The Kruger National Park is located in the northeastern part of South Africa and borders on Mozambique. This massive wildlife conservation area covers 20,000 sq. kms stretching 350 kms from south to north and 60 to 90 kms from east to west. It is one of the most popular destinations in Southern Africa attracting over 1 million visitors per year and also one of the oldest conservation areas in the world.
Despite the abundance of big game species that excite visitors, the Kruger Park has a wonderfully diverse fauna and flora with 147 mammal species, over 500 bird species, many different species of reptiles and amphibians and over 300 different tree species. The geology varies throughout the park resulting in a wide range of habitats and large biodiversity.
The Kruger National Park has a well maintained infrastructure with 12 Main Camps, 5 Bushveld Camps, 2 Bush Lodges, 5 Satellite Camps and 2 Sleepover Hides. Main roads are tarred with many secondary gravel roads accessible to normal 2WD vehicles. In addition there are 7 Wilderness Walking Trails, a 5 Day 4WD Overland Trail and 4 Short 4WD Adventure Trails. Day Walks and Night Drives are conducted from the Main Camps.
There are also several private lodges and concessions inside the Park offering luxury safaris and thrilling wildlife experiences.
Greater Kruger National Park
The Greater Kruger National Park includes the Kruger National Park and adjoining private game reserves located on the Kruger Park’s western border. These private reserves include Sabi Sand,Timbavati, Klaserie, Balule and Manyeleti and share unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park, allowing the free movement of wildlife through a massive area and fantastic gameviewing opportunities.
There are many luxury lodges within these private reserves that offer exceptional wildlife experiences. Your ranger and tracker will follow the signs of the wild in open vehicles, sometimes driving offroad to track animals such as a leopard stalking prey in the early morning or a pride of lion resting under the shade of a tree. A highly recommended safari activity is a bush walk with armed guide and tracker, an experience not to be missed as there is nothing more exciting than walking in the space of wild animals and an opportunity to inspect the smaller creatures and plants often not seen on game drives.
Your safari also includes the wonderful lodge experience, luxury suites, tantalizing food, the excitement of the stories around the campfire and the sounds of the bush. And don’t forget the special birdlife that create a unique bush atmosphere with their calls, beautiful plumage and constant antics.
Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve is renowned for it’s high density of leopards and has a wonderful complement of woodland savanna and open grassland. Here you will find some of the best lodges in the Greater Kruger National Park.
Timbavati Private Game Reserve is another fantastic area for wildife and safari experiences with a range of luxury and more affordable lodges.
Lodges in Klaserie, Balule and Manyeleti offer the most affordable safari options in the Greater Kruger National Park.
The Kruger National Park is a highly sought-after destination to which you can add the Blyde River Canyon, Swaziland, Kwazulu Natal, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana to create a fantastic African Safari itinerary. Very popular travel packages are available to include the Kruger National Park with visits to Cape Town and Victoria Falls.