Guest post by Gauthier P. of Rhino Africa.
Before visiting the second-largest national park in Africa, you may have a couple a couple of questions. Well, the good news is that this is here to provide you with all the knowledge you need before visiting the Kruger National Park.
Why You Should Visit The Kruger National Park
I’m not sure if you know this yet, but the Kruger is big. It is around 360 kilometers long and 65 kilometers wide with 21 rest camps, 2 private lodge concessions, and 15 private lodges. This means that there are a variety of options to choose from when visiting and that there is a wide variety of wildlife that you can see.
Speaking of wildlife, the Kruger is also host to the highest population density of the Big 5 in South Africa. Meaning that if you want to go on a safari to see the Big 5, the Kruger National Park should probably be your first choice to do so. Over and above the big 5, the Kruger is also host to 517 species of birds and 147 other species of large mammal such as cheetah, giraffe, hippo, and zebra. If you are interested in seeing a leopard, the Kruger Park is considered the best place in the world to do so with game reserves such as Londolozi having programs dedicated to spotting this majestic animal.
The Kruger then has some of the most-renowned privately owned game reserves in the world such as Sabi Sand, Timbavati, and Klaserie. While they are privately owned the animals are given room to freely roam over the vast expanse of the National Park. Within these private game reserves are some of the most luxurious lodges in the world.
Three of the best lodges in the Kruger include:
1) Londolozi
The aforementioned lodge is a family run business situated on the Sand River in the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve with five luxury lodges. Londolozi has breathtaking game drives, delectable cuisine, an abundance of activities for adults and children alike all the while being world renowned for giving guests the "Londolozi feeling."
2) Chitwa Chitwa
Situated in the Northern Sabi Sabi Region this lodge boasts six individually decorated suites with private decks and plunge pools that overlook the watering hole. This means that visitors to Chitwa can view animals from the comfort of their room.
3) Singita South Africa
Singita hosts four luxurious lodges with excellent wildlife viewing, top-draw food, design, and service.
Now that it’s clear that you should visit the Kruger National Park. You may have some questions.
Questions You May Be Asking About Going on Safari In The Kruger National Park
When is the best time to visit the Kruger?
There isn’t actually an ideal time to visit the Kruger as different times of the year offer different experiences. So it depends on what you are looking for when going on safari. If you want to go during a good period for bird-spotting or you want to see newborn wildlife. Then going in summer is the best time to go, summer in South Africa falls between November and March.
If you are hoping to see as much wildlife as possible, the winter season may be a good idea. As it is the dry season in the Kruger, which means that animals clamor to the more scarce water sources making for fantastic game viewing opportunities. Winter falls between June to August.
Autumn and Spring also offer their own advantages. Spring is the height of the dry season, which provides for excellent visibility while on Safari. While Autumn sees the beginning of the rainy season with opportunities to see plenty of electrifying thunderstorms.
Can I take my children on Safari in the Kruger?
You can take your children on Safari in the Kruger as there are certain lodges that have programs and facilities designed specifically for children. Some of these lodges include Singita Castleton Camp, Honeyguide Khoka Moya Camp, and Ulusaba Rock Lodge.
While taking Children on safari is possible, it does have to be done right. Some of the recommendations are to make sure that you book a private game drive vehicle for your family and to wait for your children to be older than toddlers in order to truly experience the beauty of a safari in the Kruger.
Do I need to take malaria pills or vaccinations for our visit to the Kruger?
Kruger is in a malaria risk area, however, if you are prepared you can avoid the risk with ease. In summer mosquitoes are more active, with that, every lodge in the park has fitted mosquito nets and screens in every room as well as other deterrents.
It is advised that you should take the necessary precautions by taking antimalarial medication.
Why do some of the lodges in the Kruger National Park seem so expensive?
While some of the prices may seem exorbitant, when you consider what is included they are actually unbelievably worth it. Accomodations within Kruger National Park usually include all of your meals and beverages, your daily game drives from expert rangers, as well as various add-ons, on top of the luxurious residence that you would find yourself in.
Once you have visited the Kruger you will know that every cent spent is completely worth it for the life-changing experience that you will have.
Now that I think you may have made up your mind that you want to travel to the Kruger an important question to ask is this.
What do I need to pack for Safari in the Kruger National Park?
First and foremost, never take bright clothes. All you would be doing is decreasing your chances of seeing the wildlife that the Kruger has to offer. The clothes you pack should be comfortable, casual and of neutral color. Think Khaki pants and light cotton tops. The comfort element is unbelievably important, if you are on a long game drive, you want that experience to be as enjoyable as possible without the challenge of struggling with your comfortability.
Pack so that you can have multiple layers, it can get quite cold sitting on the back of a vehicle on a game drive. However, because it gets quite hot very quickly during the day, wearing layers that you can take off quite easily is also helpful.
Your clothing will obviously vary based on the season you are visiting in, but remember to make sure that you are warm enough when it gets cold and not too warm when it gets hot is a helpful guide. If you are staying in a luxury lodge having some formal clothing for the evenings in your lodge won’t hurt. Additionally taking swimming attire as well as extra shoes and underwear is highly advised.
On top of your clothing, helpful resources to have while in the Kruger are your passport, any visas you may have, vaccination certificates, airline tickets, your credit card, cash, a day pack, a camera with sufficient memory, anti-malaria medication, sunglasses, insect repellent, sunscreen, a flashlight and a copy of your airline tickets and passport.
Naturally, what you need to pack depends on which lodge you are going to, however, by now you should be prepared to take a safari to the Kruger National Park.
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