A suspected rhino poacher was trampled to death by an elephant and his body devoured by lions in South Africa's Kruger National Park, officials said Monday.
South African rangers have recovered the skull of the man in the vast Kruger sanctuary, which has born the brunt of much of the country's poaching crisis.
According to a park spokesman, rangers were alerted after the victim's alleged accomplices told his family that he had been crushed to death by an elephant.
The man's remains were discovered on Thursday after a two day search involving aircraft and rangers on foot, with the help of the victim's accomplices.
Our field rangers looked around the area and made the unfortunate discovery of a skull. That was the only remaining part of the deceased, Kruger national park spokesman Isaac Phaahla said.
He said a pride of lions was thought to have been in the area and were believed to have devoured the man's remains.
But the family were grateful that at least they have the bone to go and bury and they know what happened, Phaahla said.
Four of the man's accomplices have since been arrested and are expected to appear in court this week.
The demand for rhino horn has placed Africa at the epicentre of a global poaching and trafficking crisis.
South Africa, which is home to about 80 percent of the world rhino population, has been hit hardest, with much of the poaching concentrated on the Kruger park.
In 2018, 769 rhinos were poached in South Africa alone, according to the country's environment ministry. More than 7,100 animals have been killed over the past decade
Six large animals have died at South Africa's biggest national park after storms toppled a power cable.
A rhino, a giraffe, two lions and two hyenas were electrocuted when the power line came down in Kruger National Park.
The giraffe and rhino died first, and the lions and hyenas were killed by the live wire while trying to eat the carcasses.
Rangers came across the disturbing scene while taking engineers to the site to restore electricity.
Isaac Phaahla, a spokesman for South Africa National Parks (SANParks), said the animals died last Friday in the Skukuza section of the park.
Kruger National Park rangers discovered the animals while accompanying electricians
The animals were electrocuted after heavy rains and strong winds brought down a power line, he said.
At almost 20,000 sq km (7,700 sq miles), the Kruger National Park is the country's largest wildlife reserve.
On Tuesday, a spokesman told reporters the park had reports of four other dead animals in January so far. Two of them have been confirmed as poached, and two of them are under investigation, he said.
Meanwhile, South African lions chewed a poacher, leaving just his head
A suspected big cat poacher was eaten by lions near the Kruger National Park in South Africa, police say.
The animals left little behind, but some body parts were found at a game park near Hoedspruit.
It seems the victim was poaching in the game park when he was attacked and killed by lions, Limpopo police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe said.
They ate his body, nearly all of it, and just left his head and some remains.
Police have not yet established the victim's identity. A loaded hunting rifle and ammunition were found next to the body.
Lion poaching has been on the rise in Limpopo province in recent years.
The big cats' body parts are sometimes used in traditional medicine, both within Africa and beyond.
Wildlife charity the Born Free Foundation says lion bones and other body parts are increasingly sought-after in South East Asia, where they are sometimes used as a substitute for tiger bones.
In January 2017, three male lions were found poisoned in Limpopo with their paws and heads cut off.
Also, Lions killed in South Africa after escaping Kruger reserve
Three lions which had escaped from a world famous game reserve in South Africa have been killed.
A farmer living near Kruger National Park (KNP) shot dead one of the males when he found all three eating one of his cows, a parks spokeswoman said.
He wounded another and a third ran away.
A search party of rangers decided to put down the wounded lion and the one which had escaped the farmer, Ms Raftopoulos said.
South African National Parks says the unharmed lion was killed because tasting cattle meat would change its behaviour.
There were also concerns that having already escaped once, the lion would keep trying to leave the park.
The decision is made by vets and rangers with years and years of experience, Ms Raftopoulos said.
Initial reports indicated that four lions had escaped on Sunday, but parks officials have since said that evidence suggests only three escaped.
KNP is one of the biggest game reserves in Africa, covering an area of 7,523 sq miles (19,485 sq km).
It is not yet clear how the lions escaped from the park, which is largely fenced off.
Officials say they were probably driven out by population pressures.
The latest escape comes after five lions broke out of the same park in May. Four of them were caught but the fifth is still unaccounted for.
A sexually starved elephant broke into a game park in South Africa and trampled a top safari ranger in a fatal rampage.
Mark Lautenbach, a 33-year-old guide, died at Leopard Rock Lodge after a 13,000-pound elephant crushed him.
Officials blamed the male elephant’s aggressive behaviour on the animal being in a heightened state of sexual tension known as musth.
The elephant broke through the fence and into the lodge’s tourist area in the Madikwe Game Reserve.
The animal repeatedly trampled the seasoned safari ranger as he tried to steer the elephant away from park visitors.
The news of Mark Lautenbach is terribly sad and devastating, the Field Guides Association of South Africa (FGASA) wrote in a Facebook post. “Condolences from FGASA to the family.”
A safari ranger has died after being trampled on by a sexually charged bull elephant that had broken into a game park lodge in south Africa. Mark Lautenbach, 33, had tried to move the angry elephant which was in full musth away from the tourist area near Kruger National Park.
But the hormonal elephant, which had up to ten times as much testosterone through his body, charged at the ranger. It is believed Mark, from Hout Bay, near Cape Town, was trampled repeatedly by the elephant and suffered extensive injuries.
Following the attack, the elephant was put down over fears that once it had killed a human it could potentially do so again. Mark was described as being one of the most respected game rangers in South Africa.
Member of the Executive Council for Environment and Agricultural Development Desbo Mohono said: His death by an elephant is a great loss to the South African wildlife sector as Mark was a highly committed and highly trained ranger with years of experience. We pray that his family may find peace and comfort at this time of bereavement.
Expert tracker and bird expert Mark was manager and senior guide at Leopard Rock Lodge in the 70,000 hectare Madikwe Game Reserve. Leopard Rock is made up of five game lodges overlooking a waterhole and the banks of the Murera River and is home to the Big 5 of elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion and rhino.
When a bull elephant is in musth it becomes extremely dangerous and is sending out messages to the females he is ready to mate. It is also sending out a powerful message to all the rival males that he is not in the mood to be messed with.
This hormonal change can last several weeks or even several months. This elephant was an older bull and very big and had broken down a fence at Leopard Rock and had got into the lodging areas and was potentially a very big danger to all.
Mark is an expert and has had many encounters with bull elephants but something went terribly wrong here and the staff say nothing could be done once the elephant had him. He was one of the top five game rangers in South Africa and his services as a professional wildlife photographer were highly sought after and his loss in our community is huge.
Mark’s friend Kgomotso Letsholo said on Facebook: Mark, may the great Lord heal our hearts at Leopard Rock, we have lost a brother, a humble soul, a man always there to give a helping hand.
Elephant expert Dr Michelle Henley of Save the Elephants said: You have to be doubly cautious when you come across a bull elephant in musth for they are far more aggressive. Their testosterone levels are highly elevated and the first thing to be aware of is the swelling of a gland just behind the eye which for a bull in musth can swell to the size of a soccer ball.
The elephant has a way of walking, a stand-tall display, and you will see it swaggering down the road with urine gushing out which is a tell-tale sign he is in full musth and you cannot go near.
In the early hours of Sunday 20th May a gunshot was heard in the Skukuza section of the Kruger National Park, leading to the discovery of an injured White Rhino calf clinging to the slaughtered body of his female White Rhino mum.
Poachers had brutally hacked off both of Mum’s horns and, as the calf’s instinct to protect her and stay as close as possible kicked in, had lashed out with their machetes, seriously injuring the calf’s back and his right foot.
Rhino calves are born without a horn so he wasn’t of interest to the poachers.
Veterinarian Peter Buss stabilised the calf before he was transported to Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary who were poised to receive the calf.
This brave little fighter was hydrated on arrival, he had drunk from his mother that morning prior to her being killed. He weighed just 80 kilograms – a White Rhino at birth weighs between 40-60 Kilograms, he was not very old at all.
His wounds included a cut to the toe nail, splitting the nail down to the nail bed, and a 4-inch machete gash to his back, slicing through his cartilage, dangerously close to his spine.
His wounds were cleaned and bandaged and his deep back wound stitched up.
This brave little Rhino was given the regal name Arthur, meaning noble and courageous, and fitting for his fighting survivors spirit.
Arthur is on the road to recovery, he has made friends at the sanctuary with fellow Rhino orphan Summer, Looney – trainee puppy with the K9 Unit – and is a firm favourite with his care givers.
In the wild a Rhino calf will stay with his mum for 3 years, learning how to be a Rhino and how to interact with fellow Rhinos.
Arthur’s mother was snatched from him at an early age, Arthur still calls out for his Mum, a sound that breaks the heart of his human caregivers.
A picture of an injured white rhino calf lying next to the slaughtered body of his mum went viral on social media on Friday.
Many heartbroken and speechless Twitter users shared the picture.
The mother was reportedly shot and killed by poachers for her double horns, in the South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
The one-month-old baby rhino was spared because he was too young to have horns. He was, however, attacked with machetes.
According to the South Lakes Safari Zoo’s website: Poachers had brutally hacked off both of mum’s horns and, as the calf’s instinct to protect her and stay as close as possible kicked in, had lashed out with their machetes, seriously injuring the calf’s back and his right foot.
