Kruger National Park Safari Information Guide

Depending on logistics, you'll be collected from the airport or nearby hotel by a Wild Wings Safaris guide and vehicle, a third party transport company or a shuttle service. This means you'll be chauffeured by a professional driver to the Kruger in a properly licensed and insured air-conditioned vehicle.

If you're collected by a third party shuttle service, you'll be met by your Wild Wings Safaris guide when you enter the Kruger National Park. There, you'll transfer to an open safari vehicle and immediately start your first game drive en route to your camp.

The trip from Johannesburg to Kruger normally takes about 6 hours. Along the way, we make one or two comfort stops. If you need to stop, please ask the driver. Have some cash ready to buy your own snacks or lunch en route as the first included meal is dinner in the evening. Drinks are excluded but you can buy some at one of the comfort stops or at the Kruger supermarket at camp.

If you transfer to the Kruger with a third party transport company, the driver might not remind you to buy lunch. Please ask at the first comfort stop for the best place to buy lunch. If you're flying to Nelspruit (KMIA), please buy something to eat when you land. After we pick you up, there are no stops between Nelspruit and Kruger.

Look at your Booking Confirmation Document to find your exact pickup details and time. If for logistical reasons, these details change, we'll always send you an updated version. Please be ready on time so we don't inconvenience other guests. Also, if your pickup is late, don't panic. It could be due to unforeseen traffic delays.

Every game drive is unique and there's no guarantee you'll see all the animals on your bucket list. Please don't have too many expectations and enjoy the sightings you do have. The animals you're likely to see include elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest (gnu), white rhino, various antelope species, baboons, monkeys and hippo.

With some luck, you might see predators like lion, leopard, hyena, cheetah and perhaps African wild dog. It's unlikely you'll see all the predators on one trip (cheetah and wild dog are very rare). The greater Kruger National Park is over 2.2 million hectares in size and the animals roam around freely. Keep in mind that on some days, certain sightings are better than others.

In Kruger Park, vehicles aren't allowed to leave the road so some sightings may be further away than others. A bit of luck is involved, especially when it comes to predators. Our records show that we've sighted lions at least once on 9 out of every 10 safaris and leopards at least once on 70% of our safaris (leopards are very shy and often difficult to find). On some safaris, we were unlucky and saw no big cats but other interesting sightings made up for it. Part of the excitement is not knowing what you'll see and what you might find around the next corner!

Don't be shy to ask the guide questions or to repeat themselves if you didn't hear or understand properly – this won't offend them. Also, tell the guide if you can't see the sighting properly and want the vehicle moved to another position. Most guides have a variety of field guides and identification books or apps, and they'll be happy to share them with you if you wish to identify a bird or animal. Binoculars are a must-have on game drives. We provide a few pairs for guests who didn't bring any but it's always preferable to have your own.

During game drives, you must stay seated. Standing up or leaning out of the vehicle is a safety risk and might scare the animals away. Don't interfere with the wildlife in any way. Please don't feed them, throw things at them or scare them with loud noises. It's common courtesy to lower your voice at sightings and to keep your movements to a minimum so as not to scare the animals off. Keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle.

Never try to touch wild animals, even inside the camp when you think the antelopes, warthogs or monkeys that sometimes cross your path look "tame". Keep food out of sight because some monkeys have lost their fear of humans and have learned to grab food from people. All animals can bite so keep your distance.

Bring comfortable shoes or sandals, cool clothing for the day, long pants and a warm jacket for the evenings and early mornings. In winter from April to September, it gets very cold on early morning game drives. Pack a warm windbreaker, beanie or ear-warmers and gloves. In winter, we provide courtesy blankets on game drives and a light raincoat or poncho may come in handy if you're coming on safari during the rainy season from November to March.

Dress in layers so you can shed them as the day warms up. A small carry bag is useful to keep your things on you during game drives. It comes in handy on those bumpy dirt roads. Binoculars are important. A pair of 8x40 or 10x42 is a good option.

