Kruger National Park is one of the largest national game reserves in all of Africa and is situated in South Africa on the border with Mozambique. It is also one of the largest national parks in the whole world. Today it is part of the giant Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park that includes the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe and the Limpopo National Park of Mozambique.
It hosts many of Africa's most iconic wildlife and it is one of the main international attractions to South Africa. This is ground zero for embarking on a safari in South Africa. One note, South Africa (and all of Africa) is much more than safaris and game parks, be sure to check out the other end of the country as well and see stunning Cape Town and its penguins.
About The Park
- Size: 7,576 Sq Miles Or 19,623 Km (Almost 4 Times The Size Of Delaware)
- Dimensions: 220 Miles Long And 40 Miles Wide
- Date Protected: 1898 (The First Protected By South Africa And First National Park In 1926)
The weather in Kruger National Park is subtropical to tropical while being hot semi-arid. The driest times are September and October with the rainy season commencing at the end of October. The best time to visit Kruger is generally April and September when the temperatures are more pleasant. But you can visit year-round.
Wildlife In Kruger National Park
The national park is filled with wild African animals. In fact, it boasts more species of large mammals than any other African game reserve. The park includes the big five game animals. The big five are not the largest animals but the hardest and most dangerous animals to hunt historically. These are the lion, elephant, Cape Buffalo, leopard, and rhino. Of course, they are not hunted (legally) now but they are the animals often most sought after by tourists.
Kruger is also home to the endangered African wild dog, there are thought to only be around 400 left in all of South Africa.
- 147 Species: Number Of Large Mammal Species In Kruger Nation Park
Some of the numbers of animals in the park according to a 2011 counting are:
- Plains Zebra: 23,700-35,300
- African Buffalo: 37,130
- African Bush Elephant: 13,750 (Note This Is Considered Well Over Populated With Elephants For The Park)
- Giraffe: 6,800-10,300
- Hippo: 3,100
- Black Rhinos: 590-660
- White Rhinos: 10,500
- African Wild Dog: 120
- Nile Crocodile: 4,420
- Lion: 1,620-1720
- Cheetah: 120
But of course, there are many other animals besides these iconic mammals you will see in a Safari to Kruger. There are lesser-known animals that perhaps you never knew existed. There is also an overabundance of birdlife. There are an estimated 517 different species of birds in this park (around half of which are residents).
There are a number of threats to the park, these include the constant problem all over Africa of poaching. But also paradoxically includes overpopulation (including of elephants). Others include urban development, global warming, and droughts. South Africa has many fully armed ranges to protect the park from poachers, and there are often skirmishing and full-out fights. In 2012 for example around 30 poachers were known to have been killed in the fighting.
Safaris In Kruger
Kruger is one of the best places in the world to enjoy a safari. You can stay in the national park in a selection of stunning lodges and other sorts of accommodation. You can choose from private safaris to more affordable group safaris.
Here is an example of one of the more popular and typical of the Safari tour packages:
- Duration: 3 Day Relaxing Kruger Safari
- Transportation: 4X4 Game Drives Through The National Park
- See: The Big 5 Game And Many More (Visit A Waterhole And Watch The Animals Drink)
- Flexible: Customizable And Extendable
- Included: Return Transfers To From Nelspruit To Your Kruger Park Safari Lodge
- Accommodation: 2 Nights Accommodation In A Lodge In The Park
- Food: Breakfast, Lunch, And Dinner
- Fees: Park And Conservation Fees Included
- Price: From $810
Of course, there are many options to choose from with choices of 3, 4, 5, and 6-day safaris and fully customizable safaris. There are lots of options and you can pick the one that works best for you or your group.
In short, if you are going to South Africa be sure to check out the country's largest game park. But don't make your South African adventure solely about safaris. The whole country is stunning and diverse, they don't call it the rainbow nation without reason. Cape Town at the other end of the country is a total must-see and it feels very different from all the other cities in Africa (and it has penguins).