SANParks.org Forums

Hi, just found this forum - looks great, loads of useful info We (hubby and I) are going to Kruger in November (our first ever visit - 29wks, 5days and counting!). We are staying in Mopani, Satara than Lower Sabie. We are taking a bit of equipment with us (digital cameras, portable hard drive etc) so I was wondering if we will be able to charge it up at night, when we get back to camp?

Hi Kiki,

SA uses the same power as the UK (I see you're on the Isle of Man), but the plugs are slightly different - the square bits on UK plugs are still the old style round type on SA plugs.

The way we get around this when we take our stuff home each year is to buy one of those adapters with 5 sockets, and a cable leading to the plug which goes into the wall. Then when we get to SA we cut off the UK plug at the end of the cable and replace it with an SA style plug. This way you'll be able to use up to 5 items at a time using one SA wall socket. I hope I'm making sense!

Yes Kiki all the camps you mentioned have electricity.
The one thing that I would recommend that you do is to buy one of those adapters where you can plug a whole lot of appliances in a row.
At Lower Sabie in January this year the only plugs in the bedroom was the one for the air-con and that was not negotiable in the heat we experienced.
It all depends of course on what accommodation you have booked but we would never have coped with all the charging that needed to be done without my hubby taking along an ext. cord and then plugging in this adapter with all the places where chargers can be plugged in.
Also don't leave anything charging during the day - the cleaning staff just unplug it!
We charge our million candle torch in the cig. lighter whilst we drive around all day cos every time we plugged it in back in the room when we came home in the evening it was removed.

Welcome, our standard power points are 3 round pin. It might be an idea to invest in an international plug converter. We use 220 v electricity.

Thanks for that. I'd never of thought to take an adaptor. We're really looking forward to our visit, and this forum is making us more excited about it!

I bought my adapter plug in Kruger. They sell them at all major rest camps.

Hi Kiki

SA plugs are similar to the big old pre-nineteen-sixties UK round pin plugs. I had forgotten this but was able to buy an adaptor in the shop at Skukuza.

In the bungalows I've stayed in at Satara and Letaba, there are two sockets available - one beside the wash-basin inside and one beside the hotplate outside.

I've left camera batteries and my spotlight charging all day on a couple of occasions and they haven't been unplugged by the domestic staff - guess I've been lucky

There is an adaptor you can buy specially for the different plugs for international visitors - we bought them at New World. Also you should be able to buy at Johannesburg International Airport.

I will be camping in Pretoriuskop and Maroela in July .
Can anybody tell me what will fit on the average camp site, tents trailer etc, and the power points.
Are they the caravan ones as per Kgalagadi, or are they normal standard SA 3 prong plugholes.
We went to Kgalagadi in January and luckily the campsites were deserted (Mad dogs and Eng........) so we used the plugholes from the vacant safari tent

The camp sites are mostly run on a first come, first served basis, so try to get there early to get a nice spot.
All the sites have power at Pretoriuskop but only about half at Maroela and if you look at the availability on the home page, July seems to be fully booked, especially the first half of the month.
You need the blue adaptor to use the power points.
I stand corrected here but I think the sites are designed to take 6 people, I have seen a caravan with a big awning, a trailer, tables and chairs etc so the sites are pretty adequate. Most camps don't have demarcated sites, some people take lots of room, others only a little.
Hope this helps, have a great trip.

The blue plugs can be bought at the shops in KNP - cost about R90. About 4/ 5 camping/ caravan sites use one "box" of plugs. So remember to take a LONG extension cable with you and double adaptors.

Thank you both very much for the info. I shall be facilitating a group of about 20 from our church to visit. Some are old hands and others first timers. The commom thread is that we cannot wait to get there.

will be camping in kruger in september - have heard that a blue plug adaptor is necessary.

excuse my ignorance

To go hand in hand with safety regulations the blue adapter was introduced in Kruger in about 2003. It takes convetional 3 point plugs at the one side and fits the other side nicely into the power boxes of the camping areas.

It is not anything uncommon and is used at various other camping terrains right thru SA.

Read more here.

Only 4 weeks to go .
I'll be staying at Lower Sabie in a safari tent and Olifants in a Bungalow.
Do they have electricity and plugs to charge the digital camera?
Or is is better to buy a charger you can plug to the cigarette lighter in the car.
The car has one, doesn't it? (I#ll be driving a Nissan x-trail rented from avis)