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Must do's
Switch of all radios cds, ipods etc and listen to the bush orchestra
stop and watch even the most common animals like the impala. They are entertaining in their own way
Stop at a picnic site and have a HUGE breakfast of bacon, egg, pork sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, banana toast- all cooked on the skottle
Relax around the fire at night with a glass or 2 or 3 of wine. When the braai is over a glass of Amarula
Cofee and muffins at some odd place on the early morning drive. Sometimes while you are just sitting in the car an interesting sighting arrives. In fact in feb this year 3 lion cubs arrived for a drink at a tiny puddle on the side of the road, and we were the only onesw to see them

The following are my musts -

Switch off radios, cell phones, etc. as soon as the entry gate becomes visible.
Open the windows to smell that gorgeous bush scent.
Pie, gravy and chips at the nearest camp.
Watch the sunset with a beer.
Stick some chops and wors on the braai.
With torch in hand, go for a camp "perimeter check".
Have the best nights sleep available to mankind.
Enjoy and appreciate all the sights and sounds.
Relax and have fun!

Hi Guys

You have to stop at all the camps to look at the sighting boards.
Have a cup of coffee at lower sabie.
stop on the bridge and stretch your legs.
Smell the bush.
When we enter the park we play Johnny Clegg.
Stop at as many dams as possible.
Try and drive on a different road each day.
Spot as many birds as possible.
Write down all the good sighting on the map so when we come back the next time we can say we saw that there.
Look at the big trees.

Man i cant wait to be there again ( 19 more sleeps )

Karl

Hi, These are my 'musts' in the Kruger.

Try and contain the big smile on my face when I go through the gate, so that everyone doesn't think I am a bit odd!

Stop and take in that wonderful smell that isn't anywhere else I have visited.

Watch the sunset go down at Olifants and take in the wonderment of the 'Milky Way' when looking at the night sky.

Stop the car nowhere in particular and listen intently ...to acclimatise eardrums to the bush talk.

Lay in bed at night and try and identify the night sounds, then examine the spoor around your accommodation in the morning to see if you were right!

Try desperately not to get a 'strop' on when it is time to leave!

And this time I will be keeping a journal every day to help me post that trip report on this forum!!!

6 weeks to go!!!!

Must do's.....hmmm, not in order of importance:

1. Maybe outside the topic, but nr.1 is to visit KNP at least 2 times a year, no max though...

2. Try something different, explore new places like a new camp, strange roads etc.

3. Wake up at leat 2 times at gate opening time, and visit my favorite places.

4. Have at least 1 skottel breakfast, and braai as much as possible.

5. Getting away from all electronic stuff not needed, and relax, enjoy the good moments, imprinting them in one's memory for a life time.

6. Visit birdhides/lookout points etc.

7. Sit around a fire at night, listening to the sounds, and if in the correct camp, admire the stars

8. Do at least 1 activity, ideally 2, like a sunsetdrive/nightdrive/ morning/afternoon walk.

9. Try to see as much as possible, therefore certain roads I just drive once and others 15 times

10. Repeat this as often as one can, you never know when a time will come when its not possible anymore.

I agree with a lot of the thing said especially Karl. I live 2km from the Phalaborwa gate and with my Wild card can go anytime for a quickie.

My list:
1. Enter the park with sweets and drinks.
2. Everybody in the car is in competition with each other. We keep score of everybody’s sightings with one point for each new species. Lions and Leopard counts 5 points each. We each pay an amount into the kitty and the winner takes all at the end of the day.
3. Take the autovilla to a drinking hole and take an afternoon nap with your loved one. When you wake up you are normally surrounded by all sorts of animals very close. Make some coffee and enjoy both watching your wife sleep and other wonderful creatures.
4. Back at the camp make nice fire and only start braaiing after the 2nd bag of wood is finished. While you watching the Devil dance in the flames listen to the night sounds and try to identify them.
5. With cloudless night discover the stars and get your astronomy up to date. Another competition is to see who spots the most satellites and shooting stars in an hour.
6. Take pictures (that you will never ever look at again)
7. Stop an a bridge where you can get out and look at things below. Identify them. The fish, tracks, terrapins, crocodile and water birds. Stay until you spot the Thicknee and Gray Heron.
When I we want to be close to nature we camp right next to the fence and see the Hyena patrol. With camping there are a lot of noise from other campers so if you want quiet and peace. we stay in a rondawel or chalet.

