[M@y@vi]

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Augustine of Hippo

I believe that a travelogue should visually tell the story of one’s experience and leave the untold to the reader's imagination. The pleasure of reading is very different from video logs where the surprise element is lost when you visit the same place.
Long story short, but still long enough for a detailed travelogue. During my first visit to Johannesburg, Stefan, a senior leader in the organization I work for had already told me "If you are coming here again, we will make sure you see the wild side of our country, the Kruger."
For inquisitive minds, The Kruger national park is spread across a whopping 19485 square kms. Just for imaginative comparison India’s biggest national park is the Hemis in Jammu and Kashmir It covers 4,400 square kilometers. Down south, it is the Periyar and the Bandipur that spreads across approximately 925 and 874 sq. kms respectively.


All the national parks in South Africa are managed by a central organization, South African National Parks or SANParks. Their website allows us to book accommodation or any other activities within the park. There are 29 rest camps spread across the Kruger. Skukuza is the main camp and vast. One can compare Skukuza to a gated township. First time international travelers usually prefer Skukuza. It has a small airport for chartered planes as well.
I was lucky enough to get the last room available for that weekend. Though a relatively small hut, it was called a Bungalow that has 3 single beds and a washroom. It also has a little space outside which resembles a small kitchen. The bungalows are spread in a vast lush green space nestled among trees and well-maintained lawn.
A Bungalow will cost 1702 Rands that is roughly 7500 INR. Sunrise and sun set drives (Safari) each costing 518 rands roughly 2300 INR.


By then, Stefan had decided to join me along with his son Zander. I knew the Kruger could be accessed only through a private vehicle since Skukuza is 460 kms from Johannesburg. The flights were ridiculously expensive and other modes of public transport options are not confidence inspiring due to security reasons. Also, I was discouraged by my colleagues and friends in south Africa from using any transportation except private cars and uber. In short, Stefan was my savior. From then S took over the planning. Thought of having him with me on this trip was reassuring. Whenever I had doubts, He would say “Just come over!”.
Stefan told me that it is impossible to see even a section of the park in one day and he will book a bnb just outside Kruger for us to stay one additional day. But in reality, this means that we will see only a few more kilometers in addition to what I had planned.
Gear I was carrying are a Nikon D3400 along with its 70-300mm zoom lens and an iPhone 11. My friend had lent me his Nikon for this trip. Though basic on paper, All the pictures had come out very good. All thanks to him.

Day 1: Johannesburg to Mbombela
We planned to start on a Friday afternoon at 3 PM. Stefan and Zander had arrived in the office parking lot as planned. I quickly tossed in my bag and greeted Zander who comfortably occupied the rear seat with all his favorite drinks and bites.
We were in a Volkswagen Amarok. It is a 2.0-liter diesel with twin turbo, an automatic and is a 4x4. A body on frame truck with 4 door passengers’ compartment and a hard-shell pickup that carried all necessary groceries for the 2-day trip at Kruger. A perfect companion for all terrains ahead.


We escaped city traffic as we had started early. Johannesburg has car culture and almost everyone is on the road by 4 PM. Coming from Bengaluru, I was amazed by the number of vehicles on road, I for sure underestimated the country. Thanks to Johannesburg’s excellent roads and infrastructure that the traffic is moving all the time.
By 5 PM we stopped at Alzu petroport, it is a very interesting rest stop which has a fuel station, a coffee bar, a supermarket, restrooms, and a small private zoo with excellent views. This place has the toilets with best views.


Yes, that’s the zoo I am talking about. It has rhinos, hippos, wildebeest, giraffes, buffalos, and lot more on the banks of an artificial pond. The place is excellently maintained. And that was my first sighting of African animals though not in the wild.
We then briefly stopped for dinner at Milly’s in eNtokozwani. This place was beautiful with a lake in their backyard. I opted for rice with chicken curry and poppadom. Yes, they had Kerala pappadam on their menu but spelt in a different way.

The highway is excellent. There were no broken patches or potholes. we just cruised through. There were occasional cabbies who would not keep up lane discipline. I could see other drivers including Stefan visually agitated at this behavior. Most of these cabbies are migrants from neighboring countries that are struggling economically.

By late evening 10 PM. we reached our stay at Mbombela. Most of the houses in the area has tall boundary walls with electric fencing. the gate is pin controlled. We entered and parked our car.
The stay was excellent for the price. It was tastefully decorated and was comfortable.


