Kruger to Open for Day Visitors – What Can You Expect?
In a much-welcomed statement, SANParks announced yesterday that Kruger will be open for self-drive day visitors from tomorrow June 8. Which is fantastic news for residents of Mpumalanga and Limpopo! At long last, they can come and visit their beloved Kruger National Park again! But what can these day visitors expect from their self-drive through the park?
The animals in Kruger have had the whole park all to themselves for more than two months. They have re-absorbed the tourist roads into their everyday habitat. And it shows…
During my trips to the Laundromat, while we were on lock-down, I found that the animals were spending more and more time on the roads. Without the pressure of human presence, they could stay for as long as they wanted and do whatever they wanted.
I found lions at 11 am; Still fast asleep on the road without a care in the world. (Read: Big Cat Laundry Day) A little zebra foal snoozing in the middle of the tar-road while the rest of the herd was feeding not far away. I have had to wait for ages for buffalo and elephant herds to move out of the way and watched young ellies play-fight all over the road without having rows of cars and their engine noise as an audience. Even the giraffes and impalas were completely relaxed using the tar-road as animal paths. So expect some puzzled looks from Kruger’s animals. Like: “hey… these shiny noisy, colourful animals look familiar… What are they again? Where did they go for so long?”
The animals in Kruger have left lots of evidence of their time spent on the tourist roads in the last two months. There are branches and twigs lying around, left by the elephants. In some places, they have pushed over whole trees! So expect some not so easy-going parts of your journey – Especially on the dirt roads.
And there is poop everywhere. Expect lots and lots of poop! Dung middens spilling out into the road, elephant poop scattered all over, buffalo patties, giraffe and impala pellets, lion scat and the easily recognizable white hyena poop too.
It has been a very peaceful time for Kruger’s wildlife! Also Read: Kruger at Peace – Day 18 of our lock-down Diary
So when you enter Kruger through one of the entrance gates tomorrow morning, please keep in mind that the animals are not used to seeing lots of vehicles anymore. They need time to adjust to visitors again. Please respect them and give them some space!! And please watch your speed! The animals might take longer to move off the road than before the lockdown – Be patient.
If you can, please try and avoid driving over the poop. You can find beetles and other insects on fresh dung. If you drive over it, you drive over them. And keep in mind that tortoises look like an elephant or rhino bollie from a distance!
I hope that the people from Mpumalanga and Limpopo will enjoy their day-visits to the park. It is not exactly business as usual yet. But we’ll get there hopefully. Nothing is quite normal these days in this strange world we are all living in during the COVID-19 pandemic. I guess a new normal awaits.
Now that Kruger is opening for day visitors tomorrow, I will be ending my lock-down diary. I won’t stop blogging though! I will keep writing about our life here in Kruger National Park. But I will have more to write about than just my laundry day outings! Because we can now also go for game drives again under alert level 3 of the lock-down!! How exciting to have more freedom in the park!
If you don’t want to miss any of our stories, you can subscribe to receive an email every time I publish a new blog. The subscribe button is on the right next to this blog on our website www.ourlifeinkruger.co.za. On mobile devices, scroll right down to the bottom. You will find the subscribe button there. Please also like our Facebook Page for regular pictures and updates of Our Life in Kruger.
For more information about day visits, time-slots and pre-bookings visit www.sanparks.org
Stay safe everyone!
Xxx Linda
Please don’t stop blogging – even if you have stopped Lockdown Diaries! For me, who lives in KZN about 700 km from the Park, your blog is a ray of sunshine and helps me get my Kruger fix!
Ah thanks Janet! We have plenty of more stories to tell! Don’t worry!???
Thankyou for giving us a little Kruger fix, during your lockdown, please keep it up as I think it will be a while yet until us from UK can join you. Stay safe. X
Thanks John! Will do! Kruger will be here for everyone once this pandemic is over!!??
Dankie vir al die wonderlike nuus tydens grendeltyd. Het elke dag so dasrna uitgesien.
Just love reading your posts but keep missing them
Hi Wendy! Feel free to subscribe to my blog so you get them in your inbox!
I love reading your posts sitting here in England. We can’t wait to visit the Kruger again but I feel it will be a good few months before we can start planning a trip. In the meantime I’ll keep dreaming whilst reading your blogs. Thank you for keeping our dreams alive.
Thanks Judy! We have got to get over the hump here in SA first. Kruger will be waiting for you when we do!??
Thank you Linda for the wonderful blogs about your lock down in the Park. I am so happy to see that once again the Park will be open for visitors but will miss hearing about your trips to do laundry haha.
I will keep reading your log and thank you for helping me stay in touch with my roots through your wonderful writing.
