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Kruger National Park


Its a thrill when you get a picture like this.

The holiday starts

I was listening to an interview of a  famous film director who stated that once a script is written and screenplay finalised, the entire film and scenes and sets are visualized by him. It is then put into practice. Most often, he lamented, the visualization is much superior to what the final product turns out to be.
For the South Africa holiday, the planning for which started in December 2011, I am happy to say that the finished product turned out to be much superior than the script. It turned out to be a  perfect holiday exceeding the expectations we had from South Africa.
The planning part has already been described in my earlier blog. We had not taken any package or the help of any agent. All bookings had been done online based on our own research.  
We were 2 families traveling. My cousin Kunal, his wife Jyoti and their 15 year old daughter Vedika accompanied us for this trip and as we were all together, it turned out to be fun. The holiday started with arrival in Johannesburg on 9th June 2012 at around 9 PM. It was freezing at that time. Emirates Airline is a good option for Johannesburg. The ‘Airport B&B hotel’ worked out to be a good choice as it was near the airport; they had a free shuttle service; and the rooms and breakfast were quite decent and thankfully they were heated. The next morning they dropped us to the airport again so that we could hire a car from there.
Tip : Its better to hire car online in advance as the deals online are much better and you don’t waste time. You need your Indian driving licence, passport and credit card to hire a car. Airports are the best place to do the hiring if you haven't booked online.
Indian driving licence is accepted in South Africa and they drive on the same side of the road as us making things easier. The only problem is that they follow all rules and drive fast . We got used to this fact and from then onwards it was good going as we drove more than 3000 km during our trip. The kids were very fascinated as they found no potholes in the roads and no sudden breaking by me. For me, driving here was relaxing and as the speedometer hovered around 120 km/hr, it was thrilling to cover so much distance in such a short time and feleling safe about driving.
The first destination was the Lion Park at Randburg. The GPS went wonky and we ended up going through the areas which one is supposed to avoid in Johannesburg. By the time we set the GPS right we had seen that side of Jo’berg which tourists avoid. We finally ended up at the Lion Park an hour behind schedule. Its good that we did Lion Park before Kruger. The natural settings and animal sightings at Kruger would have made the zoo like atmosphere of the Lion Park a waste of time. The biggest plus of this detour was that the kids could play with the lion cubs and feed the giraffes. It was a unique experience which they will always remember. Mind you, Lion Park was not a small park and it had several Lions, Panthers, Cheetas and wild dogs. But the fact remains that animals were not in their natural habitat.



The drive from the Lion Park to Komatipoort took more than 5 hours and we covered around 430 km in this time. We whizzed on their national highway N4 ( toll road) and enjoyed every moment on the impeccable roads, till it became dark. Once it becomes dark some disorientation does come about as many stretches of roads are empty and we are not familiar with the place.  At around 8.30 PM we reached Komatipoort to spend the night.
Trees Too Lodge at Komatipoort
There are 9 gates to Kruger Park and I had chosen crocodile bridge gate even though it would take an hour longer to reach than Melaine Gate or Paul Kruger gate from Johannesburg. As we were to be in the park for more than 3 days and in 2 camps, I wanted us to cover as much of park as possible and enter the park in the morning. The plan was to enter from the south  and travel through the popular ‘lower sabie’ camp to our camp ‘Satara’ for the night situated in the centre of the park. From there we would travel to the west to our camp Skukuza (the largest camp in the park).
Sue and Martyn were the owners of ‘Trees too’ lodge in Komatipoort. They ran this lovely lodge near the crocodile bridge gate. Being nature lovers and wildlife fanatics they had given up their jobs in England and had chosen to stay and work near the wildlife. Over a cup of tea in the morning Sue gave me some good tips regarding approach to the park. I felt re-assured when she told me that I had chosen good camps to stay and the plan was generally good as Satara and Skukuza were very different from each other.. She asked us to carry a lot of groceries and meat products from the market nearby. We didn’t carry too much and it was only that evening at Satara Camp, that I realised the significance of her advise.
We were at 'Trees Too' just for the night . We would have liked to be there for longer.
Tip : Buy a detailed map and guide of the park at the entrance gate. It would be most useful to find the gravel roads. These booklets also give you information on the animals& birds you are likely to sight.
Once in the park, it took 6 hours to do around 100 km’s. This is the magic of game viewing. The animals are supreme in the jungle. If a herd of bison’s or buffalos decide to sit down on your path, all you can do is wait for them to get up. No honking and no disturbance is allowed.  Soon on entering the park when the Zebras walked right across our car, the excitement was tremendous. The dam, just a couple of km’s inside the park showed us what a wonder a water body is inside a national park. Zebras, water-bucks, elephants, alligators could be seen all around the water. We sat in our cars for good 10-15 minutes totally mesmerized. The progress to Lower Sabie camp was slow but engrossing. We had started becoming adventurous and started taking the inside graveled paths instead of tarred roads. Route no. 28 was an experiment taken on advise from Sue but it failed as no major sightings happened here. Once on the main road,  we saw giraffes, hyenas, hippos and hordes of other animals. Some were as close as just a couple of feet.

