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[ Self-drive ][ Sun protection ][ Tar vs Gravel roads ][ Transport ][ What to wear?]

What transport methods are available to and from the Kruger National Park?

The only way one cannot travel to the Kruger is by boat. There are scheduled flights to four airports ( Nelspruit, Malelane, Skukuza and Hoedspruit ) with a new international airport under construction at Primkop. Coaches offer scheduled services from Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban to Nelspruit. One can hire a vehicle and self-drive or use the various rail options available. It is not recommended to hitchhike ( thumb a lift ). Back to Top

What must I bring with?

Personal or prescribed medicines and prescriptions, binoculars, cameras and other items of a personal nature. Back to Top

What must I wear?

The dress code in the Kruger is very casual. It is recommended that one brings a hat, short and long pants, comfortable shoes or boots and a jacket. It is best to dress in layers so that, when it starts warming up or cooling down, one can remove or add items of clothing. Back to Top

What about the sun and sun protection?

The vehicles do provide shade, but it is best to keep a hat handy and to use sunscreen with a protection factor suitable for your type of skin. If you wish to get a tan while on safari, it is recommended that you do not tan for longer than around 10 minutes per day and not between 10h00 and 15h00. Sunstroke / heat-stroke is a real danger if one is not careful. Back to Top

What happens to my game drive should it rain?

During a game drive, we cover between 100km and 350km, depending on the duration of the game drive. During the wet season it therefore is often inevitable that one will experience rain during the drive, except during drought years. The vehicles have been designed with this in mind and can be closed up during severe storms. However, with the front windscreen design, wind and rain is deflected away from the inside, enabling you to remain drier than if you had a normal sedan with the windows open. Back to Top

What about game viewing when it rains?

Rain is as much a part of the cycle as day, night, sunrise and sunset etcetera. Many animals, especially the cats, actually tend to move along the roads rather than through the wet grass. The rain also provides a different dimension to the game drive. The smell of rain in the African bush adds to the experience. Back to Top

Can I travel by myself as a self-drive tourist in the Kruger?

Yes, the Kruger is visited by many self-drive tourists, especially South Africans. There are excellent maps and guide books available at very reasonable prices. However, the advantage of a safari company is that this is what we do on a daily basis. Although it is impossible to predict or guarantee game sightings, the guides are au fait with game behavioural changes throughout the seasons and operate accordingly. It is also not so easy to spot animals, especially in the bush, as one may think and the guide assists in training your eyes. Back to Top

When is the best time to visit the KNP?

International tourists tend to visit during the wet, summer months. South Africans tend to visit throughout the year, with peaking during the dry, winter months. Working in the Kruger, we appreciate the nuances of the seasons. During the winter, water is scarce and game tends to congregate around waterholes which is where the carnivores also congregate. Many of the trees lose their leaves and one can see deeper into the bush. During the spring and summer, the bush is full of new-born lambs and calves and the migratory birds. Yet, when it comes to the quality of game sightings, it is superb all-year round. The bottom line is that one should experience the magic of the Kruger in all the seasons, which means more than one visit and so the first "time of year" depends on you and your schedule. During the winter months, the risk of malaria is minimal and during the summer months prophylaxis is strongly recommended. ( See Malaria page next ). Back to Top

Why are there tarred and dirt ( gravel ) roads in the KNP?

All the provisions for the rest camps are moved by road transport. Tarred roads reduce the ecological impact of these heavy vehicles and only the main roads are tarred. The tar roads actually improve game viewing along these main routes, as large volumes of especially heavy vehicles tend to raise a dust cloud, especially during the dry season, and the dust settles on the vegetation along the roads. Imagine sprinkling dust on all your meals! Gravel roads carry a far lower traffic volume and the speed limit is reduced from 50 km/h to 40km/h so the dust factor is not a problem. The surface of the road has no effect on the game itself. Back to Top

Do you drive off the roads through the bush?

No. The environment is sensitive and you can imagine the annual million visitors all driving off the road whenever they wish? Besides soil compaction ( which inhibits plant growth and water penetration ), what about the smaller animals that cannot be seen in the undergrowth? The Kruger is over 100 years old and has thankfully not been turned into a parking lot yet. Keep in mind that there are still tracks visible in North Africa dating from the Second World War! Back to Top

What is the South African currency?

Currency in South Africa is the South African Rand ( ZAR ), which is abbreviated by R and added as a prefix to the amount, for example 49 Rands appears as R49-00. Back to Top

Which credit cards do you accept?

We accept VISA, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club. We also accept Travellers Cheques, preferably in ZAR, but also in US$, £ Sterling and Deutsch Mark. Back to Top

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