Rhino calves are born without a horn so he wasn’t of interest to the poachers.
The baby rhino refused to leave his mother’s side after she was killed. He was taken to a nearby rhino orphanage called the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary and was named Arthur, for his bravery and courage.
Arthur’s story went viral after South Lakes Safari Zoo in Dalton recently pledged their support to raise money for his rehabilitation and care.
The zoo’s website stated: The Rhino’s wounds included a cut to the toe nail, splitting the nail down to the nail bed, and a four-inch machete gash to his back, slicing through his cartilage, dangerously close to his spine.
His wounds were cleaned and bandaged and his deep back wound stitched up.
Online users were furious when the pictures started doing the rounds.
Tweep @adamtafazoli posted: “We have so much to learn when it comes to respecting this planet! How can people still do this? #sad #savetheplanet.”
While Twitter user @StvnNgm reached out to Disney and posted: “There’s need for greater awareness on the barbarism of poaching and its threat to the extinction of so many animal species. Hey @DisneyStudios the Lion King was a classic, but it’d be ingenious if you could create a “G” rated spin-off to highlight the vileness of these ghastly acts.”
@tiachocgirl urged world leaders to “come together” to protect rhinos and elephants from harm. She tweeted: “There needs to be thousands of rangers, to have any chance of protecting rhinos and elephants from being poached. Why can’t the worlds countries come together and do this?”
Many called the attack “shameless” and “inhumane”.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF): “Very few rhinos survive outside national parks due to persistent poaching and habitat loss over many decades.”
In Africa, the southern white rhinos are near threatened.
After more than a century of protection and management, 19,600 – 21,000 animals exist in protected areas and private game reserves. There are only three northern white rhino individuals left on earth - all of them in captivity.
The South Lakes Safari Zoo has a page dedicated to Arthur. According to an article on the page: Arthur still calls out for his Mum, a sound that breaks the heart of his human caregivers.
Arthur will be emotionally scarred for a long time, long after his physical wounds have healed.
He has a long road to full recovery ahead but with your support and help he, and other orphans like him, will get there!
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa.
Kruger National Park extends 360 kilometres (220 mi) from north to south and 65 kilometres (40 mi) from east to west.
The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.
To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere an area designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve.
The park has nine main gates allowing entrance to the different camps.
The area that the park covers today was part of the last wild frontier in the eastern half of Transvaal before the Second Anglo-Boer War.
Paul Kruger, President of the Republic of South Africa at the time, proclaimed the area, which was inhabited by the Tsonga people, a sancutuary for the protection of its wildlife.
Today it is against the law to farm or hunt animals in that area. James Stevenson Hamilton noted many kraals along the Sabi River and also further north beyond the Letaba River although the north was sparsely populated compared to the south.
Many of the local natives were employed by Railway companies trying to connect Pretoria and Maputo during the end of the 19th century. The proclaimed area, called Makuleke, was returned to the Tsonga people in 1998.
Since then the Kruger National Park has paid royalties to the Tsonga, which is collected as a tribal fees from tourists.
In 1895, Jakob Louis van Wyk introduced in the Volksraad of the old South African Republic a motion to create the game reserve. The area prposed extended from the Olifants River to the Sabi River in the north.
That motion, introduced together with another Volksraad member by the name of R. K. Loveday, and accepted for discussion in September 1895 by a majority of one vote.
This resulted in the proclamation by Paul Kruger, president of the Transvaal Republic (South African Republic), on 26 March 1898, of a Government Wildlife Park.
This park would later be known as the Sabi Game Reserve.
The park was initially created to control hunting and protect the diminished number of animals in the park.
James Stevenson-Hamilton became the first warden of the reserve in 1902.
The reserve was located in the southern one-third of the modern park. Shingwedzi Reserve, named after the Shingwedzi River and now in northern Kruger National Park, was proclaimed in 1903.
During the following decades all the native tribes were removed from the reserve and during the 1960s the last were removed at Makuleke in the Pafuri triangle.
In 1926, Sabie Game Reserve, the adjacent Shingwedzi Game Reserve, and farms were combined to create Kruger National Park.
During 1923, the first large groups of tourists started visiting the Sabie Game Reserve, but only as part of the South African Railways' popular Round in Nine tours.
The tourist trains used the Selati railway line between Komatipoort on the Mozambican border and Tzaneen in Limpopo Province.
The tour included an overnight stop at Sabie Bridge now Skukuza and a short walk, escorted by armed rangers, into the bush.
It soon became a highlight of the tour and it gave valuable support for the campaign to proclaim the Sabie Game Reserve as a national park.
After the proclamation of the Kruger National Park in 1926, the first three tourist cars entered the park in 1927, jumping to 180 cars in 1928 and 850 cars in 1929.
Warden James Stevenson-Hamilton retired on 30 April 1946, after 44 years as warden of the Kruger Park and its predecessor, the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve.
The Makuleke area in the northern part of the park was forcibly taken from the Makuleke people by the government in 1969 and about 1500 of them were relocated to land to the south so that their original tribal areas could be integrated into the greater Kruger National Park.
In 1996 the Makuleke tribe submitted a land claim for 19,842 hectares (198.42 km2) in the northern part of the Kruger National Park.
The land was given back to the Makuleke people, however, they chose not to resettle on the land but to engage with the private sector to invest in tourism, thus resulting in the building of several game lodges.
In the late 1990s, the fences between the Kruger Park and Klaserie Game Reserve, Olifants Game Reserve and Balule Game Reserve were dropped and incorporated into the Greater Kruger Park with 40 000 hectares added to the Reserve.
In 2002, Kruger National Park, Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and Limpopo National Park in Mozambique were incorporated into a peace park, the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.
The park lies in the north-east of South Africa, in the eastern parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.
Phalaborwa, Limpopo is the only town in South Africa that borders the Kruger National Park. It is one of the largest national parks in the world, with an area of 19,485 square kilometres (7,523 sq mi).
The park is approximately 360 kilometres (220 mi) long, and has an average width of 65 kilometres (40 mi). At its widest point, the park is 90 kilometres (56 mi) wide from east to west.
To the north and south of the park two rivers, the Limpopo and the Crocodile respectively, act as its natural boundaries. To the east the Lebombo Mountains separate it from Mozambique.
Its western boundary runs parallel with this range, roughly 65 kilometres (40 mi) distant. The park varies in altitude between 200 metres (660 ft) in the east and 840 metres (2,760 ft) in the south-west near Berg-en-Dal.
The highest point in the park is here, a hill called Khandzalive. Several rivers run through the park from west to east, including the Sabie, Olifants, Crocodile, Letaba, Luvuvhu and Limpopo Rivers.
The climate of the Kruger National Park and Lowveld is subtropical. Summer days are humid and hot. The rainy season is from September until May.
Kruger National Park has September and October as the driest periods, culminating in rains late in October. The dry winter season is the ideal time to visit this region for various reasons.
There is less chance of contracting malaria and the days are milder. Viewing wildlife is more rewarding as the vegetation is more sparse and animals are drawn to the waterholes to drink every morning and evening.
Plants life in the park consists of four main areas:
This area lies between the western boundary and roughly the centre of the park south of the Olifants River.
Combretums, such as the red bush-willow (Combretum apiculatum), and Acacia species predominate while there are a great number of marula trees (Sclerocarya caffra).
The Acacias are dominant along the rivers and streams, the very dense Nwatimhiri bush along the Sabie River between Skukuza and Lower Sabie being a very good example.
South of the Olifants River in the eastern half of the park, this area provides the most important grazing-land.
Species such as red grass (Themeda triandra) and buffalo grass (Panicum maximum) predominate while the knob-thorn (Acacia nigrescens), leadwood (Combretum imberbe) and marula (Sclerocarya caffra) are the main tree species.
This area lies in the western half of the park, north of the Olifants River. The two most prominent species here are the red bush-willow (Combretum apiculatum) and the mopane tree (Colophospermum mopane).
Shrub mopane covers almost the entire north-eastern part of the park.
There are a number of smaller areas in the park which carry distinctive vegetation such as Pretoriuskop where the sickle bush and the silver cluster-leaf (Terminalia sericea) are prominent.
The sandveld communities near Punda Maria are equally definitive, with a wide variety of unique species.
Out of the 517 species of birds found at Kruger, 253 are residents, 117 non-breeding migrants, and 147 nomads.
Some of the larger birds require large territories or are sensitive to habitat degradation.
Six of these species, which are by and large restricted to Kruger and other extensive conservation areas, have been assigned to a fanciful grouping called the "Big Six Birds".
They are the lappet-faced vulture, martial eagle, saddle-billed stork, kori bustard, ground hornbill and the reclusive Pel's fishing owl, which is localized and seldom seen.
There are between 25 and 30 breeding pairs of saddle-billed storks in the park, besides a handful of non-breeding individuals.
In 2012 178 family groups of ground hornbills roamed the park and 78 nests were known, of which 50% were active.
All the Big Five game animals are found at Kruger National Park, which has more species of large mammals than any other African game reserve at 147 species. There are webcams set up to observe the wildlife.
