Kruger National Park
Kruger's hidden gems
Kruger is South Africa’s most celebrated safari park, and deservedly so. Kruger and the surrounding private reserves are home to all of southern Africa’s iconic mammal species, including the endangered African wild dog. Its varied habitats support more than 500 bird species and many of the private reserves offer top quality specialised photo safaris.
But a park as good and easy to visit as Kruger attracts a lot of visitors, and in high season the main routes can be busy. The highly-developed park doesn’t always feel that wild in places.
If this sounds off-putting, fear not: head to northern Kruger for wild beauty, smaller crowds and a palpable sense of adventure. You may have to work a little harder for your sightings up here, but that’s because the animals are less habituated to vehicles. In other words, it feels like a safari of yesteryear. Oh, and the birdlife is exceptional in the north, with species you just don’t find elsewhere in the park.
Another way to avoid the Kruger crowds is by visiting one of the superb private reserves that fringe the park itself, where limited numbers and no self-drives keep things peaceful.