The most protected objects of nature in the Kruger Park. kruger national park in south africa

national park Kruger is perhaps the most famous and visited park in and one of the largest nature reserves, which are in the world. Kruger National Park is known for its vast territory and the habitat of the famous "big five" animals: lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo. The length of the Kruger Park from north to south is about 350 km, its width is about 60 km, and the total area of ​​​​the park is 2,000,000 hectares, which is approximately the size of Israel.

From the history of the Kruger Park

The first Europeans to come to this territory were the Dutch, led by Francos de Cooper, who was heading to the East to explore India. The newcomers were not welcomed by the local population, but over time hundreds of Europeans flocked here, attracted by stories about gold, valuable furs and ivory.

The first two factors could not but affect the population in this region. Concerned about the current situation last president Transvaal P. Kruger convinced Parliament to declare this area a National Park. Thus in 1898 was founded Kruger National Park. Paul Kruger considered his task to be the preservation of flora and fauna, which were located between the Sabi and Krokodilova rivers. In the Charter of the Kruger Park, its creators proclaimed "The park belongs to the people." For visits, the national park was opened only after more than 20 years.

What is interesting about Kruger National Park

Kruger Park is an excellent example of how it is possible and necessary to live in good neighborly relations with nature. About 3,500 people are constantly employed in the park, whose duties include taking care of the well-being of the inhabitants of the park and serving its visitors. And there are a lot of visitors in the Kruger National Park. For them, campsites and parking lots of various levels of comfort, including 5 *, are equipped on the territory of the park.

In addition, there are several private camps here, some of which are among the best in the world. Perhaps the most convenient for tourists will be the Sabie-Sabie Game Reserve, which features three types of lodges: classic in hunting style, colonial and ultra-modern, similar to a steel and glass bunker.

There is an airport, car rental, gas stations, a hospital, a post office, shops, a restaurant and even a library. High-quality roads are laid throughout the park, traveling along which you can enjoy beautiful natural species and also see great amount representatives of the animal world.

The wildlife of the Kruger National Park is extremely rich. 147 species of animals live here total strength about 250,000. The park is especially proud of the representatives of the "big five": rhinos (2,800), (8,000), (800), lions (2,000), buffaloes (15,000). In addition, the park is home to many species of fish (50), amphibians (33), birds (507) and reptiles (114).

In addition to a simple inspection of the territory in the Kruger National Park for tourists, there are interesting hiking trails. There are beautiful waterfalls in the Pilgrim’s Rest area, in addition, the Blyde River Canyon, which is considered the third largest in the world, and the Robbers Pass are very interesting.

The park also houses the ancient city of gold miners Pilgrim's Rest. On the territory belonging to the Kruger National Park, numerous traces of ancient settlements, many, rock paintings of the Stone Age have been discovered that will appeal to lovers ancient history. The best time to visit Kruger National Park is from May to September, when there is no rain.

Kruger National Park ( the Kruger national park ) is the largest and most famous nature reserve- lies within the northern provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. In December 2002, the Kruger Park, together with the Gonarejo National Park ( Gonarezhou National Park) in Zimbabwe and Limpopo National Park ( Limpopo National Park) in Mozambique became part of the Great Limpopo Transboundary Park ( the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park) - a new form of organization of protected areas.

Almost 2 million hectares of land stretching for 352 kilometers - the Kruger National Park is larger in area than the state. The biodiversity of the park, as well as the number of animals, are almost unparalleled in the world. This is the land of baobabs, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, zebras, lions, leopards and cheetahs, as well as representatives of another 137 species of mammals and 500 species of birds - this is far from a complete picture. wildlife southern part of the African continent represented in the national park. Unusual granite hills, like the tip of a spear, beautifully diversify the flat landscape of the acacia savannah or bushveld in the south, the Lebombo mountains rise beyond the expanses of the savannah in the east, and tropical forests rage in the far north. Not surprisingly, the Kruger Park is one of the best reserves in Africa and is also a benchmark in organizing a safari.

The park is conditionally divided into four districts.

In the central part of the park ( Kruger Park) is home to almost half of the park population of predators - lions, leopards, hyenas and cheetahs, as well as herds of antelopes, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras and wildebeests. The area is ideal for a classic African safari.

