The Kruger National Park is huge (over 220 miles from North to South) and it is impossible to see it all in one trip. To the West of the Kruger Park are a number of large private game reserves that share an unfenced border with the Kruger Park. Together the whole reserve is called the Greater Kruger National Park and it spans more than 2.2 million hectares of pristine wilderness. For our Kruger Park safaris, we focus on the game-rich Southern half of the Kruger National Park, which has the richest diversity of habitats and animal life.

The Kruger National Park is a malaria risk zone. The wet season is from October to May and this is when the malaria risk is high. February to May is when the risk is peaking. Consult your doctor for the right medication to prevent malaria. You will be required to start a course of anti-malaria medication a week prior to your trip.

Malaria is widespread in Africa. Malaria is a life-threatening disease. It is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the Plasmodium parasite. When this mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream. Symptoms can be flu-like or cause shaking chills that can range from moderate to severe. Also, a high fever, profuse sweating, headaches, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, muscle pain and bloody stools. Make sure you start taking anti-malaria medication before your journey and during. Ensure you have adequate medication for the duration of your stay. Take insect repellent with you.

Most of the private lodges in the Kruger National Park will provide guests with the mosquito nets for their rooms as well as all the other items that help prevent bites like sprays, creams, coils, and plug-in dispensers. If you plan on camping or doing any mobile travel, nets can be purchased from outdoor stores and sports shops, while insect sprays and repellents can be purchased from any chemist or grocery store.

You must cover up at night and wear clothes that does not expose too much skin, particularly around your ankles. Keep applying repellent every four to six hours as it does stop working after a while. Make sure you burn repellent oils and if possible, plug in and use heated insecticide at night.

Please consult your doctor or pharmacist for further information on prophylaxis. In addition to taking anti-malaria medication we recommend the following precautionary measures: cover your arms, feet and legs during the early mornings and evenings by wearing long sleeve clothing, apply a good quality mosquito repellent and sleep under a mosquito net. Each tent is equipped with mosquito and insect repellent as well as mosquito nets around the beds and on the windows and doors. Do not let the risk of malaria stop you from enjoying your safari! Over a million visitors come to the Kruger National Park every year, and very few cases of malaria are reported.

Well, simply to experience something that no other continent can offer you, a chance to experience Wildlife animals and birds in their natural habitat interacting with other animals and birds. Apart from that a safari experience is essentially relaxing, a chance to get out of the city, come to the bush and relax, watch the sun set and rise and enjoy the endless stars in the night skies.

KPS Safaris are a fully licensed and insured tour operator with extensive public liability insurance. However, our terms and conditions require that you also take out your own comprehensive travel insurance against personal accidents, cancellations, loss of baggage, theft or any other eventuality. As a member of SATSA, we are also covered by bonding insurance, which ensures that you will never lose any money paid up front.

Not by guests; it can be changed due to circumstances as we see fit. Please see our T&C’s

These packages not only give you enough time to see, but also to experience the wild.

The tap water is safe to drink, but most camps provide bottled water and you can buy bottled water at all shops in the Kruger National Park.

It is not recommended to travel to the Kruger National Park during your pregnancy. There are other parks and reserves better suited for you during this time in and around South Africa. otherwise, you can opt for a malaria-free safari.

Heat exhaustion is a common problem, especially among tourists that have come from cooler climates. Symptoms include a bad headache, dizziness, vomiting and extreme tiredness. Keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of bottled water or beverages. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and apply sunscreen lotion to prevent yourself from getting sunburn. Chronic dehydration makes you feel weak, tired, and lightheaded and increases your risk of developing kidney stones. Move into a cool area or room and elevate your feet and legs. Drink lots of fluids until your body temperature drops. Seek medical treatment if the symptoms persist.

The Big 5 is actually a hunting term, used to describe Africa’s 5 most dangerous animals to hunt on foot in the bush. In the Kruger National Park, spotting all of the big 5 in one or two days is very possible but cannot be guaranteed. Due to the vastness of Kruger, it is impossible to predict in advance what animals you will find on your safari. This is part of the excitement and adventure of looking for wildlife in their natural environment. Also, in your quest to view the big 5, be sure not to miss out on the many other interesting animals, birds, plants, insects and reptiles to be found.

