| 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 25 |  |
 Elephants at the roadside at
Kruger by diver-x
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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 by lynnehamman
François de Cuiper was the first explorer and led a Dutch East India Company expedition to the area . The expedition party was attacked and driven back by local tribes near Gomondwane.Later, around 1838, Voortrekkers (who were former Dutch settlers) trekked to the same region - led by Lous Trichardt and Hans van Rensburg. They were able to successfully establish outposts.
Lured by the promises of gold, ivory and animal skins, hundreds of Europeans and farmers followed to the Lowveld. During this period, the animal population dwindled dramatically due to hunting parties.
After being made aware of the situation regarding the diminishing animal population, President Paul Kruger succeeded in persuading the Transvaal parliament to establish a protected area for the wildlife in the Lowveld region.
Sabie Game Reserve , bordered by the Crocodile River in the south, the Sabie River in the north, the Lebombo Mountains in the east and the Drakensberg Mountains in the west, which is now the southern part of the Kruger National Park, was established in 1898. These reserves would eventually expand into today's Kruger National Park.
During the Boer War , further development of the reserve ended, but the British, after their victory, proceeded to develop the Sabie Game Reserve and instructed major James Stevenson-Hamilton in 1902 to protect the animals against hunters, ivory poachers and cattle farmers. The Park was opened to the public in 1927 for visitors to view animals and plant life in a protected natural enviroment.
After the Anglo-Boer War, James Stevenson-Hamilton was appointed as the first park warden. He spent the next 40 years protecting his park. His contribution to the Kruger National Park's current existence is of course invaluable.
In addition to his animal conservation, James Stevenson Hamilton was also responsible for acquiring great tracts of land for the reserve. After World War I, the Kruger National Park was protected by the government of South Africa and remains under the watchful eye of the government up to the present day.
The very first ranger in the reserve was Paul Bester who made his residence in a rustic rondavel (hut) which is now the site of the headquarters camp, Skukuza. Documents concerning the History of the Kruger National Park can be viewed at the Skukuza Library.
Half a million years ago, the first San stone age hunters roamed the plains in search of game. These original San and later bushmen have left intricate and colourful rock paintings in many parts of South Africa, and Kruger National Park contains over one hundred sites of these paintings. The rockpaintings mostly depict the wild variety of wildlife, abundant at the time.
The Kruger National Park is a living monument to President Paul Kruger, the conservationists, and those who have upheld his vision of a protected wilderness reserve which will forever remind us of that which we are so dangerously close to losing. Leave a Comment
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 Local ladies by Jenniflower
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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 zebra by Jim_EliasonLeave 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 Roll by kzngirl
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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