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Wild Planet Safari is a South African safari operator based in Hoedspruit, at the gateway to the world-famous Kruger National Park and the Greater Kruger region. Established in 2011, Wild Planet Safari has built a strong reputation for delivering authentic, expertly guided safari experiences that connect guests with Africa’s wildlife, landscapes, and cultures in a meaningful and responsible way. With over a decade of hands-on experience, we specialize in both day safaris and multi-day safari tours, carefully designed to suit couples, families, small groups, and first-time as well as seasoned safari travellers. Our most popular experiences include multi day Private Kruger National Park Safaris, Panorama Route tours, and combination safaris that blend iconic wildlife encounters with South Africa’s most dramatic scenery. Our Mission Our mission is simple: to create exceptional, ethical, and unforgettable safari experiences while promoting conservation, supporting local communities, and showcasing the natural beauty of South Africa in a respectful and sustainable way. We believe a great safari is about more than just seeing animals, it’s about understanding the ecosystem, appreciating the small details of the bush, and leaving with a deeper connection to nature. What We Do Wild Planet Safari offers a wide range of professionally guided safari services, including: Kruger National Park Day Safaris Full-day and half-day game drives led by experienced, passionate guides with in-depth knowledge of wildlife behaviour and the African bush. Panorama Route Day Tours Scenic tours showcasing highlights such as Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window, Bourke’s Luck Potholes, and historic viewpoints. Multi-Day Safaris & Overland Tours Carefully curated safari packages ranging from short Kruger getaways to extended bush-to-beach and family-friendly safaris. Family Safaris Specially designed itineraries suitable for families with children, combining education, adventure, and comfort. Custom & Private Safaris Tailor-made experiences built around guest interests, travel schedules, and accommodation preferences. What Makes Us Unique What sets Wild Planet Safari apart is our personal approach, local expertise, and attention to detail. We are not a high-volume operation, we focus on quality over quantity, ensuring every guest receives personalized service and an immersive safari experience. Key points that define us: Experienced Local Guides Our guides are professionally trained, deeply knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about wildlife and conservation. Prime Location Being based in Hoedspruit allows us quick access to Kruger National Park and surrounding private reserves, maximizing time spent in the bush. Authentic Safari Experiences We prioritize real wildlife encounters, unhurried game drives, and insightful guiding rather than rushed, checklist-style tours. Responsible Tourism We operate with respect for wildlife, adhere to ethical guiding practices, and support conservation and local communities wherever possible. Trusted Reputation Since 2011, Wild Planet Safari has welcomed guests from around the world, earning trust through reliability, professionalism, and memorable experiences. Our Commitment At Wild Planet Safari, we are committed to creating safaris that inspire wonder, respect nature, and leave lasting memories. Whether it’s your first time in Africa or a return to the bush, our goal is to ensure every journey with us feels personal, enriching, and truly wild.

Guest Reviews

Pamela

February 2, 2026

An unforgettable journey of a lifetime, a "must do" for everybody

It was so easy to book our trip (for my daughter and myself) with Wild Planet Safari. Everything was done online with Thale whose service and communications were excellent. Our guides Chris and Lungisani were friendly and courteous and great "spotters" of the wildlife which we saw in abundance. We were so lucky to see a pack of 12 wild dogs together, in addition to a group of six cheetahs in one sighting. We saw the big five plus more and were rewarded during our bush walk with a sighting of a pride of lions with cubs. It's difficult to mention a highlight of the tour, there were so many! I'll be back!

Pamela and Mike Divis

February 2, 2026

Amazing experience!!!

What a great experience. The staff was very knowledgable, the accommodations were clean and above average. The food was amazing. One of the best safari's we have been on.

