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Coming back for my third visit to the park and I can't wait. I am already on countdown even though it is over a year away. All camps, dates and accommodation planned ready for when the bookings open!! Sad I know, but I know you will all get it.

We are stopping at olifants and biyamati in this trip and have not stopped there before, old favourites lower Sabie and tamboti are naturally included.

I figure it should go relatively quickly. Off on hols in oct, then it will be Xmas, so that is 2012 out the way and then only 9 mths left.

Louise.

Hi Louise, its so exciting planning a trip and seeing it all come together!
If you have a look Here you can see there are others who are also counting down the months, weeks and days.

Hi Louise

The counting down process is all part of the magic and the planning keeps one going. Time will fly, you will see.

All the camps you mentioned, are just great

Good luck with the bookings.

Leana (also busy counting down )

KTP Dec/Jan 2013
Kruger May 2013

Louise, I know that feeling so well.

I always get such immense satisfaction once I put the phone down after making a booking. I also love the areas where you plan to go.

Louise I hope you will enjoy your planning for as well as your 2013 Kruger trip. It is indeed something to look forward to .

Time goes by so quickly loysyd! You will be in the Park before you know it!

Enjoy the planning and preparing for the trip!

From one Louise to another Hi!

We also planning and already booked for may 2013....Happy planning for you.

Book as soon as you can, we wanted Lower Sabie, 2 hours after bookings opened i was devastated to find what we wanted GONE! fully booked. But phoned central reservations and got the same accomodation, only it had to be Skukuza. Our first time in Skuks, but none the less super excited.

All the best

Hah, my nieces and other small children call me Weeze because they can't pronounce my name.

I am watching the bookings section every week for the minute they open up. This time round my Mum in law is coming for the first time, so we won't be in Safari tent in LS, going to aim for a bungalow on the perimeter. Was also looking at Biyamati and randomly selected July next year and there are still quite a few of the bungalows we want, so fingers crossed all will be ok with my desired choices.

I should be planning for my hols in October, but me and the SO were just going through everything for this trip, even down to whether we do walks or drives!! I then started marking my maps up with sightings, they'll be gone by the time I get there, but its all part of the process.

If you can't get what you want straight away don't despair. You will probably be able to refine your booking closer to when you go. We have often changed our itinery significantly in the last month when plenty of accommodation usually becomes re-available. Check the camps you want to go to for availability a month from today's date and watch them over the next few days/weeks and you'll see that things change regularly. Should reassure you and its a good game! Keeps that excitement and sense of anticipation going until the very last minute! We fly out of London tomorrow = and into Kruger on Thursday and am soooo excited today. And its the same every year. Started our count down (have the days, hours, minutes and seconds left permanently ticking away on my lap top!) with 175 days to wait and now we go tomorrow!

Keep an eye on the LS availability. Last month we were in a LSTU river view tent and we had originally booked Skuks - I saw the gap on our travel dates come available at a later time. I think a lot of people book speculatively and then don't pay the deposit. Lots of units became available again about 9-10 months before the trip even though nearly everything at LS was gone 11 months before!

Remember you can change your booking or tinker with it a tad!

Hi there Graham_5000. Yeh i really was devastated as we love LS. Thanx for the advice i shall keep an eye on that. We wanted a Guest cottage on the perimeter, but had to settle for same at Skukuza. Do u by any chance know, if i come across the same available at LS, would i be able to just do a staight swop in camps. the cost is the same at LS and Skukuza.

Thanx Louise

I found it very straightforward - I edited my booking online by deleting the Skukuza unit and adding a LS perimeter tent in its place - have you got an online account? You can get one if you have a registered booking, even if you haven't yet paid the deposit.

Not too sure re online acc. But have bookings number etc. Have paid in full at time of booking!... Will def suss it out thanx Graham_5000

Yes part of the holiday is also the planning. We are also going to KNP during May 2013. The day before the bookings for May opened we send an email to Stellenbosch satelite branch and we got every camp and accommodation we requested. Oh so much looking forward to it. We booked at B & D, Satara, Bataleur, Mopani, Shimuwini, Olifants, Skukuza and Pretoriuskop. Two days per camp. We also try to add a new camp/bushcamp every time and this time it is Shimuwini and Bataleur.The only other camps we haven't stayed at as yet is Orpen. Would love to stay longer as we fly in from Cape Town but my son and his fiance is going with and their leave days is not so many.

Something to look forward to Elma Kuyler!