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self drive, Kruger National Park
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Our compact in Kruger - Kruger National Park
Our compact in Kruger
by Waxbag
Kruger National Park Transportation: self drive tips and advice posted by real travelers and Kruger National Park locals.
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self drive: By car or motorhome or 4x4
Best way to travel is on your own with your own vehicule.

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    self drive: Do a Self Drive in Kruger
    I really recommend hiring a car and seeing Kruger independently. I have seen many questions posted on the forums about what tour take and to book it where etc. Just do it yourself. If you have a drivers license from home you can drive in SA. There are plenty of places to hire a car in Jo-berg and Nelspruit. You don't need a 4x4, because the main roads are tarred and the sides roads are in good condition (although a 4x4 is nice because it sits high). Good maps are available at the gate entrances and the roads are well marked. Petrol stations are located in every restcamp and there are mechanics available if you have any difficulties. I like having the independence to anywhere I want when I want. Tour operators tend to quickly drive you around spending little time in one spot so they can find the "Big Five", which is annoying if you are also interested in all of the other animals.

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    self drive: Travel in the park
    Kruger Park has been designed as a self-drive game park, therefore, to get the most out of your game park experience, I would advise driving/hiring a car when visiting. As we live in South Africa, we haven't yet had a need to hire a car while on our visits to the park. However, that is not the case for everyone, and I have found a very informative link on the official website for Kruger National Park, describing the kind of cars available to hire and how to go about it.

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  • Website: http://www.krugerpark.co.za

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    self drive: Kruger park roads
    Obviously I feel the best way to see the Kruger is to go with a professional guide. You can do a self drive but will miss a lot of important stuff and even miss a lot of animals as you are not trained to spot animals effectively in the bush. However, roads are all in very good condition and a normal vehicle is sufficient to get you everywhere you need to be. Excellent maps are available throughout the park and it is very easy to navigate yourself around. DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE!!! unless at a designated picnic or viewing spot. i have often come across people out of their vehicles trying to get a better view of animals not realising a leopard or lion is only 40 metres away! Its serious guys, this place is not a zoo and animals will attack if they feel threatened or cornered. There are picnic spots throughout the Kruger where you can get out, stretch legs, go to the toilet or cook yourself breakfast or lunch. Take some of the more adventurous dirt roads, you will encounter fewer people and have more of the Kruger to yourself.

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    self drive: The Taller the Better!
    The previously mentioned lions. - Kruger National Park
    The previously mentioned
    lions.
    by DamatDave
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    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.

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    self drive: Travelling by car
    Travelling by car vs. tourbus etc. is a great way to see the park. If you're renting, try and get something relatively high, such as a minibus or SUV, it really helps with the tall grass. You're expected to stay in the car at all times, except for some designated lookout spots and bridges. Try and keep to the speed limits, as they do sometimes trap in the park.

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    self drive: Self drive in Kruger
    The best way to see Kruger (and the rest of south africa) is, by far, to rent your own car and drive yourself. South Africa is a modern country with excellent car hire services. I rented a car from Tempest car hire for 1 month, a Toyota sedan for about 9500 rand or so. In Jeffrey's bay on the coast, the reverse went out ... I called and they brought me a new car from Port Elizabeth in a couple hours. Great service. In Kruger, driving yourself allows you to explore at your own pace, which is what it is all about. Much better than being stuck with a bunch of gawking tourists. The downside is that it may not be easy to see smaller game ... including leapards, cheetah and lions ... but don't get hung up on marking off "the big 5". Enjoy the beauty of the park and drive slowly. The main roads in Kruger are paved, but the majority are not. The secondary roads are dirt and gravel, generally well-maintained. Unless there is some serious flooding, you do not need a 4x4. If you are American (not sure about other nationalities), I suggest you get an international drivers licence before coming. I believe that's required by law in SA but I'm not 100 percent sure. I only had my American licence, and I was not stopped once. You could probly pull it off without an int'l licence, but best to be safe and get it if you can. Also: don't ever go more than 10 km above the speedlimit in SA .. there are plenty of speed traps around the country (for good reason, lots of people die on roads there). I drove to Kruger from Joburg. It took about 4.5 hours.

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