The extreme northern part of the park ( Kruger‘ s Far North region) is best suited for observing rare birds, tropical fish in warm river water, walks and picnics in the sandy floodplains. This part of the park gives unique opportunity feel at one with nature.

northern region ( the Northern Kruger Park region) is the driest. However, five rivers cut their way through this great dry land, creating narrow corridors of trees that grow along the riverbeds. Letaba Rivers ( Letaba) and Olifants ( Olifants) are home to most of the hippos living in the park. And on the banks of any of the local rivers you can see large herds of elephants.

South side of the park the Southern Kruger Park region) is the most mountainous. Here is the Lebombo mountain range ( the Lebombo Mountains), in the valleys of which grow trees that are rarely found elsewhere in the park - Cape calodendrum, rock fig, coral and lavender trees. Here, leopards feel comfortable in the rocks, and in the valley of the Mbyamiti River ( Mbyamiti River) herds of antelopes, giraffes, buffaloes and zebras graze. There is a high probability of meeting a white rhinoceros and an elephant, and the absence of lions is compensated by a large number of cheetahs and hyenas.

In general, it should be recognized that the Kruger Park has created ideal conditions for any type of safari - classic, romantic, family, and even night and premium safari. The palette of entertainment is huge - from traditional hiking to flying on balloons, horseback riding, spa treatments and golf. An extensive network of roads and a well-developed infrastructure allow you to travel and explore the park on your own. At the same time, the park offers a huge number of organized activities in the wild, as well as a wide range of accommodation options. The only downside is that this leads to a large influx of tourists throughout the year and means that sometimes you have to wait in line for the desired entertainment.

Kruger National Park: How to get there

Closest to Kruger National Park international Airport located at Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport. To get to the park, you need to go from the international terminal at Johannesburg Airport to the domestic terminal. From here you can take a flight to one of the three settlements, located near the boundaries of the park, - Hoodspruit ( Hoedspruit), Falaborwa ( Phalaborwa) or Skukuza ( Skukuza).

Planes fly to Hoedsprut three times a day - at 10.15, 12.15 and 12.20. Flight time - from 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes. Ticket prices range from 140 USD. Hoodspruit lies 111 km from the central gate of the park, a taxi will take you in 2 hours, the trip will cost 85-110 USD.

There are two flights from Johannesburg to Phalaborwa - at 11.45 and 15.30. Moreover, the first flight is carried out daily, and the second - only from Monday to Friday. Flight time - 1 hour 10 minutes, ticket price - from 130 USD. From Falaborwa to the north gate of Kruger Park - about 38 km, a taxi will cost from 30 to 40 USD, the trip will take about an hour.

There are two flights to Skukuza daily - at 10.00 and at 13.20. Travel time - 50 minutes, ticket price - from 110 USD. Skukuza is located right on the border of the southern part of the Kruger Park. Here you can rent a car and continue your journey. The cost of car rental in Skukuz is from 23 USD per day.

The cost of car rental at Johannesburg Airport fluctuates in similar limits - from 25 USD per day. If you are going to travel on your own, then you have to cover a distance of about 520 km, which can take up to 6.5 hours, fuel will cost 50-75 USD.

Kruger National Park: Life Hacks

Kruger Park is open to the public all year round. However, consideration should be given to local climate. summer months(October to April) hot with frequent heavy showers. Winters are warm and mild, although visitors participating in nighttime activities will need warm clothing.

The cost of a daily stay in the park is 304 South African rand (23.5 USD) for adults and 152 rand (12 USD) for children. Since the cultural program of the Kruger National Park throughout the year is extremely extensive, and the park itself is huge, it is worth planning your own program of stay in advance. To do this, on the official website of the South African National Parks, by entering the name of the park in the search box the Kruger National Park, and selecting the Prices and Fees section ( Rates & Fees), subsection "Tariffs" ( Tariffs), you can get acquainted with a long list of tours and activities, their cost and time. There you can choose any camp or campsite and get detailed information about working hours, living conditions and prices.

To ensure a pleasant and successful trip, it is important to strictly adhere to some rules:

- Feeding or disturbing wild animals is a serious crime in the national park! And remember, animals treat garbage as food!

— No live animals (domestic or wild) can be brought in or taken out of the park;

— No finds of natural origin or any object of living or inanimate nature also cannot be removed from the territory of the National Park;

- Visitors must remain in their vehicles unless they are in a designated area;

- Remember that no part of the body may protrude from the window, sunroof or any other part of the vehicle. Vehicle doors must be kept closed at all times;

- Adhere to the speed limit, which is 50 km/h on paved roads and 40 km/h on gravel roads;

– Overnight visitors are allowed to stay only in specially designated places;

- Vehicles with a carrying capacity of more than 4,000 kg, buses or any vehicles with more than 25 seats are allowed to travel only on paved roads;

- From 21:30 to 06:00 there is a strict noise limit. The use of cell phones is only allowed in the camps, at the entrance gates and in emergencies.

