Afternoon Sunset Safari
Search for Game Fom Midday Until the Sun Starts to Fade
Highlights
- Professional, Private Safari Guide (FGASA Qualified)
- Private “Full” Open Safari Vehicle
- Search for the Big 5 and so much more
- Explore the best areas in Southern Kruger Park
- Learn and history, heritage and ancient wisdom
- Excellent “Golden-hour” Photographic opportunities
- Perfect for the Bird enthusiast
- Solo travel can be arranged
The Afternoon Sunset Safari is a very unique experience. This is not a “night drive” as we need to exit the Kruger National Park by gate closure time, this is a very lazy afternoon Safari that captures the essence of the later afternoon and dusk with a glimpse of a beautiful sun setting over the western horizon.
Late Afternoons in Kruger are about taking your time along river frontage, at dams and waterholes, woodland savanna and grassy plains. Afternoon Kruger Park Safaris are very relaxed and allow one time to linger and really enjoy the moment. It’s a slow and patient Safari that’s perfect for Photography and waiting, watching and experiencing animal behaviour.
Our Afternoon Kruger National Park Safari starts at 12h30 midday and ends at 18h15 in summer months and 17h30 in the the winter months as Kruger adjusts its gate times to account for the seasonal changes in sunset.
Prior to departure your guide Andrew will have already engaged with you via email or phone call and he would have already established your travel plan for the afternoon. Guests that have booked their own accommodation and are staying within 10km of their nearest Kruger Park gate of entry can be picked up on Open Safari Vehicle and transferred to the gate. Alternatively we will meet our guests at the determined gate. All of the Kruger Parks gates offer secured parking for client’s vehicles.
On arrival at the gate we will manage all the administrative requirements on your behalf. We will require each guests Name, Surname, Passport or Identification Number as well as signature on the SANParks indemnification document. We will complete as much as possible prior to arrival to ensure a quick and efficient process. As soon as the permit is finalised we will head off into the Park.
There truly is no better way to experience the Kruger National Park than with your own private guide and Open Safari Vehicle. The shear openness of the vehicle connects you to nature and offers you up close and personal experiences that cannot be compared to being in a closed vehicle with a side window down. An open Safari Vehicle amplifies your connection and stimulates all of the senses creating a magical and emotive experience.
Our Afternoon Safari departs from the gate at 12h30. With set gate closure times we want to use our time wisely as we cannot run over like the Sunrise and Full Day Kruger Safaris. This means being selective about our routes but then taking our time along them to really enjoy the transition from midday to afternoon and watching as the sun slowly sinks and changes the light over the savanna. There are many wonderful riverine roads and waterholes that we favour and which offer great opportunities to watch as game comes down to drink in the afternoon.
The river frontage also offers good shade often provides good sightings of Lion and Leopard as they wait out the sun and prepare for their evening hunts. Afternoon Safaris offer a very unique beauty as the afternoon sunlight completely transforms the savanna and enhances the mood and beauty of Kruger. Golden light and pink orange, pink and purple hues create a dream like beauty and when you add a herd of Elephant or Zebra to a grassland or perhaps a Kudu or Nyala to a woodland these scenes are spectacular.
We will stop at one of the camps on our Afternoon Safari route and use this as a halfway stop to refresh, have a leg stretch and comfort break.
Whether it’s on Half Day Sunrise Safari, Full Day Kruger Safari or Afternoon Kruger Safari, our Safari style remains the same. Our focus is your experience and your guide’s objective is to establish a wonder-filled storyboard around you and your expectations. We don’t merely chase 5 species of game but rather tell a story that helps you to understand this incredible wilderness and exposes you to as many of the wonderful species that call the Kruger National Park home. Andrew’s extensive knowledge of the Park will bring you closer to its rich natural heritage as well as the many ancient wisdom’s that make up the cultural diversity of Kruger.
We aim to have you back at the gate from 17h30.
Afternoon Safari –
Comfort breaks and Camp Stops :
The Afternoon Safari departs from at 12h30, we advise guests to have an early lunch so that we can maximise our time in the bush looking for wildlife. We will stop for comfort breaks and leg stretches but these are quicker than usual as we need to be back by gate closure time. If you want to bring your own cooler-box with food and snacks you are also welcome to do so. Please note that no alcohol is allowed into the Park by day visitors as per SANParks.
Having taken hundreds of Safaris into the Kruger National Park we know from experience what’s important to pack. Here are a few items we recommend that you don’t leave home without:
- Mobile phone with charging cable
- Camera
- Binoculars (We will have complimentary pair on the vehicle)
- A good hat for summer months or warm beanie in winter
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Comfortable shoes
Summer Months: September to April
We recommend light functional attire preferably in natural colour shades to blend in with our environment and not stand out visually to game species. Summer can be hot and the direct sunlight dangerous so please remember a good hat as well as sunscreen. During the hottest summer months (Nov/Dec) the daytime temperatures can reach 35 degrees Celsius from 10h30 and from 13h00 the temperature can reach upward of 40 degrees. The summer months are also our rainy season so the afternoons can experience thunder showers but all vehicles are equipped with waterproof ponchos as well as canvas flaps that can enclose the vehicle.
Winter Months: May to August
During the winter months in the Kruger National Park, we will usually experience blue skies on most days but with a daily average temperature of 18 to 26 degrees Celsius. The early mornings on Safaris can be cooler with temperatures from 5 to 8 degrees and late afternoons again dropping below 18 degrees. Winter Safaris are fantastic because the visibility is very good but we do recommend that you have warm clothing as the wind on the back of an Open Safari Vehicle can make things chilly. On our Safari vehicles we do provide fleece blankets.
- Professional Safari Guide (FGASA qualified)
- Private fully Open Safari Vehicle
- Afternoon Safaris are 7 hours in duration
- Blankets and Rain Ponchos on vehicle should the weather change
- Children (3) three years and older are welcome
- Afternoon Coffee, tea and biscotti stop
- Natural still mineral water for each guest
- Safaria sightings journal to document all that you see
- Rates include VAT
- Excludes Kruger National Park Conservation & Entrance fee
- Transfer to Park gate ( if further than 10km from gate)
- All meals
- Guide Gratuity
- All Kruger Park Camps have a restaurant and Park Shop where you can order a sit down meal or take away meal.
- Park shops do offer a wide variety of Kruger curio
- There ATM services at all major camps and cash can be drawn from the Park shops themselves should you need.
- As per SANParks we are may not exceed 10 guests per Safari vehicle and sadly children under the age of 3 years may not participate in a Open Vehicle Safari activity.
- In the event of a medical emergency your guide is a qualified medical first aider but also will have direct access to the closest and best medical facilities. Should there be a medical emergency your guide will ensure that you are taken care of and have access to the best and fastest medical attention.
- Please ensure that you have referenced our Terms and Conditions. It is accepted that clients which have booked and paid for their Safaris have reviewed and accepted our Safaria T&C’s.
- As a responsible tourism partner we are members of SATSA (South African Tourism Services) as well as SATIB (South African Travel Insurance) but this does not include personal travel insurance should your booking be cancelled at the last minute. We recommend that clients take out their own travel insurance to cover them in the eventuality that a sudden cancellation needs to be affected.