All our safaris are personalised and tailor made for each trip, depending the family / group's requirements and any special interests. Please find below a very proven and popular Photo Safari itinerary with a good combination of great game-viewing, finding lots of animals, seeing the Big 5, lots of sights, culture and good lodging.

This 8 night combination trip will explore Mpumalanga’s fantastic wildlife including fantastic

Big 5 sightings up close in the Kruger National Park, Drakensberg sightseeing tour, optional Elephant experience up close, private game drives on the awesome Olifants 'Big 5 river, wildlife rehabilitation centre, curio shopping & more…

Big 5  Lowveld Explorer (8 nights)
 

• Day 1
  Arrive in Johannesburg OR Tambo International airport for daily domestic connecting flights to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, Nelspruit. Matthew Greeff Safaris are to meet guests at Airport with a short road transfer to our Gold Valley Lodge. 

Settle in, have a light lunch, maybe a nap and go on a late afternoon game drive on our own 3000 acre of wild bush with +-15 species of game including giraffe, zebra, kudu, wildebeest, waterbuck, nyala, impala & reedbuck to name a few…
At Gold Valley Lodge / ranch you can find your feet, do game drives and walks, shoot sporting clays, as well as nearby sight-seeing trips to gold rush town of Barberton and its Geo-trail into the mountains & Sudwala Caves.

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•  Day 2 @ Gold Valley Lodge

**We have found that jet lag is quite an issue for the first 2 nights.
- so this really works well!**
 

• Day 3  

After breakfast, head north for scenic route tour to the Drakensberg mountains / Graskop, Gods Window, Berlin Falls, the Pinnacle and more…
- Lunch in the mountains.
Option to do the popular Elephant Sanctuary where you can have a Trunk in hand encounter (additional costs - See website below)
Dinners and overnight at Gold Valley Lodge.
 

• Day 4 + Day 5 

Early morning departure for the famous Kruger National Park in search of Africa’s Big 5, giraffe and more… Spend next 2 evenings in the Park at overnighting camps such as Pretoriuskop, Skukuza, Berg en Dal & Satara, to name a few. For more than 3 people in a group we suggest your own private special adapted 9 seater open game viewing vehicle, with private experienced MGS guide. For single couples we use our own private MGS SUV or D/Cab vehicles.
 

• Day 6 : 

Work your way out the Park to arrive at new Excellence Safari lodge in the early afternoon. Settle in at safari camp, game drive in afternoon /evening return along the Olifants river ... Lots of Hippo, Crocodiles, elephant, awesome birding etc...
 

• Day 7

Breakfast and then a visit to the fascinating Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation centre near Hoedspruit. Opportunity to see and interact with cheetah, vultures, eagles and more... Lunch, some curio shopping and then return in afternoon. Late afternoon game drive. Usual awesome campfires with SA red wines and great food.
 

• Day 8

After easy breakfast start working your way back to Nelspruit via the tribal lands of Acornhoek and Bushbuckridge to our Gold Valley Lodge for final afternoon / evening around campfire.. Final laundry can get done / pack for next part of trip etc ..
 

• Day 9 Departure day 

Easy morning ,breakfast and transfer to Kruger Mpumalanga International (KMI) for scheduled flight to JHB for flight back home
OR 
for direct flight option from KMI to Cape Town or to Livingstone, Zambia / Victoria Falls for next adventure.

- ​Notes :
Some flights get into JHB during the day and early enough to connect with a flight to KMI. While some flights however arrive late afternoon and we then suggest Africa Sky Guesthouse for your 1st night arrival 
 Africa-Sky Guesthouse (https://africasky.co.za/) has a meet and greet service at OR Tambo Airport, a very short 12-15 min transfer, easy dinners on arrival and it is safe and very popular with all our guests.
Next day, short transfer back to airport, guests fly from JHB to our Nelspruit town’s Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport, (these add on flights are with SA Air-link ) 
Direct scheduled flights daily from JHB OR. Tambo International to Kruger Mpumalanga International have a flight duration of 50 min. Meet and be picked up by one of our guides and transferred the +-40 minutes to our own Gold Valley Lodge to start your trip .
OR 
 If there are any flying issues… We have a meet and greet option at JHB airport or guesthouse next morning and then a +- 4 hour scenic drive to our Gold Valley Lodge / ranch with registered driver and air conditioned vehicle on easy highway. (Additional costs)
 
