A trip to South Africa is something you will remember for the rest of your life, and for more reasons than one. While most come to South Africa to see the incredible wildlife and all of the diverse landscapes, they will leave with their Kruger safari memories as well as the memory of having to navigate the often broken down infrastructure of some of the places they travel to.
The Kruger National Park is expertly maintained in every way, offering guests a world class experience. But the towns and roads that guests have to travel on and through in order to get to the park leave a lot to be desired and certainly require some travelling tips.
There remains a lot of work to be done in the rural areas of South Africa, and the area around the Kruger is just as in need of work. But for the intrepid adventurer, there is no road too difficult, and if you are more of the optimistic type, you could even call the experience a part of the fun.
Travel Tips
- Have a road worthy car
And if you have the budget for it, get an off-road vehicle. South Africa’s rural roads, and even some in the more urban areas, are riddled with potholes. Having a car capable of driving over difficult terrain and which is incredibly reliable is a must, no matter where you drive in the country as the last thing you’d want is to be stuck somewhere with a broken down vehicle and not a mechanic in sight.
- Don’t rush on the road
South Africa’s speed limits are generous enough to get you where you need to be within a reasonable amount of time, but if you are in the mood to speed, rather rethink your idea. On South Africa’s rural roads, aside from the danger of hitting a pothole, you could strike a free roaming cow or goat. So take it easy and practice Africa time.
- Keep your phone charged
And also make sure that your phone is loaded with airtime. Since so many of South Africa’s roads are off the beaten track, especially when you are travelling around the Kruger National Park, you need to make sure that you have a way to stay in contact with the outside world at all times, should you need to call for help.
- Have cash
Although there are plenty of ATMs around, if you are in a place with little infrastructure or if you don’t want to take the chance of stopping somewhere and withdrawing money, you should be sure to have cash on you.
- Plan to have things go wrong
Imagine planning a trip only for rain to pour down and flood the route that you planned to take. This kind of thing happens and when it does, you need to make sure that you have a secondary plan in place to ensure that your holiday is not entirely ruined.