The Greater Kruger National Park consists of over twenty private game reserves including the Kruger National Park (KNP) situated in the eastern part of South Africa. The private reserves and the KNP are next to each other and there are no fences between them, so the animals and birds roam freely. This is a vast area of land so the fauna and flora changes in different areas and the wildlife reside in parts which best suits their needs. In the Greater Kruger area, one can experience wildlife in isolated areas on open vehicle safaris. There are tours arranged which almost guarantee that you will see the “Big 5”in these areas and afterwards you can stay in some of the world’s top luxurious hotels and lodges.

The accommodation provided in the private reserves which are part of the Greater Kruger offer some of the best African experiences for international tourists. Alternatively, you can make reservations to stay in one of the chalets in the KNP and then make bookings to fly from Cape Town or drive from Johannesburg to visit a game reserve run by Sanparks. This tourism brings much needed conservation fees for the parks to help safeguard and protect the wildlife. All tour operators can organize an all-inclusive family vacation with children at cheap rates depending on what specials are running at the KNP camps. They also cater for singles and there are even camps that are wheelchair friendly for disabled visitors. The Kruger National Park has constant discounted prices that will best suit you for your trip.

If you decide not to take tour packages with flights included, one can always take a journey which is just as enjoyable as the destination. This will allow you to tour outside the parks and see some of the other wonders the Lowveld has to offer. You can also stop at a cosy bed and breakfast along the way. In some of the lodges, the rates include full board which consists of breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus game drives. Others offer half board which consists of breakfast and dinner, so they try and accommodate all by making it affordable for everyone. These lodges have their own game drives or walking safaris. Most lodges also come with swimming pools as an added luxury to soak in on hot summer days. Your chances of seeing a lion or leopard kill is far higher in the central Kruger National Park than almost anywhere else. The eastern half of the central grassland is made up of mostly of wide-open basalt areas that support nourishing grazing and less tree growth

This means plenty of grazers; antelope and zebra, and therefore plenty of predators such as lions and leopards. And when there is a kill, you will find vultures. The western grasslands have denser bush and has lots of trees which consists of bushwillow, knob-thorn and marula woodland. There are no main rivers running through the central grasslands, but there are lots of smaller rivers some are the N’wanetsi, Sweni and Timbavati.

The vast areas where the Kruger National Park stands today were always thought of as a hunter’s paradise. The ravages of malaria and other tropical diseases that affected them did not deter them. The land was laid nearly bare by the slaughter of wildlife by hunters during the mid-1800s. The loss of animals was even more decimated by an epidemic of Rinderpest in 1896. President of the Transvaal Boer Republic, Paul Kruger in 1898 declared the area between the Sabie and Crocodile Rivers a reserve. The second reserve was situated between the Luvuvhu and Shingwedzi Rivers. These two reserves formed to become what we know as the Kruger National Park on a map today.

In 1902, James Stevenson-Hamilton became the head ranger for the two reserves. With a small group of rangers, he eagerly imposed his command that the area became only for animal habitation thereby moving the people that had resided in these areas for hundreds of years. This is how he got the nickname of “Skukuza” (“He who sweeps clean”). Stevenson-Hamilton was joined by new assistant warden Harry Wolhuter, who notably survived an attack from two lions in 1904, armed with nothing more than a pocketknife. He killed the first lion with the knife and his dog kept the second lion at bay until he got help. The knife and the lion skin can be seen in the Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Museum at Skukuza. Stevenson-Hamilton’s idea of creating a wildlife park for tourism came to completion in 1926. This was when the two reserves were merged with privately owned farms in between them were bought by the government to shape a combined area known today as the Kruger National Park. In 1928 was when the first tourist facilities were built in the park. Skukuza (then known as Sabi Bridge), Satara and Pretoriouskop became the first places for overnight stays in the park. A tented camp was also erected on the banks of the Luvhuvhu River in the far north, but it was ravaged by floods and bombarded by mosquitos. They closed it as it was found not to be ideal for visitors.

