Sunday, November 3, 2013

Experience The Untamed Splendor Of Africa's Most Renowned National Park

By Kyle Olsen


South Africa is proudly the home of the world's most famous game reserve called The Kruger National Park. This is a massive park that covers almost 20 000 square kilometres. The four surrounding regions are Limpopo, Mozambique, Mpumalanga and Zimbabwe. All of these regions are stunning in their own right, and four new reasons to take four more vacations.

South Africa has six biosphere regions and the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere is the largest of the six in SA, and ranks third worldwide. It was registered in October 2001, which UNESCO recognizes.

Conservation groups around the world consider the reserve a leader in creating, developing, and implementing environmental management policies and techniques. It is home to a diverse population of bird, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. More than 300 different tree species grow on its land. The archaeological sites at Thulamela and Masorini as well as the bushman rock paintings scattered throughout the park are evident of man's early and prolonged presence in this environment over a span of many centuries.

The most requested tour in the Kruger is the open Jeep big 5 tours. Video and photography hunting lions, the leopards, the rhinos, the elephants, and the Cape buffalo is what makes this tour so popular. It's not easy to capture a glimpse of one of these animals, let alone take a photo of them! They are very dangerous, but beautiful animals, but are not the only kind around. There is a variety of buck, crocodiles, baboons, hippos, hyenas and many, many more to see.

Touring the park by car while the sun is up is the most popular way to view wildlife. Guided tours are available at some camps. Armed and experienced rangers will guide guests through the park in a 4x4 vehicle or on foot. Unauthorized walking is not only prohibited throughout the reserve but also foolish and dangerous.

The roads are in good condition so makes for easy and comfortable drives and tours. None of these roads are tarred; they are all well maintained dirt roads.

There are speed limits on the roads for your safety and that of the animals. If you were to be speeding and a buffalo stepped in front of your vehicle, the damage to your car would be sever, and dangerous as an injure animal is a very dangerous one! So keep the speed low and you won't scare the animals away.

There are 13 camp sites and lodges all over the reserve, the closest to the Kruger gates is only 20 minutes away, and is also the headquarters of the Kruger National Park. You can stay in the lap of luxury in a lodge or hotel that has spa facilities and or a swimming pool and laundry service, or you can rough it and stay in a tent. For the men and women who enjoy a round of golf, there is even one alongside the Sabie River, where animals frequently come to dink and swim. If you need gas, there is even a gas pump, and a library.

The restored village of Masorini dates back to the Iron Age. The BaPhalaborwa, a society of forgers and smelters, occupied this region during the 1800s. The reconstructed furnace and huts are as authentic as possible and the site features the remains of an original furnace. Masorini is easily accessible and is approximately 12 km away from the Phalaborwa gate, on the way to Letaba rest camp.

Thulamela sits on a plateau in the northern region of the reserve, just a few kilometers west of Pafuri. This royal citadel is among the most historically significant archaeological sites in the country. The site remained undiscovered until 1993, and its oldest stone ruins date back to the 1400s. Additional dwellings lay scattered across the nearby hillsides. Archaeologists believe excavated tombs found there contain the remains of the royal couple who ruled over the region during the 1500s. Named by the excavation team, King Ingwe and Queen Losha, the fact that the remains were adorned with gold lends credence to the belief the individuals enjoyed royal status.

The weather is sub-tropical, meaning it is typically hot and dry in the summer and cold and wet in the winter. This is the exact opposite to the European countries and North America. The rainy season is usually between September and April because of its location south of the border. Visitors from EU countries find the end of summer the easiest to time to visit and ideal because animals are easier to spot in the low brush.




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