Pop-up camp to open in Kruger National Park

[Lisbeth]

Maybe bringing guests to and from It does not leave foot prints, it's flying

[Klipspringer]

Now there is also a self drive option with shuttle service to Skukza

Kruger Grande Budget - Kruger National Park during

Guests will be dropped off at the Skukuza meeting point in the morning where they can then enjoy a self-drive during the day in their own vehicles. They will then return to the Skukuza pick up point at the allotted time and driven back to Kruger Grande Camp in Game Drive Vehicles.

https://krugergrande.co.za/book-now/

[Lisbeth]

Certainly not for free Of course with your own car you can drive for longer and where you want to.

What is the difference in staying in the Pop-up camp instead of a Wilderness camp, where you pay less? The meals and what more?

[PennyinSA]

A sweetie on the pillow every night!!!

[Lisbeth]

[PhilipG]

and there it is, the official advertising on sanparks tender page - PPP Opportunity – Seasonal Mobile Tented Safari Facilities in the Kruger National Park and Garden Route National Park

Very interesting document and within a few minutes of reading it, I already have questions and also note a few concerns.

1. The pilot stage, defended by SANPARKS in their comments has the pilot camp in an area 1 hour south of Skukuza whereas the PPP document identify three potential sites, all north of Tshokwane (one actually at Tshokwane) near to Tshokwane, Satara and Olifants

2. Two camps operating during the same period, two different sites - Two facilities within the Kruger National Park over the winter period. The
carrying capacity of these sites is dependent on site specific requirements, as described in Section 6.3.1, ranging between 60 and 80 beds (including staff) with a minimum of 40 guest beds should be provided at each facility;

3. The facilities should be operational for five (5) months of the year – May, June, July, August and September. Following operation, the facilities must be removed from the selected sites within an agreed time period;

Lots more to follow - I would think now immediately is getting answers to who currently does the game drives for the pilot camp as well as who acts as safety officers / armed guides at this camp - this will open a huge can of worms me thinks.

[Richprins]

Thanks, Philip. Always in the fine print, hey?

[Lisbeth]

Five months and 80 persons That's a huge "footprint", especially being in the south and in one of the most visited areas

[PhilipG]

Good morning all, on the 25th March 2019 Gamespotter wrote - The fact that companies already seem to have a right to sell accomodation for this Pop-up camp implies they already are in busines without an EIA and without tender regulations adhered to? This turn of events seems very arbitrary. How is it possible that companies are advertising this project on Facebook (implying the EAI and tender process has been complied with) when this is clearly not this case?

And he did a very careful evaluation of the comments by SANPARKS. It is blatantly obvious that they have a preferential bidder lined up for the newly released PPP Opportunity Mobile Tented Camps and this statement I will stand by.

Not only was permission given to the camp operators without any public notice and they were allowed to start marketing the Kruger Grande product way back in March, now they are also treated as any other concession in the Kruger by SANPARKS and their product is marketed by SANPARKS themselves on the official SANPARKS website - https://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/c ... grande.php

Surely this gives this operator an unfair advantage? I have asked this before and will again, is there anyone here with some influence, contacts that can ask a few operational questions i.e. where is the exact location of this camp, what new facilities were created to accommodate this test camp, were any new roads constructed, who provides the game drive service and who acts as the safety officers / armed guards at the camp.

Any one out there with insight?

[Richprins]

By far the best is to ask someone from media, Philip!

Whereabouts are you - any media will do!

One can also ask on SANParks' own sites, just to see their amusing answers.

One can also contact Satsa directly.