Kruger National Park

Welcome to the forum!

Viator is not tour company but is a 3rd party aggregator of tours given by others. I would NOT book thru Viator for something this big. If you look at the Additional Information section on the Viator page, then scroll down it will give you the name of the company that provides the tour.

To compare, take a look at this tour from Road Scholar and see what you are getting, although it is 2 weeks and the tour you are looking at is 6 nights. With Road Scholar, they are very specific about meals, accommodations, travel, etc. No tips are necessary so if you use other companies to compare, calculate in tips for your guides and drivers.

https://www.roadscholar.org/find-an-adventure/13938/African-Safari-A-Close-up-on-Wildlife

I have not gone to Africa but to me the $2700 sounds low. There are a number of people on this forum who have traveled to Africa and will be along later with personal experiences.

Are you quoting rates that are per person/double occupancy or the total for you as a couple? My experience in South Africa is that nice lodging in cities is rather inexpensive compared to what we are used to, but that safari’s cost money $$.

I like that you are focusing on National Parks for the most authentic experience. Private game reserves really vary in quality and space. My best experiences were in national parks. FYI, way more to
Safari experience than the big 5, don’t get too hung up on them.

I think you need to do more research and find the option that fits your interests and budgets. Many, many reputable tour companies serve this market.

As Pam suggests, see what company is actually providing the tour that Viator is selling and then research / contact that company directly. The $2730 price is in line with what I’ve seen from other South African companies that have websites but don’t have a US office or any US staff to do custom planning. Good luck!

I'll just throw out Sunrock Guesthouse as a place to stay in Johannesburg, quite close to the airport and priced very reasonably. Three of us stayed there off and on for a total of eight nights last September as we went to and from other parts of Africa (Western Cape, Tanzania, Botswana) for our tours and safaris.

If you decide to stay there, PM me and I'll have suggestions about tipping. (The whole tipping culture in Africa kind of threw me for a loop.)

When we went to Kenya for a week's safari, we booked through a Canadian company, Lion World Travel (Not Lion Tours, a Chinese company). Their price was reasonable, their on-the-ground tour company was great. It was all inclusive except for our guide's tip, souvenirs, and drinks at the bars. We were five people, our guide was our driver as well, and really knew his stuff re the animals. We were in a minivan with an open top, so basically a private tour. We stayed at three different game preserves (not private ones), plus arrival night in Nairobi, and departure day we had a day room. Lion arranged our flights also, but I would do my own, as British Air lost our luggage, going and returning! Lion specializes in Africa, have been around a good while, and know their stuff. They were fairly priced...noit like your $5700.00, but not bargain-basement either. I would use them again without hesitation. (We went about 12-14 years ago, and I can't remember the price, but it was very reasonable.)
I don't know about South Africa or Tanzania, but Kenya at that time was safe and a really special experience. (I can no longer visit zoos after seeing elephants in the wild, gathered in groups, females all looking after the calves. Seeing them constrained is heartbreaking. Kenya will always be etched on my heart.)

Kruger is a wonderful place. My husband and I drove ourselves all over the park for 5 days back in 2011.

Many thanks to everyone who has responded to my forum. We really appreciate it and are looking into everything everyone has mentioned. Again, thank you.