Pafuri Walking Safaris

Pafuri Walking Safaris offer one of the most immersive ways to experience the remote wilderness of the northern Kruger National Park. Operating in small groups of up to eight guests, each trail is led by expert professional guides and supported by a qualified trails guide, providing in-depth insight into the region’s ecology, wildlife and natural history. Guests stay in comfortable walk-in canvas dome tents that keep them closely connected to the bush, with a simple yet practical trails camp featuring bucket-style hot water showers and en-suite facilities. With a fixed camp location and daily walking routes that vary depending on conditions, this experience delivers a rare opportunity to explore the Pafuri wilderness on foot in a safe, guided and deeply authentic way.

What to Expect 

• Rustic, eco and off the grid trails camp in the heart of the bush
• No electricity or running water
• Comfortable camping beds
• En-suite bush bathroom with flush toilet and hot bush shower
• Bucket showers
• Minimum two-night stay
• Can accommodate a maximum of eight guests
• Professional walking guides
• Short game drives to reach different parts of the concession where walks will take place
• Walks last anywhere between 2.5 – 4 hours
• Lead guide will take into account the fitness levels of the entire group
• Highest biodiversity in Kruger National Park
• Diverse scenery and landscape including Lanner Gorge, Crook’s Corner, the Fever Tree
• Forest, pans, mountains and floodplains
• Birder’s paradise (over 450 species of birds) with unique species only occurring in Pafuri
• The Walking Trails operate from 01 April to 31 October

About Pafuri / Makuleke Concession 

The Pafuri (Makuleke) Concession is perhaps the best area for walking in the entire Kruger National Park. It is blessed with exceptional biodiversity, spectacular scenery, seasonally high densities of many large mammal species, a feeling of wilderness and remoteness, and a sense of deep history. The 26,500-hectare area is sandwiched between the life-giving arteries of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers, both with well-developed floodplains and a series of vitally important seasonal pans. Between the floodplains lies a ridge of hills with a network of drainage lines and secret perennial springs to which the area's game is drawn. Rugged baobab dotted kopjes jut from mopane woodland providing endless vistas across palm-studded floodplains, acacia woodland and ethereal riverine forest.

The Pafuri area is one of the few true wilderness areas left in South Africa. Large herds of elephant occupy the area during the dry season while several herds of buffalo are resident. There are resident prides of lion and the Luvuvhu riparian system supports a healthy population of leopard. A small white rhino population also exists. The area is well-known for its strong nyala and eland population however as well as other regional specials like four-toed elephant shrew, Sharpe's grysbok and even a small herd of sable. On the easternmost boundary at "Crooks Corner" the Luvuvhu supports a large population of hippo and crocodile. The concession is widely regarded as one of the best birding areas in South Africa with specialties such as Pel's Fishing Owl, Black-throated Wattle-Eye, Three-banded Courser, Racket-Tailed Roller and Dickinson's Kestrel seen regularly.