Kruger Park Self Drive

by Sandra Lundgren
(Sweden)

Hyena Pup

Hyena Pup

We stayed in the Kruger Park at Crocodile Bridge, Berg en Dal, Sirheni, Letaba (where thieving vervet monkeys stole apples from our fridge), Satara (very rude waiter at the camp restaurant) and Skukuza. We booked directly with Kruger, and arranged for our own transport. The accommodation was of good standard but for some reason they only have single beds.

Food

The food was not great. The food served in restaurants around the park is very mediocre, with the exception of the restaurant at Skukuza where the meals were still not excellent but much tastier.

Breakfast: egg and toast sandwich with bacon.
Lunch: usually none since we ate a big breakfast.
Dinner: braai with boerewors, whatever vegetables the shops were selling.
Wildlife
We saw quite a lot: Impalas, lions, a leopard at night, a cheetah, giraffes, lots of buffalos, wildebeest, white rhino, many elephants, zebras, vervet monkeys, baboons, wild dogs, hyenas, nyalas, crocodiles, hippos, Lilac breasted roller, hornbills, Steenbok, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, even a very rare Lichstenstein hartebeest, hyenas with a puppy, warthogs and more.

My personal highlight was the lion sightings.

Typical Day

5am: Alarm goes off. Getting ready to be the first car at the gate when it opens.

Sightseeing until a late breakfast in a picnic spot/restaurant, then more sightseeing (with usually a snack break in the late afternoon) until it is time to go back in the camp before the gates close for the day.

Dinner and back to bed relatively early.

Disappointments & Regrets

We did not see any lion/cheetah/leopard cubs.

Regrets: forgetting binoculars at home (bird watching) and not having a more powerful camera lens.

Tips & Advice

Travellers should teach themselves about photography before going if good safari pictures are important to them.

To turn off the engine while taking pictures to avoid camera shaking.

The most useful items in my luggage were sun lotion, sunglasses and camera.


Sandra's Safari Details:

Rating: 10/10

Park visited: Kruger National Park in South Africa

Date of safari: 15 October for 15 days

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    • Comments for Kruger Park Self Drive

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    Nov 16, 2008
    		 Trip of a Lifetime
    by: Elaine & John Sellent

    Have just come back from a trip of a lifetime to South Africa. We did a two-week self drive through Kruger National Park, and we were not disappointed. Saw all of the big five on many occasions and even the elusive leopard in three different locations.

    Wilma and Bruce of www.african-safari-journals.com helped us through all the bookings of our accommodation, game drives and morning walks in the park. Living in Florida it would have been difficult to arrange our trip, but with their help, it was outstanding. Wilma and Bruce live just outside of the Kruger and spend a lot of time there, so who better to help with our trip? Before we left home they sent us a suggested drive itinerary to see the best game, and they were right on the money.

    Self-drive is the best way to see the Kruger. Many times we watched a lion pride for an hour, while organized safari drives stayed for much less. Accommodation within the park is very well maintained, with maid service and clean towels every day.

    Will we go back, absolutely, and we will ask Wilma and Bruce to help us. So if you are looking for a Safari of a lifetime, the Kruger is the place to go.

    Click here to add your own comments

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