Quick guide to enjoy the perfect Kruger adventure
Get the most out of your visit with these handy tips
It can be quite a bummer to go on holiday and come back feeling like you could have enjoyed it a little more, or wishing that you’d known a few things beforehand.
Getting the most out of your holiday experience is always ideal, especially if you intend to visit one of Africa’s biggest nature reserves.
These tips will prepare you for the ideal safari adventure, with no “should haves” and “would haves” when you get home.
1. Operate on bush time
Game drives are an important part of the Kruger experience. If you intend to spot as many animals as possible, it is best to operate on bush time.
In the wild, a 24-hour day can be broken up into four sections: morning, daytime, late afternoon and night-time.
You are most likely to see the animals early in the morning or late at night, since that is when the “action“happens in the wild. Plan your drives around these times and engage in other relaxing activities during the day.
2. Get the app
Instead of driving around aimlessly and praying you’ll find the Big Five, download the Latest Sightings app. The app allows Kruger National Park visitors to share their wildlife sightings with anyone around the park – and the rest of the world – in real time, so if it’s something really special, others can rush to the scene.
It’s available for iOS and Android and it’s free.
3. Get creative with the impala
The Kruger National Park is home to a lot of impala – about 10, 000 herds with an average herd size of 11 animals, according to krugerpark.co.za. So brace yourself … you will definitely see many of them.
They are the most common large mammals in the park, so instead of getting bored and irritated about the 20th herd of impala you are seeing on the same day, rather get creative.
Start looking at them more closely and differentiating between them. How big are they compared to the last herd you saw? What are their behavioural tendencies? Which other animals are with them? Do they sense danger and how do they respond to it?
4. Be ready to capture the moments
Bring your camera and stay alert. In the wild, anything can happen at any time, so always be ready to capture the moments. You can expect animals to be in motion as they might be running away from danger, going about their daily business in the wild or hunting. You might need to zoom in or take images very quickly.