Day 2 – Mbombela to Skukuza
By 5 AM, We started our trip to the park. This will take approximately one hour. This route is scenic, but unfortunately it was dark. We reached the gate just before 6 and there was a queue of private vehicles waiting to enter the Kruger through the Malelane gate.


After providing my ID and paying a conservation fee that is charged to international travelers R286 or 2210 INR, we were finally admitted to the park. We were handed over with a map of Kruger along with the permit.
South African Wildlife enthusiasts can apply and get a wildcard. This card provides a discounted entry fee and many other benefits in all the parks across the country managed by SANParks. How cool is that? I wish we had something like that in India. I found the system to be well organized.

Stefan is a frequent visitor here and already had the routes in his mind. There were many maps and books on Kruger in his glove box that can be used when in need of support.
After driving at low speeds for few mins, we saw some impalas alias “McDonalds of Africa”. Have a look at the markings at their rear.


Kruger as I had mentioned, is vast. It is not a rain forest. This type of forest is called a Bushveld. The Bushveld's grassy plains are dotted by dense clusters of trees and tall shrubs. The grasses found here are generally tall and turn brown or pale in winter. Tropic of Capricorn passes through South Africa and hence their winters are dry and cold whereas in summers there are showers of rain and temperatures soar really high. That means, In Aug-Sep, South Africa experiences the last leg of winter.



The map below will give you an idea of the route we took for the day.

We drove up to Berg en Dal rest camp for a quick break and coffee. This route is only 13 kms but when driven slowly with wildlife sightings in mind, the journey will take close to one hour. The reward! we got to see someone putting a show of authority.


She walked towards to welcome us.

At Berg en Dal, I saw many tourists camping in their camping vans, makeshift tents of different sizes and shapes. I had a feeling that they are here to stay for weeks.
After a break at Berg N Dal, we continued our journey towards Skukuza.
Again, it’s all Kruger all you see until the horizon.



More Giraffes. Giraffes are known for their fierce fights using their neck, powerful fatal kicks. Giraffes give birth while standing. Now imagine a newborn giraffe touches earth after a fall from 10 feet height. But that is all normal in the giraffe world.


Kruger can surprise you any minute. The roads pass through the Bushveld, and one must have good eyes to look through the vegetation to see who is hiding. Stefan had good pair of eyes trained for this purpose for many years. Zander is good too. I am just starting to learn this skill but was getting better at it as hours passed. The way to do it is to observe any unusual shapes, movements, shadows, sounds all when moving very slowly. you could see anything from a small rabbit to a giant elephant.

People are not allowed to step outside their vehicles. It is said that animals see only the car and not the people inside unless you are moving to get attention.

We found someone hiding. A Steenbock.


As we drove looking through the bushes, we met the real bullies of the forest.


It was a herd of 20+ elephants. There were calves in the herd. The senior ones in the family were not happy that we stopped by. We could literally hear them making sounds and flapping ears expressing displeasure on being stalked by us. Stefan sensed the aggression, and we left the place. Few meters away there were more members of the same herd.


What else could be hiding in these bushes? A Long way to go!


A lucky sighting of an adult male African Kudu. This beautiful animal serves as the logo of South African national parks.


A solitary male elephant on a dry riverbed.
A fun fact! In the bushveld, the best way to find underground water for drinking is to look for small holes near a dry riverbed. Elephants know where to dig. That’s one’s best chance.


A group of African buffaloes. Any wildlife enthusiast will tell you just one thing. Just stay away from those buffaloes! more on this later.


A group of zebras in the bush.


A Warthog! Yes that’s Mr. Pumba. They are very quick and unpredictable.


A majestic Kudu again!


Some impalas on the road. This is a very common sight at the Kruger. They are everywhere.


An alert male impala.


A group of blue wildebeest. There are generally two types of wildebeest. Blue and Black. Blue is larger and is found in large numbers. Black wildebeest are smaller, and their population has declined rapidly in past few years. They are one of the stupidest animals you would see. They are so dumb that sometimes you would see them running into a predator. Males are often referred as clowns of savannah due to the antics they perform to attract females.


More Zebras. Cherish those beautiful patterns.


There is a long way to go.