Lower Sabie is a fine camp and a very popular one too. When I had tried to book it in January for stay in June, it had already been sold out. It has a good layout, a very nice river facing restaurant at a height and I understand that they have good rooms and cottages. The game viewing is also supposed to be good here. We had a leisurely lunch there and then proceeded towards Satara.
Sabie river has a lot of Hippos and Elephants
Tip : A conservation fee is charged for each day in a national park in South Africa. For Kruger, it was Rs 1400 per day per person. This would have meant paying Rs 5600 per night for the family.There is an option of buying a wild card which is valid for a year and can be used in all national parks of south Africa (and some other parks in the world). We bought a family wild card for Rs 18000 which covers all 4 of us for 1 year.

Let me explain a bit about the Camps. They are owned and run by the government. They are very different from the private owned resorts which are in private reserves and which charge you a lot of money for all the luxuries. The bookings for the govt camps can be done through sanparks.org. All large camps have similar concept though they do differ, as each area in the park is different from the other. A large camp like lower sabie , berg en dal, satara or skukuza would have rondovels, cottages of different sizes and camp sites. They would have a decent restaurant and a shop from where you can buy groceries. The best part would be that they would all be self catering with a fully equipped kitchenette and each dwelling would have a barbecue in front. No wonder Sue wanted us to be well prepared with meat and groceries.
Tip : The 2 bedroom cottage in each of the camps was approx Rand 1300 (Rs 9000 per night). A Rondovel is much cheaper as its for 2 people only. That costs around Rs 5200 per night.
As all these camps were in the middle of jungle, in winter the gates would be shut at 5.30 PM.It gets dark by that time. You have to get into the camp before this time. Only the official vehicles were allowed to leave and enter after that time. Each of these camps was fairly large and had electric fences all around. We reached Satara at 4.20 PM and not wanting to miss a moment of fun , the kids and I managed to request and get places in the safari vehicle for the evening safari which left at 4.30 PM.
The open aired vehicle was a high vehicle from which we could get a good view. Satara camp is supposed to be in Lion Country so I wanted every opportunity for Lion sighting. We were here just till the morning.
Tip : Wear something warm on these Safaris if venturing out in winter. Evenings and mornings can be very cold in open vehicles.
The Lion Country. S 100 (Near Satara Camp)
As the vehicle turned on gravel road called S 100, I sensed excitement within me as I had read about the frequent big cat viewing here. Lions live in prides of upto 30 or more. Unknown to us, that very morning a pride of 21 Lions had been seen together. Let me be very straight. Giraffes, Zebras, elephants etc are fine but the big cats are the real things we want to see when we go into the wild. I would have been disappointed if we hadn’t come across the lions or panthers. It is for this reason I had given us more than 3 full days in the middle of the park.
Tip : Spend atleast 3-4 days in a park spread over 2 camps. This will give you best chance of game watching.
The first sense of excitement came when we spotted a couple of Lions sleeping in high grass at around 150 mtrs from us. Unfortunately they were not clearly visible and only when they would stretch we could see part of them. The driver decided to move on as we are not allowed to leave the designated paths. He explained about the different animals and their behaviour and habits as we came across them. As it became dark, heavy duty flashlights were given to a few passengers to locate the animals.
Before the trip I had invested a considerable amount of money in buying good camera and lenses. I also went for a couple of photography workshops. I was sitting ready in the vehicle with my camera with 100-400 zoom lens when suddenly the big cat appeared from nowhere and walked calmly in front of us towards the river. The Lioness looked regal and was unperturbed by the flashlights. The Lioness may have been calm but in that moment, I was completely frozen and forgot how to operate the camera.