The park stopped culling elephants in 1994 and tried translocating them, but by 2004 the population had increased to 11,670 elephants, by 2006 to approximately 13,500, by 2009 to 11,672, and by 2012 to 16,900.
The park's habitats can only sustain about 8,000 elephants. The park started an attempt at using contraception in 1995, but has stopped that due to problems with delivering the contraceptives and upsetting the herds.
Kruger supports packs of the endangered African wild dog, of which there are thought to be only about 400 in the whole of South Africa.
Wildlife Population As of 2009
Black Rhinoceros - 590-660
Blue Wildebeest - 11,500
Burchell's zebra - 26,500
Bushbuck - 500
Cape buffalo - 37,500
Eland - 460
Elephant - 13,700
Giraffe - 9,000
Greater Kudu - 9,500
Hippopotamus - 3,100
Impala - 120,000
Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest - 50
Mountain Reedbuck - 150
Nyala - 300
Roan Antelope - 90
Sable Antelope - 290
Warthog - 3,500
Waterbuck - 5,500
White Rhinoceros - 10,500
African wild dog - 150
Cheetah - 120
Crocodile - 4,420
Leopard - 1,000
Lion - 1,600
Spotted hyena - 3,500
Kruger houses 114 species of reptile, including black mamba, african rock pythons, and 3000 crocodiles.
Thirty-three species of amphibians are found in the Park, as well as 50 fish species.
A Zambesi shark, Carcharhinus leucas, also known as the bull shark, was caught at the confluence of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers in July 1950.
Zambezi sharks tolerate fresh water and can travel far up rivers like the Limpopo.
Kruger is not exempt from the threat of poaching that many other African countries have faced. Many poachers are in search of ivory from rhino and elephant tusks.
The park's anti-poaching unit consists of 650 SANParks game rangers, assisted by the SAPS and the SANDF including the SAAF.
The park is equipped with two drones borrowed from Denel and two Aerospatiale Gazelle helicopters, donated by the RAF to augment its air space presence.
Automated movement sensors relay intrusions along the Mozambique border to a control center, and a specialist dog unit has been introduced.
Buffer zones have been established along the border with Mozambique, from where many poachers have infiltrated the park, as an alternative to costly new fences.
The original 150 km long fences were dropped in 2002 to establish the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. The national anti-poaching committee oversees all activities and coordinates interested parties.
Kruger's big game poachers operate with night vision instruments and large caliber rifles, fitted with suppressors and sophisticated telescopic sights.
They are mostly Mozambique citizens that initiate their carefully planned incursions from the Mozambique border region. In 2012 some 200 poachers were apprehended, while about 30 were killed in skirmishes.
In July 2012, a Kruger game ranger and policeman were the first to die in an anti-poaching operation, while other employees reported intimidation by poachers.
A Kruger personnel strike affected some anti-poaching operations, and a few employees have been directly implicated.
Rangers in and around the park have been pressured or blackmailed by poaching syndicates to provide intelligence on the whereabouts of rhinos and anti-poaching operations.
In December 2012, Kruger started using a Seeker II drone against rhino poachers. The drone was loaned to the South African National Parks authority by its manufacturer Denel Dynamics, South Africa.
In February 2018, a head belonging to a suspected poacher appeared in Kruger National Park near Hoedspruit, with the body dragged off and eaten by lions, it is assumed.
Officials had assumed at first that it was the head of a park employee that had gone missing days before, but it was later determined the man was, in fact, a suspected poacher after the park employee had been found alive.
The head belonging to the suspected poacher had been found in an area highly trafficked by lions, along with a loaded hunting rifle.
Poachers mostly operate at or near full moon and make no distinction between white and black rhinos. Losses of black rhino are however low due to their reclusive and aggressive nature.
With rhino horn fetching around $66,000 and up to $82,000 per kilogram, the CITES ban on the trade in rhino horn has proved largely ineffectual.
The second horn is sometimes hacked from the skull to obtain about 100 ml of moisture that is sold locally as traditional medicine.
Poaching related to rhino horn escalated in the 21st century with 949 rhinos killed in Kruger in the first twelve years of 2001 to 2012, and over 520 in 2013 alone.
A planned memorandum of agreement between South Africa and Vietnam, in addition to the one with China, are seen as necessary milestones in stemming the tide, while negotiations with Thailand have not yet started.
The amount of rhino horn held in storage is not publicly known. Since 2009 some Kruger rhinos have been fitted with invisible tracing devices in their bodies and horns which enable officials to locate their carcasses and to track the smuggled horns by satellite.
South Africa's 22,000 white and black rhinos, of which 12,000 are found in Kruger, represent some 93% of these species' world population.
Kruger experienced significant elephant poaching in the 1980s, which has since abated. It holds over 48 tons of ivory in storage.
According to Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), it is allowed to sell 30 tons.
Following approval by CITES, 47 metric tons of stockpiled ivory from Kruger were auctioned on 6 November 2008.
The sale fetched approximately US$6.7 million which will be used towards increasing anti-poaching activity. The average price for the 63 lots on auction was US$142/kg.
It is foreseen that the placement of wire traps to procure meat would eventually become the most challenging form of poaching.
A scheme has been proposed to reward adjacent communities with the proceeds of game sales in return for their cooperation in game preservation.
The larger communities include Bosbokrand, Acornhoek, Hazyview, Hoedspruit, Komatipoort, Malelane, Marloth Park, Nelspruit and Phalaborwa.
The Kruger National Park has 21 rest camps, as well as two private lodge concessions, and 15 designated private safari lodges.
The concessions are parcels of land operated by private companies in partnership with communities, who outsource the operation of private lodges.
Camping in the park has become popular with tourists and backpackers because it is much less expensive, and open to anyone, requiring no special permission to partake.
Rest camps in kruger National Park
- Bateleur Bushveld Camp
- Berg-en-Dal Camp
- Biyamiti Bushveld Camp
- Boulders Bush Camp
- Balule Camp, near Olifants Camp
- Crocodile Bridge Camp
- Letaba Camp
- Lower Sabie Camp
- Malelane Camp
- Maroela Camp, near Orpen
- Mopani Camp
- Olifants Camp
- Orpen Camp
- Pretoriuskop Camp
- Punda Maria Camp
- Roodewal Bush Lodge
- Satara Camp
- Shimuwini Bushveld Camp
- Shingwedzi Camp
- Sirheni Bushveld Camp
- Skukuza Camp
- Talamati Bushveld Camp
- Tamboti Tented Camp, near Orpen
- Tsendze Rustic Camp
Private Lodges in Kruger National Park
- Camp Shawu near Crocodile Bridge Gate
- Camp Shonga near Crocodile Bridge Gate
- Hamiltons Tented Camp
- Hoyo Hoyo Tsonga Lodge
- Imbali Safari Lodge
- Jocks Safari Lodge & Spa
- Lukimbi Safari Lodge
- Pafuri Camp, near Pafuri Gate
- Plains Camp
- Rhino Post Camp
- Shishangeni Lodge near Crocodile Bridge Gate
- Singita Lebombo Lodge
- Singita Sweni Lodge
- The Outpost Lodge, near Pafuri Gate
- Tinga Game Lodges
Bushveld Camps in Kruger National Park
- Bateleur Bushveld Camp
- Biyamiti Bushveld Camp
- Shimuwini Bushveld Camp
- Sirheni Bushveld Camp
- Talamati Bushveld Camp
On 30 October 2013, South African National Parks (SANParks) announced the establishment of franchise restaurants in several rest camps.
Mugg & Bean restaurants have been established at Lower Sabie, Olifants and Letaba rest camps. Wimpy restaurants have been established at Pretoriuskop and Satara rest camps.
Skukuza's Selati Station Grill House has been replaced by Ciao and Skukuza’s main camp restaurant and take away will be run by Cattle Baron and Bistro.
This decision was controversial, with some people welcoming the improvement in food services, and others viewing the introduction of franchises as detracting from the purpose of the Kruger Park.
Gates to the Kruger National Park
- Crocodile Bridge Gate on the extension of Rissikstreet from Komatipoort
- Malelane Gate on the R570 off the N4 near Malelane
- Numbi Gate on the R569 road from Hazyview
- Phabeni Gate on the road off the R536 from Hazyview
- Paul Kruger Gate on the R536 road from Hazyview
- Orpen Gate on the R531 road from Klaserie
- Phalaborwa Gate on the R71 road from Phalaborwa
- Punda Maria Gate on the R524 road from Thohoyandou
- Pafuri Gate on the R525 road
Nine different trails are on offer in the Kruger National Park. Some are overnight and they last several days in areas of wilderness virtually untouched by humans.
There are no set trails in the wilderness areas; a visitor walks along paths made by animals or seeks out new routes through the bush.
The southern part of the park along the Sabie and Crocodile river is rich in water and has a lot of game viewing opportunities.
Here you can see the best of African flora and fauna such as Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Rhinos, Buffalos often referred as the big five, but there are plenty of others to see as well.
Driving around the Sabie river will always result in seeing some interesting animals. The vegetation around the Sabie river can be very dense forest and thicket and it gets a little bit more open driving down south to the Crocodile river.
