self drive, Kruger National Park

We had a 4x4, Land Rover, that we hired for our trip to Kruger, Satara Camp. In hindsite we should have stayed with the Toyota Quantum we had hired for the rest of South Africa. If you have children or adults they can move around more easily in something like a Quantum, so everyone gets to see everything. Its actually higher than a 4x4 and the roads were no problem even the gravel roads.

Driving around Kruger in your own car is easy to do, as the park has a good network of paved and unpaved roads throughout it. We drove a number of the dirt roads with a 2-wheel drive vehicle and had no problems. However, I would advise it on a very rainy day (it was dry while we were there). While driving through Kruger, there a few things to keep in mind:

1. Stay in the car while out on the roads. You don't wan't to become a lion's lunch.

2. Don't drive too fast. Going slowly gives you a better chance to spot the animals. Also, animals walk out onto the road, and you want to be going slowly enough to be able to stop in time to avoid hitting them. An elephant can put a pretty large dent in your vehicle.

3. Always have plenty of gas. While there are service stations at the main camps scattered throughout Kruger, they are usually at least 30 km apart. If you run out of gas in the middle of nowhere, you could be stuck for a while.

A higher vantage point while driving maybe an advantage in Kruger but it is not a must. I was at an eye to eye level encounter with a pride of lions when they decided to use the tarmac instead of the bush. That was because i was using a car instead of a jeep.

No need for a guide, just follow the other game drive vehicles on the road inside kruger. There are lots of them roaming around during the day and they have contacts with each other on where the wildlife is. If you are bored whith what they are watching, then go on your own and follow the tarmac or the dirt road which are open to the public.

A side trip to the blyde river canyon area from graskop is a recommended trip before or after kruger.

bong

A higher vantage point while driving maybe an advantage in Kruger but it is not a must. I was at an eye to eye level encounter with a pride of lions when they decided to use the tarmac instead of the bush. That was because i was using a car instead of a jeep.

No need for a guide, just follow the other game drive vehicles on the road inside kruger. There are lots of them.

A side trip to the blyde river canyon area from graskop is a recommended trip before or after kruger.

bong

A higher vantage point while driving maybe an advantage in Kruger but it is not a must. I was at an eye to eye level encounter with a pride of lions when they decided to use the tarmac instead of the bush. That was because i was using a car instead of a jeep.

No need for a guide, just follow the other game drive vehicles on the road inside kruger. There are lots of them.

A side trip to the blyde river canyon area from graskop is a recommended trip before or after kruger.

bong

Let's face it, getting to South Africa is not cheap and Kruger National Park is MASSIVE. It has well laid out and signposted roads, free road maps and plenty of places to stop (meals, toilets, etc.). There are plenty of places to buy guidebooks on the animals and their habits. A good guidebook even tells you where in the park to find the animals you want to see during different times of the year. Do you need to spend big money on an animal expert who drives you around the roads? NO! Invest your savings in a better camera and get driving! And stay in the car (if you wish to stay intact)!

Please use the link below for the best Car Rental Business in Southern Africa

The picture was staged to show you the dangers and what not to do. We risked our safety to help fellow VT’ers!

The first and obvious choice is your own vehicle and self-drive in the park. It is giving you all the flexibility and freedom to go to where ever you with whenever you want, during the day.
You do not need a 4WD in the park as roads are good enough for normal sedan car, however, the advantage of a 4WD car type is the heights and the better view of the animals.

Self drive is the way to go. Don't listen to anyone who says it's too dangerous or any other rubbish excuse of the sort. You can see the things you want, when you want, at your own pace. If you can afford it, rent as tall of a vehicle as you can. Even though you might be in the middle of the dry season, if you're in a compact car, your eye level may well be lower than the tip of the grass. I was in a little Fiat. The little bugger got me everywhere I wanted to go, including some "4x4 only" roads in other parks, but seeing animals was a problem at times. When shooting some lions in their "courtship" I had to stand on the window sill to get proper clearance. Not the safest thing to do, but I really wanted that picture, and there were others around to watch my back.

I've noticed some posters saying you shouldn't open the windows. Professional guides I know, both of the photo and hunting safari sort, say the dangerous thing is to break the silhouette of the vehicle with a human shape; open windows are usually fine. The silhouette of a human is what triggers a response from the animals most of the time, since they fear the occupants more than the vehicle itself.