During this time in the Kruger National Park, there were no real rules for visitors except to leave your guns at home and to pay a fee of one Pound at the entrance gate. A visitor was not even expected to return to their cabins at night if they wanted to, they could camp out under the stars. There must have been some hair-raising adventures had by the first guests to the park. Even the picnic spots were not fenced. Warden Stevenson-Hamilton kept warning the board about these dangers and finally they conceded and put up warning signs. By the 1930s things had become out of control and more rules had to be enforced. There was a list drawn up of rules, but nothing was enforced due to lack of funds. When the park opened to tourists, there were also no proper roads. There were only poorly kept service roads which was only able to handle a little bit of traffic from Acornhoek to the border of what is today Mozambique. In 1922, South African Railways presented tours via trains, and for a quick moment in time, air service was introduced, and then it was suddenly stopped.

There were seven planes that were used but only six of them were legal. Although there was an operational airstrip near Satara, there was still the problem of getting the guests from the airfield to the rest huts. Finally, in the 1940s the first official roads were built. There were several prominent challenges to this construction, as well as the thick undergrowth that renders vast areas inaccessible. Added to these problems was the lack of monetary funding and the lack of manpower. The board of the Kruger National Park made the already overworked and poorly funded rangers clear the thick bush and make the roads. Finally, roads we see them today appeared and during the 1960s some of the roads became tarred. Stevenson-Hamilton would have not been happy. All his life he had warned that if the roads became tarred people would speed and animals would be killed. Today his words are prophetically accurate to what has happened, but his legend and dream for conserving the animals through tourism has come true

The term Big Five was first used by the bygone big game hunters and it refers to the five most difficult animals they tried to hunt on foot. The term is now also widely used by everyone today and to see the Big Five on safari is just as amazing as it was then. The Big Five game animals are the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and the Cape buffalo

The Lion

The lion is the main type of big cat on the African continent and the most social of the cat species. Prides can range in size anywhere from three to 30 big cats. Inside such a pride, the lioness normally does the majority of the hunting. She is a prolific hunter. The male lion is much larger with a magnificent mane which is normally black, red, and brown. They usually form alliances outside of prides.

The Leopard

The leopard is the most mysterious member of the Big Five. These spotted cats are normally solitary, unless they are mating or when a mother is caring for her cub. Their impressive ability to conceal makes them difficult to ‘spot’. These cats are also famous for pulling their kills up trees to eat in peace without nagging scavengers around.

The Cape Buffalo

Although it is not the biggest or most vicious of the big five, the Cape buffalo is the most dangerous member. Do not be fooled by its bovine appearance – buffaloes are extremely volatile infamously bad-tempered and frightening with their horned weapons. They are mostly seen travelling in herds looking for the best grazing areas.

The Elephant

The African elephant is the world’s largest land mammal and one of the most amazing animals to see on safari. A typically sociable animal, elephants will most often be seen in herds or as solitary bulls walking down a quiet road in the KNP. Cows average between 2800kg – 3500kg, while males weigh in at a hefty 5000kg – 6300kg. The Kruger National Park has an abundance of elephant and you are bound to see them on your trip.

The Black Rhino

The black or hook-lipped rhino is the original member of the Big Five. Their hooked lips are ideally suited for grazing. Although it is smaller than its white cousin, it is more violent of the two breeds. The black rhino’s numbers are critically low, and the animal is now endangered due to rampant poaching. Every day in the Kruger National Park, rangers are fighting poachers to protect this amazing species from becoming extinct.

Kruger National Park is under threat of poaching that many other African countries have also faced. The poachers are in search of ivory from elephant tusks or rhino horns. The park’s anti-poaching unit consists of SANParks game rangers, assisted by the SAPS and the SANDF. They have also introduced a specialist dog unit to combat poaching. Kruger’s big game poachers’ manoeuvre with night vision instruments and large calibre rifles, fitted with suppressors and sophisticated telescopic sights. Most of the poachers on the ground are from Mozambique. They carefully plan invasions from the border region. It is estimated that the Kruger National Park is home to some 7 000 to 8 000 rhinos, and unluckily they are the largest poaching targets in southern Africa. The park has intensive protected zones, which houses around 5 000 rhinos. According to data from the South African National Parks, during the first half of 2019, 316 were rhinos poached in the area. There were about 253 arrests nationally related to rhino horn trafficking or poaching. Nevertheless, many cases from previous years remained unsettled and the market for horn trafficking is still ongoing.

