1st timer to SA, need advice for Kruger
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Good luck not paying park fees. If you land at SKZ you are by definition entering the park, and the drive to Paul Kruger Gate will be a a game drive, even if you keep your eyes firmly shut.
It is just possible that the Protea may have cut a deal with SANParks for transfer guests, but I doubt it. The vast majority of pax flying to SKZ will be staying somewhere in Kruger, only a very tiny number will be heading straight out of the park. Those staying at lodges outside the KNP boundaries will, if not arriving by road, most likely fly to MQP, HDS or PHW. The hotel shuttle is no doubt primarily geared to serving those airports.
Johan
#17
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
But, better to check.
#18
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
I'd suggest flying via Nelspruit (MQP) if you're staying outside KNP. That being said I don't suggest staying outside KNP. For all the reasons given above, and Proteas are not that nice properties. Don't let for ed loyalty lead you to a poor itinerary
#19
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 6,900
There are multiple opinions on this subject. I personally would suggest to stay outside of Kruger if you are cost conscious and want to do more than just game drives, like go to Panorama Route, go hiking, do scenic flights on motorized hand glider and so on.
#20
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Economy, mostly :(
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 7,801
I think the SANParks run camps around Skukuza are pretty cost friendly...
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
That should be an option of last resort.
If nothing else, the whole rigmarole of entering the park is a pain in the behind, especially early morning when queues are long.
Spend the desired number of days in the KNP, and schedule other activities (Panorama route, etc.) before or after.
Johan
If nothing else, the whole rigmarole of entering the park is a pain in the behind, especially early morning when queues are long.
Spend the desired number of days in the KNP, and schedule other activities (Panorama route, etc.) before or after.
Johan
#23
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: OSL | TRF
Programs: QR Privilege Club
Posts: 4
That should be an option of last resort.
If nothing else, the whole rigmarole of entering the park is a pain in the behind, especially early morning when queues are long.
Spend the desired number of days in the KNP, and schedule other activities (Panorama route, etc.) before or after.
Johan
If nothing else, the whole rigmarole of entering the park is a pain in the behind, especially early morning when queues are long.
Spend the desired number of days in the KNP, and schedule other activities (Panorama route, etc.) before or after.
Johan
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
For those who know Kruger really well, the self-drive experience can be just as rewarding, and far more varied and diverse.
Johan
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Bear in mind that the weather, especially rainfall, has a marked effect on game viewing. Given that February falls in the rainy season, game viewing could well be impacted. The Sabi River attracts a lot of thirsty animals, except when there are puddles everywhere.
One advantage of Lower Sabie is that the road network in the area is good. You can head out in three main directions, and then go off on any number of tangents.
Downsides are the size of the camp itself, and the amount of vehicle traffic in the area.
Johan
#27
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 635
Towards Tshokwane, look out for herds (e.g. buffalo and plains animals) and cheetah. Lion prides will follow the buffallo as far as they can on their territories. Wild dog have been seen a lot on the H1-3 near Tshokwane recently too. Towards Crocodile Bridge, again cheetah, zebra, giraffe, rhino. Wild dogs near Crocodile Bridge. Leopard are most likely to be spotted along the riverine thicket. Look in the tall leadwood trees and at each stream/river valley along the river banks, as in stop the car and use binos to look around. Lion are everywhere in that area, there have been hunts witnessed from the deck in the last year, and a few prides have got quite big. Look in the Sabie river bed for them lying on the sand banks, but they can be anywhere.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Yes, for sure, hard to miss those along the H10, assuming they are there. That's not always the case.
The plains below the Nkumbe lookout can be chock-a-block with game, but on other occasions there is nary an animal to be seen. Rainfall definitely plays a role, as does the seasonal movement of wildebeeste and zebras up and down the eastern (basalt) side of the park between Croc Bridge (winter) and the Olifants River (summer). Yet another factor is the drought cycle, which causes dramatic fluctuations in the number of buffalo.
Yes they do, but . . . . it all depends!
Individual lion prides have different prey preferences, depending on availability, pride size and strength (= number of males), etc. etc.
In the southern Timbavati, an area with which I'm intimately familiar, the lion prides have a very strong predilection for buffalo, to the point where it is most unusual to see them feeding on anything else. And yes, they do follow buffalo herds, but it doesn't follow that they are constantly on their heels. For starters, they will stay put when they have a kill, for up to several days or maybe even a week. Even when they do follow a herd, they can easily do so by listening. Lions have an acute sense of hearing, they will know exactly where big buffalo herds are even when several kilometers away. Finally, when they do get close to a buffalo herd, they have every incentive to stay out of sight.
So . . . don't expect to see a pride of lions casually strolling right along with every buffalo herd you encounter.
Johan
The plains below the Nkumbe lookout can be chock-a-block with game, but on other occasions there is nary an animal to be seen. Rainfall definitely plays a role, as does the seasonal movement of wildebeeste and zebras up and down the eastern (basalt) side of the park between Croc Bridge (winter) and the Olifants River (summer). Yet another factor is the drought cycle, which causes dramatic fluctuations in the number of buffalo.
Individual lion prides have different prey preferences, depending on availability, pride size and strength (= number of males), etc. etc.
In the southern Timbavati, an area with which I'm intimately familiar, the lion prides have a very strong predilection for buffalo, to the point where it is most unusual to see them feeding on anything else. And yes, they do follow buffalo herds, but it doesn't follow that they are constantly on their heels. For starters, they will stay put when they have a kill, for up to several days or maybe even a week. Even when they do follow a herd, they can easily do so by listening. Lions have an acute sense of hearing, they will know exactly where big buffalo herds are even when several kilometers away. Finally, when they do get close to a buffalo herd, they have every incentive to stay out of sight.
So . . . don't expect to see a pride of lions casually strolling right along with every buffalo herd you encounter.
Johan