The northern part of the park supports less flora and fauna and is often referred as the birding paradise.
If you choose to self-drive, and aren't experienced in African animal tracking, you will still inevitably see elephants and buffalos, and many variety of antelope.
Impalas are ubiquitous. Rhinos are less common, but big enough to be seen by the untrained eye. Leopards are seen and are commonly seen by the experts, but are camouflaged and in trees, so present a challenge to the untrained.
If you have limited time, and want to do Kruger, go in the dry season, stay at a camp like Olifants, and confine yourself to the south of the park along the southern rivers.
South Africa is located south of the equator and has therefore a reverse order of summer and winter than Europe and North America.
Generally is the KNP a dry and hot area, regardless of summer or winter. The South African summer (September -April) in the KNP is hot and sunny with occasional showers and temperature in the shadow range from 18°-30°C.
Winter (May-August) is warm and dry with temperatures ranging from 8°-22°C. September-April Hot and sunny with sporadic thunder showers. Average temp 18-30°C.
From Nelspruit you will have to choose to which park gate you want to go. Nearest gates are: Malelane (south east), Numbi (south west) and Kruger Gate is south west, slightly north of the Numbi gate.
The N4 is a toll road and you have to pay for its use. Depending on which gate you want to reach, add one or two hours from Nelspruit to find out how long your journey will be.
Please be aware that the KNP gates are closed after sunset and visitors are not permitted to drive at night in the park.
The distance from Johannesburg to the 9 different gates of the KNP are approximately:
- Numbi gate: 411 km
- Malelane gate: 428 km
- Phabeni gate: 430-440 km
- Crocodile Bridge gate: 475 km
- Paul Kruger gate: 460-470 km
- Orpen: 490 km
- Phalaborwa: 490 km
- Punda Maria: 550 km
- Parfuri: 600 km
Driving in darkness is considered to be dangerous outside the park especially if you are not used to driving in Africa.
Pedestrians walk along the roads as well as local taxi/minibus services and both of them are difficult to spot at night.
The area of the Numbi gate had a number of incidents involving barriers on roads and South Africans blame the proximity to Mozambique for this.
There are three airports with commercial scheduled flights near Kruger National Park. From south to north, they are Kruger Mpumalanga at Nelspruit, Hoedspruit Airport, and Phalaborwa Airport.
Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport at Nelspruit receives flights from Johannesburg International Airport, Durban, Cape Town, Livingstone and Vilanculos.
It is the largest airport, with the most facilities and but only has services with South African Airlines only.
Fares to here from Johannesburg can be half the price of the other Kruger airports. Car rental is possible via: Budget, Hertz, Europcar, Imperial Car Rental and National.
If you are staying at one of the northern camps, this airport can be 4 or more hours from your entrance gate.
Distances to Kruger National Park gates from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airpor are:
- Kruger Gate 82 km
- Malelane Gate 63 km
- Numbi Gate 40 km
- Phabeni Gate 76 km
Eastgate Airport at Hoedspruit has a couple of flights a day to Johannesburg with South African Airlines only.
Avis has a car rental desk there. There is a bar and small shop selling chocolate bars, as well as a souvenir shop, but no serious cafe to speak of.
It is listed on the SAA website as Hoedspruit airport, however the airport isn't signposted from Hoedspruit, and to get there you have to go through a gate onto a private reserve.
If you are flying out of here, make sure where you are going. Hoedspruit has another grass landing strip near the centre of town. This airport has no scheduled flights.
Phalaborwa Airport is located 2 km from the Phalaborwa gate of the KNP and serves as a entry route for the northern camps such as Letaba, Olifants, Punda Maria and Shingwedzi.
The airport is well connected to Johannesburg International Airport with two flights per day during the week and a single flight on Saturday and Sunday.
The airport has car rental services. Again, there is only a single carrier operating.
Malelane Regional Airport near the Malelane Gate is only used for private and charter flights.
The Kruger National Park is not open all day and night. Entry gate and camp gate opening and closing times are as follows:
November-January - Open 4h30 (camp gate) and 5h30 (entry gate), close 18h30
February - Open 5h30, close 18h30
March- Open 5h30, close 18h00
April - Open 6h00, close 18h00
May-July - Open 6h00, close 17h30
August/September - Open 6h00, close 18h00
October - Open 5h30, close 18h00
November-January - Open 4h30 (camp) and 5h30 (entry, close 18h30)
If you are later back in the camp or found driving around at night, you will be fined very high rates up to thousands of Rand, it is serious. So make sure to be out or back in the camp before closing time.
Fees apply to access the park. If you are not a resident of South Africa, you can choose to either pay daily conservation fees or buy an international visitors wildcard that is valid for entry to all SANParks parks.
The break even point is about 4-days conservation fees equal to a wildcard. You can purchase a wildcard or pay conservation fees when you are booking your accommodation, or you pay on admission,if you are not staying in the park or at your camp.
If you are visiting other parts of South Africa, you may want to consider the discounts available for Table Mountain and other parks before making your calculation.
When you enter the park you will be given an admission permit. It is very important to retain this, as you have to present it on the way out of the park to be permitted to exit.
The infrastructure of the park is outstanding by African standards and roads inside the park are of very good quality and potholes on the main roads are rare.
Smaller sidetracks are close to the originals landscape, but manageable with a normal car, although a 4x4 offers probably a better comfort on this type of terrain.
KNP roads have speed limits range from 20 to 50 km/h and it is not wise to go much faster, because game tends to cross the roads out of nowhere.
Make sure you have an upto-date map, enough to eat and drink, cameras and binoculars, reference books and a litter bag with you.
Take care when approaching animals. They are wild and unpredictable. If you have the feeling that animals get angry, leave. Elephants and rhinos can be very dangerous to you and your car.
It is custom to share information about animal sightings with other park visitors. This happens casually and information is exchanged when two cars from the opposite direction meet and stop for a short chit-chat.
Avis is the only car rental company with an office inside the park at Skukuza Camp, but other companies from Nelspruit and at the two above mentioned airports are happy to provide you with a car as well.
You may want to consider an air-conditioned car in the hot climate of the KNP.
Some petrol stations within the park accept payment by credit card.
The maximum speed limit is 50 km/h on tarred roads, 40 km/h on gravel roads and 20 km/h in rest camps, and is generally obeyed.
However lower speeds afford greater safety and better sightings. It takes roughly 10 hours to cross the KNP in south - north direction.
Distances between camps sites are on average 1-2 hours in the south and a little bit more than that in the north.
Consider the distances between camps site when planning your trip and remember that you are not allowed to leave your car once you left a camp site. Toilets are present at all the camps and picnic areas, but not at the hides.
A road can be blocked by buffalo or elephant crossing, adding 20 minutes unexpected journey time to your trip. Leave some slack in your travel time calculations.
It is possible to go on guided walking tours, which you can arrange through the camp reception, or in advance with SANParks.
However, the rangers in Kruger National Park have a policy of not surprising animals.
This means you are going to be walking briskly through bushland with a couple of armed guides ahead of you, rather than stealthily moving through the bush to get a glimpse of an animal that hasn't seen you.
The reality of this is that most animals will well have truly gone from the area before you get there, and the chances of wildlife spotting are dramatically reduced over what you might see by game vehicle or by car.
Unauthorised walking is not allowed and also extremely foolish.
Crocodile River view point is nearby the Crocodile Camp travelling north on the main road direction Lower Sabie and then following the sign to the Crocodile River view point on a dirt track for a couple of kilometers.
As a reward you can get out of your car and go with a park guide down to the river to watch hippos and crocodiles from a few meters distance.
Masorini is a restored Iron Age village about 10km from the Phalaborwa gate. It is probably the most accessible of the remnants of stone and iron age life within the park.
There is a picnic area and toilets near the bottom of the hill. You need to be accompanied by the guide to tour the village itself. The huts are reconstructed and show the process the civilisation went through to forge iron.
These people were not just forging iron for spears and hunting, they had an entire economy based on selling and trading the iron they forged. Brochures say the guided tours are free, and leave at scheduled time.
The reality seems to be that tips are required to the attendant who runs the tours, and if you are interested in taking the tour then the attendant will guide you.
The basic way to see the wildlife is to tour the park by car during the daylight hours when the park is open.
This is a very effective way of seeing wildlife, even for first timers. There are many other wildlife experiences on offer.
Bush drives First time visitors may want to consider to book a guided tour through the KNP with local park guides.
Bush drives are available from Berg en dal, Letaba, and Skukuza camp and and some other camps, and cost around 170 Rand (~$30USD) per person.
Experienced rangers will take you in a 4x4 car to the KNP and explain you the finer details of game spotting.
Night drives Discovering the KNP on your own is a great adventure, but there are a few things that you can not do without a ranger.
One of them is to have a night drive through the park to see nocturnal creatures such as lions, leopards and hyenas. Tours take a couple of hours and leave usually shortly before the main gates close in the night.
Wilderness trail Discover African flora and fauna on foot is an unforgettable lifetime experience and only few places in Africa offer such tours.
