There is no better place to view African wildlife than Kruger National Park, South Africa's oldest and most popular national park. This fact is attested to by the one million or so visitors who tour the national park annually. Kruger National Park has its origin in the Sabi Reserve, which was set up in 1898 to stem the effects of over-hunting, and is named after Paul Kruger- once president of the Transvaal Republic that later became part of the Union of South Africa.
The Kruger ecosystem is widely varied, with six rivers spawning the 16 vegetation zones in the park. With an average altitude of 269 meters above sea level, the park is mostly flat. Kruger occupies a vast stretch of land from the Crocodile river in the south, running 350km along the South Africa-Mozambique border, to the Limpopo River in the north.
The southern part of the 20,000 sq kilometer park, which is located in the Mpumalanga region, is more lush and wooded. This area is very popular with visitors and is accessed though the five gates at Malelane, Crocodile Bridge, Numbi, Phabeni and Paul Kruger. On the other hand, the northern and central sections are more arid and fall in the Limpopo region. Fewer visitors come here; giving rise to an air of mystery that beckons the adventurous. You get there via the Orpen and Phalaborwa gates.
The great wildlife diversity is what makes Kruger the most celebrated national park in South Africa. The hundreds of species found here include 114 reptiles, 147 mammals, 49 fish, 507 birds, and 336 tree species. Kruger is without doubt the best place to view the African big five " Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant, and Buffalo.
Owing to its wildlife diversity and the presence of complete food chains in the ecosystem, Kruger attracts many scientists interested in researching animal behavior. Cheetahs, warthogs, zebras, impalas, giraffes, hippos, and baboons are some of the animal species found here alongside the big five.
The nine gates that give you access to Kruger National park are well connected by a good road network. The distance from Malelane gate in the North and Pafuri gate in the south is 414 km. While within the park, a game drive is a definite must-do activity, whether with the escort of a ranger guide, or a self-navigated drive. Night game drives in Kruger are allowed, giving you a chance to observe the nocturnal animals like leopards, hyenas, owls, bushbabies and nightjars.
Many people touring Kruger prefer going for self-drive wildlife safaris on defined regular trails, but you may opt for ranger guided walking safaris if you are more adventurous. There are seven trails in the Kruger wilderness available for walking safaris, giving you the chance to watch wildlife up close as you also enjoy nature's aroma. You can enjoy a three nights stay in a wilderness camp while on the walking expeditions, though, due to its popularity, early booking is advisable.
You can get to Kruger by the several daily flights from Johannesburg, Durban or Cape town. Phalaborwa Airport, Kruger/Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA), and Hoedspruit Airport are the main airports where scheduled flights to Kruger national park land. Another alternative would be to take a rental car or charter plane from Kruger Mpumalanga Airport, East Gate Airport, or Kruger park gateway airport. Within the national park, accommodation facilities range from luxury lodges to self catering and camping sites, meeting the needs of travelers' different budgets and tastes.
The Kruger ecosystem is widely varied, with six rivers spawning the 16 vegetation zones in the park. With an average altitude of 269 meters above sea level, the park is mostly flat. Kruger occupies a vast stretch of land from the Crocodile river in the south, running 350km along the South Africa-Mozambique border, to the Limpopo River in the north.
The southern part of the 20,000 sq kilometer park, which is located in the Mpumalanga region, is more lush and wooded. This area is very popular with visitors and is accessed though the five gates at Malelane, Crocodile Bridge, Numbi, Phabeni and Paul Kruger. On the other hand, the northern and central sections are more arid and fall in the Limpopo region. Fewer visitors come here; giving rise to an air of mystery that beckons the adventurous. You get there via the Orpen and Phalaborwa gates.
The great wildlife diversity is what makes Kruger the most celebrated national park in South Africa. The hundreds of species found here include 114 reptiles, 147 mammals, 49 fish, 507 birds, and 336 tree species. Kruger is without doubt the best place to view the African big five " Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant, and Buffalo.
Owing to its wildlife diversity and the presence of complete food chains in the ecosystem, Kruger attracts many scientists interested in researching animal behavior. Cheetahs, warthogs, zebras, impalas, giraffes, hippos, and baboons are some of the animal species found here alongside the big five.
The nine gates that give you access to Kruger National park are well connected by a good road network. The distance from Malelane gate in the North and Pafuri gate in the south is 414 km. While within the park, a game drive is a definite must-do activity, whether with the escort of a ranger guide, or a self-navigated drive. Night game drives in Kruger are allowed, giving you a chance to observe the nocturnal animals like leopards, hyenas, owls, bushbabies and nightjars.
Many people touring Kruger prefer going for self-drive wildlife safaris on defined regular trails, but you may opt for ranger guided walking safaris if you are more adventurous. There are seven trails in the Kruger wilderness available for walking safaris, giving you the chance to watch wildlife up close as you also enjoy nature's aroma. You can enjoy a three nights stay in a wilderness camp while on the walking expeditions, though, due to its popularity, early booking is advisable.
You can get to Kruger by the several daily flights from Johannesburg, Durban or Cape town. Phalaborwa Airport, Kruger/Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA), and Hoedspruit Airport are the main airports where scheduled flights to Kruger national park land. Another alternative would be to take a rental car or charter plane from Kruger Mpumalanga Airport, East Gate Airport, or Kruger park gateway airport. Within the national park, accommodation facilities range from luxury lodges to self catering and camping sites, meeting the needs of travelers' different budgets and tastes.
About the Author:
The author works with Africapoint - Online travel agents for Africa. Visit the Africapoint website for South Africa flights reservations and South Africa accommodation booking.
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