Kruger National Park was one of the most amazing
recreational experiences we had on the trip.
After a lengthy drive from Johannesburg, we arrived at the gates of Skukuza
Park and were not disappointed— just moments after entering, our bus pulled
over to the side of the road to get a better look at a family of elephants in
the foliage! I had hazy memories of
riding elephants as a young girl in Singapore, but I couldn’t believe how huge
these creatures were. There were
probably six or seven, including smaller, younger elephants, and we watched as
they slowly receded into the bush. After
arriving at the campgrounds, we went into our own huts—ours was beautiful, with
a thatched roof and an outdoor kitchen.
Baboon and monkey warnings were everywhere, and we constantly had
warthog visitors outside of our steps.
Over the next two days, a sunset game drive, sunrise drive, and walking
tour provided many opportunities to see more animals. I feel extremely fortunate to have seen
animals like baboons, impala, antelope, monkeys, warthogs, hippos, giraffes,
springbok, chameleons, BIG spiders, and four out of the five “big five”—lions,
elephants, rhinos, and leopards (damn it, water buffalo!) Even though elephants are my favorite
animals, seeing the leopard was one of the most special moments at Kruger. It had a quiet, predatory beauty that
absolutely stunned everyone in our drive vehicle, especially when it crept
within 10 feet of us. I think the
leopard at sunrise will be a valued memory for the rest of my life.
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