Kruger Game Park Highlights, Tips and Reccomendations

Kruger Game Park Safari Diary

Kruger Game Park Travel Company Featured:

Outlook Safaris

Duration: 4 days, 23-26 May 2004

Journal Authors: Cate & Cam, Chicago, USA

Giraffe Stare Picture by Bruce Whittaker (c)

Home l South Africa Safari Reviews l About Us l Contact Us l Safari Track Newsletter

Cate and Cam visited the Kruger Game Park in South Africa as their first stop on a three month tour which took them around the world.

Accommodation:

Berg and Dal camp in a thatched one bedroom bungalow with a view of the surrounding bush .

Lower Sabie camp hut with a view of the river.

Skukuza camp rondavel.

Trip Highlights:

A shocking experience when Cam leans out too far to take a picture of a crocodile and gets zapped by the electric fence which is designed to keep the big game out.

No lasting damage to him except he became more stable for a time because of the electro shock therapy.

Took a night safari (most of the camps in the Kruger Game Park offer a three hour night drive) and saw a leopard and a porcupine. Porcupine are extremely shy and it's very rare to see them because of that.

Went for a morning hike with an armed ranger escort and saw a young bull elephant in musth. (this is the time when the bulls are looking for a mate and excrete hormones which make them very aggressive and unpredictable). Retreated fast and later saw a group of three white rhino.

On the way to the next camp they were mock charged by an elephant. (An elephant will only complete a charge if it feels extremely threatened. Most of the time it's only meant as a warning) and managed to see all of the 'big 5' except lion.

Drove down to a waterhole just before Skukuza camp and found three male lions napping in the grass. One of them woke up and growled at Cam as he tried to get a better picture by leaning out of the car window.

Cate and Cam have this to say about their trip..."It's truly one of the most remarkable nature reserves anywhere in the world and would recommend it to anyone."

Kruger Game Park Tips & Recommendations:

The night safaris are a great opportunity to see the nocturnal animals that you will never see during the day. They take a powerful spotlight along which illuminates the surrounding bush and many glowing eyes.

There are many side road routes that can be taken in the Kruger Park. Some of them lead to waterholes and some join up with the main route again. It's worthwhile to get a little off the beaten track to see what you may find.

Each camp has a map of the surrounding area where visitors post their sightings for the day by means of a pin. Black pin means they saw a leopard, yellow a lion and so on. Visit these every day so that you can get a good idea of where most of the animals are being seen and go there on your next drive.

The Best Kruger Game Park safari companies