| Learn the local customs of Kruger National Park. Tips and photos posted by real travelers and Kruger National Park locals. Kruger National Park Map |
 | Kruger National Park Local Customs | Tips 1 - 10 of 24 |  |
When driving around Kruger Park on your own, it's pretty easy to spot animals. When all else fails, you'll see people pulled over on the side of the road with their heads & cameras turned to one side or another and you'll easily see what they are looking at. Since there are so many others trying to see what you also want to see, here are some helpful hints for polite animal viewing:
If you're going to spend more than a couple of minutes gazing at some animals, turn off your engine.
If you see a lion walking along the side of the road, do not slam on your brakes, scream, pull up right beside it and back your car up the road to match the lion's trajectory. This will only chase away the lion (I kid you not, we saw this happen!), and annoy others who were trying to get a look.
Always stop smoothly and keep a reasonable distance from the animals. Do not pull up alongside the animals on the roadside unless you really mean to pass by and move on. Don't make any sudden noises.
Do not open your car door when viewing animals up close. They will immediately feel threatened and will run away or attack. Leave a Comment
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You might find, when buying something from a local, that they offer you something EXTRA, besides the actual item you have ordered.
Even if you really dont like it or want it, it is rude to refuse it. Accept it gladly. You will leave them with an even bigger smile on their face! Leave a Comment
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The website below is a great place for more information about Kruger, tour and lodging information and also info on the wildlife to be found in Kruger. Leave a Comment
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The Leopard
Pantera pardus (H: 70 - 80 cm; 40 -70 kg).
The leopard is a solitary and secretive animal. It spends most of its day in hiding. It hunts at night by ambushing its prey, and lives in dense bush, forest or rocky areas
in: The Kruger Map - Kruger National Park
www.jacana.ca.za
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The Rhinoceros
White Rhinoceros
Ceratotherium simum (H: 1,8 m; 1.600 - 2.300 kg; record horn 1,58 m).
The White Rhino, the larger of the two prehistoric-looking rhinos, has a square lip, adapted for grazing, so is found in open savannah. The calf always walks in front of the mother.
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Black Rhinoceros
Diceros bicornis (H: 1,8 - 2,0 m ; 800 - 1.100 kg; record horn 1,05 m).
The Black Rhinowith is hook-lip used for browsing, is found in dense bush or thickets but seldom seen in Kruger. The calf follows behind the mother. It is slightly smaller and far more aggressive than the White Rhino
in: The Kruger Map - Kruger National Park
www.jacana.ca.za
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The Buffalo
Syncerus caffer (H: 1,6 m; 750 kg; record horn 1,29 m).
Buffalo prefer the open savannah with tall, coarse grass. They live in herds of up to 500, although old, solitary bulls are often seen. These hot-tempered bulls can charge unexpectedly, and are therefore considered on of Africa's most dangerous species.
in: The Kruger Map - Kruger National Park
www.jacana.ca.za
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Biltong – As a South African, I have spent most of my childhood gnawing on sticks of biltong. These are strips or sticks of dried meat, usually spiced in a variety of ways: chilli/BBQ/spicy/plain etc.
Biltong can be made from most game. There are different types of biltong: wet and fatty tends to be softer meat with more fat than usual while dry is usually tough and chewy. I discovered the best biltong I have ever tasted on my last trip to Kruger Park: Elephant biltong.
It was the most tender, tasty biltong I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying…full in flavour and easy to chew. I highly recommend you try some of the varieties on offer.
Many of the shops in the park now sell biltong from a variety of game – everything from buffalo, to elephant to impala.
Be daring and try something new! Leave a Comment
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Boerewors: Another South African taste sensation…Boerewors (farmer’s sausage) is another South African delicacy and no braai is complete without a few strings of boerewors sizzling over the coals. You could describe it as one long, coiled sausage, stuffed with spices and ground beef. Again, like with the biltong, there are quite a few varieties on the market and I highly recommend you buying a few packets for your sojourn into the bush. What better accompaniment to your sundowner?
The best way to eat boerewors is to cut up the well-cooked meat into manageable portions, slip it into a freshly buttered bread roll, slather on your sauce of choice: tomato (ketchup) brown sauce, mustard or all three - and down the hatch it goes!
No self-respecting South African throws a braai together without this tasty treat. A must have to compete your South African experience.
You can buy your wors from any supermarket or butchers in South Africa - and even the camp shops stock a packet or two in their freezer - go on, give it a try! Leave a Comment
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Kruger National Park enjoys a subtropical climate and is coolest during the winter months of June, July and August. This is also when it is the driest. The days are warm then and the evenings vary from very cool to freezing (0° C, 32° F). You need a range of clothing including warmer clothes for the evenings. I recommend combat-style trousers with zip off legs for all round use. Throw in a few light jackets and long sleeve shirts for diner.
The great thing about visiting in the winter is that it’s a great time to see animals. There is a lot less vegetation to get in your way and animals go to the waterholes to drink in the mornings and afternoons because of the lack of rainfall. This makes it easy for you to see a lot of them in one place.
Summer is a wet season with high temperatures. Highs of 40º C (104° F) or more, though the daytime average is about 30° C (86° F) and it cools to just below 20° C (68° F) at night. The rainy season usually starts in September and can last until as late as May. Leave a Comment
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When in Rome do as the Romans! South Africans love eating a kind of beef jerky called 'Biltong'! It's great!! Buy a stock to much on safari, you won't regret it!!! Leave a Comment
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More Kruger National Park Tips |
- The Outpost, In Kruger National Park
Makuleke Region, Kruger National Park - Ngala Game Reserve
Timbavati Gate, Kruger National Park - Umlani Bushcamp
Timbavati Reserve Kruger National Park 1380, Krug, Kruger National Park - Umlani Bushcamp
Timbavati Reserve, Kruger National Park, 1, za, Kruger National Park - Lion Sands Private Game Reserve
Mpumalanga PO Box 30, White River, Kruger National Park
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on June 23, 2006
on January 20, 2005
on February 22, 2006
on February 25, 2007
on August 26, 2005
on July 1, 2008
on March 10, 2004