[M@y@vi]

Now that it is lunch time and we decided to stop at Afsaal Camp. It is a resting place that has a nice coffee shop that serves a variety of food options. One can see caution boards around warning tourists of possible unwanted guests including elephants, Hippos, and Hyenas.
After a filling and delicious lunch. We proceeded on.
We have covered 22 kms until Afsaal camp from the gate. This is the distance by road. But the terrains, occasional stops for animals had slowed us down. We decided to be little quicker on the rest of our journey towards Skukuza. I had my safari booked for 20:00 hrs. we had to reach there before sunset to get some sleep and be ready for the safari.
We crossed a river and there we saw someone interesting. A pied Kingfisher!


On our way we crossed a forest vehicle, and they passed on information about a group of lions few meters ahead and we might need a pair of binoculars. Zander had one.


This was at least 500 meters away from the mud roads and I had to zoom to capture them. They were at least 15 in numbers. They occupied a section of the riverbed and dominance was on display. There was no adult male. Most probably males were chucked out for good.
One just needs to be extremely watchful not only through the bush but also on the trees. There might be some kings and queens of the bird world that one might miss otherwise.
A martial eagle! Martial Eagles are the largest of the African eagles and incredibly powerful, capable of knocking an adult man off his feet. They reputedly have enough power in one foot to break a man's arm.


A solitary male cape buffalo. This could be the most dangerous situation we had been until now. No kidding a solitary buffalo is extremely dangerous. They are grumpy and unpredictable. They are considered the most dangerous among the big five which also includes leopards, lions, rhinos, and elephants. They are one of the biggest reasons that one should never even think of getting off the vehicle. An aggressive cape buffalo can be almost impossible to stop once charging. The forehead is so thick and massive that it can stop bullets from even some strong hunting rifles. They have a very apt nick name among the game hunters, The black death!


As we proceeded, we saw someone jaywalking on the road and came by when we stopped. A southern ground hornbill. They are the biggest of the hornbills worldwide and are endangered. There were posters in the camps requesting us to report any sightings of this bird to the authorities.


Soon we reached Granokop. A small rocky hill or viewpoint where people can drive to the top and get out of the car. This is again a point when we realize we are in the middle of a dense and dangerous bushveld.


We then drove for few more mins and was in Skukuza. We went to the reception showed the bookings. Unfortunately for S and his son Z all safari drives were full and no chance of accommodating them. We had tried online but could not get tickets. Our only hope was to come and request for 2 seats which was not entertained by the authorities.
Soon we went to our accommodation, The bungalow. It had 3 single beds. We just crashed and slept for couple of hours.
After some time, we woke up and S wanted to go to lake panic. S is bird enthusiast. He knows his birds and can identify them from their sounds. He could hear the birds even if others don’t. There is wooden cabin built on the banks of the Lake panic. This is a heaven for bird enthusiasts. Even when the cabin is full of people there would be pin drop silence so that they don’t disturb the birds, crocodiles, hippos and many other living creatures around.


We will need a lot of patience to see the life around. There are lots. All the disturbances we see in the water surface are submerged hippos. There were crocodiles in the distant banks. There were many birds as well. In fact, the cabin was fill with bird watchers with their binoculars.
An African green pigeon


A pair of wire tailed swallow.


An African black headed oriole


It was getting dark when we stepped out of the Lake panic cabin. The beautiful African sun and silhouette.


Stefan had packed all necessary items for a Braai. Braai is part of south African culture. It is inclusive of people, place, fun and grilling meat. We grilled some Impala meat, beef, and game meat (a mix of different bok meats). These are available at large supermarkets usually. But for trip S had brought the meat of impala that his sons had hunted. Yes, hunting is a sport and is expensive. This is also a way to keep the boks at large estates (is quite common) and the farmers do not turn to poultry and dairy farming instead. The kill is then transported by Butcher to his butcher house and there he makes different cuts. The butcher may also add spices, chillies, and other flavors according to the preferences of his customers. This meat is then deep frozen, or sun dried. Sun dried meat is vacuum packed for future consumption and is called Biltong or chilli bites. What we braaied was a portion of frozen meat.

It was time for my night safari, and I rushed to the reception which is a good 15 mins walk from the bungalow.
I showed my reservation went in and occupied a seat. The driver of the safari vehicle gave us instructions and treated us like matured adults which is very different from what we get to experience here in India.
The safari was for 3 hours. And the route is chosen based on that day’s sightings. The vehicle has 2 high powered torch lights that are given to the people on board.
Our first stop was to see the smallest chameleon that the driver randomly identified when we entered a gate. Challenge yourself! We took more than 10 mins to see him even though we had torch lights pointed on him from couple of arms distance.


A group of hyenas appeared from nowhere.


