Kruger Advice

[Flutterby]

RP, it's easy for us - we're hardcore! -O

Sprocks you mustn't suggest things like that...now I'll be trying to make plans!

[PJL]

Hi All

I'm starting to try and figure out a plan to get to Kruger in the not-too-distant future, probably for 6 or 7 nights. I've never been there before, and so I'd really appreciate any advice you can give... I'd be interested to know what time of year is best, and which areas of the park are good for game viewing. I've heard that the north (I presume that's kind of north of Satara?) is quieter for other vehicles, but the game is more spread out, whilst the south has a denser game population but is much busier?

There would be 4 of us going - 2 adults and 2 kids (7 & 5 years old), so I'd love to hear any input on good accommodation for families and which camps you like. Many of the camps that I've browsed appear to have plenty of 2 bed places - are they the type of thing where you could throw down a couple of blow-up mattresses for kids? We're also open to the idea of camping - what are the temperatures like? I guess it could feel a bit chilly at night in the middle of winter, whereas it's probably almost too hot in summer?

And to those of you who have kids (particularly those of you living in SA), do you take them out of school to avoid the holiday peak? I had a check of availability in several camps in the July holiday (here in SA), and everything seems to be fully booked...

Any thoughts most appreciated

[Duke]

Hi PJL,

What do you want to see, birds, cats or as much of everything as possible
How much do you want to spend a night for accommodation
Do you want to go high risk or low risk malaria season - you have little children.
Unlike Addo, Kruger is huge and different areas offer differnt things as does different times of the year
Are you an early morning person - the day starts at 4.30am in Kruger in summer.
Lots of migrant birds present in summer but better visibility in winter and game near permanent water.

[PJL]

Hey Duke,

We are thinking of the winter - trying to reduce the malaria risk. We'd be wanting to see more of the animals than birds as that keeps the kids more interested... particularly cats

The other benefit of winter is the start not being quite so early, but I'm used to dragging the family out of bed for when gates open whatever time that is

[okie]

Hi PJL . Malaria risk is much less in winter times . We normally visit May and September , when it cools down , etc .
You should really speak to your doctor , but keep in mind that mossy activity very much start late afternoon . They hide in dark places , under beds , behind cupboards etc , and come out at dusk . At that time you should ensure that you cover up as much as possible . Use insect repellants such as Tabard , and also burn mosquity coils . It all helps .

Go and enjoy all the animals , but specifically keep in mind that the ellies in KNP are not so tame as the ones in Addo You would have seen threads elsewhere about what can happen when encroaching on their space .

Satara is good for predators , and also starting to become somewhat like a circus , people misbehaving more , etc . and the north much much quieter ( the ellies up there also bigger and could be more aggressive too , but , I love them ).

Go and enjoy

[Duke]

In addition what okie has said, look at camps like Lower Sabie, Satara, Letaba, Berg en Dal which have familiy units and you have option to camp. If you do not want to camp and your budegt allows it, then look also at Biyamiti and Talamati

[Flutterby]

Hi PJL and welcome to the forum

We've always tried to go to the park at the end of September or beginning of October and have found it to be the best time in the park. The grass is shorter making viewing easier, very few or no mozzies as it's before the first rains, and hot, sunny weather but not unbearable.

I go to Kruger with my dad and my 14 year old son who is also after cats and not too interested in the birds (although he is slowly changing his ways ). In our view, you can't beat Lower Sabie, Skukuza and Satara for game...yes, the roads can sometimes be busy during holidays, but we go to Kruger to see animals and just ignore the other stuff!

With regards to using blow-up mattresses, you would probably have to phone the camps to find out if they allow it. Another option is a camp like Tamboti....their 4-bed safari tents are reasonably priced and the night-life in camp is amazing!!

[Toko]

Talamati would be a good area if you want to see anything not found in Addo: Sable are often around on the S145

And the bushveld camps do offer very nice chalets with two bedrooms.

[Bushcraft]

Hi PJL and welcome to the forum

We've always tried to go to the park at the end of September or beginning of October and have found it to be the best time in the park. The grass is shorter making viewing easier, very few or no mozzies as it's before the first rains, and hot, sunny weather but not unbearable.

I go to Kruger with my dad and my 14 year old son who is also after cats and not too interested in the birds (although he is slowly changing his ways ). In our view, you can't beat Lower Sabie, Skukuza and Satara for game...yes, the roads can sometimes be busy during holidays, but we go to Kruger to see animals and just ignore the other stuff!

With regards to using blow-up mattresses, you would probably have to phone the camps to find out if they allow it. Another option is a camp like Tamboti....their 4-bed safari tents are reasonably priced and the night-life in camp is amazing!!

I have to go with Flutts on most of the above although I think the best time in the park is the last week of August to the 2nd week of September as there’s no real change in the grass levels, etc compared to October but the real hectic heat hasn’t arrived and you don’t run the risk of spring rains arriving early, which has happened many times.

I have 3 kids aged 8, 9 and 12, so can relate to the fact that the kids are more interested in animals/predators than birds (Frankly so am I), so Lower is tops in this area followed closely by Satara and Skukuza, so those are the camps I would book. If you have the money and want to duck the crowds then Biyamiti and Talamati are good options (Bush camps). If you don’t have the money then look at Tamboti as an alternative for Talamati.

I have stayed in all 3 of these camps guesthouses to the safari tents/huts and have documented the best units of each type of accommodation from the 3 sleepers and up, so can give you best unit numbers, etc if required.

My kids take malaria tabs if we go between October and May, but not between June and September.

The temperature range I have experienced between June and September is 0 to 38 and October to May is 4 to 45, so the extremes are close but obviously the average temperatures are cooler between June and September.

I pulled my kids out of school to avoid the crowds until my eldest was 8 and then it became a problem with the school, so now only go in school holidays 3 times a year, but duck the December holidays. One has to book at 7:30am, 11 months in advance to get the good stuff during this period, but the real crowds come from the day visitors, which can happen at any time of the year.

Flutts designed a booklet somewhere on the forum which works brilliantly in engaging kids in the day’s sighting, especially if you print pages for each day. (My kids are busy designing additions and modifications to this booklet as they enjoyed the competiveness the booklet created on our last trip and want to add to it. I’m sure they will post these additions for all once complete.)

The mattress story can get tricky in booking through head office or the satellite offices, which normally results in them insisting on the camp manager’s permission first, which is what I have to do on almost every trip if booking a 4 sleeper as we are 5, so the same would probably apply if you were trying to book a 3 sleeper. (Good luck if they ever approve a 2 sleeper, although as 5 I have conned my way into 3 sleepers when the kids were young)

Please shout if you need more stuff, like the best roads for certain sightings or best units numbers, etc, but your budget and preferred length of stay and accommodation type is important.

[RobertT]

PJL, the only thing I can add is book when Bushcraft does and follow him.