Legend says, 'Once the red Kalahari sand bites your toes, you will be drawn back again and again and again'.... Well, we lost our hearts on our first visit - extremely tough as this has caused major contention with our Kruger addiction! This vast and wild wilderness straddles South Africa and Botswana and touches Namibia too. It is the semi desert red dunes and star studded sky and the big cats that draws your soul....CAUTION: HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!
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.
Ant's Nest & Ant's Hill are two private bush homes situated in the malaria-free Waterberg region of South Africa. Approximately 3 hours north of Johannesburg. These two bush homes are on a privately owned reserve and can offer guests game viewing activities which include game drives, game walks and fantastic horse riding. They can cater for all levels of riders and also accept kids of all ages. This is a wonderful destination for couples, honeymooners, families or just good friends travelling together.
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…
Cheetah Plains Private Reserve lies adjacent to the Kruger National Park, in the northwest corner of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. There are no fences between the two reserves, allowing game to move freely between the two areas. The concession traversing rights dictate that only two commercial game vehicles at a time can traverse the individual areas, exclusivity at game sightings is the norm at Cheetah Plains. Cheetah Plains is one of the oldest bush camps in the Sabi Sand, where the emphasis is on offering guests traditional Safari values, comfortable accommodation, with great food, prepared around the campfire. An excellent game viewing on 8500 ha and friendly attentive staff will round your safari off. At the lodge, bush buck roam among the chalets. You will hear the sound of animal calls at night: lion, wild dog, hyena and more can be heard calling out across the bushveld.
Wonderful trip to Kruger with our nearest and dearest to celebrate Charlotte's 18th.
Nestled near the unfenced borders of the Kruger National Park this luxury four star Sabi Sand lodge offers a diverse abundance of classic African Wildlife. Nkorho Bush Lodge offers a comfortable environment in which to become one with nature, whether it be bird watching or game viewing from an open vehicle we offer a bushveld experience extraordinaire. Nkorho Bush Lodge creates and atmosphere of relaxation, sheer contentment a feeling of unity.
Oudtshoorn is a town in the Klein Karoo area of South Africa’s Western Cape. It’s known for its ostrich farms and rests along the Route 62 wine route. The central C.P. Nel Museum traces the ostrich-feather boom era and houses a working synagogue. The nearby Cango Wildlife Ranch is a conservation park offering animal petting. To the north, the Cango Caves are a 20-million-year-old network of limestone chambers.
