An 11 Day Itinerary for a South African Safari

I honestly can’t believe it, but I will be going on a safari in South Africa in just a few weeks (at the beginning of October 2016). This has been a gigantic dream of mine for pretty much my entire life, and I’ve had this trip planned for about 6 months now. So the fact that this huge bucket list item is only a few weeks away from actually happening is mind blowing.

For this trip, I will be exploring with Epic Enabled, a South Africa tours company that specializes in wheelchair accessible safaris. Planning this safari has been a breeze for the most part because of Epic Enabled’s assistance. Since this is a group tour, with people coming in from all over the world, the company has a set itinerary every month that highlights the best of what a safari has to offer. I have never traveled around with a group before, but I think that it will be fun to meet new people and experience South Africa with them.

This wheelchair accessible safari visits the world famous Kruger National Park and more. Here is the 11 day itinerary that I will be doing:

Day 1 – ATL to JNB

I will board an overnight flight with Delta from Atlanta straight to Johannesburg. This is one of the longest nonstop flights in the world and while I am dreading the 16 hours (!!!) of flying time, I know that it’ll be completely worth it once I get to South Africa.

Day 2 -Johannesburg

We’ll arrive in Johannesburg around 6pm and a representative from Epic Enabled will meet us at the airport and transfer us, in a wheelchair accessible vehicle, to the City Lodge Hotel. This hotel is near the airport, which will be nice, and we can go to bed early. I can never sleep on planes that well, so I’ll probably be ready to get in bed immediately.

Day 3 – Johannesburg

For this day, we have no plans actually. We can sleep in and just relax before the upcoming safari. I’ve been trying to find accessible taxis in Johannesburg and so far, I’m not having any luck. So maybe we’ll just have a nice day at the hotel. That won’t be so bad, I guess. 🙂

Days 4 & 5 – Kruger National Park Safari- Skukuza Camp

From Johannesburg, we will drive east through the rolling hills of the Highveld and have lunch en route to the world famous Kruger National Park. Entering from the Southwest, we will spend the first 2 nights in accessible bungalows at the main camp, Skukuza.

We spend the next days in the Kruger National Park. This 2 million-hectare haven is home to the Big Five (the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros) and many other species of animal, bird and plant. Kruger Park is a premier local and international game park, featuring, apart from its excellent camps, wonderful views and tranquil settings.

Accessible safari truck… Photo courtesy of Epic Enabled

Days 6 & 7 – Kruger National Park Safari- Satara Camp

The park features exciting drives through both dense bush and dry scrub. While in the Park, most of the time will be filled with game viewing on early morning and evening drives, discovering the inner beauty of this memorable park. This is where we can explore our photographic skills, or even just capture the sight of this incredible variety of wildlife as a memory to take back home.

*UPDATE: Read about my time at Kruger National Park by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of Epic Enabled

Days 8, 9 & 10 – South Africa tours: Private Game Reserve – Tshukudu

After breakfast and a morning’s game drive, we will depart Kruger National Park and head to a magnificent Private Game Reserve, world renowned for reintroducing animals to the wild. We will spend 3 nights here in wheelchair accessible bungalows. We can encounter up close lions and maybe even touch a wild cheetah at this stunning lodge. Dinner is served in a traditional “Boma” around a blazing fire.

Activities during these days include morning and afternoon game drives & walks/wheels, animal interaction and touching Jessica the Hippo. If you’re planning a trip full of activities like this one, try using a trip planner to keep track of every adventure-packed day.

*UPDATE: Read about my time at Tshukudu by clicking here.

Jessica the Hippo… Photo courtesy of Epic Enabled

Day 11 – JNB to ATL

On our last day, we will have a scenic journey back to Johannesburg where we will be delivered to the airport for our very long flight home. This trip hasn’t even started yet and I’m already dreading this day when our epic South Africa tours and safari come to an end.

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This South Africa tours itinerary sounds pretty epic, right?? To plan your own, take advantage of Lonely Planet’s South Africa guide. Check out Fodor’s guide for more information on the animals and sights to see along the way. If you’d like to follow along with my 11-day safari, head over to my Facebook page. I’ll be posting tons of content on there during my trip and I’ll also post plenty of articles about my experience right here on the blog once I return home.

Have you been on a safari? I’d love to hear your tips, if so!