Regards
Willie

Ours is:

Open the car windows wide and take in the bush.

The smell of the grass roof and coolness of the bungalow/rondawel. Since I can remember the bungalows and rondawels smelt like that! Love it!

See how many unusal animals, birds we can spoke.

Have amarula even for a quick breakfast

Ice cold beer in the middle of summer with no aircon in the car!

Breakfast at Afsaal with all the hornbills

Best sleep ever!

Watching the hyeanas patrolling the fence...

Aa wish I was there now...

Ahhhh where do you begin!?

- Drive slowly and unwind into a uniquely Kruger state of mind.

- Pafuri Picnic Site!!!!!!

- Stopping on a bridge, watching pied and Giant Kingfishers diving into the river below.

- Sit on the chalet veranda in the early morning and late evening to absorb the majesty of the bush and its sounds!

- Stay at a sleepover hide!!

- Sit at a hide and just watch...

Hi all! We visited Kruger in Dec '07/ Jan '08 for about 3 weeks. This has been our 5th trip to the park. We live in Cape Town and drive up with each trip. We start our trip in the Northern part of the Park.

> after unpacking there is nothing better than to make oneself a nice cuppa of whatever, to sit on the 'stoep' and to take in the peace and quiet. To just sit...

> one must always walk around in the park you are staying at. (camera ALWAYS in ones hand!!)

> a definite must is those early mornings, when everyone is still asleep and late at night when everyone has relaxed, to once again just sit and take it in! You and nature...

It always looks so cosy when you are staying at camps for e.g. Shingwedzi, Letaba etc - families sitting around the fire, or playing board games or reading.

> another definite must is to always take other people in consideration, be kind, stick to the rules and don't switch your brain off completely. People can do odd things and can be extremely rude!!

> oh yes! please don't forget to pack a extra bag of patience...

> don't have any expectations!! People have fantasy ideas of the wild... take each day as it comes and you'll find you see a bigger variety of animals etc than when you would have with big expectations!

We met a family who have been going to Kruger for over 11 years and have never seen rhino. On our first trip to Kruger we basically saw the big 5 twice on a daily basis.

Be grateful and enjoy!!

I could go on and on and on... I love the Park!

-Sleep in a tent
-Do a wilderness trail
-See a Thick Billed Cuckoo
- Pafuri
-Listen to the sounds at night (No Aircon = Camping)
- Turn the engine OFF at sightings
- Stay at Balule
- Observe Nature as it unfolds
-Learn the trees and biomes
- Fight for the preservation of Kruger...keep it wild
- Have a skottel breakfast at a proper Picnic spot (Pafuri, Babalala, Mooiplaas or Muzanzene

1. NO radio - nature is providing you with soul-calming sounds and sights. Don't allow anything to take away from the experience.

2. No chasing of the big five - appreciate all the small things. Stop in the shade of a tree and watch a squirrel. Take time to look at a little wild flower. Listen to the rustling wind and the 'sonbesies'. Look at the different shades of red in the sky during a sunset. Experience the peacefulness. If you do spot a lion or leopard... bonus!

Before entering - make sure that the camera is out of the bag and ready because you don't know what to expect.
- Drive with open windows to smell & hear the field
- Leave the camp at gate opening times
- Leave your "diet" at home
- no restrictions on number of ice-cream for the kids!

Just after entering the Phalaborwa Gate there is a turn-off into a gravel road to the left and although we have never had great sightings we always feel that we have arrived in Kruger as this gravel road has that amazing “you are now in the bush feeling” and the smell of the veld is incredible. We once saw a huge black mamba just after turning into it but just for a few seconds as it disappeared into the grass very quickly. For us a must do when entering Kruger.

No radios / newspapers / TV's
Windows open
Out the gate at opening time every morning
At least one champagne breakfast at a picnic spot, cooked on the skottel
Sitting around the fire every night with a glass of wine enjoying the African night
The S100!!!
A couple of trips ago as we left camp my dad said "eyes down looking for a full house" and almost immediately we saw wild dog, so he now has to say that every time we leave camp
Sitting at a waterhole sipping ice cold Hansa and Hunters
Trying to imprint sights, sounds and smells in my mind to sustain me till the next visit

Ours is breakfast on skottels at Tshokwane then off to the roads less travelled. Nothing better than the roads less travelled and we have seen alot and the sightings are exclusive - no persons tripping and falling over each other to get a glimpse of the sighting - cause thats when people start doing silly things