Mother watches as kids enjoy a feast

I clicked and clicked and clicked but drew blanks. Either the picture would be over exposed or under exposed. Night photography with 100-400 lens is difficult enough but with flash lights and shaking vehicle I just didn’t know what to do. In the meanwhile the Lioness disappeared and I was left ruing my luck.
Hardly had the buzz in the vehicle subsided  that in darkness we saw 2 cubs walking across purposefully. The mother must have feared for safety of the cubs and she came back to escort them. By this time I was a bit composed and managed a decent shot of a cub and the mother in very dim light. Our driver was experienced. He felt that there had been a kill at the river and the mother was taking the cubs to feed. We waited in silence and the roars confirmed what driver had said. There was a fight amongst the pride and everyone wanted the share of the kill. The driver was adventurous. He broke the rules and took the vehicle through long grass to a vantage place. We saw the tigress sitting and keeping a watch while the cubs fed. We counted 11 in total. I got the photographs I wanted.
A Rondovel

Rondovels are circular shaped 1 B/R cottages having a small kitchenette in the verandah. They were all over the camp and the most popular accommodation as they are meant for 2 people. We had a 2 bedroom cottage with a nice living room and kitchen. On the first day we saw most of the residents lighting up the barbeques and feasting on freshly cooked food. Unfortunately we were not adequately prepared so heated our frozen food for dinner. We promised ourselves that we would do what the others were doing the next day.

Day 2 in the Wild

Checking out of a camp couldn’t be simpler. Just lock up the cottage and drive out of the camp. Just drop the keys in the box kept at the gate.
Once again we drove through S 100 road. Lions are nocturnal so we drew a blank. Maybe they were just sleeping in tall grass and couldn’t be seen.
Tip : There are a few places known for cat sightings. Don't give up if you don't see them on one trip. Take as many rounds at different times as possible. 
A hundred odd kilometers till Skukuza camp was uneventful though we saw many other animals. The topography changed as we covered the distance. There are several rest places in the middle where the day visitors come and picnic. These places also had barbeques and the smell of food was enough to give us hunger pangs. We wanted to snatch a sausage or 2 from the fire but then decided to have our chips instead. The weather was perfect with cool breeze and bright sunshine.
When you are trying to find Lions in the bushes, your eyes starts seeing things. It is not easy to keep the concentration going for too long. The colour of tall straw coloured grass and colour of Lions is the same making spotting difficult.

The Skukuza camp was huge. It had a petrol pump, car wash, bank and a  couple of restaurants. It even has a golf course a short distance away. We got a nice 2 bedroom river facing cottage.
Our river facing hut at Skukuza.

We could see a hippo and a crocodile from our room.
Our Croc friend with his turtle friend.

The place had a look of living in jungle and we spent quite some time choosing the marinated food from the shop . The coal and firelights are available at the camp shop in all the camps. You could also get Ice, sodas and whatever you want.  Kunal did the hard work and prepared the fire. The kids made some sausages, chicken and spare ribs. The spare ribs were the most juicy I have ever had. An early morning safari for next day had been booked so we all slept early.