Penny wilson

February 2, 2026

A fantastic tour

We have just returned to Europe after the trip of a lifetime to South Africa, some of it spent on safari with Ryan in the Kruger National Park. Ryan and his able assistant proved to be wonderful guides. Ryan's knowledge of African wildlife is excellent and we saw up close every species we could have wished for, large and small. We were a group of 6 and our every need was catered for in the sheer magnificence of the African bush. Ryan could not have pulled off a more charming, educational and spectacular trip for us. It was beyond our wildest dreams. Thank you Ryan and team! Your passion for Africa shines through and it is infectious. We will be back for more!

Fred

February 2, 2026

Lekker

This was a great adventure in the wild... We saw everything you could ask for, all from birds, hippos, lions, leopards and wild dogs and of course amazing scenery!! Next time I am going back to Southern Africa for safari i will definitely go with Wild Planet Safaris again. The staff has very good knowledge about every animal and the surroundings where we were and was very friendly and helpfull. You feel that these people live to be in the wild. The food everynight was always very good and tasty.. We had elephant sausage and other good tasting steaks from animals we could see in the parks..

jose dominguez

February 2, 2026

Excelente aventura. Guia muy experimentado. Viaje entre 20/05 y 27/05/2017

La atención de Ryan, Thale y sus ayudantes fue muy buena. El es un experimentado hombre de campamento. La familia nos ofreció su tienda para comer y nos hicieron probar en varias oportunidades el vino local, que es muy rico. El safari cubrió nuestras expectativas, aunque debo reconocer que no poder bajar del vehículo en ningún momento fue un poco cansador. No obstante ello, quiero mencionar algunos puntos que tienen que ver con la información y satisfacción del cliente, entendiendo que le puede servir a otros viajeros: -Nosotros, probablemente por una cuestión de marketing, y de mirar los capítulos exitosos de Animal Planet o de NatGeo, no estábamos bien informados de la dinámica de Kruger, de que “no es un zoo” como nos manifestó Ryan, y que los felinos pueden aparecer… o no. Hay que estar preparado para ello. -No somos asiduos viajeros de aventura, ni de safari, pero hemos recorrido bastantes lugares del Caribe y America del sur; y como turistas internacionales nos sorprendió un poco no poder decir cuántas veces quisiéramos que se detenga de tal o cual forma para sacar una fotografía… teníamos que aceptar el criterio de Ryan, como si estuviésemos haciendo su safari y no el nuestro… -De acuerdo a lo manifestado en los correos previos mantenidos con Thale, en ningún momento se nos dijo que la bebida no estaba incluida en el precio… ni siquiera el agua. Se mencionó que la comida estaba cubierta, menos dos almuerzos y una cena, pero nada más. Tampoco el almuerzo del dia de salida estaba cubierto. Nosotros supusimos que la bebida si, porque se nos pidió indicar en formulario previo de adhesión nuestra preferencia por el tipo de bebida, y esto nos creó confusión…. De todos modos, reitero que Ryan nos invitó con vino en varias oportunidades. Para evitar la confusión sugerimos que quiten del formulario previo la mención a preferencia de bebidas y que agreguen, en cambio, una mención muy clara indicando que la bebida no está incluida en el precio. -En una parada del camino de regreso, Ryan se enojó con nosotros por regatear el precio de algunas artesanías, manifestando que esa gente pobre tiene días y días de trabajo sobre cada artículo, y que no es moralmente aceptable ese regateo. Pues bien, luego de abonar una obra casi U$40, encontramos exactamente la misma en Johannesburgo por la mitad de precio. Asi que como le contesté, Ryan debe dejar a los turistas ser turistas y limitarse a opinar sobre su actividad de guía, que es lo que conoce. -Tomen los servicios de Wild Planet Safari y al finalizar, recuerden solicitar el pen drive o la memoria prometida con las fotos tomadas por Ryan o por Lungisani. Se les olvidó entregarnos la nuestra. The attention of Ryan, Thale and his assistants was very good. He is an experienced camp man. The family offered us their tent to eat and we did try the local wine several times which is very rich. The safari met our expectations, although I must admit that being unable to get off the vehicle at any time was a bit tiring. Nevertheless, I want to mention some points that have to do with information and customer satisfaction, understanding that this can serve other travelers: We, probably because of a marketing issue, and looking at the successful chapters of Animal Planet TV or NatGeo TV, we were not well informed of Kruger's dynamics, that" it's not a zoo"as Ryan told us, and that felines may appear ... or not. You have to be prepared for it. We are not very adventure travelers, nor safari, but we have visited many places in the Caribbean and South America; And as international tourists we were a little surprised not to be able to say how many times we wanted to stop in some way or another to take a picture ... we had to accept Ryan's criteria, as if we were doing his safari and not ours... According to the previous emails maintained with Thale, at no time told us that the drink was not included in the price ... not even the water. It was mentioned that the food was covered, minus two lunches and one dinner, but nothing more. Also the lunch on the day of departure was not covered. We assumed that the drink would, because we were asked to indicate in our previous membership form our preference for the type of drink, and this created confusion... Anyway, I reiterate that Ryan invited us with wine on several occasions. To avoid confusion we suggest that you remove from the previous form the mention of beverage preference and instead add a very clear mention stating that the drink is not included in the price At a stop on the way back, Ryan was angry with us for haggling over the price of some handicrafts, stating that these poor people have days and days of work on each item, and that bargaining is not morally acceptable. Well, after paying a work almost U$ 40, we find exactly the same in Johannesburg for half the price. So, as I said, Ryan must let tourists be tourists and just comment on his guide activity, which is what he knows. Take the services of Wild Planet Safari and at the end, remember to request the pen drive or the promised memory with the photos taken by Ryan or Lungisani. They forgot to give us ours.

