Few things are as beautiful as a sunset in the African bush
(especially if there are baby animals involved like this little nuzzling zebra)
or the smell of an afternoon thunderstorm on African soil.
The Kruger National Park is the best place in South Africa to see wildlife, even on a self-drive basis.
The range of animals you will see from the comfort of your car is unparalleled, and you can pace your viewings entirely to suit your interests.
Giraffe, antelope, warthog and monkeys are often overlooked on game drives on the quest to find the Big 5 viewings, yet can be fascinating creatures to watch.
Of course the best thing about Kruger is that it is home to the Big 5 (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard) as well as cheetah, wild dog and many other creatures that smaller game reserves do not necessarily all have.
Our hire car was blushing for quite some time after a spectacular sighting of lions mating. 💞
There are a LOT of Elephants in Kruger. Most are gentle, fascinating creatures.
Some objects are DEFINITELY larger than they appear in the review mirror ;-)
What you do need to be wary about are lone angry male elephants in musk. We had to retreat down a long narrow road for half an hour to respectfully give this guy his space.
The birdlife in Kruger is abundant. My iphone doesn't do them justice but you will spot numerous birds whilst you are driving, at a bird hide or simply if you sit outside your rondavel hut overlooking a river.
The self-catering accomodation is pretty basic but the main camps each have a good shop and restaurant. Mostly with self-drive you are out at sunrise, return to siesta or drive to the next camp, and game drive again until sunset.
Sunset at a water hole, teeming with birds and the occasional hippo or crocodile.
Some camps offer night drives on big open vehicles, which can yield some great viewings like of nocturnal animals, or in this case a sleepy buffalo:
Final tip for Kruger self-drive = Be aware of road blocks!
For more beautiful bird and wildlife pics from our trip have a look at https://www.instagram.com/robforrest.photography/
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