SANParks.org Forums

HI,

First time I have sent a message but have been reading the site for years tho. My wife and I have been to kruger twice and have fallen in love with it. Shame we live in new Zealand so far away. We were wondering if it is possible to stay in the park for 3 months. I thought I read some rule that you can only stay in a camp for 5 nights maximum. Any one know if it is possible to do this.

Thanks KIWI1

Hi Kiwi1 from Oz.

We too have just joined this forum after two trips to Kruger and feel exactly the same. Just love the place but it is so darn far away.

We are heading back for 3 weeks in April but like you would love to stay for much longer.

Will be watching this post with interest to see what people have to say in reply to your question.

Btw are you able to fly direct to JHB from NZ ??

Vicrob
Brisbane
Australia

Hi Oz,

Kruger is addictive!!! No we cannot fly direct. We can either go Auckland-Sydney-Jbrg or through Bangkok.
It is expensive as well. Tickets are about $2800 return each.

Very jealous that you are heading back in april. Where abouts are you going/staying in the park?

A warm welcome to both of you - now beware of addiction!

You can stay as long as you want to! No rule about length of time in any camp or park.

Hi,

That is great news!!! I would love to slowly drive the length of the park.
I think it is to late to be aware of the addiction, Kruger has got both my wife and I.
Pictures of kruger on our walls, kruger books on the shelf, camp mugs and cups in the cupboard from camps we visited.
Cannot get enough!!

Oh dear, so you guys got it too hey We now intend to visit Kruger every year. This August for 22 days - will be our third trip. Yep the flights are a drain on finances that's for sure but we scrimp and save because it is worth every cent.
We are also contemplating a 3 month stay in the near future! At this rate Kruger will be overrun with aussies and kiwis!

HI, Yea Kiwis and Aussies everywhere hope the S.A's don't mind . They are so lucky having that on their doorstep.
22 days that is a great amount of time. would love to hear what you have planned in terms of where you are going and staying. Our last trip was Christmas last year for a week. had great sightings; lion, leopard and chetah. stayed at Olifants the whole time and had a great bungalow over looking the river. It was our honeymoon, fantastic destination!!!
now we want to move around the park and try different camps. Let me know your plans.

Punda Maria
Sirheni
Shingwedzi
Bataleur
Shimunwini
Letaba
Olifants
Orpen
Talamati
Satara
Skukuza
Lower Sabie
Pretoriuskop
Biyamiti

About 6 nights each! Sounds like something we could all live with

Hi guys

Kiwi1 loved your description of home. Same here, we have all our favorite photos on the wall going up the staircase so we see them all the time, plus of course the books and photobooks too.

What a fantastic place for your honeymoon. Last trip March 2011 we stayed at Lower Sabie and Satara, next trip is coming up in April, and we will be staying 4n Skukuza, 4n Satara, 3n Olifants and 3n Mopani. Will have a lot longer this time so looking forward to covering even more ground and spending longer at all the stops. We also booked the river view bungalow at Olifants, last time we stopped there for lunch and decided next time we will stay there.

Threedogs same here third trip coming up this year, we too go without other things so we can get there. Last year got flights from Brissy to JHB on sale with Qantas for $1500, a bargain we snapped up as they have not been that low since, now over $2000. Much worse for you though Kiwi1. We too have to go via Sydney, or Perth but only did that once. At least the accommodation in the park is reasonable.

Threedogs are you spending all 22 days in KNP ? And BTW must ask if I have seen you on Trip Advisor ?? Or is it another great fan of South Africa from Naracoorte....

VicRob & kiwi1, a very warm welcome to the forum to both of you!

3 months sounds a wonderful idea and I'm sure something many folks would love to do.

We did a full month in Kruger a couple of years back and loved every minute of it, in fact the time flew past so quickly we could hardly believe it.

Do hope your dreams can come true in the near future.

Thanks for the welcome Elsa.

Hi VicRob abd Three dogs,

We stayed at olifants in Bungalow 13 overlooking the river, fantastic view and you can here hippos at night.
You will really enjoy that VicRob. Love the flight price you managed to get. We are waiting for a Flight Centre travel expo next month and if we see cheap flights it will be trip number 3 for us as well.

Where do you guys enter the park and how do you get there from Joburg? We fly to Phalaborwa and pick up a car there and enter through the Phalaborwa gate.

Also Threedogs, can I ask if that is your name as you have 3 dogs? We have 3 dogs and one of them is called Kruger

Hi everyone,

We fly into Phalaborwa and grab a car at the airport. It is so easy and hassle free. Then we get along to the Spar and stock up as quick as possible and head into the park!

Our 22 days will be as follows:

Shimuwini x 1 night
Shingwedzi x 3
Punda Maria x 3
Shipandani Hide x 1
Letaba x 4
Satara x 4
Lower Sabie x 4
Tamboti x 2


Have not previously stayed at Punda, Satara or Lower Sabie or the Ship. Hide.

Yes, I lurk around on tripadvisor

Yes, we live on a property called Threedogs because.......we have 3 dogs. 2 pesky fox terriers and a rescued mixed breed terrier, all spoilt rotten. How hard is it to leave animals to be looked after when we go away...eish that's my main worry?

Love the name 'Kruger' for a dog

I know the where you are coming from about the worry of leaving the dogs. We have two German Shepherds and the dog named kruger is a Toy Poddle who thinks he is a German Shephered .
I like your itenary, especially interested in how you get on in the hide. Have not tried that. Have you stayed at any of the hides before?

We haven't stayed in any hides in Kruger before - should be amazing! I've stayed in an open/unsecured hide in Hwange in Zimbabwe on two occasions and that was an incredible experience.
We have a wildlife camera trap using infra-red (which doesn't register to animals). We are going to secure it to the hide and see what animals are about if we fall asleep in the night!
I visited the hide last year in the daytime and it is in a lovely spot, quite close to a little running tributary with crocs and hippos about. A leopard was also seen there by overnighters. That would be my dream - a leopard visit in the night!

That will be a great experience, hope your leopard sighting comes true. Have been to the Sable hide and saw the pull down beds in the wall. spotted some crocs while we were there. Have wondered what it would be like to spend a night there. I will look forward to your reports. Roll on August so you can get there!!!
How do you see the wildlife at night? Are you allowed spotlights or is there a ranger there with you?