The one thing about the Kruger National Park is that it’s almost always hot. Going on a Kruger Park Safari you are met with high humidity and a lot of insects. But don’t let this put you off. The Kruger National Park is by far the best National Park in South Africa, just come well prepared with insect repellent.
The first night
During our first night at the Kruger Park, Marcel and I slept in one of the park’s huts. Usually we camp, but Marcel sustained a back injury just before we came on our safari and rather than cancelling, he was determined to come. It was extremely hot during the day, but by five o’clock that afternoon the clouds came rolling in. You could just smell the rain in the air. I love thunderstorms. So powerful and overwhelming, there was a certain electricity in the air, a taste of what’s to come. Marcel is a photographer, so when the lightning started in the far distance, he took out his camera.
The contrasts in colours were something else, lush green nature meeting a dark grey thundering sky. After about half an hour we took sanctuary in our hut. With the bottom half of the door open we sat on the bed, simply enjoying the fresh cool air blowing in.
Even though thunder is scary, the voice of God as some would call it, I find it soothing. Obviously not when the lightning strikes right at your side, but when you hear the rumbling thunder in the distance, muffled rain falling on the roof as in the hut’s case it was thatch. It is then that you experience certain calmness. A fresh beginning.
The following day
We awoke the next morning, fresh and ready for a day filled with adventure. After breakfast at the restaurant, we were scheduled for a 4×4 safari drive. I’m happiest on the back of an open 4×4 driving through the bushveld.
I grew up in a small town, but every holiday we visited the family farm. I could be found running barefoot through the open fields and on the back of the ‘pick-up’ on the dirt roads. Marcel’s from Namibia and has been driving a 4×4 since he was a teenager, so needless to say we are both fond of nature.
As we drove to Satara, we moved into the direction of the N’Wanetsi River, known as one of the best spots for game-viewing and where we were met by a lot of wildebeest. Not really being one for bird-watching, the other tourists seem very excited when they spotted some weird-looking blue bird. They did tell me the name, but as per usual, I forget the name as soon as the 4×4 moved along, hoping to spot something a little more exciting, and perhaps on four legs.
The Tuskers
As we continued the journey, we were fortunate enough to see one of the Tuskers that can still be found wandering the Kruger National Park. Tuskers are large elephants known by this name because of their extra big tusks. There are not many left, and only a few in the Kruger. This is due to poaching.
Tuskers were the first to suffer a big blow in numbers due to elephant poaching, which was why this encounter was worth so much more. The bull seemed quite relaxed about our approach, so the driver stopped that we could enjoy this site for a bit longer. Both Marcel and I are elephant fanatics. Everybody has their favourite animal, and the elephant was ours. I always think of elephants as animals with soul, intelligence and endurance.
After about twenty minutes and a lot of photos, we continued on our way, driving along the N’Wanetsi River. We saw hippos lazing away in the river. Amazing to think that such a large lazy animal is one of Africa’s biggest killers. They just don’t seem terrifying when you see them like that in the river.
At the end of the day, we were able to spot three of Africa’s big five, excluding the rhinoceros and leopard. The lions were also enjoying a lazy day hiding in the shade of a big Baobab tree. It seemed like the thunderstorm of the previous night had the same effect on the wildlife than on Marcel and I. Everybody was enjoying a relaxing day under the African sun.
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