Kruger National Park

Go on safari in the Kruger Park in South Africa. See, feel and smell the real wilderness. An experience that you must have done at least once in your life. A person will never forget this magical experience.

The king of all game parks and one of the best game viewing areas in the world is the Kruger National Park. Which stretches across the Limpopo Province and Mpumalanga and along the border with Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The Kruger National Park is also the most famous park in South Africa and is located in the north-eastern part of the country and comprises a largely untouched nature reserve of 60 by 350 km. The figures speak for themselves: 507 bird species, 114 reptile species, 49 fish species, 33 amphibian species, 146 mammal species and more than 23,000 plant species have been counted here.

The park is 60 km wide and more than 350 km long with an area of 21,497 km2, an area the size of Israel! The park fulfils the dreams of many visitors eager to see impressive herds trotting across the acacia-covered savannas.

It is also home to the big five (elephant, leopard, lion, black rhino and buffalo). The highest concentrations and variety of wildlife can be found around Lower Sabie, Satara and Skukuza.

Kruger National Park
South Africa

History of the Kruger National Park

The Kruger National Park was established to provide protection for wildlife that was slowly threatened with extinction due to intensive hunting. At that time it concerned the southern part of the current Kruger Park between the Crocodile River and the Sabie River. This concerned the area that today lies between Krokodillebrug and Malelane as the southern line and Lower Sabie and Pretoriuskop as the northern line. President Kruger called the area Sabi River Game Reserve.

Implementation came to a halt due to the Boer War (1899 – 1902). After the war, it was primarily about nature conservation. A ranger was appointed to stop hunting and poaching. This first ranger, Major James Stevenson Hamilton, had the help of only two assistants and his horses. In 1903, the protected area was extended to the Limpopo River, roughly the area it is today. However, the pressure on the government was great to give pieces of land to farmers and hunters to use.

That lasted until around 1923. In that year the South African Railroad Service started operating a scheduled service in which a stop was made in the Kruger National Park and visitors were taken on a safari. This happened for the first time in 1923. The government then cleared the way for commercial exploitation of the park by allowing more visitors and charging an entrance fee. Roads were built in the park and accommodation was built. In 1927 the first passenger car traveled through the park.

Nothing beats the Kruger
Ntshava safaris

Climate in the Kruger National Park

The days and nights are mostly warm throughout the Kruger National Park. The further north you come, the warmer and drier it is. Rain usually falls in heavy showers. It only happens a few days in the year when it keeps raining for a whole day or two. This is most likely in January, February or March. In the dry period between May and September, the days get cooler and the nights can sometimes be cold. You will especially experience this when you are on an open safari vehicle. The wind can be very cold at times. Always take warm clothes with you. In the winter, a scarf, mittens and hat are not even superfluous!

Clothing for on the go on safari

You really don’t have to put on special safari clothing to enjoy a game drive. However, do not wear bright colors, you will scare the game off. But use calm colors such as green, khaki, brown and black. Bring a warm sweater, scarf and hat, mornings and evenings can be quite cold when driving around in an open car. Make sure you have long sleeves and pants in the rainy season against the mosquitoes at sunset and against sharp plants during a game walk. A flashlight is also very useful for when you have to get up early or come back late. And a photo or video camera. But it is often much more useful if you also have a zoom lens. Binoculars are always handy.

Smoking is not allowed on the way, but smoking is allowed during a stop.

Best time to travel

The best time cannot be given in advance for a good safari. In general, you can say that in the dry winter months the leaves are less close to the trees and shrubs, so that there is better visibility. The animals must also come to the drinking water places more often and in larger numbers. On the other hand, it is more beautiful in terms of nature in the summer months, with more greenery. The young animals are also born from November. Impalas are all born within about two weeks after good rains (if there is no rain, the mothers can delay delivery. This can even last until the end of January!), But the zebra, kudu and giraffe also give birth to her young in this period.

Statistically, there is therefore more chance of game in the winter months. But experience shows that statistics and reality do not always agree. In the dry period you can also take a safari where you see little, while a safari in the heart of the green, thick forested period provides fantastic images. The most important thing about safari is actually to experience that you are in nature, whether you see a lot or little wildlife.