Great Safari Tips For Your First Time In The Kruger

The Kruger National Park is as big as Israel. Now think about how long it would take you to traverse the Israeli landscape, how much planning it would take and all of the things you would see along the way. When planning a Kruger Park safari, you are more than likely planning on visiting from outside of South Africa. This means you’ll have double the planning to do!

Not only will you need all of the regular overseas travelling documents and accessories, but you’ll also need to make sure that you are properly kitted out for your safari.

Don’t fret thinking about all the things that need to be done. With these great Kruger Park safari tips, we have you covered.

A Kruger National Park safari is one of those experiences that you will never forget. Animals roaming free and something exciting waiting around every corner, the Kruger is both an adventure as well as a relaxing holiday. You will want your safari to be as relaxed and stress free as possible, which is why you should be extra sure that your trip is well planned for.

1. Have your passport

When visiting South Africa you will have to have your passport in order to get into the country. But you will also need to have this important piece of documentation when entering the park.

2. Bring some snacks

If you are travelling to the Kruger and you are using the services of a touring company, something which is always an excellent idea, snacks and liquid refreshments will be provided. When you are opting for the self-drive safari, pack plenty of snacks and water. The temperature can rise very quickly and you don’t want to end up dehydrated.

3. Respect all lives

The Kruger Park is first and foremost home to the animals who live within it. You are a guest on their turf. While the smaller animals are unlikely to get in your way while you are on the road, elephants, buffalo and rhino tend to have a different, often angry temperament. These are wild animals and they are not shy about charging at vehicles. Safari company drivers know to keep a safe distance from these massive animals, but if you are self-driving, take care to not get too close.

4. Please don’t feed the wildlife

When the winter months roll by, the dry land can make guests feel sorry for the animals. And as a result, they feed the animals “table scraps”. Not only is this forbidden by the park, but you are actually doing more harm than good by doing this. Another tip that can fall into this category is to watch out for the monkeys. They tend to know when you are eating something tasty and they are very quick to grab your food before you have the chance to stop them.

5. Have a look at the sightings board

Kruger Park safari tour operators are in constant contact with one another. So when one guide sees something worthwhile, they communicate back to the other guides. But when on your own, the best way to get a general update on “what has been seen where” is to look at a sightings board. These can be found in pretty much all of the camps and while the information is sure to be outdated by the time you get to that area of the park, it is still a great resource for letting you know which animal is in the general vicinity.

6. Have a map

Keeping in mind that the Kruger is the size of Israel, having a map showing you where the roads, rest camps, lookout points and picnic areas are can be very helpful. Again this won’t be a requirement if you are travelling with a safari company, but you might want to buy a map anyway, to keep as a souvenir.