Choosing Your First African Safari

Feb 12, 2019 | Kruger Park safaris

Choosing Your First African Safari

Africa is big! And it is filled with amazing national parks, home to all kinds of animals and plenty of plant diversity. The sheer number of places to enjoy a safari is what makes choosing the right one for you a tougher task than you’d imagine.

The thing is, it is highly unlikely that you will get to see all of Africa. You won’t be able to do it all and so you need to make sure that you’ve done your research about the different countries and their safari destinations so that you can select the destination that will provide you with the most relaxed, and thrilling, experience.

South Africa is without a doubt one of the best safari destinations in the world. And of all the safari destinations you can choose from, the Kruger National Park is going to come out on top of your list of preferred destinations.

Narrowing down all of your options and deciding on the Kruger as the destination of choice can take time and planning, as there is a lot to consider. And the considerations have more to do than just the animals you will see.

Every safari company knows that the guests they take on safari have certain hopes regarding the animals they want to see. But these safari companies also know that guests can get bored when spending numerous days on safari, so they like to plan other activities or things to see. If you are looking to experience a trip that lasts longer than a single day or morning, you will need to consider what else your destination has on offer.

Royal Safaris provides guests with a rather different approach to experiencing the Kruger National Park and its wild surrounding areas. Our wildlife tours leave from the White River area as well as from the Marloth Park area, making it easier for guests to get to get to the best wildlife viewing destinations.

Important questions to ask when choosing your safari

How do you feel about being on the road? Some safari destinations will have you driving for hours on end, and not always on the best of roads. Not everyone is keen on driving around, instead, they want to get to the destination and relax, before heading back. Many Kruger and Marloth safaris offer transfers, along with guided safaris.
Do you want to combine your safari with another destination? Many African safari destinations offer only the wildlife experience, whereas South Africa is also a top destination for those wanting to sit on the beach. When visiting South Africa, you can be on a Kruger safari on one day and exploring a beach on the next.
Would you like to be closer to urban areas? South Africa has a number of bustling urban landscapes, with major cities close to the safari destinations. This helps to ensure that you are never too far from all of the conveniences of modern living so should you find yourself in need of something from the shops, you can always get to a place that has what you need.

The Royal Safaris Experience

Royal Safaris, located close to the Kruger National Park, is the only safari operator allowed to take guests into the Kruger for evening safaris. But we also have a number of other fantastic tour packages for you to choose from.

Our bush braais, champagne breakfasts and sundowner drives are just as exciting as our full day tours in the Kruger as well as our Panorama Tours. Each safari experience is affordable and each trip is sure to provide an unforgettable adventure.

Book one of our Kruger safari packages today, and explore the wilder side of Africa.

5 Best Ways To See The Kruger

Nov 20, 2018 | Kruger Park safaris

5 Best Ways To See The Kruger

The Kruger National Park is one of the world’s best loved nature reserves. Home to all kinds of African animals, birds and reptiles, the best way to explore this land is by embarking on a Kruger National Park safari. For some guests, enjoying breakfast or lunch in the park is enough while others prefer to have the best of both worlds, by heading out early in the morning for breakfast in the park, before indulging in a full day safari.

Safaris can be enjoyed in one of five ways. And each guest has their own favourite way to travel.

The Self-Drive Safari

A Kruger Park self-drive is a great way to see the park. The advantages of such a trip include driving along those roads you want to explore, rather than only travelling where the safari company takes you. You could say that the self-drive safari gives you more independence. Whether you are visiting from overseas and hiring a car to take you into the park, or if you are a local driving yourself through the Kruger, you’ll be itinerary free and have all the time to explore. Depending on how much time you’ll be spending in the Kruger, you may well end up travelling the entire park, stopping off at all of the monuments and lookout points as you go.

The biggest downside of the self-drive experience is that you can get rather tired quite quickly. You will spend most of the day driving yourself around and as a result, you might not get to spend all that time sightseeing. You still have to pay attention to the road after all.

Open Vehicle Safari

All those open vehicles you see in the pictures? They are actually the norm here in Africa. These open safari vehicles provide the right height to see over the vegetation which grows thickly here in the Kruger, while it also allows you to really take in all of those memorable smells. One of the best parts about hopping on board an open safari vehicle is that you won’t be doing any of the driving. Instead, you can kick back and relax. Safari vehicles are driven by expert guides who also have a keen eye for spotting even the most elusive of wildlife. This is the plus of any guided safari. You can be sure to see all kinds of animals by the time your time in the park comes to an end.

The Closed Safari Vehicle

If you don’t want the wind in your hair, or if we really can’t convince you that a cheetah won’t pounce on you, then you might want to consider the closed safari vehicle option. You’ll still have that once in a lifetime safari experience, but you’ll have it in the comfort of air conditioning. The visibility from these vehicles might not always be what you expect, and you might have to go on a shared safari, but you’ll still have a most memorable time.

Shared Kruger Park Safari

Ideal for anyone on a budget or who has no problem sharing their time with a group of strangers, there is something comforting and exciting about sharing a Kruger Park safari. Sometimes the best experience is that which is shared with a group of people who are all looking to get the same thing out of their time here. Lifelong friendships can be forged when on a shared tour of the Kruger National Park.

A Private Kruger Park Safari

Finally, the last great way to see the Kruger is to embark on a private Kruger Park safari. Ideal for family groups or friends looking for a unique holiday, the private tour is the perfect trip. You won’t have to do any of the driving. Instead, you will be able to enjoy the same journey as those who you share it with.

Royal Safaris has some of the most wonderful Kruger Park safaris available to guests visiting from all of the world. Book your tour with us today!

The Kruger National Park: A Short Introduction

Aug 29, 2018 | Uncategorized

The Kruger National Park: A Short Introduction

Royal Safaris has a unique approach to the Kruger safari experience.

While we give guests the option of doing the traditional safari, our breakfast trips to the Kruger will give you an unforgettable journey into one of the world’s most enduring and beloved nature conservations.

We see only the surface of the park; the complexity of the thousands of plants and animal species in the park is exceptionally complex. Visitors of all kinds will find something to love about the Kruger, and when like turns to love, it’s enough to bring guests back again and again.

The Kruger National Park is situated in the North-Eastern corner of South Africa and expands into neighbouring conservation areas in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The park is also surrounded by private nature reserves who have an open border agreement with the Kruger.

A huge space of untouched African wild, the Kruger National Park is a piece of time locked away and preserved for us to enjoy. The animals living here have lived the same lives for thousands of years, untroubled by humanity and its ever-changing nature. The moment you enter any of the gates, you can feel a shift in the atmosphere. Suddenly all of your day to day thoughts and the stresses that are ever present with modern living simply disappears and there is a sense of tranquillity. There is no sound of traffic or hooting cars; no shouts or loud music. And the parks very strict speed limit will force you to take it easy.

Bigger than Israel and about as big as Wales, it was the quick thinking of a group of men that led to the creation of the Kruger. The park has met challenges and has overcome impossible odds during the more than 100 years since its inception.

A Short History

The Kruger National Park is in many ways a symbol of love for nature. The Kruger was founded as a place where the area’s dwindling wildlife would have a sanctuary from hunters, who at the time were quickly destroying animal populations in their desire for trophies. At the time, those hunters could not have appreciated that the area in which they hunted was far more diverse than anything they could have possibly imagined. Perhaps, if they had known, they might have thought about their actions a little differently.

The park is named after Paul Kruger, the one time president of the Transvaal, but it took more than one man to establish the conservancy, and over the years it has taken a board of committed directors, planners and other officials to keep the legacy alive.

Originally, the Kruger Park was named the Sabie Game Reserve. At first, few guests were permitted entrance into the park as there was always a strong emphasis on limiting the number of people in allowed into this habitat. Paul Kruger, while a founder, had very little influence over what the park would become. The one person who had the most profound effect on what the Kruger would become is James Stevenson-Hamilton.

The Wisdom of a Warden

As the parks first caretaker, Stevenson-Hamilton was a warden for 44 years and turned the park into a “Great Lady”. Although at first, he was just as reluctant as the rest of the board to admit guests to the park, he would eventually see that the very survival of the park would depend on allowing people to be a part of the experience.

Just like most of the planning that has gone into the founding of the park, the process of making the park accessible to guests was one of careful planning. The thought was why have a place filled with animals if you would not be using the reserve as a place to educate? The Kruger would be a great place to teach people about the unique and beautiful animals.

Although faced with many opponents who would have happily seen the Kruger completely destroyed, Stevenson-Hamilton started promoting tourism and encouraging visitors. His approach earned him more supporters and soon the public was excited about having the opportunity to visit this previously off-limits location.

Finding the perfect balance of visitors would, and continues to be, key to the preservation of the Kruger. Allowing uncontrolled numbers into the park would upset the ecosystem to the point that it could be destroyed. To this day, the Kruger has a strict limit on the number of guests allowed entry.

The earliest visitors to the park were quite the adventurers! The accommodation was beyond rustic, and often the security around the camp would be the bare minimum. The huts had no windows, so you can only imagine the number of insects coming in!

Visitors to the park remained low until South Africa enjoyed a boom after the Second World War. After that, the park became extremely popular. Accommodation improved and became more abundant, and transport also became more accessible and more reliable. The Kruger National Park has been growing in leaps and bounds ever since.

Kruger Park Safaris

The single best way to explore this fantastic nature conservation park is by going on Kruger Park safaris. Trips to the Kruger in the company of experienced guides can give you the very best way to see and learn more about the park. At Royal Safaris we take a different approach to the Kruger Park safari. We have the conventional approach, which consists of day tours of the park consisting of morning and afternoon drives, and we have those special safaris that can be ideal for romantic getaways and those wanting to mark a special occasion.

These are some of our current safaris:

We also offer other tours of areas around the Kruger National Park, including giving guests the opportunity to see the Panorama Route.

The Kruger has one of the richest histories and one of the most diverse landscapes. Come and experience a once in a lifetime trip. Book your tour with Royal Safaris Transfers and Tours.