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• Toyota Land Cruiser 9 pax
• Mercedes Benz Sprinter 17 pax
• Mercedes Benz Sprinter 12 pax
• Mercedes Benx Vito 6 pax

Children under 8 are more than welcome on privately hired open vehicles, yes. This is purely out of consideration for our other clients who do not have children and might not have the patience for their unique outlook and excitement about each wild animal we encounter. All children under 12 have discounted safari rates, as well as half price conservation fees to enter the Kruger National Park.

Everyone who visits the Kruger National Park needs to pay conservations fees which is planned according to each day you will be spending in the park. Conservation fees raises funds that helps in conserving the Kruger National Park’s cultural and historical plus natural heritage. This also helps maintain the viewing hides. This money is also direly needed for the preservation of the animals in the park.

Yes, there is some mobile phone coverage in most of the camps. the signal strength varies so you need to stop in an area where there is signal to make a call. You are not allowed to use cell phones on game drives and in public areas. This is time to relax in the bush and get back to nature.

No animals can be brought into the Kruger National Park. This is to avoid transferring diseases and for general safety of your pet. There are exceptions to the rule such as guide dogs for those who are visually impaired. Although in this instance you would have to inform your travel agent in advance so that a license can be obtained. There are hotels and self-catering lodgings near the Kruger Park that are pet friendly. You can enter the park during the day as a day visitor. The hotels and some of the outside lodges do offer a dog sitting service in the form of a kennel during the day which allows you to enter the Kruger National Park as a day visitor to do some game viewing.

If you are planning to do a self-drive in the Kruger National Park you must be aware there are speed limits. There is a maximum speed limit of 50 km/h (31 m/h) on tarred roads, 40 km/h (24.8 m/h) on gravel roads and 20 km/h (12.4 m/h) in Rest Camps. The standard speed of 20 -30 km/h (18.6 m/h) is suggested for you to really enjoy the full game viewing experience. Remember never drive with your windows open in the Kruger National Park. NEVER get out your vehicle unless you are in one of the rest camp areas.

The animals you will see in the Kruger National Park are wild animals. They are not in cages like you will find at a zoo. These animals run freely in the Kruger National Park. Some animals especially the lions can fool you to think they are docile but that not the case. Also, you will see lots of hippos relaxing in dams and in rivers. They will also look cute and harmless, but they are extremely dangerous and have killed many people that have ventured too near them. Do not leave your car or an open safari vehicle. Your guide on a safari vehicle will stop you from getting out the vehicle. If you are driving on your own, then there is nobody to stop you. But remember this, getting out of your car, even if it is to lean an arm out of the window to take a photo of a beautiful lion, the one apparently relaxing under the bushes that looks harmless is extremely dangerous. No part of your body should ever leave the vehicle, and if you see someone doing this, you should report them immediately for the sake of their own safety.

Do not get too close to any animal. The safari rangers will not allow you to get too close, but if you should be on your own you might be tempted to get your vehicle close to the animal. This could scare the animal or even harm it. Bigger animals, especially elephants should be kept a suitable distance away from your vehicle. You do not know what temperament they might have. Many a vehicle in the Kruger National Park has been damaged by elephants. When on a walking safari, it is one of the most amazing ways to spend your time in Africa. You must be accompanied by an experienced armed guide. This is also one of the most dangerous kinds of Kruger National Park safaris to go on board. So, you must always follow orders to ensure your safety. While a guide will have a weapon to keep you safe from potential harm, there is always the risk of danger. For a bush walk make sure to have proper hiking shoes, insect repellent and some sunscreen. Do not carry food around even when you are in the rest camp. You will be safe from big animals in the rest camp, but there are sneaky and cheeky monkeys and baboons around. They are known to grab food out of visitor’s hands and do it like experts. So be aware of them sitting around in trees.