- It is forbidden to use roller skates, skateboards, bicycles and motorcycles.

- Kruger National Park - malaria zone. It is necessary to get vaccinated in advance.

Kruger National Park is the very first natural protected area in South Africa. The national park was founded in 1926. It is located in the south of the African continent, in the northeastern part of South Africa. The park bears the name of the country's president, Paul Krueger, who fought for the rights of the Boers and the sovereignty of the Transvaal.

The length of the park from north to south is 340 km, from west to east - 60 km. total area– 18,989 sq. km. More than 1,300,000 people visit the Kruger National Park every year.

Kruger Park is located between the Limpopo and Crocodile rivers. The eastern border of the park area runs along the border with Mozambique. Inside the park is divided into 3 parts: northern, central and southern. The Kruger National Park is part of the large international reserve Greater Limpopo Transboundary Park, which also includes protected natural areas Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Prices

AT national park Kruger, there are 3 main tariffs for visiting the territory. Payment is made in local currency - the South African rand.

• For citizens of South Africa: 93/47 rand (adult/child).
• For citizens of SADC (Southern African Development Community) countries: ZAR 186/93.
• For foreign visitors: 372/186 rand.

The price is per day visit.

Flora and fauna

The predominant landscape of the park is savannah: woodlands, cereal fields, deciduous forests. The Lebombo mountain range runs along the border with Mozambique. The highest point of the park is 839 meters, the average height is 260-440 meters above sea level. According to natural differences, it is customary to divide the park into 5 zones:

• Zone 1. The northern part of the park from the Elefantes River to Limpopo. This is the driest area of ​​the Kruger Park. The vegetation here is dominated by mopane trees, which are able to twist their leaves in order to wait out the drought. Mopane leaves serve as food for elephants and antelopes.
• Zone 2. The territory is located south of the Elephantes River. Here more high level precipitation. Acacias and succulent herbs predominate. Therefore, zone 2 is a habitat for gregarious ungulate mammals.
• Zone 3. This area occupies the most large area park - between the rivers Umgvenya and Elefantes, west of the acacia groves. The most numerous plant here is the red shrub willow. Antelopes predominate among animals.
• Zone 4. This is a humid zone between the Umgwenya and Sabi rivers, where a wide variety of herbaceous plants and large trees: from Central Asian pears to giant plane trees.
• Zone 5. The smallest zone is located in the northern part of the national park. It is located in a valley between the Limpopo and Luvuvu rivers. Most of the territory is occupied by tropical forest large trees, including baobabs.

The central part of the park is recognized as the territory with the highest concentration of wild animals in the world. Hippos live in the rivers Nile crocodiles. In the savanna there are 17 species of antelopes, giraffes, warthogs, zebras, cheetahs, jackals, big-eared foxes. Of the primates, there are green monkeys and baboons.

All the African Big Five animals are found in the park: lions, buffaloes, leopards, elephants and rhinos.

The Park Authority reports the following figures: 12,000 elephants, 5,000 rhinos ( total number black and white), 1.5 thousand lions, 1 thousand leopards, 2.5 thousand buffaloes. The territory is home to 51 species of snakes, including tree pythons dangerous to humans, spitting cobra, black mamba.

The Kruger Park is home to over 400 species of birds, including several species of eagles, vultures, guinea fowls and exotic birds such as Toko. Best birdwatching camps: Shingwedzi, Lower Sabi.

It is recommended to visit the park for observing animals and birds from March to October, during the dry season. At this time, the trees shed their leaves, which makes it easier to observe.

Infrastructure

It is customary to visit Kruger Park for several days. You can stop at one of the 30 equipped parking lots. Most popular with tourists southern part parka. There are not only comfortable campsites and loggias, but also shops, restaurants and even Gas station. Especially famous is the Lower Sabie camp, which is located in the place of the night watering place for elephants.

There are also campsites in the central part, the most popular of which is Lebata. Here is the Elephant Museum, which exhibits a collection of skulls and tusks. Lives in the central part the largest number herbivores and those who hunt them wild cats. Parking lots and cafes with outdoor terraces are equipped at the watering places.

