Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park covers about 2 million hectares in northeastern South Africa, between the provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, along the border with Mozambique. It stretches roughly 350 km from north to south. The area began to be protected in 1898 as the Sabie Game Reserve and became a national park in 1926, named after President Paul Kruger. On the Mozambique side, Limpopo National Park continues the same landscape, with no fence between them.

Kruger is known for the so-called Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino, but the variety goes far beyond that: giraffes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, hyenas, African wild dogs and hundreds of bird species. The southern park, between Skukuza and Crocodile Bridge, usually has more animals and more vehicles; the north, near Punda Maria and Pafuri, is quieter and favored by birdwatchers and baobab enthusiasts.

A particular feature of Kruger is that you can do a safari in your own car along the paved and dirt roads, sleeping in the park's rest camps, which have chalets, a restaurant, a shop and a fuel station. There are also guided safaris in open vehicles run by the park, early morning, at dusk and at night, and guided walks with armed rangers. Outside the park fence, neighboring private reserves like Sabi Sand and Timbavati offer guide-only safaris from lodges.

The rules are practical and apply to everyone: do not get out of the vehicle except in designated areas; gates open and close at times that change by month, and late arrivals may be fined; speed limits apply, and animals always have right of way. No species is guaranteed, but in the dry season it is common to see many animals near rivers and dams.

This destination brings together 5 cities: Mbombela, Hazyview, Skukuza, Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa.