The very best safari lodges in Kruger has to offer in the way of big five game viewing with millions of kilometres to explore in an untouched wilderness. The very best hotels in the Greater Kruger Park to make your African safaris an adventure of a lifetime. The Kruger National Park a vast wilderness area covering 2 million hectares or Twenty Billion square meters. This figure excludes the two Game Reserves in Zimbabwe and Mozambique which lies on its northern and western border.
The park is home to 48 fish species, 36 different varieties of frogs, 116 reptilians, 508 birds & 146 vertebrates. Apart from the fish, the wildlife in reserve there is over 310 different trees. The park has also been inhabited by humans for a very long time with 310 Stone Age site workings being discovered in the park. The reserve is managed with as little human impact as possible, and a large section is closed to the public. The concept came from President Paul Kruger of the Transvaal, who placed restrictions on shooting in the area. The conservation of the region began at the end of 1800 with its the head warden Mr Hamilton who took up the post on 1st July 1902.
In 1926, the first member of the public was charged a total of 1 British Pound to enter the park.
- Two Thousand Lions
- Twelve Thousand Elephants
- Three Thousand Buffalo
- Thousand Leopard
- Five Thousand Rhino ( Black & White)
However, please do not forget about the equally impressive animals in Kruger such as Hippo ( in dutch a sea cow), Giraffe ( Tallest Mammal in the world ), Kudu, Zebra (Striped Horse) Wild dogs, the cheetah is also found in the park. The habitat is a combination of the following vegetation types: grasslands, thornveld and woodlands which fall into 17 different Eco-zones. The reserve is home to 510 varieties of birds including the Kori Bustard, Eagles, Vultures, Owls and Ground Hornbill. The central region is home to some of the best game viewings on the African continent. This vast wilderness area is home to the pristine Sabi Sand Reserve which consists of Ulusaba Reserve, the Singita Reserve, the Sabi Sabi Reserve, the MalaMala Reserve as well as the Londolozi Reserve.
Rules of the Park:
- Visitors must stay in their cars unless notified.
- Remember that you may protrude from a window or sunroof.
- Stick to the speed limit of 45 km on tar and 35 km on gravel roads.
- Be aware of gate times as there is no travelling before or after gate closure times.
- You are not authorised to drive “off-road”, and you must stay on the roads at all times.
- Feeding or disturbing animals is not allowed.
- Overnight visitors are only allowed to stay at a booked and recognised overnight facility.
- All lodges and camping place may be occupied from 2 pm on the day check out is by 10:15 am on the day of departure.
- A no noise restriction is enforced between sunset & sunrise. The use of mobile phones is allowed only in camps & emergency.
- Kruger is a malaria area all visitors must adhere to their doctor’s instructions.
- Roadside assistance, toll-free number 0800 030 666 (Vista).
- Rules & regulations are enforced under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act
- To see where all the animals were last seen, check the spotting boards in the various receptions to track the latest game spotting.
Emergency Call Center No: (013) 735 4325.