SANParks.org Forums

Hi everyone,

I thought this thread would be quite fun and useful. Any helpful hints? Post them here. Even if you think they're obvious.
Every so often I'll add one to this post.

Heres mine for today:

1.When preparing and eating your lunch or dinner in the bush, or even just relaxing on the patio, light a citronella candle or citronella oil lamp and place it (safely) near the food.
This way, flies are kept away from the food and from you while you're eating. At night, the mozzies and other insects that are attracted to the lights are kept at bay too.

Here's mine

I always put two or three half-litre bottles of water in the freezer compartment of the fridge overnight. Although they are frozen solid in the morning, they soon start to thaw out slowly in the car so I have a constant supply of refreshing iced water throughout the day. It usually takes them six or more hours to thaw out completely.

Obviously this assumes that you have a fridge available - may not be of much use to those of you who prefer to camp

One from me
Always pack a extra shoelace.
When one might break on your boots and u must still walk
far in uneven country this is a lifesaver

For campers not having access to a fridge:

Take a few Energade/Powerade bottles with you as they seal well. Take a good-sized cooler box and fill that with ice from the shops (luckily we've never experienced an ice shortage!). Fill the bottles the night before and place them in the cooler box overnight. Ice cold water!

Good ideas everyone.

I have posted this somwhere that I cant remember so heres another:

Take sugar in SACHETS to the Park, rather than loose in a plastic container. This eliminates the chances of sugar spilling and prevents ants from marching in. Just tear the sachet, pour the sugar in the tea or coffee and throw the empty paper away. (Obviously in a bin).

Fumigate your accomodation before your first sleep. Take a can of insecticide and spray some under beds, in cupboards and dark corners and behind curtains etc. and leave for 10 minutes while the windows and doors are closed.
Mosquitoes lurk unseen during the day where human scent is present to come out and bite when they sleep later. But they
are flushed and exterminated by a good fumigation.
I picked up malaria in Malawi totaly unaware of mosquitoes and even having taken propylacstics. I could probably have avoided it if the accomodation was fumigated before sleeping.
SANPARKS are very carefull with their accomodation but this is a very simple additional precaution.

I also use citronela oil in aqueous cream especialy on feet and ankles as a repelant.

Heres another:

Have the meat that you take to Kruger vacum packed together with the marinade.This keeps the meat absolutely fresh and only needs to be kept cold not frozen (depending on how long, a week is fine), also the marinade is absorbed by the meat and makes for the best braais and easy preparation.

Been battling to come up with a good tip to post in this thread - until my trip to Mountain Zebra last week!

Make sure your cameras, binocs, ref books etc are at hand and ready to use when you enter the Park!! I arrrived at MZNP with my camera safely packed in the back in its bag and passed an aardwolf a couple of kilos into the Park....

For visits to very cold areas take along a small single bar heater - certainly warms the caravan in no time!

Pack for winter and Summer. A bit of both. I would rather have too much clothes than too little.

In addition to GP's and Simon's suggestions about freezing/chilling cold drinks or water, I actually will use my forzen waterbottle(s) or juice boxes to keep my cool box cool. The frozen liquid melts so that you can drink it thoughout the day, but as some stays frozen, it will also keep other items in the coolbox cool.

When you're coming from overseas, this saves on carrying or purchasing those chiller blocks. You can either bring one of those foldup cloth chiller bags (as someone suggested in another thread), which pack easily, or buy a cheesy styrofoam cooler box when you're stocking up on groceries.

Sorry, couldnt resist
First thing to be done after entering the gate
Second is inspecting the toilet and using it

If you have a 48 litre colman box, you can make you own big ice block, fill a large ziplock with water, for safety put it into another ziplock and freeze - will last for days and then yuo can drink the icy cold water when defrozed.

For a toilet roll holder, cut the rim of a medium size frisco coffee tin out and then the toilet roll should fit well, put the plastic cap back on and make it in where you can fine it easily.

Foxy, I realy like the idea of a tin to hold the toilet paper in when traveling as it always manages to unravel and generaly seem untidy. Organizing one immediatly.
Instead of ziplock bags I use the "papsak" (or bag with tap) that comes inside your used up "happy box" of wine as an ice brick.

Don't mess with elephants, especially herds with very young. Your car might be altered. Don't get between mum and baby elephant, rhino, hippo or buffalo.

For camping you need a blue caravan plug adapter.

Save the camp's duty manager's cellno on your cell when checking in.

When rhinos get difficult with you just clap your hand on the roof or side of your car to id yourself as a non-rhino.