A few meters on our path, Surprise! 3 male lions were on the road. They were strolling beside our safari vehicle that was moving very slowly. The excitement inside the vehicle was very high.


Hippos on land is a rare sight. They are one of the most aggressive and deadliest animals on the planet. When on foot if you encounter a hippo, there is only one option, Run for your life! But they can easily outpace a human. Sadly, couple of weeks before my visit, A very senior SANParks staff who worked as a senior manager for criminal investigations was killed by a hippo. He was camping there. He was very instrumental in nabbing poachers. No amount of knowledge and experience could save him. That is hippos for you.

There were no other sightings. I returned late night and crashed on the bed. I booked for early morning safari for next day at 5 AM.

Day 3 – Safari and Skukuza-Johannesburg
I joined a group a tourist in a vehicle like what I had been in the previous night. Interestingly there was an Indian family in the vehicle. This was the nth time that I experienced unruly behavior by Indians abroad when in groups. Apart from them there were professional photographers, bird enthusiasts and a group of young people from Spain. Below are some pics from the safari.


A white backed vulture.


Though the light was already there, the sun was just coming out.


Hippos again but in their happy place.


The safari had concluded, and I was back in my bungalow. We quickly packed our stuff, got ready and started our journey back. some more pictures from a different route towards Lower sabie rest camp.
Out first sighting was of a helmeted guinea fowl. Quite common in the region.


Then came to us a group of vervet monkeys. They are very closely related to humans. There are many vervet monkeys in research labs that study human psychology.


When we drove further, we found many vehicles parked in the middle of the road. When we approached closer, we saw an elephant. Then appeared the second one, then third. There was no ending. That was a herd of more than 100 elephants pulling down the trees. We were in sheer awe looking at their sizes and numbers. They are the real rulers of the forest. They don’t have a territory and in this large numbers no carnivore will stand a chance against them. Luckily for us, they were not aggressive. When we drove further, we saw many more crossing a river and coming in our direction.




Shortly, we reached lower sabie rest camp where we cup of coffee and bought some knick knacks. We proceeded further towards the Crocodile bridge gate.
After spending some time on the road enjoying the landscape, we reached a spot where we saw too many vehicles parked in the middle of nowhere. We realized it was a group of lions. When driving towards them we saw a group of very alert impalas all looking in one direction. They were looking at the lions from a safe distance. We drove further and found approximately five lions. They were closer and walking calmly towards us. All the impalas ran away for their lives. The lions were not in a mood to hunt.





Such close encounter with Lions in the wild is breathtaking. They were calm and just crossed us without much concern for us. Just look at them, they are absolute killers. There was absolute silence apart from the never-ending camera shutter sounds from all of us gathered there. What an ending to the trip. No words to explain the experience.


We then reached the crocodile bridge camp and exit gate. There were few misses. Leopard, cheetah, rhino were significant misses. This can be attributed to the winter where the vegetation was dry and is not a good time for animals to go through. The drive back was to Johannesburg took almost rest of the day. The terrain was absolutely beautiful and similar to Europe for some time before changing to African like.
Kruger visit was unplanned and unexpected until a couple of weeks before the trip. Stefan's presence made the visit to the Kruger possible and comfortable. I have no words to appreciate his kindness. Documenting this experience is the only way preserve the memories of a trip which could be once in a lifetime experience. I am dedicating the whole post to all those kind and warm South African colleagues. They also helped to plan my Cape Town trip. A writeup will follow soon! Thank you for reading folks.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Satkaj]

Beautiful… Have visited Kruger and its a well managed park with variety of stay options. We were in a zone where one could go off the track following wild sightings. And could manage to see all Big 5 during our 2 night stay and 4 safaris.

South Africa is a wonderful country. I dare to say that it has one of the best managed road network in the world. Its absolutely tourist friendly. Yes , one has to be careful moving around though.

[SidTheChamp]

Wonderful visit in Kruger in a personal vehicle. The wildlife in Africa never ceases to amaze me.

For eg. To humans it's the herbivores like hippo, buffalo who are real danger instead of lions, leopard, cheetah etc despite being carnivorous.

If possible, visit the Sabi Sands in future. The place of legendary lion prides and their battles which are world famous already

[karsouvik]

Good to see your post on Krugar national park. It is really informative and detailed. It reignites my memory of visiting Masai Mara few month back. Wild life's are really mesmerizing.

