Kruger and Southern Africa

[Jacques Vert]

This is part three of a trilogy of trip reports of our epic 280k Classic Award trip; consisting of the following itinerary:

CFS-SYD-NRT Stop one. After a month in Japan we flew home on a separate paid return ticket.

NRT-PEK Stop two. A taste of China on the way to France.

PEK-LHR-MRS Stop three. Provence, Canal du Midi, Toulouse, Lyon, Madrid and Toledo.

MAD-FCO-DOH-JNB Stop four. A long transit in Rome as last time the Trevi was under scaffolding and the Colosseum was closed. Then a few days in Kruger before flying home again on another paid return ticket.

JNB-(surface sector)-WDH. A few weeks in southern Africa in Feb/March 2017 (still on stop four).

WDH-JNB-LVI. Stop five. A few days at the falls.

LVI-JNB-SYD-CFS. Home at last.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Sounds like an epic adventure!
Cant wait to read more.

 

[Jacques Vert]

The TR on our month in Japan is here: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....hasing-cherry-blossoms-old-friends-75583.html

and the TR on our time in China and Europe: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....photos/provence-canal-du-midi-more-78421.html

 

[Major]

Enjoyed parts 1 & 2. Looking forward to #3

 

[JohnM]

BP scanned, buckling into 1A.

 

[VPS]

Enjoyed parts 1 & 2. Looking forward to #3

ditto for me

 

[Jacques Vert]

Sounds like an epic adventure!
Cant wait to read more.

Enjoyed parts 1 & 2. Looking forward to #3

BP scanned, buckling into 1A.

ditto for me

Welcome aboard. Hot towel and champagne?

 

[drron]

I must be having very similar ideas to you.In Japan at similar times.We did have a cruise on the Rhone booked but have cancelled to do a cruise from Hawaii to Easter Island including the Pitcairn Islands.Then in April we are in Africa-gorillas in Uganda and then another camp in northern South Africa to try and get a bit closer to leopards.
I have enjoyed the other parts of your TR and will definitely be keeping in touch with this one.

 

[Jacques Vert]

We arrived at JNB from DOH at ~1620, a little worse for wear following a number of busy days in Madrid and Rome, not having much sleep, and no shower in the DOH lounge.

It was a little slow passing through immigration but not too bad and then we picked up our hire car at the terminal. A nice i10 with virtually no damage. So far, so good. As I knew I had to drive when we landed (admittedly just to an airport hotel) I went easy on the grog including nothing for the last two hours of the flight.

As it happened, I didn't even get out of the car park before a chap in a police uniform stopped us and accused me of not having stopped at a stop sign. +1 and I disagreed but it was not long before I realised what his game was: having worked in PNG I was in no doubt that he was looking for a cash contribution to his children's education. This was pretty much confirmed when he mentioned that there was an on-the-spot fine.

Given that I had a few drinks on the flight (abeit much earlier in the day), I was very polite but insisted that he had made a mistake. At one stage he suggested that we go to his office and discuss the matter there, to which I replied that I didn't know where the office was but could he give me the address (or something like that). It was about then that he seemed to realise that I wasn't about to offer him cash unless he specifically asked for it.

"Perhaps I can let you off with a warning on this occasion" he said. I thanked him and we drove off. Not a pleasant experience within an hour of arriving in a country for the first time.

Following this I was a little annoyed and missed the sign towards the Protea hotel where we were booked for our first night. It took us another 30-40 minutes to get back to where we should have been but finally we arrived.

The Protea Hotel OR Tambo Airport could do with some extra maintenance but overall not too bad. We didn't want to venture out after dark on our first night in JNB so we had dinner in the hotel restaurant. It was OK but certainly not great and was a little pricey as are most airport hotel restaurants. Best thing was this guy who provided the entertainment and was pretty good.





Next morning we were headed for Kruger but there was a conference scheduled at the hotel and they had organised a welcoming party for the attendees:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Leaving the Protea Hotel the tollway system is a bit confusing and we went around in a bit of a circle but finally got on the right tollway.

While google maps suggests that it is a 4 hour, 20 minute drive to our accommodation inside Kruger at the Berg-en-dahl rest camp, it takes us about 6 and a half hours. While google would calculate on the basis of the 120km/hr speed limit, it doesn't allow for approximately 40km of roadworks where they are widening it from 2 to 4 lanes and have an 80km/hr speed limit. Not that many locals stick to the speed limit but there are lots of police on this road so speed at your own risk.





Secondly, google maps doesn't allow for getting stuck behind the many coal and fuel trucks that struggle up the hills at ~60km/hr, adding significantly to the travel time.




Thirdly, it doesn't allow for the closure of part of the N4 due to tunnel work and the diversion on the northern alignment of the N4.

