During a recent trip to the Kruger National Park, we realised there are many new adventurers and a few well-seasoned ones that could do with these helpful tips and Etiquette reminders.
Kruger National Park, South Africa (02 July 2021) – Having spent a fair bit of time travelling the Kruger National Park (KNP), we have some great insight to help newbies and oldies alike. These tips and etiquette reminders will serve you well next time you find yourself in the KNP.
Traffic
There are two kinds of Kruger traffic in the park; man-made sight-hogging and literal zebra crossing or any animal, in fact.
To combat human traffic, you just need to be a nice person and do not block the road. At sightings, there should always be a clear path where passersby can get through safely. So if you are that person blocking the road, keep moving until you get a spot or wait in line politely until the cars move down.
We understand that seeing a lion, leopard, or cheetah is important, but so is road safety. There was a blocked road at a lion sighting recently, and the Section Ranger was urgently attempting to get through, a short while later, a member of the K9 unit and an ambulance too. This indicated that something serious was happening in the park, and the traffic really held them up. We can only hope that whatever happened, they got there in time!
Moving away from the humans, animal traffic is probably the best! Unless you are heading to find a nearby lava(tree), which is basically the only time animal traffic ever happens.
If you find yourself caught up in a bit of animal traffic, be respectful and keep a safe distance. Animals shouldn’t feel stressed about their journey.
Driving
The speed limits are 50km/h on the tarred roads and 40km/h on the dirt roads. It is vital to not go over those limits as many smaller animals can be missed and killed, even larger ones.
KNP SANParks are spreading awareness this month about speeding in the hopes of stopping the roadkill numbers.
A few etiquette tips:
- Leisure Drivers, if you are going slower than the speed limit, check your mirrors now and then to make sure you have not got a trail of drivers who can’t tell if it is safe to overtake. Please help them by signalling when it is safe to overtake.
- If you are driving on a dirt road and come upon a sighting, slow down before the sighting to avoid covering everyone in the dust.
- Animals always have the right of way, especially elephants!
- Watch the road for lizards, snakes, tortoises and more to avoid hitting them. This is especially important when driving on a rainy day as smaller animals will come to drink water off the road surface.
- Don’t drive on anyone’s tail; they may stop at any point to check a sighting. Make sure to travel at a safe distance.
- Wave at people; it is always fun to say hello as you pass your fellow adventurers.
Sightings
When at a sighting, excitement can really get your voice up but be sure to stay calm and quiet. You want to disturb the animal as little as possible. Also, keep in mind the noise of your car. If you plan to be at the sighting for some time, switch your engine off, sit back and relax.
People will always want to know what you are looking at, so be sure to explain precisely what you see most concisely. And for the fellow birders out there, be sure to park your car in some way so people know you may be looking at a tiny Blue Waxbill instead of a Lion in the distance.
As mentioned above, don’t block the road. Another important one that needs reminding is that cars should remain on the road at all times. The bush on the roadside is strictly for the animals.
The last thing when at a sighting is to remember to be kind. Blocking other people’s views with your big hulky car just isn’t nice. Sightings work on a first-come-first-serve basis, and bullying your way into the front is rude. Remember, just because you are in the privacy of your car doesn’t mean we can’t see you and remember you for the next big sighting!
Packing
We won’t go into detail about what to pack, but here are a few essentials for the car that always make the trip manageable.
- A very good stock of water. Hydration is important, especially on hot days.
- Binoculars to see far-off sightings.
- A Kruger map book.
- A library of reference books. We always have a bird book, animal check-list, Kruger map and Kruger mammal book on hand to help when facts are disputed, or reference is needed.
- A camera to photograph your sightings.
- Sunblock, a hat and a shawl or scarf to protect you when the sun doesn’t ease.
- Snacks – This comes down to personal preferences, but you can never go wrong with a bit of biltong, some crunchy corn or a refreshing ice-lolly.
And those are just some of the basics. Have anything to add? Let us know in the comment section.
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