On the official website of the Kruger National Park, there is the possibility of online booking of accommodation. Accommodation in the park will cost from 89 rand for the most budget accommodation. Accommodation in tents is offered at a minimum cost. AT high season(from March to October) it is recommended to book places in advance. All campsites are equipped with toilets and showers. The 5-star lodges feature gourmet restaurants, swimming pools and golf courses.

There is even an Avis rental office on the territory of the park. It is located in Skukuza Lodge. Allowed as independent trips through the park, as well as guided tours. The cost of a day group tour starts from 198 rand.

Attractions and entertainment

In addition to getting to know the wild inhabitants of the African continent, in the park you can get acquainted with the cultural and historical heritage of the region or engage in active forms of tourism. The most popular attractions:

• Rock paintings of the Bushmen tribe
• Sites of the Iron Age
• elephant museum
• Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library

Trekking enthusiasts can go on a guided hiking tour along one of the equipped trails (there are 7 in total). A list of hiking trails with a description is available on the official website of the Kruger Park in Africa. If you are afraid of hiking, then you can choose adventure tours on SUVs, bike rides or golf tours.

How to get to Kruger Park in South Africa

The park can be accessed through one of the 9 gates. All gates are open from 06:00 to 17:30/18:00 from April to September and from 05:30 to 18:00/18:30 from October to March. The exact opening time of the gate is published on. Inside the park, the roads are excellent, but outside of it, there are problematic sections on the way to the park, depending on the place of your departure.

There are 3 airports near the park:

• Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport. It receives flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town. The distance to the nearest gates of the park is 40 km. There are car rental offices at the airport, it is also possible to order a transfer in the national park.
• Malelane Regional Airport domestic airport. The air harbor accepts private flights. The airport is located at the Malelane Gate.
• Phalaborwa airport. A small airport located 2 km from Phalaborwa gate receives flights from Johannesburg twice a day. This airport is chosen by tourists who book accommodation in the northern part of the park. You can also rent a car here.

Panoramic view of the campsite

Video from Kruger National Park

The Kruger National Park is the "flagship" of the South African reserves, representing an impressive variety of plant and animal life forms - these are 336 species of trees, 49 species of fish, 34 - amphibians, 114 - reptiles, 507 species of birds and 147 species of mammals. There is also a protected area. International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere"), protected by UNESCO as a place of the most harmonious relationship between man and nature, which are immortalized in the rock art of the Bushmen and unique archaeological sites x such as Masorini and Thulamela. These treasures represent people, cultures and events that have played an important role in the history of the Park and the country.

Kruger National Park dates back to 1898 when, at the insistence of President Paul Kruger, the area between the Sabie and Crocodile Rivers was taken under state protection for the survival of the remaining animals, since their populations were critically reduced due to uncontrolled hunting. In 1902 James Stevenson-Hamilton was appointed the first ranger of the reserve - the Park Memorial Library was named after him, where you can find a lot of interesting evidence of the early days of this amazing place. In 1927 The park was first opened to the public in 2002. was marked by the union of the Kruger Park with the National Parks of Mozambique and Zimbabwe and the formation of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

The park is located in the subtropical zone with humid and hot summers, when the thermometer rises above 38 ° C and dry warm winter. The rainy season lasts here from September to May. best time to visit the Park is considered winter, because the grass is low, and the bushes and trees do not have a lush crown of leaves, which does not obstruct the view. Due to the lack of rain, the animals come to the watering holes in the morning and evening, and they can be easily seen even from the car. In addition, during this period, the risk of contracting malaria decreases.

Of course, the main attraction of the Park is its rich flora and fauna. This is 3000 hippos and the same number of crocodiles living in rivers, the water in which does not dry up all year round. On land, the most common animals are antelopes - more than 90,000 specimens. 30,000 zebras and 15,000 bison create turmoil in the wide expanses of the savannah. 5,000 giraffes, 8,000 elephants and 300 rhinos keep them company. Predatory cats - 1,500 lions, 900 leopards and 300 cheetahs- are also an integral part of a unique ecosystem. The "small five" include the leopard tortoise, rhinoceros beetle, shrew, ant lion and buffalo weaver bird. Ornithologists will be interested in the hornbill, bustard, vulture, eagle, fishing owls and storks. In the vegetable kingdom, the most famous and impressive species are the giant baobabs. The cultural heritage of the Park is no less diverse - these are 254 archaeological sites, including sites of prehistoric people (100,000-500,000 years ago), artifacts of the Stone Age (30,000 - 100,000 years ago) and Iron Ages (about 1500 years ago). The most interesting man-made monuments include the Elephant Museum (Letaba Elephant Museum), Jock of the Bushveld Route, Albasini Ruins (a trading station built in the 19th century by the famous Portuguese merchant Joao Albasini), Maserini Ruins (a settlement of the late Iron Age period), the Memorial Library Stevenson Hamilton Memorial Library and Thulamela (late-late settlement) Iron Age, whose culture dates back to the famous civilization of the Mapungubwe kingdom).

