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Many of the private game lodges and private reserves used by Ntaba African Safaris border the Kruger National Park, the largest game reserve in South Africa. There are no fences between the private game reserves and Kruger National Park, which allows Ntaba African Safari guests the opportunity to view game in a highly-regulated setting (no more than 2 cars at any given sighting versus no restrictions whatsoever in the National Game Park). Roughly the same size and shape as Wales, Kruger covers 7,332 sq miles and extends 220 miles from north to south, and 38 miles from east to west. To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. It is now part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.
Here is where you will see the “Big 5”: African Elephant, Rhinoceros, Cape Buffalo, Leopard, and Lion. The park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, an area designated by the United Nations Education and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the “Biosphere”).
The Greater Kruger Area is home to 147 mammals. Common animals include monkeys, giraffes, zebras, warthogs and wildebeest. Less common are porcupines, jackals, cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs and mongooses.
Aside from the Big 5, visitors can see the Little 5; antlions, Eastern Rock elephant shrews, leopard tortoises, red-billed buffalo weavers, and rhino beetles – all of which you can see in the Greater Kruger area.
From the ground to the sky – behold the Kruger birds! There are a mind-blowing 517 species of bird found in the Greater Kruger Area. Common sightings include Cape glossy starlings, red-billed hornbills, lilac-breasted rollers, and weavers. There are also larger birds like ostriches, kori-bustards, black-bellied korhaans, and southern-ground hornbills.
More into plants than wildlife? The Greater Kruger Area is home to an amazing abundance of flora. There are around 1,982 species of plants. You can see Africa’s most iconic trees – Baobabs, sausage trees, Mopani trees, fever trees, and the umbrella thorn tree.
Multi-generational travelers to the Greater Kruger Area, and throughout South Africa, will create priceless memories with their families. In addition to game drives, many lodges offer age-appropriate educational activities in a safe and fun environment.
The Greater Kruger Area has several cultural sights to see from bushman paintings to an iron age site and a 500-year-old walled archaeological settlement to the Letaba Elephant Hall Museum where you can see 110-pound elephant tusks and skulls.
As for activities you can embark on sunrise or sunset game drives – usually lasting 3-4 hours and walking safaris – from a few hours to a few days. For golfers, there is the 9-hole Kruger golf course – there isn’t a fence so don’t spend too long looking for stray balls!
For more information about Greater Kruger Park & Kruger National Park read this blog post.
