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My annual KNP trip involves several rituals :

Cane lime and soda at the end of the day

The Bush Challenge - a chance for you to be the first to spot a different animal, if you are the first you are allocated points. Once an animal has been spotted ther are no more points awarded for seeing the same animal, the rarer the spot (in our opinion) the more points you get. The one with the most points at the end of each day/trip becomes the Bush Master

we allocate the following points (amend as you see fit)
Bird 1/2
Lizard 1/2
snake 1
herbivore 2
small carnivore 3
large carnivore 4
big 5 + cheetah 6
wild dog/black rino 8

Enjoy

Seems like everyone has the same ritual the minute you hit that entry gate .... switch off radio, unbuckle, smell the air!! and get the books, binocs and camcorder ready! Boy, I can't wait for two weeks time again.
Another ritual is a breakfast/brunch at Nkhulu - love the view over the river.
Have to braai at night and sit around the fire
Early nights - what a treat.
Not to worry or care about anything that happens beyond the park borders.
A visit to Lake Panic is a must for me.

...rituals...

Yes there are some.

1 or 2 Bottles of JW red label or Famous Grouse on duty free.
Needs a WW (Whisky-Watcher) for two small glasses per evening.
(Never try that at home)

No & never radio, headset or MP3.

Wearing khaki bermudas & be barefooted all the time.

Grubbing out & putting on my old "Hilltop-Basecap" from HluHluwe.
If not found: Khama Rhino Sanctuary Basecap, Botswana.
(Only to make those oversea tourist newbies jealous)

Entering via Bridge near Malelane:
Stop (hired) car after a breathtaking flight from JNB in the middle of the bridge.
Stepping out and breeeeaaaaaaaath, look at some Buffalos down the riverside, have a coke, come down, check in, get your paperwork - ahhhhh.

Putting the binoculars & cameras out, while passing the barriers.

Starting Garmin Etrex Legend HCx.

First & last camp is & will be Berg-en-Dal.
Always!

Don´t stop at Skukuza, even if all 4 tyres are flat & tank empty.
Exception: Parents-in-law want to go there.
And they wanted, they wanted, they wanted...

Having two Gin-Tonic, in the car, somewhere with a big view, 30 minutes before gate closing time.
That means also: Searching & Viewing got his end on this day, it´s time to relax, let it flow, enjoy nature as it is, calm down, feel yourself.

Checking all the pix & GPS-data while transferring them to the netbook every evening.

Embracing my love, whenever i can.

Checking, if Letaba river has come back to Letaba Restaurant terrace.
(went away after 2000 floods)

Render homage every minute to those, who realized & realize Kruger.

Stopping Garmin Etrex Legend HCx.

Cheers,
Freeclimb-64

thread!

Our rituals start about 3 months (on average) before the trip when we start planning menus (there are some things we always must have while in the Kruger), and drawing up wishlists: birdies and animals that we wish to see on this trip (one bird that has been on the top of my wishlist for the past 10 years, but which I have yet to see = pygmy kingfisher!)

I must admit, I've never stopped to smell the thatch in the toilets - for me the smell of the Kruger is that fresh but sour bushveld tang on the air that you get the moment when you turn of the aircon and open the windows with the gate (usually Phalaborwa gate) beckoning from a few hundred meters before you in the road

Other rituals:
1. On the road, depending on what route we take:
a. Having a pancake at Harrie's in Dullstroom.
b. Stopping for handmade sweets and other delicacies at Millie's on the N4.
c. Opening the windows and breathing in the fresh air of Magoebaskloof.
d. Stopping and buying fruit at the fruitsellers just outside Nelspruit.
2. Having a Savanna each night while braaiing
3. Making "braaibroodjies" (white bread with tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper and Mrs. Balls' chutney) toasted on the fire to have for breakfast the next morning.
4. Filling up thermos travelling mugs with Nescafé cuppachino and getting the hot water for it from the campsite's kitchenettes even when we stay in bungalows - and having this as the first cup of coffee of the morning.
5. Having abovementioned cuppachinos along with "braaibroodjies" at the first nice "pigeonhole" that we get to. (A "pigeonhole" is any nice, preferably secluded, spot where we can pull off the road, listen to the birds, smell the bush, and wait for birds and animals to pass by. Our first ever "pigeonhole", where this custom was born, is a nice spot on the Nwanetsi road near Satara, where there are large wild fig trees across the stream, and where the green pigeons are always active).
6. Playing "battleship" or "boggle" while waiting for the fire to burn down sufficiently to start the braai.
7. Checking the sightings board first thing when we arrive back at camp.
8. Always arriving at camp seconds before gate closing time!
9. Checking for leopards at every bridge and ditch.
10. Checking for hyenas at every storm water pipe.
11. To drive extra slowly when another car comes from behind to force them to pass as soon as possible - can't concentrate on game and bird watching when there is someone behind me
12. To stop and pretend to read the map when abovementioned car doesn't pass no matter how slowly I drive
13. Eating at the restaurant at least once at every camp.
14. Stopping at, spend time observing, and taking photo's of impala's at least once during the trip - usually on the first and/or last day.

I have been visiting Kruger for almost 40 years. Some rituals have changed over the years, like sleeping under the car at Numbi gate waiting to enter the park. Couldn't do that anymore. Some rituals have continued:
1. A braai every night with customary beer (preferably an ice old Hansa - bush beer, just tastes better in the bush?)
2. Getting up in the middle of the night to patrol the camp perimeter when hearing lions or elephant. Have had some of our best sightings and most frightening in the early hours, some within the camp.
3. Being the 1st to leave the camp and the last to come back...not really a ritual, it just happens that way.
4. Early morning coffee with Smartie biscuits (special home baked cookies exclusively baked for our Kruger trips)
5. Kg's of game biltong to gnaw on during the day.
6. Stopping in the shade of a large tree in the mid afternoon to enjoy cheese , biscuits and a glass of wine. In the summer months, even having a power nap.
7. Always taking a new book with bushveld adventures with to read. Have the Elephant Whisperer for my next trip in April.
8. Stopping off for breakfast at a different spot every morning.
9. Taking photos of every sunset and sunrise
10. Playing card games or Rummikub at night before bed
11. Crying like babies everytime we have to leave

My family and I have the following rituals when going into the KNP, we eat Bacon Kips with cheese and Bacon and Eggs for breakfast lol you may be thinking but you can have Bacon and eggs for breakfast at home what makes it special in the park, lol for some or other reason to us the taste of it changes dis pure konings kos

Since my wife and I have been visting the park, we always have "kruger Coffee" (for those who dont know - Kruger coffee has condensed milk not sugar) in our travel mugs for the morning drive.

A skottle brunch at the most isolated picnic spot in the area... and when we drive in we all chant "doors open, beds made, welcome home"