Most camps have a swimming pool so bring your swimsuit (optional), hat, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, camera, flashlight, spending money for drinks and personal expenses, insect repellent, anti-malaria medication and other prescription medication you may need

You'll also need to bring your own toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, shower gel or soap. On flights, liquids aren't permitted in hand luggage so you'll need to store them in your checked luggage. Squeeze out some air from your bottles before placing them in a closed plastic bag or Ziploc bag to prevent spilling. Towels are provided but consider bringing your own small hand towel and pool towel.

Bring a 220V international travel adapter with prongs suitable for the local wall plugs. In South Africa, only type M (3 prongs) and type C (2 prongs) are used. In Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania, the UK version type G (3 prongs) is also commonly used. Click here for details.

Don't forget your travel documents, insurance papers, valid passport with at least two blank pages and expiry date more than 6 months away and your flight tickets. If you're travelling with children under 18, click here for details.

Guest safety is our number one priority. South African safari guides are highly trained. If you follow their instructions during game drives or bush walks, you won't be in any danger from animals. If you get very close to elephants, for example, you'll be asked to sit still and keep quiet. Sudden movements or noises might scare the animal or provoke it. Attacks on humans or vehicles are very rare so you don't have to worry. All animals are scared of humans, especially groups of humans.

Kruger Park camps are securely fenced so it's safe to walk around at night. Don't walk barefoot in the dark, though, as there may be scorpions. Always use a flashlight. Closed shoes are best but sandals are fine with your flashlight to light the way. Shake out your shoes in the morning before putting them on.

Never feed any animals or even birds. This carries a hefty fine. Monkeys and baboons can be a nuisance. If they've been fed by humans, they get bold and will grab food right off your breakfast table or out of your hand. Sometimes, they break into tents or bungalows in search of food so don't leave food about in your room. Close and lock all windows and doors before you go out. You'll be surprised what havoc monkeys can wreak if they manage to get into your room! All animals can bite so never attempt to stroke or touch an animal, no matter how tame or cute the animal appears.

Crime is a concern for many visitors to South Africa but this isn't something you need to worry about. O.R. Tambo International Airport, Kruger National Park and other destinations along the way are very safe areas and we've never had an incident of crime on our safaris (except for a few cases of petty theft from a bungalow or hotel room). It's best not to leave any valuables or money lying around in your bungalow as cleaning staff have access to your room. Don't leave your phone, tablet or other valuable electronic devices in your room to charge while you're out on game drives. Always keep your cash, credit cards and passports with you.

That said, game drives can be bumpy so don't put valuables into a shallow pocket where they can fall out during the game drive. The same applies to your rental car if you have one – don't leave valuables like cameras, tablets or wallets in a parked car. Also, don't pack any valuables in your check-in luggage during a flight. Keep all valuables including your cash, credit cards, passports, camera, tablet and jewellery with you or in your hand luggage.

In Kruger National Park, if your safari is 3 days or longer, it may be possible to do a bushwalk or night drive as an optional extra. These are conducted exclusively by Kruger Park rangers. You can book this through your guide who'll, subject to availability, make the necessary arrangements. Better still, book this in advance with your consultant to ensure a place.

Please note: If you do a bushwalk, you'll miss a morning game drive. If you do a night drive, you'll normally miss an afternoon game drive.

Mostly, night drives depart before sunset at around 17h00 and return about 20h00. Some camps offer late-night drives departing around 20h00 and returning late into the night.

A quick disclaimer: We have no control whatsoever over the vehicle and guides used by SANParks for these optional extra activities. In our experience and based on guest feedback, the quality varies greatly. Some SANParks guides are terrific, others are really terrible.

If you've booked a safari that includes a bushwalk or night drive like our 5-Day Best of Kruger Safari, please be aware that the bushwalk in particular is subject to availability and dependent on suitable weather conditions. If it's raining or there's a strong wind, the bushwalk can be cancelled at the discretion of the ranger without prior notice. No refund is due. We will, however, take you on a game drive in place of the bushwalk.

A bushwalk is not so much about game viewing because, as a rule, animals tend to run away from humans on foot. It's more about experiencing the African bush on foot and enjoying the smaller wonders of the wild that you'll miss out on while driving. This includes things such as animal tracks and droppings, plants and their various uses, and the sheer joy of listening to the sounds of the bush undisturbed by the sound of a safari vehicle.