Day 3 in the Wild

Early morning safari started at 5.30 AM. We thought we had protected ourselves adequately from the cold winds. Besides the warm clothings that we wore, the vehicles have arrangements for blankets as well. In 15 minutes we were frozen. As darkness gave way to dawn we realised that there was no way we were going to enjoy this kind of a drive. Our hands were frozen and we couldn’t even hold the flash light or cameras. Whatever animals we saw held no interest in the biting cold. Soon, we had all covered ourselves- from head to toe- with blankets. Kunal, kids and I had come for this safari and the ladies had preferred to stay in bed. They were sensible. Fortunately there was no one else for this morning safari so we asked the driver to abort  the ride and take us back to camp.
The thought always comes to mind : It may have been better to do a morning walk with the rangers.
It took me an hour to thaw. The kids had had enough. When I suggested a drive after breakfast from Skukuza to Lower Sabie ( route not taken previously) to them, they protested. We ignored their protest and dumped them in car. Just as well, as the next 2 hours were most productive for us.
Tip : Spend as much time as possible roaming around the park in your vehicle. Take as many inside roads and river paths. This would give you best chance of catching the animals in action.
A panther ran across the gravel road making our heart skip a beat. Devicka had been driving us in the park and had taken the car off the main road. We kept waiting for it to appear again but he must have gone deep into the jungle. A few km further another panther was sitting under a bush on the side of the road and he too just disappeared by the time I could even lift the camera. Lions are a bit more relaxed in this respect and a car parked on the side of the road indicated that there were some lions inside the bush. We strived hard to get a glimpse but found it difficult. The sounds confirmed that there were indeed lions in the vicinity. Devicka took the car a bit forward and from that angle I caught a clear sight of a lioness sitting. Then another one appeared and then majestically, the 3rd one came up from the river with something in her mouth. I broke the rules here (which shouldn't be done). I got out of the car, bent low and gleefully clicked away. I watch those pictures each day.

Once again when we took the inside gravel road, we saw a tusker coming towards us. This was scary as our car was right in the middle and the tusker looked menacing just 200 yards away. As he lumbered towards us a sort of panic button was about to be pressed. Thankfully, he just turned right and drifted in the thick forest. Phew !
Once again the evening was a barbeque evening. Its always a good feeling sitting next to the fire and reflecting on the day’s happenings just as the kids showed their prowess at cooking.
Kids did the cooking and enjoyed every moment of it.


Day 4 in the wild.
We would have exited from the Paul Kruger gate but I asked for advise and I was told to take Phabeni Gate instead.
Tip : Don’t forget to take exit pass from the last place of stay in the park. Without that you can’t exit the park.
Phabeni gate was a good idea. The colours were totally different here. Besides, we got to see the the missing Big 5 – The one horned Rhino. I have seen quite a bit of Rhino at Chitwan National Park and believe me, the Rhino in jungle is a different site from the Rhino in Zoo. Poachers are rampant in Africa as well therefore you are not allowed to disclose to others if you have sighted a Rhino.
We were thrilled to catch Rhinos in action on our way out.

Tip :  Each camp has a chart and once you have a good sighting, you are supposed to mark it on the map regarding the location of sighting. Rhinos are not allowed to be marked. Its always a good idea to study the sighting map for the day before you venture out of the camp.

The Big 5 : Lion, Leopard, Cape Buffalo, African Elephant and Rhinoceros

Having had adequate sightings and having met the Big 5, we were a happy lot as we left the camp.
Phase I of our trip was an unqualified success.





















Comments

Manjul said…
It was a pleasure reading about your trip. I could feel the excitement & enthusiasm that you must have experienced there. Good luck
Unknown said…
It took me a while to come out of the blog as I was so engrossed in the description......must have been so exciting and fascinating to feel it first hand.........thanks foir sharing your experience....
Maxmom said…
Hi there,
GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA.
Thanks for a lovely, informative blogpost and for giving a 'shout-out' for our part of the world. I am really glad you enjoyed our beautiful country.
Just a point of note (I hope you don't mind me correcting you):
THE BIG FIVE (The animals which are most dangerous when hunting, on foot) are: LION, LEOPARD, CAPE BUFFALO, AFRICAN ELEPHANT, RHINOCEROUS.
We hope you return to our beautiful country.
Sending greetings to you
MAXMOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

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