You join a group of up to 8 mates and 2 rangers on a hiking tour that lasts for 3 days and you learn a lot of things about South African wildlife and there is no way that you could see animals closer than on this tour.
Imagine seeing lion, elephant or rhino only a few meters from you. This is a breathtaking experience. Trails follow circular routes and you return each evening to the safety of your camp where dinner awaits.
The duration of the trails is two nights and three days, either from Sunday to Wednesday, or from Wednesday to Saturday.
Hikers meet at the designated restcamp at 15:30 on Sundays or Wednesdays from where they leave by vehicle for their trail camp after a short briefing.
Bushman trail Berg en dal camp offers the bushman trail around the Berg en dal camp which is surrounded by granite rocks. Expect to see elephants, white rhinos and buffalos.
Metsimetsi trail Is best enjoyed during the South African winter, check in at Skukuza camp and you will travel north to the N’waswitsontso river nearby the Satara camp.
Napi trail Check in at Pretoriuskop to enjoy the Napi trail and you may see white rhinos, elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs and in the past you saw wild dogs which are rare nowadays.
Nyalaland trail Check in Punda Maria camp in the north of the KNP to spot crocodiles, elephants and hippos as well as bird watching is going to be on your agenda.
Buffalo also frequent the area. Birdlife is prolific.
Olifants Trail Check in at Letaba Camp. The trail crosses the Olifants River as well as the Letaba River which supports a variety of wildlife, including large predators, elephant and buffalo. Listen out for the call of the African Fish Eagle.
Sweni Trail Check in at Satara Camp. The Sweni area is popular, in that, there is a high density of both predator and prey, and a trail experience here give hikers the opportunity to observe lion and even cheetah.
Wolhuter Trail In the southern part of the park (white rhino country), between the Berg-en-Dal and Pretoriuskop.
Olifants River Back Pack Trail, R10 560 for up to 8 people.
Landrover Lebombo Eco-Trail
The 3 brand new 'Transfrontier Trails do Limpopo
The Shingwedzi 4x4 Eco-Trail
The Machampane Wilderness Trail
The Massingir Hiking Trail
To make a reservation or get more information about Wilderness Trails . This is a great way to discover African fauna and flora, a unforgettable lifetime experience only available in a few places in Africa.
Kruger Park Tours, Part 51, Peebles Valley, White River, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Kruger Park Tours is the provider of choice when it comes to African Safaris in Kruger National Park.
Making use of experienced guides for your personal safety and guarantee a service level of excellence by extended knowledge of the park and its animals and their hiding spots.
Experience the magic of the African Bush on a variety of trips as well as custom trip requests throughout the rest of Africa.
Walking Safaris or Africa Walking Safaris, 30 Cambridge Avenue, Craighall Park, Johannesburg, eight walking trails throughout the Greater Kruger National Park.
Offers specialist walking safaris for groups of up to eight guests, led by two armed and experienced trails guides. Prices vary according to the accommodation type, ranging from rustic tented bush camps to luxury safari lodges.
Typically, the day's activities are an early morning walk, setting off at sunrise and covering 5-8 km over 4-6 hours, before returning to camp for brunch.
In the afternoon, guests may elect for a walk, or a game drive in an open game-viewing vehicle which departs around 4pm and returns to camp around 7pm.
This drive includes a sundowner drinks stop at sunset, followed by a night drive with spotlights to view Kruger's nocturnal wildlife. US$200-600 per night.
African Big 5 Safaris, Sinoville, Gauteng 0129, South Africa. African Big 5 Safaris offer a variety of safari options into Kruger National Park and Olifants Reserve that are suitable for different budgets.
From R800 or $116 USD for 2 nights / 3 days tented safari at the Olifants Reserve to R7000 or $1020 USD for 2 nights / 3 days luxury safari at the Kruger National Park.
They also offer one day safaris for those pressed for time, as well as the multi day safaris that take you deep into the Kruger National Park territory.
Kurt Safari, 426 Kudu Street, Skukuza, Kruger National Park 1350, Located in the Kruger National Park, Skukuza Camp.
Kurt Safari offers once in a life time Kruger Park safaris and tours. With 3, 4, or 5 day group tours you can get the full Kruger National Park experience.
If you are on a budget why not try Kurt Safaris budget Kruger tours. With full open group vehicle safaris and tailor made photographic tours you can capture the perfect picture for your collection.
The two guides Marcel and Retief are also the co-owners of the company. They are experienced, attentive, and safety conscious. Their knowledge of animal behavior and scientific facts is outstanding! US$200-600 pp per tour.
Play golf at the 9 hole golf course in Skukuza, originally designed for the local personnel it was recently opened to the public.
Please bring your own golf clubs with you and enjoy this very special golf course. Considering the average temperature in the Kruger National Park this is one of the toughest 9 hole golf courses in the world.
Bigger camp sites such as the Lower Sabie and Skukuza have comfortable shopping facilities and you can buy foodstuffs and souvenirs, as well as some other travel items you may have forgotten.
The range is more limited at the smaller or more remote camps. It is easy for them to run out of particular items, so you have to make do with what is there.
Fresh milk particularly can be in short supply. Overall, it can be said that all item in the shops are very reasonably priced and only a few cents more expensive than in regular South African supermarkets.
Artistic wood carvings can be found there as well and is usually of reasonable quality and cheaper than in Cape Town. Carvings can be found in and around the gates to the Kruger National Park as well.
Animal skins and rugs are available as well.
For self catering, there are designated picnic areas in the camps, as well as some picnic areas away from the camps, with an armed attendant. The picnic areas have braai barbecue facilities and tables.
The camp shops sell food to barbecue and drinks at quite reasonable prices, as well as firewood. They only sell take-away alcohol to those who have proof they are staying in the park.
Many of the camps have cafeterias and restaurants, but don't plan on any variety between the camps. The menu is the same at each camp, with a range of only 10 or so dishes.
Most visitors familiar with the park are self-catering in their lodges or at the picnic areas.
Lodges in the private areas of the park and outside the park will cater food, often arranged in well-sheltered outdoor restaurants with open fireplace, and barbecue South African specialties such as:
- wart hog sausage
- springbok tenderloin
- ostrich steak
- Biltong made of game, like Kudu, Zebra or Elephant
Alcohol cannot be brought into the park. Take away alcohol cannot be bought from the park shops, unless you are staying in the park. The camp restaurants and bars sell beer, wine and spirits.
The bars in camp aren't crowded of an evening with people recalling tales of wildlife seen during the day.
Generally people aren't visiting Kruger for the nightlife, and are more likely to spend the evening with a braai ready for an early start the following day.
Several camps inside the KNP provide accommodation and shelter to visitors and are the only places inside the park where you may leave your car safely.
The level of service depends on the camp size and can range from a tent site with a picnic area and bathroom facilities to a small town with swimming pool, library, restaurant, cafeteria, filling station, supermarket and golf course.
Most accept payment by credit card. Travel from one site to another takes on average 2 hours, whereas distances in the south are shorter and northern camps can be a little bit further apart.
The SANParks website allows bookings online for all parks, with instant confirmation and availability checks.
You will need to register before you commence your booking, and the registration process can take around half an hour to be confirmed before you can commence booking.
The SANParks site is not the first site returned by most search engines when searching for accommodation in Kruger, but it is the only site where you can book accommodation directly.
All other sites will only take provisional bookings, and are just agencies.
Berg en Dal, a medium sized camp located on the banks of Matjulu-Dam. Visitors of the camp can rest in the local cafeteria or prepare food in the communal kitchen, buy fuel in the petrol station.
Have a picnic, use public telephones, enjoy a good dinner in the restaurant and cool down in the swimming pool.
The camp offers accommodation ranging from tent sites with power points to caravan sites, three bed bungalows and bigger facilities such as 6 and 8 bed houses.
Activities from this camp include the Bushman and Wolhuter Wilderness Trails, morning drive, night drive and the Rhino trail camp walk.
Crocodile Bridge, The third smallest camp of KNP and located close to Crocodile River, Crocodile Bridge is in the most southern part of Kruger National Park and it is a camp and as well a gate site.
The proximity to the SA civilisation one stone throw apart from the camp means that there is no wilderness romantic, but it serves you well if you are a late comer and the Kruger National Park gates are shut.
Facilities include laundry service. There is a great amount game around this camp / gate, consider yourself very unlucky if you do not spot Lions in this area.
Letaba, One of the more beautiful camps, Letaba is in the central section of Kruger National Park next to the Letaba River in the middle of elephant country.
Accommodation ranges from tents to huts catering 2-4 persons per accommodation. The camp is known for its elephant sightings and has an exhibition about the elephant life cycle.
Camp facilities include: cafeteria, fence perimeter, laundry, restaurant and a swimming pool.
Lower Sabie, The most luxurious camp, recently renovated after it was destroyed by a fire. Lower Sabie is in the south east of KNP on the banks of the Sabie River, and offers superb game viewing.
Therefore it is one of the most wanted camps by the locals. You can often spot white rhino, lion, cheetah, elephant and buffalo around the camp, because these animals come down to the river to drink.