God Bless, stay well
Thank you very much for all of your posts during lockdown. Most enjoyable and truly appreciated. Take care!
oh no ! Please !!!!!! Don’t stop blogging ! Your testimony keeps our dream alive ! It will be still a pleasure to read you, dear Linda ! I hope the day visitors will appreciate tomorrow their being the first ones to come back to this ” new ” world with animals having lost the human spirit !!! Today it’s mother’s day in France and in Reunion ( as we are french ! ) : let me wish you a happy and joyfull day ! Hugs from Reunion island
Thank you so much Nicham!! I will definitely continue blogging! Living in a place like the Kruger, there are always stories to tell!!?? happy mothers day!
Thank you so much for welcoming us into your lives via your blog. Always looked forward to laundry day. Hope to be there in November
Ros
Thank you for your lovely stories Linda. Please don’t stop.
I won’t!!??
I hope everyone will recognise the importance of what you say. Just wish it could be me! I knew I should have moved to Nelspruit! Many thanks for keeping us up -to-date with the goings on in Kruger through the lockdown, it was something I looked forward to reading every week. A piece of peace and sanity xx
Please don’t stop your blog Linda. We have to cross 5 provincial borders to get to Kruger. When will that happen??
Abrie du Preez, Paarl
Shame Abrie, I so wish things were different… going to keep blogging for sure! ???
Dankie Linda. Jou stories het darem gehelp teen die verlange na die wildtuin. Hoop grense maak gou oop dat ons van Vrystaat na ons kinders en kleinkinders in Hectorspruit kan kuier en dagrit na wildtuin kan geniet. Groete vanuit Lindley
Ek hoop ook so Derick! ??
I have loved your “Diary” – living across the border in Maputo I am a frequent visitor – and blessed to have that privilege! Who knows when I will get back so please keep writing.
Will do! Thanks, Tracey!
Hi Linda,
I have loved your diary during lockdown. I can imagine that you have such mixed feelings about the park opening up, especially for the animals. My heart aches for the wildlife all over the world as human beings once again take over and dominate spaces with noise and activity, pollution and general human being behavior. It rally suits me how your children are grown up. Many many thanks. Take care and keep well and safe.
Hi Linda THANK YOU for bring KNP to our homes during this tough time it only makes us “lus” to visit once we are able to cross provincial boundaries. Agree just hope that visitors remember that they are visitors and to respect the animal environment and to take home everything they bring into the park.
Thanks and will be following you Blog and keep safe.
Yes Linda they need to give everyone entering your blog tomorrow. But luckily I think most will be local who know the rules of the park. ????
Will we be able to get coffee and takeaways at the camps?
Hi Linda,
I am an ex South African who has been living in Wellington, New Zealand for the last 6 years. I came to Wellington to be near my daughter and son-in-law and grandchildren, after my husband died in 2012. I also have a daughter and grandchildren in Sydney, Australia, so it made sense for me to move closer to them too. I really enjoy ready all about Kruger and the animals therein. I love elephants the most! I hate that poachers are killing off all the lovely rhino and I feel very sad that so many babies are left without their mothers to raise them. Cheetahs are my favourite of the cat family. Keep posting please!
Thank goodness we haven’t lost you completely Linda. Your posts keep our hopes up.
Hi Linda,
Thanks for your posts – keep sharing the excitement. I live in Pretoria and have severe Kruger withrawal symptoms and can’t wait to visit the park in my mobile home once it re-opens
Hi Linda. I recently discovered your blog and just love that you bring Kruger to so many. Living in Cape Town, I feel so far from my other homeland, but you make the longing bearable. Enjoy the moments that the bush bring and the gorgeous animals. And know We love everything you share.
Trudy
Thank you so much for your kind words, Trudy! Much appreciated!
Hi Linda, wish you and Kruger animals all the best for reopening. What a day today! I’m looking forward to your next blog, and your news about the beginning.
We have to go to storno our trip in August. There is no chance for oversea tourists in this time. I’m so sad about that.
So I stay in contact with your blog. A little light. But can’t bring the real feeling of Soth African wilderness, I miss so much.
Love regards Dorothee
Dear Linda
I have thoroughly enjoyed your blogs and hope to get back to Kruger soon.
I hope you can lead me in the right direction please .
I want to make a donation to Kruger Park in naming an elephant. Can you please let me know how to go about this ?
Hi Merle!
Thank you for your message! I hope you get to come visit soon too!
With regards to making a donation, I am not 100% sure. I know the Honorary Rangers raise funds for SANParks.
Or maybe get in touch with Kirsty Redman from the Elephant Hall in Letaba. She will know what to do.
Hi Linda
Thanks for your reply. I did email
Kirsty got out of office reply. Hope she sees my message soon .
Hope to visit soon .
From a cold Johannesburg be well .
Regards
Merle
Hi Merle,
Kirsty has probably not been called back to duty yet. I am sure she will reply when she does!
Hope you dont freeze that side!
Best, Linda