KRUGER NATIONAL PARK © Lonelyplanetpublications Atmosphere All-Enveloping
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© Lonely Planet Publications 464 Kruger National Park Almost as much as Nelson Mandela and the Springboks, Kruger is one of South Africa’s national symbols, and for many visitors, it is the ‘must-see’ wildlife destination in the country. Little wonder: in an area the size of Wales, enough elephants wander around to populate a major city, giraffes nibble on acacia trees, hippos wallow in the rivers, leopards prowl through the night and a multitude of birds sing, fly and roost. Kruger is one of the world’s most famed protected areas – known for its size, conserva- tion history, wildlife diversity and ease of access. It’s a place where the drama of life and death plays out daily, with up-close, action-packed sightings of wildlife almost guaranteed. One morning you may spot lions feasting on a kill, and the next a newborn impala strug- gling to take its first steps. Kruger is also South Africa’s most visited park, with over one million visitors annually and an extensive network of sealed roads and comfortable camps. For those who prefer roughing it, there are 4WD tracks and hiking trails. Yet, even when you stick to the tarmac, the sounds and scents of the bush are never far away. And, if you avoid weekends and holidays, or stay in the north and on gravel roads, it’s easy to travel for an hour or more without seeing another vehicle. KRUGER NATIONAL PARK KRUGER NATIONAL PARK Southern Kruger is the most popular section, with the highest animal concentrations and easiest access. Further north, mopane (mopani) takes over as the dominant vegeta- tion. This is a favoured food of elephants, and you’ll see these creatures in abundance, especially around Letaba. In the far north, around Punda Maria and Pafuri, wildlife con- centrations are somewhat lower, but the bush setting is stunning and the wilderness atmosphere all-enveloping. HIGHLIGHTS Setting off into the bush on one of Kruger’s excellent wilderness trails ( p471 ) Sleeping in an overnight hide ( p476 ) or bushveld camp ( p475 ) and dropping off to the sound of lions roaring in the distance Spending time in northern Kruger ( p469 ), visiting the ruins of the ancient kingdom of Thulamela, taking in the panorama at Crook’s Corner, and appreciating the wilderness Exploring Kruger from south to north ( p467 ), taking in the changing topography and nature’s rhythms Pampering yourself with a few nights at a luxurious private wildlife reserve ( p478 ) lonelyplanet.com KRUGER NATIONAL PARK •• History 465 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK HISTORY 0 40 km The San first set foot on Kruger’s savannahs, 0 20 miles and they left their mark in rock paintings at A Malapati B numerous sites in and around the park. Prior Tshiturapadsi Z I M B A B W E Sango to the San, various hominid species wandered Makuleke 1 Contract the lowveld as much as 500,000 years ago. Park Sengwe Limpopo River From around AD 500, various Bantu- Masisi 17 Pafuri Picnic Site speaking peoples had settled in – part of 16 Crook's Corner Pafuri Pafuri the great migration of West African peoples River Gate Thulamela who had begun making their way across the continent about 1500 years earlier. Their Mutale Luvuvhu River 19 most famous settlement in the park was at River ὈὈὈHlamalala Thulamela, which flourished between the 16th M O Z A M B I Q U E Punda Maria and mid-17th centuries. R524 2 12 Gate Babalala Mapai The area that is now Kruger first came under To Thohoyandou (18km) government protection in 1898, when Paul 25 Limpopo Mavamba National R 22 Kruger (president of the Transvaal Republic 81 Park Shingwedzi 3 and an avid hunter) established the Sabie Game ὈὈὈRiver Reserve, between the Sabie and Crocodile Giyani Kruger Rivers, as a controlled hunting area. In 1902, To Makhado (90km) NP following the second Anglo-Boer War, James 14 KRUGER NATIONAL PARK Nkomo 23 Stevenson Hamilton became the reserve’s first Mooiplaas L I M P O P O warden. Hamilton was also the first to see the 3 6 tourism potential of wildlife, and to bring a Groot Letaba River 21 Giriyondo conservation vision to the area. In 1926 Sabie ὈὈὈὈHans Merensky Campismo NR Letaba 11 Albufeira; Game Reserve was joined with neighbouring River To Polokwane Kruger Park 8 Massingir (130km) Lulekani Gateway Airport Gate (20km) Shingwedzi Game Reserve and various private 1 R Namakgale See Private Wildlife farms to become Kruger National Park, and in 71 Reserves Map (p478) Massingir Phalaborwa 15 Dam 1927 the park was opened to the public. R540 Phalaborwa River Gate As with most official institutions in South R530 Olifants 2 Africa prior to 1994, Kruger was a pawn of Mica Nwamanzi ὈὈὈὈὈLebombo the apartheid government, and its history Mountains 4 River ati Eastgate contains many reminders of this. During the av Hoedspruit Airport R527 park’s early years, there were numerous in- Timb 20 stances of eviction of local populations, with R531 Orpen Gate Kampersrus 24 the most prominent case that of the Makuleke Klaserie Sweni River Manyeleti R GR ὈὈὈὈὈὈBlyde River ὈὈ40 Sand River SLEEPING Canyon NR Aguia Pesqueira Campsite........................................................1 B3 R532 Balule Satellite Camp................................................................2 B4 Bateleur Bushveld Camp..........................................................3 A2 Tshokwane Eileen Berg-en-dal Rest Camp............................................................4 B6 Newington Orpen 5 Graskop Marite Paul Kruger Dam Biyamiti Bushveld Camp...........................................................5 B6 Phabeni R536 Gate Boulders Bush Lodge................................................................6 A3 Rv Gate Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp.....................................................7 B6 SabieHazyview Letaba Rest Camp....................................................................8 B3 Sabie Kiepersol R569 Lower Sabie Rest Camp...........................................................9 B5 ὈὈὈὈὈὈ Lukimbi Safari Lodge.............................................................. B6 R 9 10 40 Numbi 18 Machampane Wilderness Camp.............................................11 B3 R537 Gate Makuleke Community Centre & Homestay............................12 A2 5 Malelane Satellite Camp........................................................13 B6 To Jo'burg White River 10 7 Mopani Rest Camp................................................................14 B3 (343km) Crocodile Olifants Rest Camp................................................................15 B4 Nelspruit 4 Bridge Outpost.................................................................................16 A1 13 Gate MKIA N Komatipoort Pafuri Camp...........................................................................17 A1 Airport 4 Malelane Pretoriuskop Rest Camp........................................................18 A5 Gate Punda Maria Rest Camp........................................................19 A2 ὈὈὈ6 LEGEND M P U M A L A N G A Satara Rest Camp..................................................................20 B4 CA Conservation Area Shimuwini Bushveld Camp.....................................................21 A3 FR Forest Reserve R570 Shingwedzi Rest Camp...........................................................22 B2 GR Game Reserve R571 NP National Park Shipandani Overnight Hide....................................................23 B3 NR Nature Reserve Singita Lebombo Lodge.........................................................24 B4 WA Wilderness Area S W A Z I L A N D Sirheni Bushveld Camp..........................................................25 A2.