Fred S.

February 2, 2026

ALL INCLUSIVE SAFARI EXPERIENCE OF A LIFTEIME!

From responding to email before booking all the way through ensuring we made it back to the airport on time for our flight, the Wild Planet Safari team provided world class service. Thank you Ryan and Lungisani! My wife and I chose Wild Planet because of the value in providing transportation to and from Tambo airport in J-berg and in managing all the logistics for us to stay inside of Kruger National Park for the duration of our safari. We learned that this allowed us to begin our morning drives a full hour earlier than anyone staying in accommodations outside of the park. Our guides were Ryan and Lungisani, two highly professional and knowledgable gents with years of experience. They not only helped us spot and identify a vast number of animals on every single ride, they were able to answer every question and provided even more history and context for complex issues like the horrific practice of rhino poaching. They went above and beyond our expectations to provide information about logistics as well as warm meals three times a day; they even pre-emptively ensured our caffeine addicted heads would not hurt and bellies not grumble by having hot coffee and rusk (SA equivalent of biscotti) ready for us each morning! What's more, we got a full view of Blyde River Canyon on the panorama route and stayed in a room w/ the most amazing view we've ever had from a hotel on our last day--a bonus for booking a fifth day. Needless to say, our safari was filled with magical moments as herds of elephants crossed our path, as rhino appeared on the horizon as the sun rose at dusk, and even while jumping in a waterfall while on a hike after leaving the park! Ryan and Lungisani planned a perfect itinerary that allowed us to observe and photograph animals with tremendous patience and shared wonder. They are friendly and communicative and just full of knowledge, so ask questions--they always provided thoughtful responses. Bottom line: We can't wait to go back to Kruger with Wild Planet Safari and are telling all of our friends to choose them when they go too.

wild planet safari

About wild planet safari

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4-Day Private Kruger Safari

Guest Reviews

An unforgettable journey of a lifetime, a "must do" for everybody

Amazing experience!!!

A fantastic tour

Lekker

Excelente aventura. Guia muy experimentado. Viaje entre 20/05 y 27/05/2017

ALL INCLUSIVE SAFARI EXPERIENCE OF A LIFTEIME!