Kruger National Park travel guide

a wonderful variety of wildlife experiences which equal the best found anywhere in Africa

The chances are always good that you will see the big five: the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. If you are lucky you may also see wild dogs and cheetah which are very rare. There is plenty of general game in the Park to always keep your interest up, including, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, hyena, kudu, and many different species of birds. Accommodation within the Kruger Park is in the form of 18 “rest camps” containing different types of self catering cottages. It is important to book your accommodation well in advance, because the Park is becoming increasingly popular with tourists from all over the world.

If you are on an organized tour, then they will plan your day’s activities for you. But what if you are on a self drive tour? What should you do?

Your day in the Kruger Park should start very early. Plan to arrive at the camp gate just before it opens so that you can drive out slowly into the wild just after the sun has risen. This is one of the best times to see the predators that may have come onto the roads at night and which will move off as soon as the number of cars builds up on the roads. Keep a sharp eye open for lions, leopards, and hyena’s at this time, and of course, also for the general game such as impala, zebra, giraffe, buffalo, wildebeest and, hopefully elephant.

After around 3 hours of looking for game you should then make for a picnic spot. Here you can get out of your car and either eat a breakfast you prepared yourself the evening before, or cook a wonderfully good smelling breakfast of bacon and eggs on the gas cookers supplied by the Park (for a small fee). You will often find an interesting selection of birds flitting in and out of the trees and bushes of such picnic spots. This is truly a breakfast fit for a king!

Having recharged yourself – you should then make you way back to your camp – the sun is now getting hot and is driving the animals into the shade, making them difficult see, so you may as well take the opportunity of having lunch and taking a rest at the camp before your afternoon drive. As soon as it starts to cool down, make off again, but be sure to calculate your trip time so that you are back in the camp before the gate closes – otherwise you could be fined by the Parks officials.

The evening is one of the best times of the day in the Kruger, the air is beginning to cool down, the dust is settling, the deep orange sun starts to move towards the horizon, and the animals are on the move again. The atmosphere of anticipation begins to grip you again as you search intently through the bushes looking for that special sighting. Once back in the camp it is time to relax and watch the sun going down, whilst talking about the excitement of the day. And, of course, the big question is which route should we choose for tomorrow? The Kruger bug has bitten – you’ll be back again!

Kruger National Park travel guide last edited by philipp edit this text

Latest Reviews for Kruger National Park

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outofcheese

I have been to Kruger many times and no trip has ever been the same. I have been very lucky in the animals I've seen. I'm off to Kruger in 9 days, can't wait.

2009-09-02 / follow outofcheese / report abuse

RollingRains

It is possible to do an excellent wheelchair-accessible safari throughout Kruger National Park with Epic Enabled safaris. My photos are from a trip with them in February 2009.

2009-03-02 / follow RollingRains / report abuse