Accommodation is the bare bone minimum such as simple one, two, three and five bed huts without kitchen and bathroom and cooking utensils are not provided.
That ultimately leaves visitors from overseas outside of this camp, nevertheless it is a great opportunity to stop in this camp for a rest.
Mopani, The newest and most comfortable rest camp in the Kruger National Park. Mopani has been built near a dam that attracts a lot of wildlife into the monotone northern mopane dominated shrupveld vegetation.
Wildlife spotting from the camp is superb and you would have to drive for hours to see more game from your car than in this camp.
Enjoy a splash in the swimming pool after a game drive you are prepared for dinner in the local restaurant which is supposed to be far better than in other camps and it offers dinner a la carte.
Accommodation in this camp offers fully equipped kitchen and supports up to 6 persons in a house.
Olifants, Probably the best known camp among South African tourists. Olifants is in the middle of the KNP on top of a hill overlooking the banks of the Olifant River.
You can see Africa unfold from your terrace and the Olifant camp has the best settings from all camps. You can see kudu, elephants, lions and giraffes from your room when they come to the Olifant River to bath and to drink.
Orpen, the smallest camp in the park, situated at Orpen Gate. Orpen offers basic accommodation for 2-3 persons in a hut without bathroom. Consider to stay there if it is too late to reach another camp before darkness.
Pretoriuskop, A large and luxurious rest camp close to the Numbi Gate located in the southwest of KNP.
The landscape consists of rocky mountain and steep ridges supporting klipspringer, reedbuck, rhinos, giraffes and wild dogs in the surrounding shrubs.
Accommodations are traditionally thatched rondawels for up to three visitors without bathroom. Other camp facilities include swimming pool, laundry, restaurant and cafeteria.
Punda Maria, the most northerly camp, also the 2nd smallest of KNP. Punda Maria camp sits on top of a hill and whitewashed thatches are arranged in terraces.
The camp offers a rich flora and famous for its huge variety in birds. The camp facilities include a restaurant.
Satara, A bushveld camp that is situated centrally in the park, surrounded by hot plains that offer good grazing opportunities and attracts a lot of game.
It is the second biggest camp in the Kruger National Park and offers accommodation, restaurant, cafeteria and laundry facilities.
Shingwedzi, nice quiet camp in the far north of the park. Shingwedzi lies in the middle of the mopane shrubveld and benefits from the proximity of the Shingwedzi River and the Kaniedood Dam which attract most of the game in this area.
The camp facilities include accommodation, restaurant, swimming pool, cafeteria and laundry. Nyala country.
Skukuza, located in the southwest of the Kruger National Park and serves as the Headquarter of KNP, Skukuza is located 20 minutes from the Kuger Gate and is the biggest camp inside the Kruger National Park.
If offers a gas station or pump, library, post office, car rental, grocery store, youth hostel, 9 hole golf course which is the hottest one in the world and swimming pool.
Skukuza is situated directly at the Sabie River and animals often come here to drink.
Tsendze, The newest camp in the park. Opened for visitors in November 2006.
Balule, a satellite camp of Satara, Balule is a rustic bush camp with little luxury, but a lot of bush romantic.
It is in the middle of the Kruger National Park near the Olifant camp where you have to check in and then drive 11 km to get to the Balule camp.
The camp is on the banks of the olifant river and it suits you best when you are prepared for self catering and if a you are happy to share a communal kitchen.
Malelane, a satellite camp of Berg-en-Dal, situated near the Malelane Entrance gate on the very southern border of the park.
Maroela, a satellite of Orpen the camp is situated on the banks of the Timbavati River. This is apparently the only camp in the park that allows for caravans and camper-vans.
Tamboti, a satellite of Orpen, Tamboti is a tented camp situated on the banks of the seasonal Timbavati River and you can see the beasts from your tent coming to the river.
Facilities include accommodation and communal kitchen without cooking utensils.
Pionier, is a tented camp, administered by Letaba.
Bush camps provide smaller accommodation varieties than the main camps. They do not have full shops or restaurants in them and only some Talamati, Biyamiti and Bateleur will allow you to use electrical equipment like hairdriers.
Bateleur, a camp in the northern area of the park. It has 4 and 6 bed cottages, a mini shop and cottages have basic television facilities.
Biyamiti, in the southern area of the part, this camp has a mixture of 1 and 2 bedroom cottages. It has a mini shop and offers game drives and walks.
Shimuwini, this camp is in the middle of the park. Its name means Place of the Baobab and is situated along the banks of the Letaba river which is lined with these trees.
Sirheni, in the northern areas of the park, this camp is situated near the Sirheni dam.
Talamati, located in the lower-middle area of the park, It offers 2 an 1 bedroom cottages, a mini shop, a bird hide and a game hide.
Boulders, one of the larger private camps
Roodewal, another small private camp.
Lukimbi Safari Lodge.
Tinga Private Game Lodge.
Jock Safari Lodge,From R3.500pps.
Singita Private Game Lodge. Sweni and Lebombo Lodges
Imbali Safari Lodge.
Rhino Walking Safaris. Part of Isibindi
Shishangeni Lodge.
Pestana Kruger Lodge, R570, Malelane Gate. Luxury accommodation, from the apartments you have a nice view over the Crocodile River bordering the KNP. From R900 per person.
Malelane Sun Lodge, R570, Malelane Gate. Luxury accommodation next to the Malelane gate into the Kruger National Park.
It is well situated next to the Crocodile River and close to the most attractive game viewing opportunities in the Kruger National Park.
Its facilities include 9 hole golf course, tennis, swimming pool, restaurant, car park and bar.
It has a high viewing deck onto the Crocodile river, from which one can often see hippos, elephant, crocodiles, antelope and other wildlife. From R800 per person.
Protea Kruger Gate, On the Sabie River at the Kruger Gate. Elegant lodge in front of the Kruger gate situated in the banks of the Sabie river offers good access to the most attractive part of the KNP, apartments are designed as tree huts and are connected by raised wood walkways.
Facilities of the lodge include play area for kids, swimming pool in scenic area, spacious car park, electric security fence, several bars, pool service an enormous park like garden with some kind of wildlife such as green monkeys, springbok, bush babies and occasional visitors such as a rhino and cheetah have been spotted.
Dinnertime is announced with a traditional African drum and it sound like tam-tam and a fabulous display of exquisite South African food is then waiting for you.
You have the choice between a big salad buffet supplemented by barbecued meat.
The service is generally very good and staff is very friendly and charming, nevertheless sometime slow by hectic European/American standards and order can be delivered by piecemeal.
First the scones, 15 minutes later the coffee, 20 minutes later the bill, 20 minutes later collecting the money for the bill, 30 minutes later bringing the change. R1500 per room.
Mvuradona Safari Lodge. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 10:00. Nestled in Marloth Park, on the banks of the Crocodile River and only a few minutes from Crocodile Bridge Gate.
The Lodge has its own population of giraffe, zebra, lion and other wildlife. Game drives into the Kruger National Park as well as scenic tours can be arranged.
The four-star lodge offers Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. All rooms are equipped with aircon and coffee/tea facilities. Accommodation rates from R2000 per night.
Khaya Umdani Kruger, Korhaanlaan 2907, Marloth Park. Located in Marloth Park Conservancy Area, which borders Kruger National Park to the South, this wildlife lodge offers luxury four-star self-catering accommodation for up to ten guests .
Marloth Park is home to a wide variety of African wildlife, including a range of bird species and many different small animals, ranging from Zebra and Warthog, to Giraffe and Kudu.
Animals roam free within the park, and come right up to the lodge's veranda. The Krokodilbrug Kruger National Park gate is less than half an hour's drive from Marloth Park. R3000 per night for the entire lodge.
Many people also prefer to sleep at nearby towns, such as Komatipoort just 8 km from the Crocodile Bridge Gate, Nelspruit (for Numbi Gate) , Malelane (for Numbi Gate), Sabie and Hazyview (for the Phabeni Gate) and Hoedspruit (for the Orpen gate).
All of these have a wealth of accommodation of every standards, are easily accessible for the Park for self drive guests and tours in can be arranged via private tour operators.
Masodini Private Game Lodge, Maroelalaan, Balule Nature Reserve. Ideally situated in the 40.000 hectares Balule Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park.
A Bush lover's paradise within this Big Five Conservation area, the Lodge itself is surrounded by Fever trees and evergreen African date palms creating the perfect oasis.
The lodge overlooks the water hole, is safe and fenced-in, providing protection against unwanted animal intruders.
Masodini is exclusive and intimate, able to provide guests exclusive use of the camp and facilities for up to 12 guests. Ideal for honeymooners, singles or families with children of all ages.
Awesome Game walks, Game drives in open 4x4 Game drive vehicles and wonderful Birding opportunities in and around Masodini with friendly and experienced Nature Guides.
There are many places to visit using Masodini as a base, such as the Kruger National Park, Khamai Reptile Park, Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre, the Cheetah Project, the Panorama Route, local villages and so on. From R750 per night/per person full board incl. tea and coffee.
Mainly located in the north east of the Mpumalanga Province and often share a border with the south-western part of the KNP.
In recent years, most fences between the Kruger National Park and private game parks have been dismantled and animals can freely choose were to go.
