Kruger National Park South Africa

The Kruger National Park in South Africa is one of the greatest game reserves in the world, and it is hard to describe the magic of this place in words. Picture a vast, unspoilt, beautiful wilderness where life is as it was thousands of years ago. Where you can stand on a hill overlooking the African savannah and realize that you could've stood there 5000 years ago and seen exactly the same awesome view. Untouched, unspoilt, unhurried and marvelously preserved for us and many generations after us to enjoy.

The greater Kruger National Park is over 2 million hectares in size (about the size of Belgium) and includes large tracts of private game reserves on its Western border. These famous reserves (like Sabi Sands and Timbavati) share an unfenced border with the Kruger Park, making it the largest protected wildlife area in South Africa. The Kruger Park itself has about 12 main camps with accommodation priced from about ZAR 200 to ZAR 2000 per night . The private reserves and some concession areas within the park are home to a variety of luxury private game lodges, priced from about ZAR 1000 per person per night up to ZAR 7500 per person per night.

The Kruger National Park is home to an astonishing variety of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 520 birds and 147 mammals, including the famous 'big 5'. Interestingly, the term 'big 5' refers not to the 5 biggest mammals in the Park, but it dates back to the early days of hunting when the buffalo, leopard, lion, elephant and rhino where considered the most dangerous animals to hunt (in that order). There are not many pristine, untouched wilderness areas in the world that are as well preserved and yet also as accessible as the Kruger National Park.

Truly the flagship of South African National Parks, Kruger has played a pivotal role in conservation and the growth of sustainable eco-tourism in South Africa. As recently as the 1980's, it was a rare sighting to see a rhino in the Kruger Park, even a white rhino. Thanks to world-class conservation efforts, the rhino population has now increased to such an extent that rhinos are no longer in danger of extinction - in fact, it is quite possible to see rhinos several times in one day, especially in the South of the park.

The Park has an excellent network of well-maintained roads, connecting the 12 main rest camps and a similar number of smaller camps. Each rest camp is safely fenced with an electric fence, and offers a variety of accommodation, including comfortable bungalows with bathroom and air-conditioning, permanent safari tents, luxury guesthouses as well as camping facilities. Most camps also have a basic shop and restaurant, as well as petrol station, laundry facilities, public telephones, clean tap water, and clean flushing toilet facilities.

The park is 350km (about 220 miles) from North to South, and it is impossible to see it all in one trip. There is so much to see and experience. The Kruger Park is truly a place you learn to love, and many people return to the park year after year for their annual family holiday.