It is also handy to keep perishables fresh when moving from one camp to the next. A Collapsible Cooler for the Car. You will also find all the main camps have fuel stations, but it is wise to keep your vehicle topped up just in case. All of the shops take card payments, but it is wise to have some cash on you in the park in case of power outages which are not uncommon in South Africa. They have a small shop and kiosk for takeaway light lunches.
The tented camps such as Tamboti have no shop or restaurant facilities. The restaurants vary in size and quality from camp to camp with Skukuza Rest Camp having by far the best restaurant and cafe facilities. Aside from Skukuza which has a Cattle Baron Restaurant and cafe style takeaway, you will find mostly casual cafe-style restaurants such as Mug and Bean and another franchise Tindlovu Restaurant.
At a few camps, in addition to the retail shop, you will only find the fast-food chain Wimpy Burger or Debonairs Pizza. As we mentioned earlier, you may not exit your vehicle at any time in the park unless in a designated area such as a camp or picnic site. Some picnic sites are an extension of the main camps. An area for day visitors to relax and usually have a shop and sometimes even a pool.
These areas will always have an attendant on hand to keep the area clean and to assist with the braais. Sometimes you will find a small shop to purchase drinks. There are also concessionaire picnic sites that offer larger cafes and shops such as Afsaal Traders Rest and Tshokwane Trading Post. You will find many of the day visitors and tour groups at these stops.
It is best to check your self-drive book or Kruger Park map against your intended route for the day to determine how long you may be in the car and if you have enough water and snacks. We were once in the car for over five hours with no picnic sites even close to us.
Luckily we had enough supplies on hand. You can forget it if you had any fanciful notions of just pitching a tent or parking a camper anywhere in the bush. As mentioned earlier, you must be inside one of the designated rest camps within the indicated gate closing times. The public is not allowed to move around the park after dark. There are five main types of accommodation available in the Kruger Park camps.
Not all styles are available in every rest camp. If you want a little more comfort or luxury, but still want to stay in Kruger National Park, some private concession lodges within the park offer a full luxury safari experience. You can find a list of lodges here. If you are planning to self-cater throughout your stay in Kruger, be aware, that while the camps offer fridges, bbq facilities and communal camp kitchens, they do not always provide utensils.
Only cottages with fully equipped kitchens will have cooking utensils. It is important to check this when booking your stay, especially at camps such as Crocodile Bridge that does not have restaurants.
We had to lend basic cooking utensils to a group in the next safari tent so they could cook a meal on the braai. They just assumed there would be plates and cutlery etc. Other than campsites, all accommodation from safari tents through to cottages have linen and towels supplied.
Prices for accommodation in Kruger will vary according to season, camp and style of accommodation. Below is an example of per night prices to expect.
Book your accommodation well in advance. Kruger is very popular, not only with tourists but also locals. Especially during peak times such as Christmas, Easter and school holidays. You can make your bookings through the SAN Parks online system.
Once booked, you can manage your bookings online to make any changes to dates or camps quite easily. Remember, it is crucial to check the distances between the rest camps you choose to ensure it is achievable within your time frame. Click through to YouTube for specific camp shortcuts. We watched day visitors to the park pour out of tour buses dressed in full camouflage gear.
We have mentioned a few times already; you will be spending long periods sitting in a car, so comfort is paramount. Light and loose articles of clothing are best for the job. Ladies, comfort and breathability is the key to packing for Kruger.
Clothing needs to be practical and comfortable. BugsAway Lightweight Shirt. Quick-dry Mosquito Repellent Pants. Nights and early mornings can get quite cold so pack some comfortable pants for cooler weather and a warm yet lightweight top or jacket.