[M@y@vi]

Originally Posted by SidTheChamp

If possible, visit the Sabi Sands in future. The place of legendary lion prides and their battles which are world famous already

Thank you! Yes this trip was all about the southern tip of Kruger due to time restrictions I had on a business visit. If there is another chance I will explore a different region as recommended

[mpksuhas]

Thanks for the log, detailed narrative and amazing pics.

Nikon 70-300 is an amazing lens and great value for money. As in any case, one will feel the need for additional zoom, however at this price point its superb value for money.

Also, the framing of your pics have come out great.


Kruger is one of my bucket list item, though no immediate plan, can you please let know your views on below query -

1. Drive time from Johansberg to Malelane gate - Safe to say around 8 hours?
2. Conservation fee - Is it on per day basis or for entry?
3. What are the advantage between Skukuza and other camps - say Satara, Lower Sabie?

[CptSlow]

Oh man, this takes me back! Kruger Park used to my second home back when I was working in South Africa. Seeing these pictures brings back so many happy memories. Thank you for sharing this amazing travelogue.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

1. Drive time from Johansberg to Malelane gate - Safe to say around 8 hours?
2. Conservation fee - Is it on per day basis or for entry?
3. What are the advantage between Skukuza and other camps - say Satara, Lower Sabie?

1. Shouldn't take more than 4-5 hours. Sticking to the speed limit, it used to take me 4h10m to reach the gate from North Riding with just 1 fuel break.
2. If you are staying inside the park then the conservation fee will be for the number of nights you stay in the park. Say, you enter the park on Saturday, stay in Skukuza for 2 nights and exit on Monday then you will pay 2X the conservation fee. But if you are staying outside the park in some nearby lodge then you pay the conservation fee every time you enter.
3. All camps have their own charm. To someone going for the first time, I would advise to stay in Southern camps like Lower Sabie, Berg-en-Dal, Skukuza, Crocodile Bridge etc since the southern part always report the highest sightings.

[rb003]

Lovely post. Been to Kruger many times and I highly recommend it. You got some great pictures and got reasonably lucky. In my experience Lower Sabie is the place to be for spotting most animals, but Skukuza is the largest camp and a reasonable second best. Berg-en-Dal is also a favourite although I've only been there once.

Southern Camps are usually preferable. The north has it's own appeal but I think it's too dry most of the year to attract most animals.

[Skidrow]

Lovely pics!I think you've been very lucky to have seen so much wildlife! Skukuza is huge - it has an airport and a golf course! I would agree that Lower Sabie is the nicest of the large SAN Parks camps in Kruger and if you get to stay at the huts overlooking the Crocodile river, its fantastic. I stayed at the 'tents' which are rondevaal shaped huts with canvas walls, but they have an ensuite bathroom and a (tiny) kitchen with utensils, a cooker and fridge. Y

[mpksuhas]

Another query, related to South Africa in general.
1. Any specific car rental agency that you would suggest. I went through Avis, Woodford, Sani, RentACheapie sites and reviews. Unable to find any which can be mentioned as better or worse than others. So based on experience, can anyone suggest. Looking for renting out in Cape Town and also Johannesburg for around a week each.

2. Anyone done Lions head trek here? Wanted to check regarding the safety aspect, mixed reviews online.

[M@y@vi]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Another query, related to South Africa in general.
1. Any specific car rental agency that you would suggest. I went through Avis, Woodford, Sani, RentACheapie sites and reviews. Unable to find any which can be mentioned as better or worse than others. So based on experience, can anyone suggest. Looking for renting out in Cape Town and also Johannesburg for around a week each.

Hi. I rented my car from tempest in Capetown. I was told that they are the cheapest ones. They are just outside the airport in the same building that houses other rental companies. My experience was fuss free with a Toyota agya automatic.

[CptSlow]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Another query, related to South Africa in general.
1. Any specific car rental agency that you would suggest. I went through Avis, Woodford, Sani, RentACheapie sites and reviews. Unable to find any which can be mentioned as better or worse than others. So based on experience, can anyone suggest. Looking for renting out in Cape Town and also Johannesburg for around a week each.

2. Anyone done Lions head trek here? Wanted to check regarding the safety aspect, mixed reviews online.

I have used Tempest, Thrifty, Avis and Europcar, out of which I have found Avis to be the best by a mile. Their cars are in excellent condition as they rarely keep any vehicle in their fleet once it crosses 30,000km on the odo, and their customer service is always very accommodating and helpful.

No idea about the Lion's trek though.