Page 344 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

342  GA UTENG , LIMPOPO AND MPUM ALANGA

Exploring Southern Kruger

Tourism in Kruger is focused on the park’s southern half, which
offers superior game-viewing compared with the wilder, drier
north, has better tourist amenities, and is more accessible.
Southern Kruger is divided into two sectors by the Sabie River –
the busier of these runs south to Crocodile River and supports
a cover of dense acacia woodland. The second, a swathe of
lightly-wooded savannah, runs to the Olifants River. With a
good road network and well-equipped, affordable rest camps,
both are ideal for a self-drive safari. Alternatively, privately-
managed lodges offer a guided safari experience similar to One of the many rest camps in
the private reserves along the western border (see p345). Southern Kruger
Skukuza
Overlooking the Sabie River
13 km (8 miles) east of Paul
Kruger Gate, Skukuza is the
park’s second-oldest rest camp,
and by far the largest,
comprising 230 accom-
modation units and 80 camp
sites, with a total capacity of
1,000-plus visitors. Originally
known as Sabie Bridge (after a
railway bridge still standing
today), the camp was renamed
Crocodiles basking in the sun on the banks of Crocodile River in 1936 after the pioneering
warden James Stevenson-
Crocodile River positioned for a first night in the Hamilton, whose Tsonga
Flowing eastward along the park bush after travelling from nickname Skukuza means “he
border for 60 km (37 miles), the Gauteng. The accommodation who sweeps clean”. Skukuza
Crocodile River forms a natural is perhaps the most comfortable today doubles as the park’s
barrier between the untamed of any public rest camp, and the research and administrative
wilderness of Kruger and the hilly setting, overlooking a tree- headquarters, and its excellent
lush farmland to its south. It is lined dam, is lovely. One night range of facilities include an
overlooked by Crocodile Bridge, here is sufficient before airport, car-hire service,
the park’s most easterly rest pushing on deeper into bank, ATM, petrol station,
camp –situated 115 km (71 the park. post office, museum,
miles) from the provincial capital restaurant and shop.
Mbombela – and one of its Pretoriuskop Naysayers complain
smallest, set in an area Accessed via Numbi Gate – Skukuza is too large
renowned for its dense which opened 8 km and impersonal,
population of white rhino. (5 miles) to its west in but these flaws
On the Crocodile River, a short 1926, to be used by a are more than
drive east of camp, stands a total of three cars during compensated
hippo pool and a fascinating its first year of operation by its strategic
prehistoric rock painting site. Set – Pretorius-kop, the park’s location at the
between Crocodile Bridge and oldest rest camp, seems junction of three
the Lebombo Mountains on the more attuned to the superb game-
Mozambique border, the 150- sensibilities of viewing roads:
sq-km (58-sq-mile) Mpana-mana local holiday- the H3 to
Concession, reserved exclusively makers than to Malalane,
for the private Shishangani international The yellow billed hornbill can be H4–1 to Lower
Lodge and two satellite camps, tourists. Game- spotted in Kruger Sabie and
is good for spotting white rhino, viewing in the H1–2/3 to
lion and elephant. surrounding acacia woodland is Satara. Also in Skukuza’s favour
erratic, but the Voortrekker Road are the sprawling green
Berg-en-Dal (connecting it to Afsaal picnic grounds teeming with birds
Situated 13 km (8 miles) north- site) is a good place to look for and small mammals, and the
west of Malalane Gate, this the shy black rhino, stately eland river below that attracts plenty
modern rest camp is well- and sable antelope. of thirsty wildlife.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp390–91 and pp410–11

342-343_EW_South_Africa.indd 342 25/05/17 12:00 pm