have invested or give much consideration to the guests experience.
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Posted On : 2020-01-20 03:47:23

Posted By : Raymond M
Overall I give this safari package a 5 star rating. I was beyond what I could have ever imagined. Viva Safaris goes out of their way to give you the ultimate safari experience through sunrise, sunset and all day drives through the game parks. The personnel at the loge were exceptional, the food was great.

The only negative item was that I was given the impression that on the day of arrival there would be time to relax, maybe take a dip in the pool before heading out on the sunset drive. The drive from Johannesburg took 8 hours including stops so we didn't arrive until 5:00 pm and the sunset drive was departing at 5:30 so there was barely enough time to put your bags in the room before activities begin.

I would definitely do this safari again, although next time I would book either the 4 or 5 day instead of the 3 day.
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Posted On : 2019-12-10 11:39:34

Posted By : mpdrager
I booked the three day package with Johannesburg return, staying at Masango camp. In general, I highly recommend to anyone pressed for time or on a tight schedule. In the three days I was with Viva Safaris, I experienced so much-they really keep you moving! The drivers pick you up from your JNB hotel or JNB airport for the six hour drive out to the camps. Although a bit of a drive, the scenery is stunning, so it goes by quickly. I stayed at Masango camp, which is on the same reserve as Marc's Treehouse camp. When I stayed, there were no other bookings for Masango, so Viva arranged transport and meals for me up at Marc's Treehouse camp, so I could socialize with the other guests. On my first night, we did a sunset drive on the reserve, where I saw giraffe, buffalo, ostrich, and plenty of impala and nyala. The second day we left early for the drive into Kruger and were gone until sunset. We saw so much wildlife and it was definitely the highlight of my trip. Our driver knew Kruger well, and we saw countless elephants, giraffe, lions, zebra, crocodiles, impala, wildebeest, ostrich, kudu, warthogs, and many other antelope. Unfortunately I didn't see rhinos or leopards at Kruger or on the reserve, but they seem to be more elusive and of course can never guarantee a sighting. You can hear the animals, including the leopard at Masango camp at night, which created an unforgettable experience.The third morning we had a morning walk throughout the reserve, and saw some interesting leopard kills and wildlife. Cornee took amazing care of me at Masango and I had a lovely stay. Masango camp has chalets centered around a pool and a dining hall/bar. The beds were comfortable and I had my own shower and bathroom which was a welcome addition to my accommodation. The chalets give you a good balance of comfortable accommodation, while still being close to wildlife that wander the reserve. The roof and walls are a bit drafty so recommend warm gear in the cooler months. Meals were excellent and, next to the fire at Marc's camp, were a great way to meet other safari guests. Monkeys and Nyala are common visitors, so was yet another reminder of how close you are to the wildlife. On the way back, our driver stopped at Blyde River Canyon where we got an amazing look at this South African landmark. I was back in Johannesburg by early evening on the third day. All an all an amazing experience. Knowledgeable guides, great food, comfortable accommodations, amazing wildlife- all in the span of three days without breaking the bank.
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Posted On : 2019-10-05 18:10:24

Posted By : Kerry B
Day 1 we arrived an hour late (broken down bus). They then tried to put 12 of us in a 10 seater jeep, as they only had 1 driver. We refused and asked for a second jeep (given one of the selling points is that only 9 people will be in a jeep), so we were further delayed to wait for a second driver to arrive. There was no urgency or apology from the staff. We started our safari at 5.40pm (the sun sets at 5.50). In my opinion, this was absolutely pointless. Our jeep then broke down twice, and turns out the same car had broken down earlier in the day. Given there were other jeeps, I’m not sure why we used that car.

Day 2, we departed for our day at Kruger at 8am (15 minutes late). Our driver (Rex) kept us waiting almost an hour on a toilet break when we got to the park, so our safari didn’t actually start until sometime after 10am. I’m not sure what we were waiting for- it seemed a chance for the drivers to smoke and chat. Again, no rush or urgency from the staff, and zero consideration of customer satisfaction. At the end of the day, Rex was certainly in a rush to drop everyone back to their lodges, so that he could get home. He was speeding at over 120km/h, in an open jeep with a 2 year old in the back. The impression he gave was that he didn’t care about anything that affected our time or our enjoyment, only when it affected his time.

After our safari, I heard from other guests who had been on safaris with Rex on previous days that he had driven so fast in Kruger, that he almost hit a giraffe crossing a road. I also met numerous people on other viva safari tours, who experienced issues with late starts and broken down vehicles. There was one particularly bad accident the day before we arrived, where the break-pads failed going downhill. 2 people went to hospital (one with particularly bad cuts & bruises, and 2 black eyes).

Day 3, on the drive back to Johannesburg, one of the buses broke down, so we had to stop for an hour while people and luggage were shuffled between buses

Everyone I met felt the same and many people have made complaints during the trip. We are so confused how there are so many good reviews. I think Viva safaris need to work on their vehicles and driver training (However, I do exclude one driver (Victor) from this. He was the only person that genuinely seemed to care about our enjoyment and trying to find the animals).

On the plus side, the accommodation at Tremisana exceeded our expectations, and the food was very nice.
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Posted On : 2019-08-27 05:58:23

Posted By : mjwang23
I'm not an animal person per se, but I'm so glad we went! Kruger National Park is the best place to go for Safari and Viva Safaris has an excellently run tour. Staff are friendly and knowledgable and that's what it takes to make sure you go to the right spots to see the Big Five and other animals.

Dusty (aka Shannon) was great at answering all our questions and driving like a maniac to try to get us to sightings as others reported them. I love how they work as a team. Be sure to sit towards the front for a smoother ride.

Our tour guide in Kruger National Park itself was Rexson and he is REALLY GOOD! This was the best day, of course as it was a full day (pics below). The last day is kind of a wash, a one hour 5:45am tour, and then the rest of the day is traveling back to the airport. So if you want more than one full-day, consider the 4-day or 5-day package. But, for me, the 3-day sufficed.

Also, I lost my iphone wallet during the BBQ the first evening and they were able to find it before I left! Amazing staff. Appreciate you all!
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Posted On : 2019-08-09 13:08:02

Posted By : TinaLB1975
We have just spent 3 days owing this safari. Within the first hour of the sunset game drive, we had seen 4 of the big 5. The only one that eluded us was lion, which we soon found on the Kruger safari on day 2, when we saw 3 cubs from a distance.
Day 3 sunrise drive almost ended in disappointment, but thankfully we found a pride of lions within a few kilometres of tremisana lodge. We counted 21 lions in this pride.
The staff were friendly and know their stuff, the rooms were clean and kept warm. The grounds are lovely, and the food was nice too.
I would highly recommend this company if you want to see the big 5!
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Posted On : 2019-07-18 12:55:29