SANParks Blog

The north of Kruger continues to cast its spell on me. I spent a day with trails rangers Christopher Mutathi and David Nemukula, who lead the Nyalaland Wilderness Trail in the northwestern wilderness area of Kruger. They wanted to show me this region, as they had a day off from their trails, and wanted to [...]

I’ve recently witnessed my first leopard kill. I am now at Punda Maria camp, the most northerly camp in Kruger. Two nights ago, Thomas Mathebula and Themba Mnisi took me out on a sunset drive. We didn’t see too much initially, but on our way back to camp, we came across a female leopard stalking [...]

It’s been an incredible few days here in the north of Kruger. From Letaba, I headed north to Mopani Camp and then Shingwedzi, and now I’m at Punda Maria. A lot of people think there are fewer animals up here in the north. The vast mopane veld does tend to reduce grazing opportunities for antelope, [...]

Letaba Camp is one of my favourite in Kruger. It’s beautifully set on the banks of the river of the same name, and huge sycamore fig trees provide ample shade to the bungalows which circle underneath. There’s a special feeling about the place. I also have an ancestral link to Letaba. Long ago, my oupa [...]

Most visitors to Kruger drive around the national park in their cars on the excellent network of both tar and gravel roads. There are more than 2 000 kms of roads that give tourists access to South Africa’s largest national park. And up till a few years ago, the only way to experience the park [...]

At Satara camp, I’ve been having some fun lately with a camera trap, loaned to me by my friend Jeremy Bolton from Trailcam Adventures. This cool little device can be attached to a tree or a pole, and can be set to take photographs automatically of anything that crosses its path; any movement triggers the [...]

There’s something about walking up to a snoozing lion that clears the cobwebs from your brain. We were on a morning walk at Lower Sabie rest camp, with armed field guides Irving Knight and Promise Silinda. The guided morning walks are a great way to start your day while staying in Kruger. At 5:30am, we [...]

I’ve had some incredible animal sightings the past few days, moving from Berg-en-Dal in the south, to Lower Sabie about 70 kms to the north-east. Lower Sabie has a reputation for its abundant numbers of wildlife, and it’s well-deserved as far as I’m considered. I’ve seen lion several times, including a mating pair with field [...]

Kruger National Park. One of the world’s most famous wildlife and wilderness areas. More than 360kms long, and 65kms at its widest. It covers more than 2 million hectares (or 20 000 square kilometres) of bushveld, savannah, koppies, kloofs, woodland, riparian forest and rivers. Larger than many small countries, it’s a bastion of conservation and [...]

I have just left Addo, but my second last night was spent at the highly recommended Narina Bush Camp in the southern part of the Zuurberg Mountains. It’s a small tented camp alongside a river deep in a kloof. It was only me and intern ranger Mfuneko Fezi, and we sat round the fire listening [...]