Idube Safari Lodge. Idube is a quiet treat nestled in the savanna and is arguably one of the best places in Africa to see the big five up close in the wild.
Idube is a 20 bed boutique hotel offering luxury accommodation, tasty African cuisine and the best of South African hospitality.
Mala Mala. Mala Mala is famous for easily seeing the big five and it has been operated for nearly 40 years. It is often the rest place for celebs and industry tycoons who can afford the hefty price tag that comes with superb service.
Mala Mala is split into three different sites, all of which are booked through the above contact details.
Main Camp is a luxurious place in the middle of Mpumalanga with elegant rooms. Each room has two bathrooms, a telephone and things you would expect in an upper class hotel, but not in the middle of the bush.
Other parts of the hotel demonstrate its history as a hunting camp as was the fashion some time ago by presenting animal skins, heads and massive elephant tusks.
Harry’s Camp is the budget version of Mala Mala and shares the same wildlife experience as the main camp for less money. Facilities include bar, swimming pool and of course a private air-strip.
Kirkman’s Camp is a ex-cattle farm in a colonial style house near the sand river. Decoration reminds the visitor of past times and the reception looks like a exposition of old weapons, animal skins and other hunting trophies.
Facilities include swimming pool, bar and private airstrip.
Sabi Sabi. Sabi Sabi is among the most famous and pricey game lodges around the Kruger National Park. Together with Mala Mala they pioneered private game reserves and this is partly because of their much favoured location near the Sand River as a source of permanent water.
Game viewing is absolutely superb and you stand good chances of seeing many highlights. Bookings for the different lodges should be made through the above contact details. From R5600.
Selati Lodge is a charming place decorated in colonial style from the nineteenth century and has therefore no electricity and receives a maximum of 16 guests in 8 rooms and has bar and pool facilities.
Bush Lodge is located close to a water hole and some of the rooms overlook it. The lodge is tastefully decorated with African art and accommodates 54 guests in chalets and 5 suits. Facilities include bar and pool.
Simbavati River Lodge, Timbavati Private Game Reserve. luxury tented guestrooms and thatched chalets equipped with private game viewing deck, coffee and tea area and toiletries.
Some of its facilities and services are splash pool, lounge and viewing deck. From USD 453.33.
Singita. Constantly wins awards for Best Hotel and Safari.
Ebony Lodge
Boulders Lodge
Lebombo Lodge
Sweni Lodge
Castleton Camp
Central Kruger Park near Hoedspruit - Limpopo province:
Masodini Private Game Lodge – A very cozy and personally managed lodge in Greater Kruger National Park: 40,000 hectares Balule Nature Reserve is integrated directly into Kruger Park. Animals roam free on more than 2.2 million hectares between Mozambique and South Africa.
The lodge is an oasis in BIG FIVE territory, surrounded by Fever trees and evergreen palms in the bush. Children of all ages are very welcome. African style bush chalets, double rooms and loghome rooms await the guests.
The kitchen is legendary and the nights around the campfire will be a long lasting memory. Rates from about 80Euro (850Rand) including full board. Masodini GAME LODGE, Balulue Nature Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa,
Respecting speed limits inside the Kruger National Park is mandatory. Big game is crossing the roads in the park without any warning and an upset elephant is not easy to deal with.
The same applies for rhinos and giraffe bulls. Speed limits are 50km/h on tarred roads and 40km/h on gravel roads.
You must not get out of your car inside the Kruger National Park unless you reach a designated place like viewpoints or between the yellow lines on high water bridges. These are camps, picnic places and designated view points.
You are not allowed to drive at dark through the park, the gates normally close and open in daylight. Please be careful when driving outside the park at night, especially in rural areas.
Firearms must be declared and sealed at the entrance gate.
No pets are permitted in the Kruger National Park.
Do not feed animals for your own safety as well as for the animal well-being.
Kruger National Park and surrounding areas in the eastern part of the country are in a seasonal malaria zone.
Consult a physician regarding appropriate precautions given the time of year you will be travelling.
The most important defenses against malaria are: using DEET-based mosquito repellent; covering your skin, especially around dusk and using mosquito nets while sleeping.
South African pharmacies also offer a wide range of malaria tablets, which you can take a few days prior to arrival in a malaria zone and that are by far cheaper than in other parts of the world.
Pilgrim's Rest and the Blyde River Canyon are often visited in the same trip as Kruger.
Johannesburg, the biggest city south of the Sahara and Pretoria in the Gauteng Province are busy cities of banks and government institutions and are 4 hours drive from the park.
Cape Town is one of the largest cities in South Africa and is in the south-west corner of the country near the Cape of Good Hope.
Cape Town is a stone's throw from South Africa's world-famous Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch and Paarl.
Durban is primarily a holiday/resort city at the Indian Ocean but also boasts South Africa's busiest container port.
Drakensberg, is a massive and spectacular mountain range. Peaks exceed 3000 meters above sea level. Climbing, hiking, wilderness trails, mountain biking, fly fishing, and more.
Lesotho, real Africa right on South Africa's doorstep.
The border crossing into Mozambique within the greater park isn't really practical for overseas visitors. Rental cars are not permitted across the border and there is no transport to or from the border post to speak of.
There are no facilities, apart from customs and immigration, at the border post. The customs, immigration and Mozambique tourism officials at the crossing are busy doing a range of activities, none of which actually involve processing people across the border.
Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders.
The name Limpopo has its etymological origin in the Northern Sotho language word diphororo tsa meetse, meaning strong gushing waterfalls. The capital is Polokwane, formerly called Pietersburg.
The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and was initially named Northern Transvaal.
The following year, it was renamed Northern Province, which remained the name until 2003, when it was formally changed to Limpopo after deliberation by the provincial government and amendment of the South African Constitution. An alternate name considered for the province was Mapungubwe.
Limpopo has the highest level of poverty of any South African province, with 78.9% of the population living below the national poverty line.
In 2011, 74.4% of local dwellings were located in a tribal or traditional area, compared to a national average of 27.1%. The Northern Sotho language is spoken by more than half of Limpopo's population.
The population of Limpopo consists of several ethnic groups distinguished by culture, language and race. 97.3% of the population is Black, 2.4% is White, 0.2% is Coloured, and 0.1% is Indian/Asian.
The province has the smallest percentage and second smallest total number of white South Africans in the country. It also has the highest Black percentage out of all the provinces.
The Northern Sotho people of which the Bapedi are a part make up the largest percentage of the black population, being 52% of the province.
The Tsonga people comprise about 24.0% of the province; the Tsonga also comprise about 11.5% of Mpumalanga province since the southern part of their homeland, Gazankulu, was cut off from Limpopo and allocated to Mpumalanga.
The Venda make up about 16.7%. Afrikaners make up the majority of Limpopo's white population, about 95,000 people; English-speaking whites number just over 20,000.
Vhembe district has the smallest share of white people in Limpopo, about 5,000 total, while the Waterberg district has the largest share of whites, with more than 60,000 whites residing there.
Coloureds and Asians/Indians make up a very small percentage of the province's total population.
Limpopo Province shares international borders with districts and provinces of three countries: Botswana's Central and Kgatleng districts to the west and northwest respectively, Zimbabwe's Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces to the north and northeast respectively, and Mozambique's Gaza Province to the east.
Limpopo is the link between South Africa and countries further afield in sub-Saharan Africa. On its southern edge, from east to west, it shares borders with the South African provinces of Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and North West.
Its border with Gauteng includes that province's Johannesburg-Pretoria axis, the most industrialised metropole on the continent. The province is at the centre of regional, national, and international developing markets.
Limpopo contains much of the Waterberg Biosphere, a massif of approximately 15,000 km2 (5,800 sq mi) which is the first region in the northern part of South Africa to be named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The massif was shaped by hundreds of millions of years of riverine erosion yielding diverse bluff and butte landforms. The Waterberg ecosystem can be characterised as a dry deciduous forest or Bushveld.
Within the Waterberg, archaeological finds date to the Stone Age. Nearby are early evolutionary finds related to the origin of humans.
The current premier of Limpopo Province is Stanley Mathabatha, representing the African National Congress.
Capricorn District
- Blouberg
- Lepele-Nkumpi
- Molemole
- Polokwane
Mopani District
- Ba-Phalaborwa
- Greater Giyani
- Greater Letaba
- Greater Tzaneen
- Maruleng
Sekhukhune District
- Elias Motsoaledi
- Ephraim Mogale
- Fetakgomo/Greater Tubatse
- Makhuduthamaga
Vhembe District
- Makhado
- Musina
- Collins Chabane
- Thulamela
Waterberg District
- Bela-Bela
- Lephalale
- Modimolle/Mookgopong
- Mogalakwena
- Thabazimbi
The province is a typical developing area, exporting primary products and importing manufactured goods and services. It is also one of the poorest regions of South Africa with a big gap between poor and rich residents, especially in rural areas.
However, Limpopo's economy and standard of living have shown great improvement. A recent border shift with Limpopo's wealthier neighbour, Mpumalanga, was effected to try and bring some wealth into the province.
