Kruger National Park

There are only a few national parks that fit the size of a country, but Kruger National Park is one of them. To give you a visual, with 20,000 square kilometres, it is the same size as Israel and half the size of the Netherlands! It’s the largest national park within the borders of South Africa, and arguably the most famous national park in the world. It’s known for its diverse and large numbers of wildlife with approximately 12,000 long-nosed giants, 8,000 long-necked friends and a whopping 30,000 black & white-themed horses (just to give you a clue)! Combine this with amazing landscapes, a fascinating history and an excellent network of roads, and everybody says: “ROAD TRIPPP!”

Meet the Big Five AND Six

Kruger National Park has one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in South Africa, with for example 147 different kinds of mammals. Going on a game drive here is a must if you hope to see all of the Big Five (the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros). And, of course, you hope to catch (with your eye) giraffes, kudus, zebras, hippos, warthogs, antelopes, leopards, and spotted hyenas. Cheetahs and wild dogs are also present, but harder to spot. And did we mention both the black and white rhinos can be seen here? Keep your eyes peeled though, because despite their size they are not the easiest to find. 
More into birds? Then not to worry, because this park boasts more than 500 different species of birds, including the Big Six. What is that, you say? Well, the Big Six are the most special and largest avians in Kruger Park. The kori bustard, the lappet-faced vulture, the martial eagle, the ground hornbill, the saddle-billed stork, and the mysterious Pel’s fishing owl. Quite a mouthful of names, although very suitable for such impressive, quirky creatures.

Peace Park

In November 2000, Kruger Park joined hands with Mozambique’s Limpopo National Park and Zimbabwe’s Gonarezhou National Park. Together they formed The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, with a size of 35,000 square kilometres. A Transfrontier Park is also called a ‘peace park’ as it comprises parks in two or more bordering countries, with a formal agreement to protect and sustain wildlife. Later on, more national parks in Mozambique and Zimbabwe were added, and now the total park measures almost 100,000 square kilometres! 

Fun fact; Crooked Corner is the area where the borders of South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe merge. It got its name in a period when shady characters fleeing the country used this corner to escape, by hopping over to another border.

Kruger History 101

Back in 1838, a large group of Dutch settlers known as ‘Boers’ or ‘Afrikaners’ forcibly and violently claimed land, called The Transvaal Republic. This land was first suggested as a game reserve in 1885 and later called The Sabi Game Reserve by Paul Kruger. He was the most prominent political figure of the Transvaal Republic and the party’s president from 1899 until 1902. He passed away in 1904 and in 1926, the park was renamed in his honour.

And the park has more history to offer. For example, with Africa being the cradle of mankind, there are several places where you can find traces of ancient human settlements or tools in Kruger Park. And, of course, the San people live here, a hunter-gatherer tribe known as the oldest surviving indigenous culture worldwide. They have been roaming these grounds for more than 20,000 years! Yes, 20,000 years!

Activities in Kruger National Park

Because this park is huge and has dozens of lodges and established facilities, the park offers a wide range of activities. Of course, there are the traditional game drives (day or night), but there is more;

• Birding
• Walking safaris
• Community visits to tribes like the San, Xhosa or Zulu (to name a few)
• Several natural landmarks (such as the Bourke’s Potholes)
• Hot air balloon rides

How to get there

The quickest way to get to Kruger National Park is to fly to one of the nearby regional airports. From there, you fly into one of the three private airstrips within the park. You can fly to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport from all major cities in South Africa. But there are also direct flights to Kruger Park from Johannesburg (1 hour and 10 min), Capetown (2 hours and 25 min and Durban (1 hour). 

You can also opt to go by car; the distance from Johannesburg/Pretoria to Kruger Park is about 5 hours (to the southern gate), from Durban around 12,5 hours, from Bloemfontein 9 hours, from Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Cape Town 17 hours. Note that these hours are when driving non-stop, actual travel time depends on how many and how long the stops in between will be. And yes, these drives may be longer, but at the same time all the more adventurous!

Best time to visit Kruger National Park

Every season has its beauty and wonder, so this park is ready for you all year round. However, the hot and wet summer season between October and March is the best if you want to see many newborns, lots of birds and lush green vegetation (and you don’t mind the heat!). But is it your dream to see the Big Five? Then the winter season in July/August/September is your go-to time when the nights are cold (9-12 °C), and days are hot (26-28 °C). Water is scarce in this period, making it easier to spot animals around waterholes!