MGS Safari = 8 nights 
Included in cost:
 

• Full time experienced guiding services all above and full time services of experienced guides, all Camp Staff, activities and all ground transportation / transfers throughout Safari.

Government Value Added Tax of 15% (current)

• 8 safari nights with all private accommodations all meals & game drives at Gold Valley & Scenic Mountains tours.

• 
  All Kruger National Park drives in an open game viewing vehicle for better game viewing / photography (4+ in group) 

• All Park entrance fees and conservation levies.

• All vehicle and transfers between Lodges /attractions while on Safari and any airport transfers from and back to Kruger Mpumalanga International, Barberton Museum and Geo Trail, Drakensberg Mountains Scenic tour,

Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Center visit

/ Lunches & Curio Shopping.

• Big 5 Safari lodge reserve game drives/ lunches 

 
Excluded in cost:
 

• Pending schedules and possible late afternoon arrival flights into JHB, your arrival evening and meet and greet service at Africa Sky guesthouse (settle bill directly with guesthouse).We would introduce you and arrange everything .

• Liquor, beer and table wines at fair cost.

• Gold Valley Laundry service @ $75 total per group/family once off.

• Bar bill /drinks /additional laundry other lodges 

• Personal items  and curios

• Optional staff /guide gratuities

 
Some additional activities (extra costs)

to consider:

• Elephant Sanctuary near Casa do Sol. (Trunk in hand program or Elephant Back ride optional add-on) www.elephantsanctuary.co.za

• Clay pigeon shooting and tuition at our Gold Valley Clay Shooting range

• Chimpanzee Sanctuary

 

Have a look at a few of these website below for fun activities!

​

• www.moholoholo.co.za

• www.sanparks.org (Search Kruger National Park )

• www.mpumalanga.com/experience/ attractions-&-things-to-do

 
- Costs / T'c & C's

​

• The above 8 night Private Photo /Scenic safari will cost USD $6640-00 total per couple on a sharing room basis 

=  $ 3320-00 per person for 8 nights. 

​

• To secure lodges and our services and dates - We require a deposit of 50% per person to our local USA account, to make payments via bank walk in / check deposits / wires transfer.. Very easy! The remaining daily rates are normally due 8 weeks prior to arrival in Africa.

 

• We accordingly draw up an invoice reflecting all of above and figures quoted, to be signed off by both parties, so everyone is very comfortable.

 

• After 35+ years in this business and a very reputable name in the industry and lots of great references throughout the world, we can assure you a personable, exciting yet very safe trip to our awesome country!

Exciting optional inclusions or add on's

to above trip can include:

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• 2 Nights at luxury Big 5 Photo Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sand or Timbavati Reserve home to the Big Five. Afternoon & evening game drives.

Game drives in open Land Rovers with an experienced ranger and tracker. 2 game drives daily, lasting approximately 3 hours each. Early morning drive and late afternoon game drive, sundowner in the bush then spot lights are used to track predators such as lion, leopard and other nocturnal animals. Game drives are exciting, often venturing off-road and offering exceptionally close encounters with Wild game. Photographic opportunities are outstanding. After brunch, a Safari walk is available for guests interested in the various animals, insects, trees, tribal values and animals tracks. Dinner is held in a boma around a glowing fire. Special venison dishes feature prominently on the varied four-course buffet menu. 
 

• Cape Town - Wine Route, Cape Peninsula, Table Mountain 

Rovos Rail or Blue Train Journeys
Victoria Falls / Chobe / Okavango / Serengeti and more ...

 

SEE MORE BELOW!