Definitely not! You are not allowed to feed any animals in Kruger National Park, especially the monkeys and baboons that might run around in the camps. This is a serious offence and you can be fined heavily. If animals are fed, they will lose their natural fear of humans and can become aggressive and dangerous

Yes, there are safety precautions in place so you will be safe if you follow all the Park rules. Make sure that you are at your booked camp before the gates close. The camps are closed and fenced off to protect against wildlife. You will find an occasional monkey or baboon roaming around in the camp, but they present no threat to you. You are able to walk freely and safely within the boundaries of the camp at night.

The KNP is an all-year-round destination, and with every season there are unique things to see. Whatever time you decide to safari in the Kruger National Park, you will never be disappointed. Game viewing is the best during the dry winter months. When the Summer brings the rains, the lush bushveld also offers sightings of new-born wildlife and the summer migrant birds arrive. Summer is the rainy season in Kruger National Park. The rains fill the rivers and waterholes, making sure the bushveld become lush.

The thick dense bushveld in the summer season does make it more difficult to view animals. But towards the end of November and early December, the park is overflowing with new-borns and spotting wildlife with their young is a memorable experience. Birding is amazing during this time as the summer migrant birds arrive. The best time for seeing African wildlife in the Kruger National Park is the dry winter season. The bushveld is more empty allowing for better visibility of the animals. The grass is low, the bushes and trees are sparse as there is no rain, the animals migrate to the waterholes and rivers. Water holes, dams and rivers become busy and you are more likely to spot wildlife in the morning and evening as they come for a drink of water. The day temperatures in winter are more pleasant but it can get quite cold during the night-time so make sure you pack something warm when going on early morning and night-time game drives.

The night sky in the Kruger National Park

At night in the Kruger National Park the sky is magical as you can study the stars without the interference of city lights. It is an overwhelming emotional experience to consider one’s irrelevance in the face of the vastness of the universe. We are part of the Milky Way galaxy as the sun is part of it, so that consists of about 100 000 million stars and in the park, it feels one can see them all. There is an old San hunting myth relating to the stars. There was a proud hunter (Aldebaran) who had seven sisters (the Pleiades). Aldebaran was a self-assured hunter who just needed one arrow to shoot his target.

His wives begged him to go out hunting and not to come back without anything. Aldebaran came across three zebras (Orion’s belt) and shot at them. But he missed all three animals and on top of that he was unable to get his single arrow back because it had landed near a huge lion (Betelgeuse) who had been stalking the zebra. So when you look up at the sky to this day Aldebaran is still out in the cold night sky, too scared to go home without food and too fearful to try and get his arrow from the feet of the lion. And when you look up at the Milky Way remember the San story that it was created when a young girl threw ashes from a fire into the sky to make a path and at the same time she threw bits of edible roots of which white stars and red stars were made.

History buffs are spoilt for options as there are several monuments, memorials, gravesites, and objects of importance on display throughout the park that dates to the 19th century. You can discover the secrets of Kruger National Park by diving into its past and viewing one-of-a-kind, distinctive landmarks that made the renowned park what it is today. Some of these landmarks are situated close to the rest camps, so anyone can visit them without disturbing your game viewing plans.

The Paul Kruger Memorial is situated at the Kruger Gate. There is a bust of Paul Kruger and the Kruger memorial tablet. The latter was to honor the foundation of the Kruger National Park and reads: ‘This tablet was erected by the National Park Board of Trustees to commemorate the institution of National Parks into the Union. Sabie Game Reserve proclaimed by President Kruger in 1898. National Parks Act introduced by Mr. PGW Grobler, Minister of Lands, in 1926.’ Another plaque situated in Skukuza, memorializes those who are seen as the Founding Fathers of the park: James Stevenson-Hamilton, Paul Kruger, and Piet Grobler. The historical Struben Family Cottage can also be found at Skukuza. The cottage is named after the Struben brothers, Fred, and Harry. The brothers arrived in South Africa from Germany in about 1840, with the idea of becoming gold prospectors. Harry Struben was the first president of the Chamber of Mines in the country. Their cottage has been renovated and now serves as accommodation for visitors to the Kruger National Park.