Some interesting views along the way:

 

[Jacques Vert]

As soon as we entered Kruger we met some of the locals:

 

[Jacques Vert]

We had booked a sunset drive from Berg-en-Dahl for the evening of our arrival, with a 1630 start.

Given the extra two hours drive time as explained above, we arrived at the camp at 1615, just in time to make the drive, but no time to go to our accommodation, unpack or anything else; not even a toilet stop:!:.

Our driver/guide, Max, was very informative and added an extra half hour to the drive to try and find some more animals for us. When we returned to the camp it was just after 2000 and the restaurant takes last orders at 2100. So we decided to go straight to dinner as they were quite busy. We both ordered the Buffalo Pie.



The pie was excellent but wow, there was a hell of a lot of meat in there. By the time I finished I felt like I couldn't eat for weeks. There had been a fair wait for our meals and we finished our dinner at around 2200. Then it was go find our bungalow, unpack the car, and off to sleep so it was around 2300 by the time I tucked in!

OMG.....we have booked the sunrise drive for the next morning and need to be at the meeting point at 0415:shock:

 

[Jacques Vert]

At this point I need to say thanks to Mattg and Cool Cat Phil for their very informative thread: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....safaris-many-more-adventures-south-69214.html And of course all the other threads and posts on Africa and Kruger.

We had been busy booking accommodation and other stuff for the first two sections of our trip and didn't get around to booking Kruger until about three months out. Far too late.

With the guidance of the above thread, we were able to sort out our accommodation. Thanks guys. First we had tried to book via the online Booking system, without success. Secondly, we sent emails to the "contact us" address, without success. Thirdly, we picked up the phone and rang: result all bookings made in a very short time, very easy and very helpful person on the other end of the phone.

So we ended up with 1 night at Berg-en-Dahl, 1 night at Skukuza and 1 night at Pretoriuskop rest camps. We also booked a sunset and a sunrise drive at Berg-en-Dahl, both sunset and sunrise drives at Skukuza, and a night drive at Pretoriuskop. Never let it be said that we don't make full use of our time!

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Re: Kruger and Southern Africanisation

At this point I need to say thanks to Mattg and Cool Cat Phil for their very informative thread: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....safaris-many-more-adventures-south-69214.html And of course all the other threads and posts on Africa and Kruger.

We had been busy booking accommodation and other stuff for the first two sections of our trip and didn't get around to booking Kruger until about three months out. Far too late.

With the guidance of the above thread, we were able to sort out our accommodation. Thanks guys. First we had tried to book via the online Booking system, without success. Secondly, we sent emails to the "contact us" address, without success. Thirdly, we picked up the phone and rang: result all bookings made in a very short time, very easy and very helpful person on the other end of the phone.

So we ended up with 1 night at Berg-en-Dahl, 1 night at Skukuza and 1 night at Pretoriuskop rest camps. We also booked a sunset and a sunrise drive at Berg-en-Dahl, both sunset and sunrise drives at Skukuza, and a night drive at Pretoriuskop. Never let it be said that we don't make full use of our time!

Thrilled to hear that you found the Thread useful although Mattg did all the writing, so he deserves the credit

Yes, booking with SANS parks is a wonderful way to see Kruger, although booking from afar it isn't exactly easy to navigate their website from my experience.

Your observation that the cops are literally everywhere on S.A roads was my observation too, revenue raising in a massive scale.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Re: Kruger and Southern Africanisation

A few more shots as we drive around the southernmost areas of the park:




Water buffalo:




Seeing these guys sitting and waiting is an indication that there has been a kill nearby.






And once the predator(s) (lion, leopard, etc) have finished their meal, and the hyenas have their fill, the vultures move in to strip the rest of the meat from the bones.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Re: Kruger and Southern Africanisation

One thing that you may have noticed in these photos is how dry the park is. We had chosen this time of year as some of our research suggested that at the end of the dry season the grass is lower and it is easier to spot the animals, whereas in the wet season there are more baby animals around but it is more difficult to see them.

However, our guides told us that there hasn't been any decent rain for 3 to 4 years and the situation is becoming desperate, especially for the water animals (buffalo, hippos, etc.).

This guy found himself a spot but must be hoping it rains soon.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Re: Kruger and Southern Africanisation

Of course any remaining water is in high demand:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Re: Kruger and Southern Africanisation

Fortunately there are a few areas that still have some food:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Re: Kruger and Southern Africanisation

One of the rivers has a weir that holds back enough water to keep a few animals happy:







And the Sabie River still has some water.




And there is a picnic spot here where you are allowed to get out of your car (at your own risk of course).

 

[Jacques Vert]

Re: Kruger and Southern Africanisation

On one of our drives our guide spotted some fresh tracks and decided to investigate:




He then drove a little further to catch up with these guys: