African safari stopover advice on trip to UK

[auspal]

Just wondering if anyone can give me tips on doing the above? We are planning visiting the UK in October and always have a stopover, and the safari is on my bucket list, what would be the best way to go about this? I usually fly with Qantas.

Kruger Park is my preferred safari park, has anyone tips on whether to book through an agent, or do it ourselves?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Just wondering if anyone can give me tips on doing the above? We are planning visiting the UK in October and always have a stopover, and the safari is on my bucket list, what would be the best way to go about this? I usually fly with Qantas.

Kruger Park is my preferred safari park, has anyone tips on whether to book through an agent, or do it ourselves?

Why Kruger?

Best time is March April.

Many other options for more authentic experience.

A good agent will be invaluable

 

[Pablo]

I have (about 10 times) and would do Kruger myself rather than a tour. It's easy to hire a car and drive to Kruger - great roads all the way and its so easy to do the park yourself as well. Again, great roads, plenty of rest stops and you aren't held up on a truck with bird watchers stopping you from seeing lion.

you can stay at SA Parks - I'd recommend Skukuza - it's the biggest camp and quite reasonably priced. Check out Kruger National Park - SANParks - Official Website

It's about a 5 hour drive from Johannesburg to Kruger - need to make sure you leave so you have enough time to get to a camp before gates close (they are strict with that and gate closing times are on their website - but also note there is the main Kruger Park gate and then also the camp gate that you need to make).

Doing it yourself also means you have the flexibility of watching game as long as you want, and also stopping (at appropriate marked spots/rest stops) when ever you want.

Hope that helps. Enjoy

 

[auspal]

I thought about Kruger as I have a few South African friends and that is what they recommended. I think I would be a bit worried about hiring a car and driving ourselves though. I must admit I dont fancy being held up by birdwatchers.
Pardon my ignorance but would I fly to UK via South Africa or vice versa?

 

[geordieladinoz]

We are doing the Serengeti next August for the annual migration of wildebeest and other animals. Not sure how long this goes on for as mrsgeordieladinoz has done a lot of the planning. We went this route after speaking to a number of South African friends who compared Kruger to Taronga Zoo. There are so many other more beautiful places to safari across Africa. We are doing QF to JNB and SAA to Nairobi. This may alter when EK code sharing comes off.

 

[Pablo]

We went this route after speaking to a number of South African friends who compared Kruger to Taronga Zoo. There are so many other more beautiful places to safari across Africa.

I've never heard Kruger described as that or think it myself. From my perspective, and I've been to probably 15 different parks across southern and east Africa - including pilanesberg, Masai Mara, ngorongoro crater, Hwange, Amboseli - and I'd say Kruger is my favourite and probably has always had the most variety and number of game as I've seen anywhere. There's no way it's like Taronga Zoo.

And the thing I love the most about Kruger is that you can drive it yourself - at almost all other parks outside of Sou Africa you need to do a guided drive.

Auspal, if you don't want to drive from JNB to Kruger, you can always fly and hire a car when younger there. you fly into Skukuza SKZ and there's an Avis dealership there.

Re flight routes, you'd fly SYD-JNB-LHR.

 

[kpc]

Info and links in this thread of mine may help you...
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....uide/safari-advise-based-cape-town-31941.html

 

[JohnM]

Renting a car at JNB and driving to/from Kruger is a piece of cake. I did it in September. It's basically a straight line on the excellent M4 motorway.

I certainly would not do a tour in Kruger when it is so easy to drive yourself.

They have an excellent web site for booking accommodation at the rest camps: South Africa National Parks - SANParks - Official Website - Accommodation, Activities, Prices, Reservations. Organise it all yourself; it's simple.

In a week I saw 5 leopards, about 30 lions, plenty of rhinos and countless elephants, giraffes and other wildlife. Only iconic animal I missed out on seeing was a cheetah.

 

[Pablo]

I think a lot of people worry about driving in Sth Africa but its so easy and the roads are often better than in Australia. You just want to avoid driving through townships at night time and just keep your doors locked. But it's so easy to get to Kruger from JNB. And there are plenty of airport hotels you can stay at too if you need to overnight at JNB. I can recommend any of the Southern Sun hotels at OR Tambo.

The only strange thing (but awesome) about driving on the highways in SA is that cars move over to the left to let a faster car pass when it's only 2 lanes which means that you don't have to sit behind slow cars. I wish that happened in Aus. It's mostly 4 lanes to Kruger now - or at least more than half of it is.

 

[auspal]

Some great advice , thanks everyone.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I think a lot of people worry about driving in Sth Africa but its so easy and the roads are often better than in Australia. You just want to avoid driving through townships at night time and just keep your doors locked. But it's so easy to get to Kruger from JNB. And there are plenty of airport hotels you can stay at too if you need to overnight at JNB. I can recommend any of the Southern Sun hotels at OR Tambo.

The only strange thing (but awesome) about driving on the highways in SA is that cars move over to the left to let a faster car pass when it's only 2 lanes which means that you don't have to sit behind slow cars. I wish that happened in Aus. It's mostly 4 lanes to Kruger now - or at least more than half of it is.

Like anywhere you need to keep your wits about you. You need to be a few steps ahead. Friend or foe??

GPS can get you into trouble. The quickest routes aren't necessarily the safest!!!

 

[auspal]

One of my mates was in the police force over there, so I think he was giving good advice. He said to stick to the tour groups, thankfully everyone on here has been fortunate and not come to grief.

 

[JohnM]

One of my mates was in the police force over there, so I think he was giving good advice. He said to stick to the tour groups, thankfully everyone on here has been fortunate and not come to grief.

The only thing that I saw come to grief in Kruger was a Lexus attcked by an elephant. It was up near the Zimbabwe/Mozambique border and it seems poachers may have stirred them up. The driver got boxed in by a tree. I'd like to give a poacher the Lexus treatment :evil:.

 

[auspal]

That must have been so scary !!!!

 

[Pablo]

The only thing that I saw come to grief in Kruger was a Lexus attcked by an elephant. It was up near the Zimbabwe/Mozambique border and it seems poachers may have stirred them up. The driver got boxed in by a tree. I'd like to give a poacher the Lexus treatment :evil:.
View attachment 11927

wow! You'd have a story to tell!!

 

[JohnM]

wow! You'd have a story to tell!!

It was the talk of the Punda Maria rest camp (which is the northernmost in the park).




But it was a very unusual event. Most animals were very docile - but I wouldn't try patting them!

 

[Pablo]

Thanks for sharing JohnM - you have inspired me to share my favourite sequence from my last visit to Kruger. Taken from my car which was only a few metres from these:

The mood lighting and music - setting the scene



The battle of the boys




The Spoils of war


It was quite an adventure.

 

[auspal]

Well I am really excited about going now !!!!

 

[Pablo]

Well I am really excited about going now !!!!

Definitely don't see that at Taronga Zoo!!

 

[Sprucegoose]

Well I am really excited about going now !!!!

One of the best things you'll do.

Patience and good luck hopefully will combine to show you some of natures great wonders.