Kruger National Park

[akwildshots]

I love wildlife photography and am planning a two week Kruger trip. To all those who have been there, when are my photographic chances better:
A) December in the heat after the spring rains. There will be brilliant colour but it will be very hot and the animals will be in hiding in the lush vegetation
B) June in the the dry cold season. The colour won't be anywhere near as good but at least I will see more in the thin vegetation.

Secondly, which camp is your favourite?

[Peter Betts]

Hi

I have done 105 trips to Kruger of 5 days and longer..June is no good/not as good as the first week in Aug..still about the same daylight hrs as June but on 1st Aug the gate opening is 30 mins earlier than 31 July and you get an extra 30 mins in evening. Summer is GREAT for birds...all the migrants are here so for better/more birds go far north...Sirheni Bushcamp or Punda Maria. Go first week in Nov 04h30 opening (still dark) and its 6 weeks to longest daylight. For Wildlife 1st week in August. If you are a camper there are 2 camps ..Tsendze and Balule..no electricity but the REAL Kruger atmosphere...There are 3 distinct regions of Kruger..North of Olifants River = the REAL Kruger. Between Olifants River and Sabie River = Central (Known as the ZOO) and south of the Sabie ...Disneyland deluxe ..Far too crowded for any decent photography. Camps in the far South only one choice = Biyamiti...private road and good area. Lower Sabie is like Loftus on Test day only busier and Skukuza is GROSS..In the centre as I said best camp is Balule and then Tamboti and for luxury Talamati. In the North ..all the camps are great but Sirheni hut 7 is heaven

[Etienne Oosthuizen]

well ..... I have been to the Kruger one hundred and six time for nine and half days and longer, and I say the best time to go is when the gates are open! does not work when they are closed!

[Robbie A]

well ..... I have been to the Kruger one hundred and six time for nine and half days and longer, and I say the best time to go is when the gates are open! does not work when they are closed!

ROFLMAO... yeah yeah meneer..

[akwildshots]

Thanx 4 the responses especially @Peter Betts. Kruger is pretty booked around August but will continue to keep an eye on the SAN Parks site. I am going with family though, and I doubt they will want to stay anywhere other than the big camps.

[Hannes Thirion]

I took this photo on the 'Zoo Road' early in the morning. We were the only car there. Other zoo-goers were still asleep in the Zoo-camp.
This was in September before the rain while the grass were still short.
Best camps for me camping thus far in no particular order; Satara, Shingwedzi and Tsendze.
I use camps to camp and overnight.

[Morkel Erasmus]

My take. I've been there at least once a year (often more) for as long as I can remember.
Every season has its merit.

a. Summer - November to February - very lush and green, great for birding but you can have good mammal sightings too, extremely hot, with very early gate times (04h30).

b. Autumn - March to April - grass still long after summer rains but temperatures becoming more pleasant.

c. Winter - May to August - great time for me, especially late winter like the month of August, with vegetation drying out and thinning out, nice golden colours in your photos, and of course the auburn mopani leaves. Best weather for the region IMHO. Also least chance of getting bitten by the anopheles mosquito.

d. Spring - September to October - also great, fast becoming a favourite time since the impalas and other grazers/browsers will start to lamb/calve and vegetation is still thinnish.

I love the open regions around Satara/Balule/Orpen/Olifants for photography. My favourite region is the north for its quiter nature - you can still have good sightings but you will work just a tad harder to find them as you can't "scavenge" as many sightings from others by just looking for the traffic jams. You can however still enjoy great sightings relatively alone. You simply have to see the Pafuri, Punda Maria and Shingwedzi regions for yourself to realise this.

Enjoy the trip!

[Mark Dumbleton]

well ..... I have been to the Kruger one hundred and six time for nine and half days and longer, and I say the best time to go is when the gates are open! does not work when they are closed!

Hahah! Good one Etienne! I love hearing Peter Betts's responses to Kruger questions

Good info from everyone here. I would say in my experiences I have done most of my best photography from the Satara area. And yes it is a busy area, but I have had 6 Lions on a Giraffe kill right next to the road all to myself for almost an hour, so it cant be that bad!

As far as camps go, Balule would rank as my number 1, with Satara 2nd.

The best region of Kruger is the extreme northern Pafuri region for reason Morkel has mentioned!
As far as the best time of year to go, I like winter because the vegetation is dry and more open, but in December the bird life is incredible!

Never a bad time to visit the Kruger in my opinion!

Enjoy the Kruger, and remember something can happen around every corner, and it often does.

[NJVermaak]

I've had some great sightings in Kruger over December, the other guests don't seem to want to get up early, which is good for you, I've had to young male lions all to myself between Skukukza and Lower Sabie, as well as a pack of hienna just outside Crocodile bridge.

I would also recommend Crocodile Bridge, I've never been dissapointed at this camp during my stay, game is plentfull and the camp is neat well maintained, at the moment one of my favourites!

[Morkel Erasmus]

I've had some great sightings in Kruger over December, the other guests don't seem to want to get up early, which is good for you, I've had to young male lions all to myself between Skukukza and Lower Sabie, as well as a pack of hienna just outside Crocodile bridge.

Agreed! 04h30 is a little steep for the average Kruger-visitor...I've also had proper sightings being out that early. Once spent an hour alone with a pride of lions in light rain between Shingwedzi and Sirheni.

[Johan Hattingh]

Hi all. Thanks from my side for all the info, as I was looking for similar details regarding the camping terrains. I'm looking on booking a weekend at Balule, but it's important to at least have warm water at the ablution block. Can any of you confirm if there is warm water?

Thank you guys!

[Hannes Thirion]

Hi all. Thanks from my side for all the info, as I was looking for similar details regarding the camping terrains. I'm looking on booking a weekend at Balule, but it's important to at least have warm water at the ablution block. Can any of you confirm if there is warm water?

Thank you guys!

Yes all Sanparks ablutions are clean and functional with running hot and cold water.

[Johan Hattingh]

Yes all Sanparks ablutions are clean and functional with running hot and cold water.

Awesome, thank you very much for the feedback! Really appreciate it!

[Morkel Erasmus]

Hi all. Thanks from my side for all the info, as I was looking for similar details regarding the camping terrains. I'm looking on booking a weekend at Balule, but it's important to at least have warm water at the ablution block. Can any of you confirm if there is warm water?

Thank you guys!

Maybe just check the latest Sanparks Flooding damage update, or better even - contact them and enquire - cause I know Balule took some shots with the massive flooding earlier in the year and was still very much under repair the last time I checked...

http://www.sanparks.org/about/news/default.php?id=1858

[Johan Hattingh]

Yes all Sanparks ablutions are clean and functional with running hot and cold water.

Maybe just check the latest Sanparks Flooding damage update, or better even - contact them and enquire - cause I know Balule took some shots with the massive flooding earlier in the year and was still very much under repair the last time I checked...

http://www.sanparks.org/about/news/default.php?id=1858

Didn't even think about that... Thank you very much Morkel, really appreciate the advice!

[visagieh]

The low water bridge between Balule and Olifants is not usable after the floods.