Kruger National Park Game Drives

Enclosed Vehicle Game Drives - Included

For successful game viewing in the Kruger Park, you don’t just simply embark on morning and afternoon game drives for a few hours at a time! Any tour operator who offers you two game drives a day in Kruger Park is limiting your game viewing.

In the Kruger Park you mostly have to travel distances to areas where the wildlife is concentrated at that time. In reality you'll find yourself more than likely travelling most of the day. The wildlife is constantly searching for fresh grazing and water. That's why we provide all day games drives in the Kruger Park - you travel in comfort and with excellent visibility ensured, your game viewing is maximised. Of course we are flexible in this and if you feel like spending less time driving around we can do so.

We start each day's game viewing early in the morning as the camp gates open. Within the park boundaries, travel is only allowed between sunrise and sunset. The day is spent with us driving around in our very comfortable 8-seat air-conditioned microbus game drive vehicle following the Kruger Parks road network - tarmac and gravel roads. All our Safari Rangers guide on a strong ethical well informed safety conscious approach, after all they are professionals.

With the years of experience our Safari Rangers have gained operating each day in the park, they will ensure you travel through the best game viewing areas, searching and seeing as many animals as possible - much more than just the Big Five. Approximately 145 mammal species occur in the park. We will spend time viewing great herds of wildlife - Elephant, Buffalo, Zebra, Giraffe, Impala, Kudu and Waterbuck. Large carnivores include Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Spotted Hyena. There are also many smaller mammals, all of which are equally exciting.

We know the Kruger Park inside out and upside down.  Whilst searching for the unexpected it's important to stop off at the numerous waterholes and check river lines. Without placing the wildlife or you under stress, we do make sure we approach the wildlife as close as possible - for that perfect photograph.

Let us not forget that the Kruger Park has almost 500 bird species, some of which are not to be found elsewhere in South Africa: Hornbills, Starlings, Vultures, Rollers, Bee-eaters and Shrikes. Birders can look forward to pursuing the Big Six in birds (Saddle-billed Stork, Kori Bustard, Martial Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, Pel’s Fishing Owl and Ground Hornbill).

Eagles are common: Bateleur, Martial, Black-breasted Snake, Brown Snake, African Hawk, African Fish and Tawny are all regularly seen, and in summer: Wahlberg’s and Steppe are common. The Park’s numerous water points make for excellent birding, while the rest camps and picnic sites are exceptionally rewarding.

We stop off at these picnic spots and at other camps when driving around, to top up our cooler box with further refreshments and to take the opportunity for everyone to freshen up at the toilet facilities.

You can be assured you will experience great game viewing in comfort on any of our Kruger National Park safaris.


NOTE:
We acknowledge the excitement and fun associated with driving around in what is referred to as 'open vehicle game drives' in the Kruger Park and appreciate the revenue each vehicle can generate for the National Parks Board (NPB) but we must be honest - our views are a little different. We do not totally recommend the use of open game drive vehicles for your Kruger Park safari. The four main reasons being:

1) The vehicles have to meet the stringent National Parks Board specifications. As a result the vehicles are not allowed to be completely open. Completely open game drive vehicles are NOT allowed in the Kruger Park. You are surrounded by canvas material on each side (shoulder level), the roof is covered and so is the back of the vehicle. When it rains further canvas sides can be dropped from the roof to tent in the occupants, making the vehicles internal environment cold and damp.

2) Everyone who enters the park including open vehicle tour operators are restricted to staying on the tarmac and gravel roads at all times. No one is allowed 'off road'. It's one of the NPB rules when entering the park. There are lots of reasons for this requirement but the main one is of course the safety factor. Close game viewing in Kruger Park is attributed to the animals being on or right next to the road. So being in an open game drive vehicle does not give you any further advantage at all.

3) Game viewing in an open game drive vehicle all day every day and you may start to experience some travelling discomforts. You are exposed to the elements associated with our two distinctive seasons: During the summer season (September - March) you must be prepared for average temperatures of 32 C with maximum temperatures reaching 47 C. There is more consistent rain during the day, towards the end of the summer season - February to March. During the winter season (April - August) you must be prepared for temperatures dropping late afternoons, to 4 C at night with cold mornings.

4) You are exposed to the dust left behind from private and tour operator vehicles driving in front of you, when using the gravel roads.

As a result of the above we do not offer 'open vehicle game drives' in the Kruger National Park.

If you require a real 'open vehicle game drive' experience we recommend one of our Sabi Sand Reserve safaris or one of our Combo Safaris. The game viewing drives in the Sabi Sand Reserve are carried out differently to the Kruger National Park.


The fantastic Kruger National Park...
Big Bold and Beautiful.

 

Kruger National Park Safari Game Drives

Site map Kruger National Park - Kruger Park - Kruger Safari - South Africa News

Travel Website Template. All content on this website is © Copyright 2000-2010 - All Rights Reserved
The content on this site may not be reused or republished.
Website template powered by VooWeb.com Travel Website Template.