Kruger

Its day 2 of my 3 days in Kruger National Park. The park spans 7,523 square miles and is the second largest game reserve in Africa. Bordering Zimbabwe and Mozambique, the park was formed in 1926 and has since become transnational, combining multiple game reserves.

Kruger is home to 517 species of bird and more than 140 mammals. Notably, the park is home to the highest concentration of leopards in the world. Anthropologically it also contains some of the oldest finds of early human life. After all, humans and hominids have been living in South Africa for more than 5 million years.

I'm staying in the Skakuza camp which is by far the largest in the park. My tent is about 10x10 with two cots and a small refrigerator. Vervit monkeys and baboons fill the camp and will get into anything and everything that looks or smells interesting.

So far, I have gone on three safari rides down the roads through the park. The first two rides were on Sam's bus which was nice because it gave us a high vantage point and air conditioning. On the bus we were able to see giraffe, rhino, elepepah st, wild dogs, hyena, buffalo, impala, waterbuck, kudu, hippo, warthogs, vultures, skinks, wildebeest, something that looked like a Comodo dragon, mating baboons, springbok, guinea foul, hornbills, ladeda birds, and the friendly/aptly named "fuck off bird."

I took a night drive in an open air safari truck. We drove down dirt roads the bus would not have been able to navigate. Shining flashlights and spotlights over the sides we went on the hunt for more animals. Owls, elephants, giraffe, hyena, bush babies, chameleon, scruff hare, and two smaller cats.

Disappointed that I had yet to see any lions or leopard, I paid 200 Rand (about $30) to go on a sunset drive. This was the best choice that I have made yet on this trip. Our driver, Elliot told us at the end that it was the best drive he has been on in 3 or 4 years. We saw a total of 9 Lions, 1 leopard, multiple hyena, 2 fish eagles, 8 giraffe, zebra, and a massive herd of Cape Buffalo. They say that there is a 2 percent chance of seeing leopards on these drives and only 5 percent chance of seeing a single lion. Kruger allowed me to see Africa's "Big 5," which is not the common experience. Some people come here and take every drive, walk, and hike and see maybe one of the five, if any.

On another note, this is the first place in South Africa that I have seen recycling bins! Most of the country lacks enough infrastructure to support public sanitation. Due to the park's conservation efforts and tourism industry though, they are more careful with cleanliness and protecting the environment. Sadly, pretty much all trash makes its way to enormous landfills.

 

 

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