Tourist Places To Visit In Kruger National Park

Kruger National Park spans across an area of 2 million hectares, showcasing a splendid diversity of flora and fauna. The wildlife safaris of the park rank among the best in the whole of South Africa. Tourists can choose to either explore the park on foot or on a safari vehicle.

Along with its wonderful reserve of wild animals and birds, the park also boasts of a few interesting archaeological and historical sights. Intriguing rock formations of caves and ancient ruins that showcase African culture make for great tourist places to explore in Kruger National Park. Let us browse through to know more about these fascinating places of the Park.

The Bushmans Wilderness Trail offers tourists with exciting opportunities to see unique mountain animals such as mountain reedbuck, klipspringer, and kudu. Visitors can also come across antelopes, rhinos and lions while exploring the San Rock Art area of the park. Tourists have often unexpectedly bumped into a rhino while strolling through the wilderness early in the morning. The pathways for this wilderness trail usually follow the footsteps of elephants, making it a possibility to spot them along the way more often. These trails normally last for three days, offering impressive sightseeing along the journey.

The Timbavati Nature Reserve nurtures more than 40 species of wild animals, consisting of the Big Five of Africa: rhino, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and lion. Other animals that you may come across while strolling through the jungle include giraffe, wild dog, hippo, hyena, zebra, and impala. On a lucky day, tourists could also witness some of the lion cubs honing their predatory skills by feasting on a prey. With a water body situated close to the camp area, visitors are greeted by elephants who come in search of water on a regular basis. Another exciting prospect is sighting a hippo family that also resides in the area.

A walking safari through Manyeleti Game Reserve offers tourists an understanding of the different sceneries with the help of an expert. This trail involves travelling between the two game camps at Buffelshoek and Ndzhaka. Covering approximately 23,000 hectares of wildlife reserve area, Manyeleti Wilderness Trail is an isolated trail that provides tourists with a refreshing experience. Visitors slowly learn different techniques used for spotting wildlife while hiking through the wilderness. This three-day camp offers a unique experience with tourists constantly exploring wildlife prospects on foot.

Thulamela Ruins is situated within close proximity to the Luvuvhu River. This archaeological spot once formed the African Kingdom during yesteryears. Tourists who visit this site are granted with a sneak peek into South Africa's cultural heritage. The main fortress of the kingdom could make room for nearly 1,000 civilians, while about 3,000 people inhabited the entire kingdom. One interesting spot within the kingdom is the burial ground where the king and queen were cremated along with a truckload of gold antiquities. Lastly, the majestic stone-walled fortress and other ancient homes also attract many tourists.

Malelane Gate is situated on the Crocodile River, about 50 km away from the Crocodile Bridge. Crossing the Crocodile River to get into Kruger National Park is a dreamlike experience. The river has aptly divided into two distinct environments such as the wilderness of the park and the grasslands and electricity structures. The Malelane camp is set up around 3 km away from the gate, stretching along the banks of Crocodile River. Guided hikes are arranged around the camp during the wee hours of the morning and late evenings. Animals such as duiker, kudu, and giraffe are often spotted around this region of the park.

The mystifying Echo Caves were first unearthed by a farmer way back in the 1920s. These caves are wonderfully placed between surging hillocks of the Mpumalanga area. The name Echo Caves comes from the fact that the natives would use one of the stalactite structures as a drum to alert the kingdom about any incoming enemy attacks. A tour of the caves lasts for approximately an hour, showcasing fascinating stalactite and stalagmite structures. Other exciting points to visit within Echo Caves include the lately discovered Crystal Palace and Madonna.

Situated on the Panorama Route, Three Rondavels are three mountain peaks with tapered apex points that resemble the traditional African farmhouses from yesteryears. The Three Rondavels offer a stunning scenery while driving across the 16 km expanse of the Blyde River Canyon. These marvels of nature were formed thanks to the steady erosion of the smooth rock lying beneath. This erosion left the harder and compact sedimentary rocks wide open for us to be amazed at. Providing an apt view of the Blyde River Canyon from atop them, the Three Rondavels should be explored on a trip to Kruger.