And yet, museums and ancient cities are just an addition to what attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world - the amazing and mysterious wildlife of Africa. Touching it for a couple of hours or becoming part of it for a few days will help you:

• morning safaris on 10- and 20-seater SUVs with departure at 4.30 in summer and 5.30 in winter (or shorter 2-hour safaris with departure at 9.00), 3-4-hour sunset safaris with departure at 16.00 (or night 2-hour from departure 2 hours after the park closes - only available at some camps). The cost of morning and evening safaris is 115 rand, night safaris are 100 rand. All safaris are led by experienced guides;
• 2-4 hour walking safaris led by a specially trained guide with small arms in groups up to 8 people. Here you can follow the movement of a lion, a rhinoceros or an elephant. Stops are made from time to time to admire the virgin beauty of the savannah. Children under 12 are not allowed. The cost is 175-220 rand;
• "desert safari" - hiking tours by a group of up to 8 people in the areas of the virgin territory of the park under the protection of armed and well-trained rangers, who both protect and discover the wonders of Africa's wildlife to the uninitiated. Duration 4 days and 3 nights. Overnight in 2-person huts. Showers and cooking facilities are available;
• "4x4 safari" - travel on special off-road vehicles that cause minimal harm to nature. Special itineraries are designed to bring guests as close as possible to different corners The park and its unforgettable fauna. The park has a limit - only 6 cars per day, so you need to order such tours in advance. The cost is around R460 per car regardless of the number of people.

If you are traveling through the Park on your own, then movement is allowed from dawn to dusk. After dark, you must stay in one of the camps. The number of vehicles entering the Park daily is limited, so if the threshold is exceeded, only visitors with pre-booked tours will enter the Park. Visitors to any park in South Africa must pay a certain fee ("conservation fee") for each day spent in the reserve. From 01/09/2009 to 31/10/2010 in Kruger Park for foreigners the following rates apply - 160 rand per day for an adult and 80 rand for a child (2-12 years old). In addition, foreigners can purchase a special card that gives them the right to visit any nature reserves in the country. The cost of such a card for 1 year is 940 rand (for 1 person), 1640 rand for two and 2210 rand for a family (2 adults and children under 18).

Remember that animals such as snakes, bats, scorpions, spiders, rats, mice and various insects are an integral part of ecosystems of the Kruger Park and may be in the camp, attracted by the electric lights and the smells of food that tourists often bring with them and leave around. Therefore, if you need to go out somewhere at night, do not do it without a flashlight. If she snuck into your apartment bat- cover it with a towel and take it outside, or call the staff. Monkeys, baboons and tamed antelopes are happy to go out to people, but remember that feeding them, you sign their death warrant, because over time they become completely dependent on such a source of food and aggressive, which forces them to be destroyed.

"Kruger" is located quite far from the major cities of South Africa. The nearest of them - Johannesburg - at a distance of over 400 km. However, this is no reason to be upset! Just like in New Zealand, people go to South Africa mainly for one purpose - to enjoy the beauty of nature and see animal world, so it is almost impossible for an independent traveler to do here without renting a car. And once you have a car, then the issue can be considered resolved. The roads here are excellent and you can easily get here in just a few hours.

The territory of the park is huge. Kruger is one of the largest national parks in the world with an area of ​​about 20,000 (!) sq. km. A week is not enough to drive around it completely. However, I had been traveling in South Africa for a month now, and my trip was coming to an end, so I had only a day to inspect the Kruger. “What living creatures can be seen in a day in such a huge reserve?” - you ask. As it turned out, almost all the animals that South Africa is so famous for!

There are several entry points to the Kruger. The distance between them is hundreds of kilometers, so the day before it was necessary to decide in advance where to go. To visit the park, I chose one of the most recommended entrances by other travelers - the so-called Crocodile Bridge. The opening hours of the park are from 6 am to 6 pm (depending on the season, the time may vary slightly).