Even a lightweight scarf will come in handy no matter the season. A lightweight scarf is always a handy travel companion. Lightweight Mosquito Repellent Hoody. BugsAway Sandfly Pants. For the cooler nights, also consider some long sleeve tops or a lightweight jacket. Some of the camps do have laundry facilities, but not all do. Clothing needs to be comfortable to wear, easy to wash, and quick dry. Even in winter, it will be warm in the middle of the day, so the layering of lightweight clothing is the best way to deal with changes in temperature.
Depending on the season, a lightweight waterproof jacket would be advisable. Obviously, sun protection is paramount in hot climates; you should always wear hats and sunglasses during the day. Ray-Ban Unisex Sunglasses. Even though you will not be getting out of the car on a self-drive safari, it is always advisable to wear neutral colours when interacting with wildlife.
It also helps to wear cooler colours in hot climates. Kruger National Park is a malaria risk area. While the risk of contracting malaria is low, it is still best to take appropriate preventative measures.
Some people will choose to take anti-malaria medication, but this is just one measure to reduce risk further. Bite prevention is still the primary defence against contracting malaria. Malaria-carrying mosquitos are most prevalent between dusk and dawn so you must ensure you cover-up.
Plan on a minimum of two days. Main roads are paved and most unpaved secondary roads are in good enough condition for two-wheel drive vehicles. Be advised that unpaved roads are often closed during and following heavy rains. Kruger is divided into three sections: northern, central, and southern. However, southern Kruger is indisputably wetter and more game-rich than the Limpopo region of northern Kruger.
Within Kruger National Park there are several private concessions. These exclusive-use, unfenced concessions command some of the prime Big 5 wilderness areas and guarantee the best crowd-free game viewing. They also offer safari activities not permitted in the rest of the park, such as guided nature walks, off-road drives into the bush, and spot-lit night drives. These are far more personalized and specialized guided experiences, and are not necessarily as expensive as you may think.
If seeing this vast national park in one day seems far-fetched, consider that many South African day-trippers make the journey. Still, you can still see quite a lot. Start your day early and arrive at any of the 10 entrance gates before they open. If you plan on a self-drive safari, pick up a map at the entrance gates indicating the location of day visitor areas, picnic areas, rest stops, etc. Otherwise, well in advance, book a morning guided open-vehicle safari tour to learn about the park and wildlife ecology from a knowledgeable ranger.
Morning drives leave from entrance gates a half-hour before official gate opening times, giving you a head start on other day visitors. Fleece blankets and ponchos are provided, but dress warmly with layered clothing. After lunch, spend the afternoon exploring in your own vehicle. Realistically, with only 3 or 4 hours, aim to explore from your entrance gate to the nearest exit gate.
With 2 or 3 days, you can experience most of one section north, central, or south of Kruger. Private concessions are best for the latter, as they offer bush walks, night-time game drives, and specialized activities such as birding. I believe we make our bookings one day in advance of the two game drives. Great post, thank you so much for the information! Could you give me an idea how can one book a place at for example Tamboti Rest Camp? I found description on several websites, but nowhere a booking link..
Here is a link to get you started. You can check the availability of lodges from this link and then proceed to booking your accommodations. Tamboti is listed as a satellite for Orpen. You guys are amazing! Thank you! Thanks, Craig! This is really a wonderful article. Please keep posting more about safari and tour related topics. Although perhaps not as budget as the options you discussed above, we loved Umlani bush camp which was a fraction of the cost of many other safaris and one of our best vacation experiences ever.
Highly recommended. Breath taking pictures…………. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sign me up for the newsletter!
Facebook Pinterest Twitter. Game Drives Seeing the nocturnal animals requires going on one of the morning or evening game drives. Accommodations in Kruger Staying inside Kruger is also relatively cheap, depending on the accommodations you choose. Game viewing is sometimes a bit more difficult in the summer season because the vegetation is dense, making it bit harder to locate and observe wildlife. Towards the end of November and early December, Kruger National Park is filled with newborns and spotting wildlife with their young is a memorable Kruger Park safari experience.
Birding is excellent during this time as the summer migrant birds arrive.
0コメント