The Kruger National Park is one of South Africa’s star attractions. With hundreds of visitors each year, the park offers unparalleled game viewing. Here’s what every visitor needs to know when visiting Kruger.
What to Know Before You Go
It’s a sight that visitors from all over the world travel to see: the real Africa, up close and personal. The Kruger National Park offers tourists sights straight out of a National Geographic documentary: elephants ambling down beaten dirt paths, giraffes dipping their graceful necks for a drink at a waterhole, and herds of impala sprinting across the savannah. Located just 6 hours outside of Johannesburg, the vast reserve spans 218 miles in length, and is a mecca for game viewers.
One of Krugers enormous residents
The Holy Grail for anyone visiting Kruger, is to see the Big 5: lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and elephant make up this coveted group. No animal, however, seems to elicit as much awe and excitement as the elephant. Once an endangered species in Kruger, the elephant population has bounced back and flourished, now numbering more than 14,000. In 2008, South Africa lifted a 13-year ban on killing elephants to keep numbers down, but this has not affected elephant sightings.
Despite the fact that they may seem slow and peaceful, elephant encounters in Kruger are no joke and visitors should exercise a good deal of caution around these animals, by keeping their distance. The park camps are filled with posters warning of the damage that an elephant can inflict on a car and its passengers.
Visiting the Kruger National Park in Winter
The best time to see elephants and other wildlife are the winter months (May – September). Sparse grass and bushes mean that animals are much easier to see without lush greenery to hide behind. Winter months are also drier in Kruger, forcing animals to come out of hiding and head to the waterholes to drink.
Malaria Risks
Winter months also pose the lowest risk for contracting malaria which can be a problem at Kruger. However, it’s mostly a danger during the rainy summer months (December – April) when mosquitoes are most active, so it is vital that visitors take anti-malarial prophylactics, at least several weeks in advance of a visit to the park. There are a variety of different kinds of anti-malarial drugs, with varying side effects, so it is best to consult a physician, before embarking on any course of medication.
Accommodation
Satara Camp rondavels
The park offers a variety of accommodation, just make sure to book ahead as space fills up fast. There are more than 35 lodges and rest camps to choose from, each with its own unique features and level of comfort.
Luxury lodges like the Imbali Safari Lodge give visitors a taste of Africa, without sacrificing comfort. And for those who would prefer to experience Africa at her most raw and natural, Balule Camp is rustic and electricity-free, suitable for only the most die-hard visitors. Each camp is enclosed by an electric fence, to keep out unwanted animals. Well, most of them. Monkeys come and go as they please, so keep food locked up when it’s not being used. Each camp has its own cooking, or “braai” (barbecue) area and many of the individual huts have their own braai. Most campsites also have a small shop where visitors can pick up the basics, but supplies are limited and selection can be sparse. Fortunately, many of the camps have their own restaurants.
Game Viewing
Dawn and dusk often prove to be the best time to spot game and tourists visiting the Kruger National Park often leave camp before the sun rises, to get a head start. Most camps offer early morning and evening game drives with professional (and armed) game rangers. Space is limited, so visitors must sign up the day before, to guarantee a spot. Nighttime game drives are often the best, as the park closes camp gates just before dark and visitors and their privately owned vehicles are required to return to camp before the evening curfew. The camp-sponsored drive is a great way to see many nocturnal animals, in particular the much sought-after, but elusive leopard.
For more information on the Kruger National Park, visit: www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/
Sources:
“Kruger – South Africa’s Crown Jewel”. AfricaPoint.com. Retrieved from www.africapoint.com/newsletters/kruger.htm on August 25, 2010.
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