The best chances to see the animals are in the early morning and an hour or two before sunset, so at 6 am I was already standing in front of the gate. According to the rules established here, you can freely drive around the territory in your car, but strictly on roads that are not allowed to turn off. There are many country roads here, so getting to any part of the park is not a problem.

The only thing you can't do is get out of the car. It is understandable - no one wants to be responsible if suddenly one of the locals decides to try you for breakfast. Time was not long in coming. Ten minutes later I saw the first inhabitants of the park!

Soon the sun rose, and an endless savanna opened up to my gaze, on which here and there huge herds of antelope grazed.

After a while, I realized that I was not the only one watching the antelopes ...

I sat in ambush for a long time, watching what was happening, but the attack was so fast and swift that even with speed mode the cameras on the frames turned out to be only blurry silhouettes of a cheetah and its victims. The fate of the antelope was decided in a matter of seconds...

Meanwhile, the elephants and baby elephants were returning from the bank of the river. They first bathe and then shower themselves with columns of dust to protect themselves from the sun and insects.

There are a lot of elephants in the Kruger, so I met them on my way more than once or twice. However, like giraffes and antelopes. Whom I was looking for long and hard, but still I saw in the afternoon - these are rhinos!

On the savannah in the thick grass here and there, in some places the merry fellow Pumbaa and his friends ran. There was no shortage of zebras in the Kruger either!

The lions did not fare well that day. Here when you get there. But still, I managed to see a lioness very close, literally at a distance of several meters, resting from the heat in the shade of trees. But cheetahs and elephants, as they say, climbed right under the wheels. To see a cheetah so close is, by the way, a great success.

Hippos with crocodiles, escaping from the heat, sat in the river all day, practically not sticking out. Only the nostrils and eyes protruded. Only in the evening they decided to warm up a little and swim.

In the park, you can also meet baboons, water buffaloes, birds of prey, etc.
From the photo it may seem that the animals there are just teeming with swarms. In fact, this is not entirely true - after all, the territory is huge, and the animals do not sit there in enclosures, like in a zoo. The more joyful is the moment when you manage to get close to them! But you need to be prepared for the fact that you may simply not be lucky to see all the animals in one day.

Returning to the hotel in the evening, I met a couple from Canada who paid a lot of money to the tour guide in a special car with a high body, but the guys came back with almost nothing. At the same time, on the same day, I saw all those animals for which I traveled here to distant lands. Maybe because he rushed like crazy around the territory all day without lunch until the very closing?

Some practical information for those who travel alone:

1. Car rental in South Africa is quite cheap. It is more profitable to rent online at once for the entire duration of your trip. A new subcompact car with almost zero mileage cost me about $20 a day. Moreover, I did not book anything in advance, but found the car via the Internet upon arrival.

2. There are so-called lodges (hotels) on the territory of the park. The prices in them - both for excursions in the park, and for accommodation and meals - are simply dray. I recommend staying in a town located 8 km from the Crocodile Bridge, but already outside the park. There is a huge selection of accommodation for every taste and budget, as well as a gas station, a supermarket, etc. The prices there are much lower than for housing in the park. For example, I paid only $15 for a private room, because at that moment there was practically no room in the hostel.

3. Go to the park by 6 am, and preferably half an hour earlier - you will have more chances and time to see the animals. An hour or two after the opening, tourists begin to arrive in the park, as well as independent travelers who have stopped for the night in another city located 100 km from the park.

4. Until recently, to see wild animals in the Kruger or other places in Africa, tourists relied solely on chance and on the experience of guides. By the way, I also hoped only for luck. However, now everything has become much easier! And all thanks to one 15-year-old South African boy who became famous all over the world for creating a smartphone application that allows lucky people who see wild animals to immediately report it to other users, indicating the coordinates. Thus, your chances of success are greatly increased!

5. Daily entrance ticket will cost only $23, for children under 12 years old there is a 50% discount. You don't have to pay for a car. Visiting the park on your own by car is much more profitable than those tours that are offered in hotels outside the park. A seat in a tall open jeep will cost you $90 on top of the cost of the entrance ticket to the park itself. The benefits of riding in an open jeep are dubious - a whole day in the heat without air conditioning. And even though I had a small low-seat passenger car and there was no guide, I was very pleased with what I saw! What do you wish!

By the way, Africa is the only country in the world where slavery has not been abolished. You can see how people live in Mauritania on the website of the club "My Planet".

Alexander Khimushin

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