The Easter break afforded us the opportunity to visit South Africa’s flagship National Park, and one of our favourite destinations, again, spending first three nights at Skukuza Rest Camp in the south of the Kruger National Park, and then four nights around Mopani Rest Camp in the north. After a summer of apparently good rainfall, the Park’s vegetation is lush and green, with water in ample supply. These conditions make searching for wildlife a bit trickier, but it is wonderful to see the Park transformed from the harrowing effects of the recent drought that is still so fresh in our minds.
The Kruger National Park is renowned for its Big-5 sightings. There isn’t very many other places where one can so easily find completely wild lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos from the comfort of your own vehicle, at your own pace and according to your own schedule. And then there’s always a chance that you may cross paths with a magnificent big tusker!
On the other side of the scale are those less frequently noticed smaller critters (“creepy crawlies” or “goggas” as we call them), that fairly seldom feature on any of the Kruger visitors’ sightings wish-lists. They may be small and unobtrusive, but they are certainly no less fascinating than the glamorous Big-5. We already shared with your the exciting scenes of a Western Stripe-bellied Sand Snake catching and swallowing a skink in Shingwedzi, but there’s plenty more to see if you bend your knees!
The Mopani area is well-known for prized sightings of the rarer antelope species, and we weren’t disappointed on that score either, ticking bushbuck, nyala, eland, tsessebe, reedbuck and roan antelope on our list.
The lush vegetation made it very challenging to see the smaller antelope species. We managed to photograph steenbok, grey duiker and klipspringer, but unfortunately the grysbok just weren’t willing to pose for a picture this time around.
There’s quite a few herbivore species that you are virtually guaranteed to see when visiting the Kruger National Park. Among these are baboons and vervet monkeys, blue wildebeest, plains zebra, impala, kudu, waterbuck, giraffe, warthog and hippo.
Of course, with such a menu there are many predators in attendance. Apart from lions and leopards, on our latest visit we also encountered spotted hyena, side-striped and black-backed jackal, crocodile and large-spotted genet.
The Kruger National Park is regarded as a paradise for bird-watchers, and that is not without reason. During the warmer months especially, when many summer migrants from northern latitudes enjoy our warm weather, the variety and numbers of bird species to be seen is absolutely prolific, but even in winter feathered life abounds in the Lowveld.
The Kruger National Park is an addictive place. You only need to visit once for it to get under your skin, and stay there. The more you experience of Kruger’s wonders, the more you pine for it. We’ll be back again and again, no question about it.
DeWetsWild 
So many of these photos reminded me of my trip to the Serengeti – almost 10 years ago now. Sigh.
… but the picture that stands out most for me was the sausage tree. It stills makes me laugh 😁
High time you return then Joanne, to Kruger this time, to come and marvel at the sausage fruit and everything else we have to offer!
Oh yes. Because of you, I’ve been pining for a visit to Southern Africa. Someday!
fantastic photos once again!! 😀
Thanks very much, Matthias!
What awesome shots you were able to get!
Neither here nor there but I saw one of those Sausage Fruit Trees in Disney World in Orlando. It was so..odd that it’s stuck in my mind 10 years later.
The weather in Florida probably suits it to a tee – hot and humid enough to be reminiscent of its home country!
This makes me so anxious for the visit to South Africa and Botswana we have planned for next year.
You are sure to have a wonderful time, Lulu. Which destinations are on your itinerary?
We are a couple of days in Zimbabwe, then to Botswana where we will be in Sable Camp and Jack’s Camp and finally 3 days in Capetown.
Super!
Wow mooi soos altyd
Baie dankie, Tina! Die Krugerwildtuin het dit nou maar net!
Pragtig! So ‘n groot verskeidenheid diere!
Daar is darem maar net een Krugerwildtuin, of hoe Aletta!?
Dit is verseker, Dries!
Such magnificent and breathtaking photos! What a trip! Thank you so much for sharing!
It truly is our pleasure, Linda! Thank you for the kind comment.
Ai, daardie muskeljaatkat!
Ek raak ook altyd opgewonde as ek een raakloop, Tannie Frannie!
Die slapeloosheid het vrugte afgewerp!
O beslis!
What an absolutely amazing place. And that sunset picture – so beautiful!
Thanks very much, Kathy!
Another fantastic post about my favourite place. I am pleased to say that I have seen all the animals, birds and goggas in the Park on my dozen visits there, but unfortunately don’t have such magnificent photos of them. Well done guys. This post was a real pleasure to savour!
Thanks, Kim! Glad to know you enjoyed our post so! I am sure you, like us, would rather be there than looking at photos!
Jy het baie moeite gedoen met hierdie pos en dis absoluut pragtig, Dries! Ek was nou sommer saam met julle daar tussen die diere.
Dankie Dina – Was vir my ook maar n bietjie ontvlugtig uit die stadsgewoel!
Het vir jou foto’s geblog van die ivoordraer. Sy tande lyk nie so groot op die foto’s nie, maar dit was nogal opvallend toe ons hom opmerk.
Wat n pragtige kerel, Dina!
Hy lyk in baie goeie toestand, en met die tande reeds so dik, glo ek sy ivoor gaan beslis nog verder groei. Hy moet net sy humeur beteuel dat hy nou nie sy tande skade doen teen n voertuig nie!
What a variety of wildlife!
Kruger’s an amazing place!
You never cease to amaze! Very happy to have another tag along with you at Kruger. Did you get any sleep!? Looks like you spent a lot of time from dawn to dusk/dark.
Truth be told, Jane, I am a bit of an insomniac when we are out exploring the wild places of our country. Two or three hours sleep at most per night – I think it is because I am sooooo scared I miss something going on outside!
Thank you for your wonderful images. They are special and I can see how Kruger can get under your skin.
I’m not sure I’d want to confront the water buffalo on the road. It looked determined to have its way. A dented car or two might be the end result.
Thanks very much for the kind comment, Tim!
The old buffalo was terribly frustrated with the falling rain; I just parked the car to the side of the road and he trudged slowly past without even a sideways glance…
You’re welcome and I’m glad you’re safe. I’ve been told that these animals can be very dangerous.
And absolutely correctly so, Tim. They can be most aggressive and vengeful, especially the solitary old bulls like this one.
Thank you again for the great pictures. It’s exciting even seeing second hand.
The pleasure is ours, Tim. Kruger Park is my favourite place on earth, and if these photos help to show a little bit of why that is, I am really pleased.
My single visit to Africa was a month in Arusha, Tanzania. We did get in two safaris with a total of 6 days. It was exciting but the density of animals in Kruger Park is remarkable. Thank you again.
Incredible numbers and diversity! Awesome!
Kruger’s a paradise for wildlife and wildlife lovers alike.
Fantastic photos. I really do love that one of the water buffalo in the rain.
Thank you very much! Poor buffalo looked very grumpy at having the rain sting his eyes…
Wow!!! Everyone of the pictures are amazing!😊 It is a nature photographer’s dream to shoot such beautiful motifs. You’ve really spent a lot of time and work behind those photos.
Thanks a lot, John. Easy to get decent photographs when you are surrounded by such beautiful creatures and scenery!