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HI
I'm planning a visit to the Kruger area for next August with my family (wife and 2 kids, 13 and 10). I've been advised to stay at two different camps to see different habitats. I'll have a hire car. I started looking at the different camp info but find it overwhelming. Can someone please suggest two camps, not too far away from each other? Another question is about night game drives. Not all the main rest camps seem to offer them - why is this? Is there any advantage in staying at a Bushveld camp rather than at a main camp?
I'll probably have a lot more questions, but answers to these would be a great help.
Thanks
Tim Robinson

Hi Tim

Welcome to the forum
You have 2 types of Kruger Parkers. The Southerners and Northerners. I myself am a southerner
therefore I will be punting Lower Sabie and perhaps Skukuza as your 2 camps.
The southern part of the park is busier with , dare I say , better sightings. The North , although really beautiful , has a lot fewer big 5 sightings. Both skukuza and lower sabie offer night drives.
If you looking for a lot less traffic and a lot more quiet time..the north is the way to go.

hi Tim

Welcome to the Forum.

I would suggest Lower Sabie and Satara, you will get to see the Southern and central parts of the park and the camps arent to far from each other.

I hope you enjoy your stay

Reptile, for sightings that is probably the best for sightings, but as a northener myself. I would choose Punda, and Punda.

But to see 2 differing habitats, and sightings, I would probably go Lower Sabie/Satara, and Letaba/Mopani.

Hi Tim, as reptile are saying there, yes 2 types of park goers. I'm a Southerner myself but I have been starting to check out what the North has to offer.
I would first like to know how long you want to go to Kruger.
Then I think for a first timer you should go to Satara which is lion country as well as there have been numerous sightings of cheetah, wild dog and leopard on the H7 and H1-3. People see a lot on the s100 but I won't comment about that road a 3 day stay would be great there.
Then I would agree that Lower Sabie is a must! Again big5 country as well as wild dogs near Croc Bridge. The H10 and S29 and S28 have cheetah. Also the other game are hordes of. 3 days would be great here as well.
The two cams are about 100km from eachother so you will be able to drive 5 hours from one to another but the areas are totally different. Satara also have drives available.
If it is your first time and you want to see every animal I bet on these twon camps. Unfortunately the roan and tssessebe are far more north. But sable can sometimes be seen on thw H1-2 between Tshokwane and Skukuza.
Hope that helps

As has already been said, the best two camps for a first timer are probably Satara and Lower Sabi
They are a comfortable distance from one another, and I would say the two best camps for game viewing in Kruger! Very suitable camps for children as well
Do not think too much about this one Tim. If you can find accomm at Lower Sabi and Satara, do it

Thanks to all for your suggestions.
Looks like I'll fo for Satara and Lower Sabie, maybe 2 nights at each.
What can you advise me about game drives - they offer sunrise, day, sunset and night but of course the money just adds up! I reckon a night drive is a must, but what about the others?
Thanks again for all your help.
Tim

My advise would be to book more days in Kruger for a start
But perhaps go for the first two days driving yourself around, and then decide if you fancy a guided morning or sunset drive Perhaps you are content to drive yourself around

Night drives are excellent from both camps! It gives you the chance to be out after everyone is in camp Just be warned, going on a night drive, and getting up before gate opening the next morning is tiring! It is a nice thing to do on the last night of the holiday to ease the pain of leaving, but doing it repeatedly will leave you tired and tuckered out, when you should be relaxing on holiday

So go with the flow You book at the camp, on the day, or the day before to go on a drive. So make the call at the time.

I would suggest a sunset drive then you would get a bit of daylight and night time and you can then see what the animals do when it gets dark and watch those nocturnal ones come out . I would not do a morning drive as you can self drive those . .
Now go and book before its too late !!!!

Welcome Tim,

as most of the others already advised I would also highly recommend Satara and Lower Sabie as main camps and both of them do offer night / sunset drive on which normally a lot animal are to be seen.

Question from me - Is it your first visit to Kruger??? If so I even more would request these two camps as there is also normally a guarantee that you will be able to see as much different animals as possible - Lower Sabie is located at a river and Satara is situated in the typical African savannah.

The bush camps are compared to the main camps far quieter and smaller and without shop and restaurant and do offer more quietness but as already said if it will be your first time to Kruger I would recommend the already mentioned camps.

In case you want to know everything else simply ask!

Welcome to the forum Tim.

Depending on your needs, the answers would differ greatly.

First timers don't know what criteria to put forward.

Do you need a restaurant? - yes - Lower Sabie & Satara - no - Croc Bridge & Tamboti
Are you camping ? - yes - then spend 4 nights at the same camp - no - as above
Do you want to feel like in the city - yes - Skukuza & Satara - no - CB & Biyamiti
Are you leeuverskrik (lion besotted) - yes - Satara & Skukuza - no - LS & CB
Wild dogs? - yes - CB & Pkop or Skukuza & BergnDal
Cheetah - yes - LS or CB
Leopard - yes - LS or Skuk or CB or Biya or BnD

Doesn't matter, I just want to enjoy being in the park - avoid Skukuza

All of the above do evening/night/morning rides & walks.

I do agree with Cheetah that more nights at the camp would be perfect so you will have ample time to check the whole area around the camps thoroughly out. 3-4 days a camp would be perfect.
And then for Hugh as I only do sunset drives, morning drives i do myself and then with nightdrive you will only clock in at 10/11 at night so an early braai is necessary and you are very tired the next morning. Sunset for me is great so I have a bit of day, a stunning sunset and 2 hours drive in the dark to check out the night party animals. I have been on a sunset at Lower Sabie and totally loved it. I'm going to do a sunset at Satara now this weekend to see what it is like. I can then comment on it, but I heard that Irving that was our guide at Lower Sabie and made it so much better has moved to Satara, you can't go wrong with him
book the accomodation as quickly as possible because the people love June-Aug and I struggled to get a booking this year. But the drives are normally chill when you don't go during holiday then you can book the same day the drive is on.

You also cannot go wrong with Martin on the night drive. Without fail, he will stop somewhere, turn off the car and lights, and you get to see the African Stars and hear the sounds of Africa at night. best experience ever!

What Bushbaptist said is true, but all in all, Lower Sabi and Satara have excellent game viewing across the board They are not the most peaceful camps in Kruger, but they are favorites of seasoned visitors to Kruger Try not to rely on the restaurants if possible

Olifants and Lower Sabie provided us with a wonderful first Kruger experience. The view at Olifants combined with the excellent game viewing around Lower Sabie made for a terrific combination!

Lots of excellent advise for you Tim.

I always say to first timers, go to Satara and Lower Sabie. A sunset drive is magical, try and do one. Walks are also a very special experience, but your younger child is too young for that this time round.

You will find self drive is also a wonderful way to enjoy the park.

August is a super time, not too hot, not too cold, fairly dry so the animals are around the water holes a lot.