One has seen dozens of documentaries, but never, at least in my case, did I imagine that I could be inside one and be able to observe first-hand how animals behave in their natural habitat.
This is exactly what happened to us when visiting the Kruger Park, the largest park in the country and the most popular destination for safari.
Despite the long day before, and spending an excellent night at the Lapeng Lodge, located on the outskirts of the town of Acornhoek, we got up early in order to make the most of the time inside the park, since the gates close at 7 p.m.
Luckily, the accommodation was located about 20 km, next to the Orpen gate. There are 11 doors scattered throughout the territory, and it is there where you must sign documents, pay access fees, as well as refuel gasoline. The waiting time will depend on the number of cars ahead.
It was approximately 10 in the morning and we had 8 hours ahead. The Goal of the day? The Big Five. This is seeing the five great ones: lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard. As soon as you cross the access, it will not take long to observe the first animals. It is important to mention that the maximum speed allowed in the entire park is 50 km/h.
Driving on the main road towards the Satara settlement, we decided to turn right, and drive on an unpaved road. It is basically on the secondary roads where there are more possibilities of seeing animals, as well as less possibilities of massive presence of tourists. It was there that we met a family of elephants. 1/5.
The fact of taking this path was a wise decision, since it allowed us to see, in a stretch of a few kilometers, two of the big five. Just ahead of the elephants was a herd of buffalos (2/5).
Following our path, and with the idea of heading south, we decided to take the main road again. Next we saw an indication of “baobab”. We turn off, and approximately one kilometre, we have a beautiful specimen of baobab, a tree known worldwide for the novel “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exúpery.
In fact, as per checked later, this is the southernmost naturally occurring baobab in Africa. I have to admit that this is one of my favourite places visited during that two weeks. Before heading back to the road, we were still able to see a handful of animals.
Back on the main road south, we reached the settlement called Tshokwane picnic site and decided to stop and have a coffee. It is striking that apes actually coexist with the traveler. It is required not to feed the animals, yes, with a touch of humor.
From the car it is possible to see the endless plain of the savanna. This is undoubtedly one of the essences of Africa. Occasionally, an impala appears, who observes the traveler with a presence that is a mix between fright and innocence.
A little further on is Skukuza, a resort with hotels and a restaurant. We stop to eat, albeit briefly. We had still only seen two of the Big Five at the time.
Again on the road, we headed south, and just 2 km away, on the right side, there were a lot of cars stopped. We asked, out of curiosity, and we were informed of the presence of a lion lying a few meters away. Although a little camouflaged, the animal could be perfectly distinguished, who seemed impassive and unaware of the expectation it was causing. In my case, it was the first time in my life that I saw a lion in its natural habitat. 3/5.
We headed south again, looking for the exit gate, called Malelane, and located about 60 km from there. However, at a crossroads, we had to turn left, and we didn’t, going straight ahead. What caught our attention was the presence on the road of a family of hyenas.
The day was ending, and after taking the right path, the sun began to fall, and the views were increasingly spectacular. However, time was pressing, and we had to arrive before 19.00, otherwise we should spend the night inside the park.
However, we still had time to see a greater kudu, passing by us, completely oblivious to us. The size and shape of the horns are striking. Another unforgettable sight is to see zebras crossing the road.
A little further on, we were able to see the fourth and last of the big five that we observed, the rhino. 4/5. Not far from there, there was an elephant and the baby, walking towards the immensity of the park, moving away from us, and somehow giving us to understand that the visit ended.
In the final stretch, the sun fell, witnessing a magnificent view. Personally, it reminded me of the song on the The Lion King soundtrack, called “Circle of Life,” when it says “the sun rolling high, in the sapphire sky.” Dear reader, judge for yourself in the photos. After crossing the Crocodile river, we were finally out the park.
The experience was more complete due to the fact of driving listening to music very appropriate for the occasion. In the “traveling soundtrack” section you have access to the best playlist to visit South Africa.
You can visit a safari many times, however you will never forget it the first time. After leaving the park, we headed to Nelspruit, where we would spend the night. The next day, a new country, Eswatini (Swaziland), would be waiting for us.
You can spend days, even weeks, in the park, as long as you have the right equipment and supplies. For further information, you can check the recommendations at the end of this article.
First of all, I had been struck in advance by the immense size of the park. They are almost 19,000 km2 of protected area, which is double that of the province of Palencia, the place where I come from in Spain.
Secondly, it is a fascinating experience, and the most beautiful thing of all, is precisely the unpredictability, it means that, during the visit, not knowing what is going to happen. Why? By not knowing which animals are going to cross the road, or what else can be found.
While visiting a city for a second time, the monuments, attractions, or places of interest remain the same. However, every day spent in a safari is completely different from the previous one. This is what makes it special.
Did you know that…
… It is possible to sleep looking at the stars in the Kruger park? There are hotel options without a roof. For further info, check the related links below.
… It is intended to create a large park encompassing 3 countries, without border limits for visitors? It is a project called “Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park”, and is made up of the Kruger Park, the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique and the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe.
Related Links
Kruger park official site
Camps information
Useful Information
Accommodations within the park might be very expensive. Therefore, it is recommended, if you have a utility car like ours, to enter and leave the park without spending the night.
On the other hand, if you have an SUV, or a 4×4, there are a multitude of areas where you can park and sleep in the car. Depending on the time you want to stay, it is advisable to have food to cover that period.
Kruger Park is a malaria area. It is advisable to take the pills to avoid further problems.
During the visit, we had little chance of internet access. There is no mobile coverage, however, in the lodges, there could be Wi-Fi.
Map of Locations
Credits
All photos taken with Motorola One Vision.
Duna
I am a safari lover! It amazes me to see wild animals not through a screen but with my own eyes. I did the Lion and giraffe safari 🦁🦒 in Johannesburg and it was one of the best experiences of my life .
Ps: love the family of elephants picture ❤️