Kruger National Park

The highlight of our South Africa Trip, extraordinary!

Me and my wife stayed at Inyati Game Private Game Lodge for 3D2N. The lodge is located near Sabi Sand where chances of Leopards sighting is known to be high. It is next to a river where we could see elephants strolling near the water in the comfort of the lodge cafe. The rangers and staffs were friendly and make you feel safe although the place was quite open to wilderness where animals were free to roam the ground. Our open top safari Jeep was ideal for us as it was easy for me to turn my 300mm telephoto lens mounted on a monopod toward any directions. Lions, leopards, Cheetahs, Hippos, buffalos, Giraffes, were among some of the animals sighted. Daylight was bright so I could get sharp close up images even for amateur like me. Highlight of our safari was watching a family of cheetahs in action hunting on Kudos in a wide open plain. Definitely in my bucket lists to come back again!

Absolutely fantastic, very exciting and interesting.

Wildlife is plentiful and in good condition,the weather is lovely and warm. The accommodation and food was of a very high standard catering for all cultures and people. Transportation is very well organized catering for the persons who just want to view the wildlife as well as for the photographer such as myself. The game guides are well spoken and really now what they are doing. The other highlights are the restaurants that have been refurbished and planned for the visitor's needs, so are the curio shops in the park.

Amazing kruger

For a Malagasy that come from a tropical biodiversity hotspot, Kruger was an amazing experience.
My dream to observe the big 5 became a reality.

A self drive safari experience, a lifetime of memories, Kruger is amazing!

Six years ago, I was fortunate enough to spend 9 weeks travelling through Africa seeking out it's wildlife. during this time I spent a single day in Kruger National Park.
So when I was planning a photographic safari holiday on a tight budget, I considered my options carefully. The thing is safari holidays, are for some a once in a lifetime experience, so I wanted to get this right. The memory of that single day in Kruger, just kept popping back into my head, the roads, the rest camps, the weather and the wildlife, were all positives. So I opted for Kruger as my two week Safari destination.
Kruger National Park is exactly that, a national park! Not a safari park or a zoo, the wildlife isn't looked after, it looks after its self. This means it can be unpredictable. So if you are considering a self drive safari in Kruger, it's worth researching the behaviour of the game, especially the Elephants and Rhino's, as you will come into contact with these animals on the roads. So how good is Kruger as a safari destination? Well the main issue here is the wildlife and apparently Kruger has one of the largest bio-diversity's of life, of anywhere in Africa and plenty of large animals to keep your shutters clicking all day long. One particular morning we had seen the Big 5 by 9.30am. The birdlife here requires a mention too, it really is amazing, especially the raptors.
One thing to remember is that although you are not allowed out of your vehicle within the park, there are places where you can get out. there are some excellent hides, usually overlooking watering holes (great places for viewing game and birds). Some of the larger bridges also allow you to alight from your vehicle, theses can be great too. Rest camps are fantastic places, whether you are staying the night or not. Restaurants, toilets, shops, petrol stations and launderettes can be found at most. You can even continue your days wildlife watching here at the rest camps, with surprising success.
Our choice of time of year to visit was May, earlier would have given us a greater number of bird species, but still it was fantastic in May for birds. the weather was sunny nearly all of the time, yet not too hot!
Food and fuel was reasonably priced.
One thing I should mention is that we had a slow puncture in our hire car. After stopping at a rest camp for some food, a garage attendant advised us on our slowly deflating tyre and repaired it for us. 20minutes later we were on our way, with the knowledge that we weren't about to get stuck in the middle of the park.
If you are considering a self drive safari, I can't imagine a better place. the roads a fantastic, even the dirt roads. They are regularly maintained, which may cause some delay, but who's in a hurry whilst on holiday? There are speed traps, so do stick to the speed limits, remember the park is for the animals and we are just guests.
Another question you may ask is, do we stay in the park or outside the park? We stayed outside the park, but if I was to visit again, I would stay inside. The reason for this is, the entry gates can be busy and a little disorganised (Although, some are better than others.). Staying inside the park means you only have to enter once.
Will we see the animals close enough to get decent photographs? This is a question I asked myself before booking the trip, especially as you have to stay inside the vehicle and stick to the roads. Well, I need not have worried as the game was so relaxed and used to the vehicles, that it behaved as if they weren't even there. Hyaenas did come up to my drivers window, which was a bit unnerving and Bull Elephants in musth should be treated with total respect. Elephants with young, should also be given space, you wouldn't want to upset an animal that is bigger than your car.
Follow the rules and you should have a trouble free trip, the main thing is to enjoy it!

A magical holiday

We have been to South Africa a few times and on three occasions have spent time in Kruger National Park. On our last trip in 2014 we booked a cottage in Marloth Park for 10 days and spent each day in Kruger driving ourselves around. We saw many and varied animals and the thrill of the day was searching out new animals. We normally travel in the cooler months as it is more pleasant and comfortable being in the car and the animals are more active. We also find that the dry foliage also makes it easier to spot the animals. Although most of the eating areas have been taken over by commercial businesses, there is no trouble finding a place to eat (it had more atmosphere before when run by smaller businesses). A lot of people may feel safer travelling with a guide, but we have always enjoyed driving ourselves around without any problems. You just have to be aware that there are wild animals about and be alert and not get too close to them, so that they feel threatened. It is a magical trip - one that everyone should strive to do at least once in a lifetime.

The best of it all is the Kruger: good restaurant, excellent facilities and dedicated knowledgeable staff.

I didn't spend too long at Kruger, and dind't see a lot either. I am not a big fan of all the traffic, but you will see a lot of animals. Very good place for birding.

Take a lot of time, drive carefully and follow strongly all the rules. Enyoj the largest game reserve in South Africa. May you will see the big five?

South Africa's flagship with much to offer. Can be too crowded though, people speed on the roads and too many lodges and buildings inside the park - a future killer. Honor to recycling breakthroughs lately.

The classic.