Pafuri picnic site is the most northern picnic site in Kruger National Park. But it’s well worth the drive, because it is absolutely beautiful and in a stunning area of the park. If you are only visiting Kruger once you may not make it up here as the South tends to be the most popular area, but if you’re a semi-regular to Kruger and you haven’t ventured up this far it’s high time you do. Looking out over a river, this picnic spot is quiet, well-run and absolutely beautiful. And not far away you can visit Crook’s Corner, where South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe meet. Enjoy the baobabs, fever trees, elephants, hippos and crocs up in this neck of the woods. This is a total BYO picnic site but as with all, you can hire a gas cooker to cook your breakfast or lunch (as with all picnic sites).

On the banks of the Pioneer Dam in the Kruger National Park, lies it's best kept secret. Named after the mopane veld that surrounds the camp, Mopani Rest Camp nestles amongst the Mopani tree covered koppies. A signature feature is the huge gnarled old baobab tree in the heart of the camp. The vegetation inside the camp is left as found in the wild, adding to the unique atmosphere of the camp.

Our first trip to KTP! Comparing Kruger to Kgalagadi: Kruger National Park is in the northeast of South Africa in the eastern parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. The park borders Mozambique (and the Limpopo National Park) on the east and Zimbabwe in the north. The current size is 19.000 sq km making it the 7th largest nature reserve in Africa. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is located within the southern Kalahari Desert and is the first transfrontier park. Since 1999 the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa and the Mabuasehube-Gemsbok National Park in Botswana became one park. The current size is 38.000 sq km, which makes it one of the largest National Parks in Africa. From these 38.000 sq km, three-quarters lie in Botswana and one-quarter in South Africa (about 13.000km). Besides its borders with Botswana on the east, the park also borders Namibia in the west. While Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park is much larger in size, the 2 game reserves are not comparable in terms of the number of camps and roads. Where you have over 20 camps in Kruger, there are 10 main camps in Kgalagadi on the South African side and there are not nearly as many roads in Kgalagadi ... even when you do consider the Botswana side and because there are only 2 main roads alongside the dry riverbeds, large parts of the park are inaccessible. Kruger's best time to go is from May to September and the most rain falls between December and March Kgalagadi’s best time to go is from May to August and the most rain falls between January and March. There are more animals in Kruger National Park and there are more roads to get close to them. Kruger has the Big Five while Kgalagadi doesn’t (no elephants or rhino or buffalo as not sufficient water). When you throw in the landscape, Kgalagadi is definitely unique because of all the open space. Even though the number of predators is lower in Kgalagadi, this park is known for its predator sightings. Which do we prefer?! SO different that impossible to have a preference - each Park is unique and spectacular in its own right!

The idyllic Letaba Rest Camp is situated on a sweeping bend of the Letaba River, midway between the southern and northern boundaries of the Kruger National Park, South Africa. At Letaba Camp you can choose between a guest house, cottage, bungalow, hut or a furnished safari tent, as well as camping and caravan sites for your lodging in Kruger Park. Letaba means 'river of sand' and the sandy riverbed makes for excellent game viewing, particularly Elephant, which abound in the area. Letaba Camp is a green oasis in the surrounding mopane veld, and remains a firm favourite with holiday visitors for accommodation Kruger Park.

The Black Rhino Game Lodge is on the western side of the malaria free, ‘Big Five’ Pilanesberg National Park of South Africa’s North West Province, the Lodge provides a beautiful bushveld getaway. The communal area overlooks a busy waterhole, which is a hive of bird and animal activity and a favourite playground for elephant and buffalo. The main lodge boasts 19 Suites and 4 Luxury Suites. The latter have a hot tub and plunge pool.

:-) Trip with the Coe's including our 3 godchildren :-( A bad day in the bush is better than a good day in the office! We headed off from Ants…