Kruger Exclusive

The Kruger National Park is – rightly – South Africa’s biggest tourist drawcard, and visiting Kruger is almost a right of passage for South Africans.

But then you’ll hear some people say they don’t want to go to Kruger because ‘it’s too crowded’. And the reason they think it’s crowded is because they never venture further than the main road between Skukuza and Lower Sabie. And, if it’s just animals you’re after, you don’t have to, because the animal density is so high in that section you could stay there forever.

That’s because the park is very cleverly managed. Kruger is huge – just on two million hectares – and SANParks only allows in 7,375 people per day, which makes about three-and-a-half people per square kilometre – not exactly claustrophobic. But, while the animals have access to all two million hectares – except for the actual fenced camps and lodges – visitors are restricted to the camps and the roads. So, if the odd zebra or lion doesn’t feel like seeing people, they can just stay away from the roads. But a huge number of them don’t seem fazed at all, so they sleep on the side of the road – or even in the road.

The advantage is that it is easy to see quite a lot of animals, but the disadvantage is that there may be lots of other people at the same sighting. So, if you want to see animals without a whole lot of other cars around, there are two strategies.

The first – and more affordable – option is to stay in the less popular parts of the park. Head north and/or choose one of the smaller camps, or even a satellite or bushveld camp. And then, when you’re doing your daily drives, stay off the tar and explore the little roads less travelled. You will probably see fewer animals altogether but you will also definitely see fewer people, so your sightings will be more relaxed, and you won’t struggle to get a photo of that lion without someone’s rear view mirror in the pic.

The second – and somewhat pricier – strategy is to go private. Now remember that most of Kruger is just bush, with a long, stretched-out skinny network of access roads. And, as you travel those skinny arterials, you’re bound to come across no-access roads. And some of those no-access roads lead to special little paradises. Of the millions of hectares of bush in Kruger, little more than 100,000 have been set aside as private concessions. And each of these will have one, two or three luxury lodges that offer an exclusive experience for their guests. You’re in Kruger, but you’re nowhere near the crowds – the best of both worlds.

If you opt for one of the private lodges, expect to be pampered and spoiled – gorgeous rooms with stunning décor, spectacular views, private decks, sparkling pools, gourmet food, small-group openvehicle game drives on exclusive-use roads, game walks, and even spa treatments. Most of them operate on the tried and tested game lodge itinerary of early morning coffee, game drive, fabulous brunch, free time for spa treatments, chilling by the pool or napping, then a sumptuous afternoon tea followed by a game drive that segues into sundowners and a night drive before returning for a slap-up dinner.

You could do a luxury overnight walking safari, or a Zeninspired bush meditation. And white-ball addicts can opt for a lodge that offers a morning game drive transfer to the nearby 6 047-metre, par-72, Gary Player-designed Leopard Creek golf course, so you can squeeze in 18 holes before afternoon tea and the evening game drive. And there are some fabulous exclusive-use private villas that you can take over as a group or a family, and enjoy the services of your own private chef and private guide for all your drives and walks.

Really – going to Kruger does not mean you have to rough it.