The bushveld is beef cattle country, where extensive ranching operations are often supplemented by controlled hunting. About 80% of South Africa's game hunting industry is found in Limpopo.
Sunflowers, cotton, maize and peanuts are cultivated in the Bela-Bela and Modimolle areas. Modimolle is also known for its table grapes.
Tropical fruit, such as bananas, litchis, pineapples, mangoes and pawpaws, as well as a variety of nuts, are grown in the Tzaneen and Louis Trichardt areas.
Tzaneen is also at the centre of extensive citrus, tea and coffee plantations, and a major forestry industry.
Limpopo's rich mineral deposits include the platinum group metals, iron ore, chromium, high- and middle-grade coking coal, diamonds, antimony, phosphate, and copper, as well as mineral reserves like gold, emeralds, scheelite, magnetite, vermiculite, silicon, and mica.
Commodities such as black granite, corundum, and feldspar are also found. Mining contributes to over a fifth of the provincial economy.
Limpopo has the largest platinum deposit in South Africa.The Waterberg Coalfield, the eastern extension of Botswana's Mmamabula coalfields, is estimated to contain 40% of South Africa's coal reserves.
Xibelani Dance
The xibelani dance is an indigenous dance of the Tsonga women of the Limpopo province in northern South Africa. The name of the dance comes from the native Xitsonga language and it can translate to hitting to the rhythm, for example the concept xi bela ni vunanga.
The name xibelani typically refers to the dance style while the skirt itself is referred to as tinguvu, however the term xibelani is sometimes used to refer to both the dance and the skirt.
The history of the xibelani dance goes way back into the early coastal times of southern Mozambique from the 1400s or earlier when Mozambican tribes were experimenting with musical instruments and particularly wooden instruments and percussion sounds from traditional drums, xylophones, and marimbas.
The indigenous Chopi people became particularly active in this art and are the documented source concerning the early times of this form of music and dance, the timbila which has been registered in the UNESCO heritage archives as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
The dance style in essence requires the dancer to shake the hips in tune with the rhythm but the whole body should be used to guide the movements.
Xibelani dancers usually accompanied the percussion music in addition to hand clapping and whistles. When the mbila or xylophone and swigubu or drum players engaged in an orchestra.
The Tsonga women would follow up with the singing, which was in the form of a call-and-response method, and at intervals the women would take turns to dance in front of the orchestra.
In the xibelani dance the Tsonga women tie a type of African skirt—the xibelani commonly known as tinguvu around their waist and then shake from the waist. The xibelani skirt is designed to make the wearer's hips look bigger, and thereby to emphasize the shaking.
The skirt itself is made from cloth or wool and is customized with a range of colors and designs. The cloth or wool is woven either by hand or by machine and designed in manner that it resembles a skirt.
Modern day xibelani skirts are usually designed for dancing and therefore have a swirl when the hips are shaken. The methodology of its dance style is the typical Caribbean shake, although with a faster rhythm and a more complicated dance routine that is customary for the Tsonga people.
It is customary for Tsonga girls learn the xibelani dance, and it is a way for them to express pride in their cultural heritage.
The xibelani dance is used on occasions such as mkhinyavezo and ku chachula,as well as to accompany other traditional dances such as the makhwaya and mchongolo.
Traditionally women dance the xibelani, while men perform the makhwaya, Xincayinciy or xigubu and on rare occasions participate in the mchongolo.
The Tsonga's perform the xibelani dance to their own distinct music, usually Tsonga disco or Mindzhumbha ya Xitsonga or Xitsonga traditional music and it has become typical for all Tsonga bands to have female xibelani dancers.
The xibelani and tshetsha dances have experienced regained popularity in modern Giyani as the people have embraced their traditional ways.
While the xibelani dance is customary for women, some men now also participate in it, especially when there is a xiseveseve a type of party. In modern society the xibelani dance is regarded as an open dance in which everyone can participate, and it is used both in church as well as in rituals.
Tourism is one of the three pillars of the Limpopo economy along with mining and agribusiness. In 2008, the Province accounted for 5% of all foreign tourist bed nights in South Africa, numbers which are showing strong annual growth.
The R 93 million Provincial tourism budget for 2010/11 represents 11% of Limpopo's total budget.
Near Modjadjiskloof, at Sunland Baobab farms, there is a large Baobab tree which has been fashioned into a rather spacious pub.
The Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism has targeted the province as a preferred eco-tourism destination.
Its Environment and Tourism Programme encompasses tourism, protected areas and community environment development to achieve sustainable economic growth.
While Limpopo is one of South Africa's poorest provinces, it is rich in wildlife, which gives it an edge in attracting tourists. Both the private and public sectors are investing in tourism development.
The Limpopo River rises in central southern Africa, and flows generally eastwards to the Indian Ocean. The term Limpopo is the modified version of the original Sepedi name diphororo tsa meetse, meaning gushing strong waterfalls.
The river is approximately 1,750 kilometres (1,087 mi) long, with a drainage basin 415,000 square kilometres (160,200 sq mi) in size. The mean discharge measured over a year is 170 m3/s (6,200 cu ft/s) at its mouth.
The Limpopo is the second largest river in Africa that drains to the Indian Ocean, after the Zambezi River.
The first European to sight the river was Vasco da Gama, who anchored off its mouth in 1498 and named it Espiritu Santo River. Its lower course was explored by St Vincent Whitshed Erskine in 1868–69, and Captain J F Elton travelled down its middle course in 1870.
The Limpopo River flows in a great arc, first zigzagging north and then north-east, then turning east and finally south-east. It serves as a border for about 640 kilometres (398 mi), separating South Africa to the southeast from Botswana to the northwest and Zimbabwe to the north.
Two of its tributaries, the Marico River and the Crocodile River join, at which point the name changes to Limpopo River. There are several rapids as the river falls off Southern Africa's inland escarpment.
The Notwane River is a major tributary of the Limpopo, rising on the edge of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana and flowing in a north-easterly direction.
The main tributary of the Limpopo, the Olifants River (Elephant River), contributes around 1,233 million m3 of water per year. Other major tributaries include the Shashe River, Mzingwane River, Crocodile River, Mwenezi River and Luvuvhu River.
In the north-eastern corner of South Africa the river borders the Kruger National Park.
The port town of Xai-Xai, Mozambique is on the river near the mouth. Below the Olifants, the river is permanently navigable to the sea, though a sandbar prevents access by large ships except at high tide.
The waters of the Limpopo flow sluggishly, with considerable silt content. Rainfall is seasonal and unreliable: in dry years, the upper parts of the river flow for 40 days or less.
The upper part of the drainage basin, in the Kalahari Desert, is arid but conditions become less arid further downriver. The next reaches drain the Waterberg Massif, a biome of semi-deciduous forest and low-density human population.
About 14 million people live in the Limpopo basin. The fertile lowlands support a denser population. Flooding during the rainy season is an occasional problem in the lower reaches. During February 2000 heavy rainfalls due to a cyclone caused the catastrophic 2000 Mozambique flood.
The highest concentration of hippopotamus in the Limpopo River is found between the Mokolo and the Mogalakwena Rivers.
There is a lot of mining activity in the Limpopo River basin with about 1,900 mines, not counting about 1,700 abandoned mines.
However, there has been human habitation in the region since time immemorial — sites in the Makapans Valley near Mokopane contain Australopithecus fossils from 3.5 million years ago.
St Vincent Whitshed Erskine, later Surveyor General for South Africa, was the first European to travel down the length of the Limpopo river to its mouth in 1868.
A Zambezi shark was caught hundreds of kilometres upriver at the confluence of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers in July 1950. Zambezi sharks tolerate fresh water and can travel far up the Limpopo.
In 2013, approximately 15,000 crocodiles were released into the Limpopo River from flood gates at the nearby Rakwena Crocodile Farm.
The province has excellent road, rail, and air links. The N1 route from Johannesburg, which extends the length of the province, is the busiest overland route in Africa in terms of cross-border trade in raw materials and beneficiated goods.
The port of Durban, South Africa’s busiest, is served directly by the province, as are the ports of Richards Bay and Maputo. Polokwane International Airport is situated just north of Polokwane.
The Department of Education is charged with the responsibility of effecting quality education and training for all. The Department has to coordinate all professional development and support. Policies, systems, and procedures had to be developed.
Educational institutions found in Limpompo
- University of Limpopo (Polokwane, Ga-Rankuwa)
- University of Venda (Thohoyandou)
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Polokwane was one of South Africa's host cities for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with matches being played at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Limpopo has no provincial rugby team of its own; it is represented in the domestic Currie Cup by the Pretoria-based Blue Bulls. The Blue Bulls also operate a Super Rugby franchise, known simply as the Bulls.
Limpopo nonetheless produces its share of top players. Most notably, the two most-capped forwards in the history of the country's national team, John Smit and Victor Matfield, are both natives of Polokwane.
The province is home to Limpopo Pride, a professional team that plays in South Africa's top basketball division, the Basketball National League.
Limpopo has a fairly high incidence of HIV compared to other South African provinces. Cases rose from 14.5% to 21.5% between 2001 and 2005, with a slight fall between 2005 and 2007.