Sir Percy Fitzpatrick arrived in 1884, in the area at the Eastern Transvaal goldfields where he worked as store man, prospector’s hand and journalist, and as transport-rider form Lourenço Marques by ox-wagon to Lydenburg and Barberton. In Barberton, he became editor of the Gold Fields News. Fitzpatrick worked on a supply route through the Lowveld, along the Old Delagoa Road, which was used between May and September by transport riders from the Lydenburg Goldfields to Lourenço Marques. This route served as the setting for many of his famous dog Jock of the Bushveld’s adventures. Fitzpatrick’s adventures during this time of his life, when he was traipsing in the Bushveld, are brilliantly described in his book Jock of the Bushveld, which is normally established as a South African classic. He recounted the adventures of his dog Jock (a Staffordshire Bullterrier cross), in the form of bedtime stories to his four children to whom the book was dedicated. Rudyard Kipling, who was close friend, used to take part in these story-telling evenings and he it was he who persuaded Fitzpatrick to put the stories together in a book form. Jock’s birthplace (he was born in 1885) is noticeable along the Voortrekker Road, which runs southeast of Pretoriuskop. Found at Jock Safari Lodge, there is a bronze statue that commemorates the bravery and loyalty of Jock who became a legend of the bushveld.

The Baobab Tree

The Baobab tree is one of the most unusual looking trees and can be found growing in the Kruger National Park. All Baobabs are deciduous trees ranging in height from five to 20 meters. The Baobab tree grows in low-lying areas in Africa and Australia. It can grow to enormous sizes and carbon dating indicates that they may live to be 3,000 years old. There is one Baobab tree situated in Zimbabwe is so huge that forty people can fit inside its trunk. The trunk is smooth and shiny, not rough like bark from other trees, and it the colour pinkish grey or sometimes copper. When the tree is bare of leaves, the spreading branches of the Baobab look like roots sticking up into the air, giving the impression that the tree has been planted upside-down.

Baobabs are not easily killed as they can survive being burnt, stripped of their bark as they will just grow new bark and carry on. When they finally do die, they just rot from the inside and unexpectedly collapse, leaving a heap of fibres. Giving into the myth that the tree does not die, but simply vanishes. In African cultures, the Baobab is seen as a magical tree. An old Baobab tree supports the life of many creatures, from the biggest mammals to the thousands of tiny creatures living in and out of its crevices. The bird’s nest in its branches; baboons eat the fruit; bush babies and fruit bats drink the nectar and pollinate the flowers. The Baobab tree has large whitish flowers which open at night. The fruit, which grows up to a foot long, contains tartaric acid and Vitamin C.

The Umbrella Thorn Tree

This tree is scattered all around the Kruger National Park and is clearly visible. The bark has a rough feel and is grey to black in colour. The tree has a mixture of one straight thorn with a small, hooked thorn alongside. The leaves are small which gives the umbrella appearance. Most of the grazing animals eat the leaves together with the thorns when the thorns are young and soft. The older, toughened thorns can be a restraint to over-eating. The Umbrella Thorn tree sprouts flowers in December and they are white. The tree reaches heights of between 5-20 meters in nature. Many bird species take benefit of this protection and build their nests in the shelter. The tree grows fairly slowly and reaches its final height between three to five meters and spreads out about eight to

The Marula Tree

This tree grows on different areas of woodlands. They can be found all over Africa from Ethiopia to Kwazulu-Natal. They produce flowers from September to November and bear fruit from January to March. The fruits are edible and extremely high in vitamin C. Warthog, elephant, Waterbuck, giraffe, and kudu all consume the fruit and leaves of the tree. Archaeological sites have proven that the Marula fruit was used as a food source since ancient times by Africa’s tribes. The bark can also be used to make a light brown dye.

The Mopane Tree

The Mopane Tree is home for the Mopane Moth which is extremely important in the dietary needs of many people around Africa. The caterpillar of the moth, known as the Mopane Worm, is harvested, and eaten as is or dried as a future food source. The Mopane Tree wood is also been more extensively used in furniture for its colour and toughness and as it is so hard it is termite resistant, making it perfect for fencing. Some Mopane trees can grow to heights of up to 25 meters, particularly on alluvial soils. When situations are not good for the tree, small Mopane shrubs known as ‘Mopane scrub’ and locally referred to as ‘gumane’, are more apparent.