South Africa - Kruger National Park

 Kruger Park South Africa - an iconic experience!

Kruger National Park - South Africa - what can I say - it's an experience that lives on forever in one's mind and many folk are very privileged to return again and again to this iconic part of South Africa.

So, whether you only go once in your lifetime or many times, the thrill of spotting wild animals is just something so very special.

It remains an experience like no other and it is not only about the Big Five. Those sightings of smaller animals or birds are just as exciting and should be enjoyed as animals move so quickly, that sightings are often entirely being at the right place at the right time. 

There are numerous Rest Camps within Kruger National Park

Berg N Dal, Crocodile Bridge, Letaba, Lower Sabie, Mopani, Olifants, Orpen, Pretoriouskop, Punda Maria, Satara, Shingwedzi, & Skukuza. There are also Private Concessions, such as Singita Lebombo within the Kruger National Park. These establishments are pricey but the total experience is a "once in a lifetime" memory! 

The Kruger is HUGE so don't expect to see it all unless you are there for 3 to 4 weeks. 

It is best to concentrate on smaller areas. The speed limit, together with sightings, means that one does not cover much ground in a day. Birders normally go further north whilst the south is very popular and much busier. 

The speed limits are 50 km per hour on tar and 40 km on the gravel roads. One cannot exit the vehicle except in designated picnic spots. 

African Jacana

Organised Game drives will take you out for early morning or sunset drives - these can be booked at the camps. There are also walking safari's. Check out the SANPARKS website for full details. Bookings are made months in advance so always plan ahead. Although, having said that, sometimes you will be lucky to get a last minute booking. There is also accommodation outside of the Kruger Gates - this just means an earlier start to the day! 

Do buy a Kruger Visitor Guide at the first camp shop that you go to. This will provide much information plus photos of both birds and animals. 

The following tar roads are recommended

H4-2 Crocodile Bridge to Lower Sabie

H4-1 - Lower Sabie to Skukuza

H3 - Skukuza to Malelane Gate

H1-2 Skukuza to Tshokwane

H10 - Lower Sabie to Tshokwane

H1-4 Satara to Olifants

H7 - Satara to Orpen

The gravel roads often provide interesting sightings so don't discount them although they can sometimes be challenging. 

S28 Crocodile Bridge to Lower Sabie

S114 Skukuza to Malelane

S128 Lower Sabie to Skukuza

S36 Tshokwane to Satara

S100 Satara to Gudzani Road

S90 Satara to Olifants

We enjoy going in the winter months (June/July/August) when the day time temps are lovely and warm and the park is drier so animal spotting is easier. It's a personal choice as the camps are open all year round. Flooding does happen during the summer months after heavy rains and then some gates may not be open. Please do check the official Kruger Park web site if you are going during the rainy season (Summer time in South Africa) 

August time (winter) in South Africa

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South Africa - Wildlife Tourism

Baboon Kruger Park South Africa

Animal Experiences are so very rewarding and South African has incredible National Parks - ideal for seeing all sorts of wildlife IN THE WILD! The article below highlights the issues that are no longer "cool to do"

We have travelled to most of the National Parks in South Africa and can highly recommend Kruger National Park, Pilansberg National Park, and Addo Elephant Park. The smaller parks are also well worth visiting, time permitting.

Just do be cognitive of the fact that these are wild animals - stay in your vehicle at all times and just enjoy and absorb the incredible sight of these magnificent animals in their natural habitats. Also remember that these animals can roam at will so if you drive for an hour and spot nothing, don't give up - a huge elephant may be browsing right around the next corner! Take care to avoid male elephants - they are normally loners and can be extremely scary if in musth. Highly aggressive as testosterone levels can be 60 times greater at these times.

Zebra Pilansberg South Africa

Global tourism heavyweights Airbnb and TripAdvisor have shunned wildlife interactions and experiences without conservation backbone. 

Elephant-back rides, lion cub petting and kissing dolphins, among others, won't be featured on Airbnb, according to strict ethical standards for its new 'Animal Experiences' platform.

Buffalo Kruger Park

Hippos Kruger Park

TripAdvisor, too, has distanced itself from attractions involved in breeding or importing captive whales and dolphins used for public display. In 2016, TripAdvisor implemented an animal welfare programme prohibiting ticket sales to facilities offering interactions with captive wildlife or endangered species. The facilities can still be reviewed on the platform, however.

Kruger Park South Africa

TripAdvisor Spokesperson, James Kay, says the company is now ending its commercial relationships with facilities that do not have, or are not in the process of developing alternative environments for captive marine life.

Tourism association SATSA has welcomed the developments.

"Wildlife is the bedrock of South Africa's tourism," says Keira Powers, SATSA Animal Interaction Committee chairperson. "And we have the privileged position of offering tourists engagement with the wild and with wildlife in authentic settings."

Elephants at play Kruger Park South Africa

The new Airbnb Animal Experiences are featured in consultation with World Animal Protection and hosted by accredited conservationists or caring experts "as an antidote to typical tourist attractions that are notorious for ethical concerns”, Airbnb says.

The Penguin Paddle in Simon's Town in the Western Cape is one of the South African experiences on offer. According to host Jon Monsoon, a career conservationist, Airbnb waives all fees for this experience so that 100% of the proceeds go directly to the cause.

Penguins Nesting - Simonstown Cape Town

Airbnb further says it is cautious of places that may call themselves 'rescues' and 'sanctuaries' but don’t operate in the animals’ best interest. Therefore, "places using wild animals for direct interactions with travellers or in performances, won't be tolerated”.

Kruger Park South Africa

"Neither will those that buy or sell wild or wild-hybrid animals or products derived from them, or breed wild animals or wild-hybrid animals, unless they are part of an official, recognised breeding programme where the animals are being responsibly released back into the wild."

These global policy changes precede a highly-anticipated Guide for Evaluating Captive Animal Attractions & Activities in South Africa, to be released by SATSA at the end of this month. According to Powers, the guide will help the South African animal interaction industry navigate new territory.

Giraffe Kruger Park

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