Kruger National Park is a scenic area in South Africa. To this day, it has preserved pristine fauna and flora. For more than a hundred years, the park has attracted tourists with the opportunity to observe the life of lions and leopards, rhinos and elephants, buffalos and giraffes in their natural environment.
The picturesque mountain of Lebombo, the amazing Crocodile and Limpopo rivers, large lakes, luxurious vegetation - all this can be seen in this world-famous park. Kruger National Park is located in the Republic of South Africa (South Africa). It occupies a plot of over two million hectares. In such territory, for example, Israel can be accommodated.
The park is divided into 14 zones. Each of them is distinguished by different representatives of fauna and flora. It should be recognized that the Kruger National Park (South Africa) owes much to the “Big Five”: lions, rhinos, elephants, buffalos and leopards. Experts assure that the north of the park is much more original and spectacular, but its southern part is more popular and mastered by tourists.
From the history of the park
Kruger (national park), a photo of which you can see in this article, was founded in 1898. The idea of its creation belongs to the ex-president of the Transvaal Paul Kruger. He decided to create a reserve to protect endangered and rare species of animals and preserve the environment.
However, the park received the first tourists after many years (1927). In the spring of 2002, the Great Limpopo Transnational Park appeared. It included Kruger Park (South Africa), the parks of Mangini Pan, Gonareju, Malipati (Zimbabwe), Limpopo (Mozambique). All these territories were protected, so hunting was limited here (to preserve the number of rare animals). He received the status of the National Park in 1926, after joining nearby farms and the Shingwedzi reserve. The official opening of the park, named after Kruger, took place a year later (1927).
Today, the largest in the world is Kruger. Greater Limpopo National Park has no state borders, so tourists have the opportunity to visit it with one visa. Today, the park stretches for 400 kilometers from south to north and 70 kilometers from west to east. In the east, the border reaches Mozambique, and in the north - to Gonarezha, the National Park in Zimbabwe.
This area is considered part of the Mirny Park project. It provides for the free migration of animals across borders and creates one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in the world.
Infrastructure
Over the long history of the park, an excellent tourist infrastructure has been created here. This is a network of excellent magnificent roads, and several equipped parking lots, and car rental, and excellent restaurants, and comfortable campsites and hotels. There is even an airport.
This huge park employs more than 3,500 people, most of whom are engaged in serving visitors. For everyone who wants to watch the life of animals in the wild, car excursions are organized here, accompanied by a caretaker. Naturally, independent walks are prohibited. Moreover, they can be very dangerous, since the Kruger National Park, a description of which can be found in all advertising booklets of travel agencies working in this direction, remains an islet of wildlife.
Recently, tourists increasingly prefer to watch wild animals using a hidden camera. In this way, "hunting" in recent years, Kruger is famous. National Park allows its guests to make amazing shots. For example, you can see the battles in a herd of buffaloes, photograph how lions behave in the pride, and record the movement of huge alligators.
Today, Kruger (National Park) is very popular - more than a million tourists from all over the world come here every year. The ideas of Paulus Krueger are sacredly honored today. The main principles of the unique complex are hospitality, openness, love of the wild. Residents of South Africa are very proud of this reserve, considering it a striking example of the harmony of man and nature.
Kruger National Park: Description
This amazing reserve is rich in flora and fauna. More than two thousand plants grow in various climatic conditions:
- veld steppes;
- river valleys;
- savannahs;
- foothills.
Travelers are always especially interested in the huge baobabs, which are absolutely familiar to local residents.
World of birds
Kruger - National Park, in the territory of which more than five hundred species of birds feel quite comfortable. Among them are many very rare and endangered species. If you have a chance, pay attention to:
- rhino bird
- buffalo weaver;
- neck;
- eagle owl;
- bustard;
- an eagle;
- a stork.
Other inhabitants
The park has many interesting representatives of the fauna. Among them:
- 50 species of fish;
- more than 100 species of reptiles;
- 33 species of amphibians.
Kruger (National Park): animals
It is no secret that mammals of the reserve especially attract tourists. On this vast territory about 150 species inhabit them. The total number of animals reaches a huge figure - more than 250 thousand. In some areas, the concentration of wild animals is the largest in the world.
We have already said that representatives of the Big Five live in the park. Their number is impressive:
- rhinos - 300 black and 2500 white;
- 8,000 elephants;
- 2,000 lions;
- 15,000 buffalo;
- 900 leopards.
In addition, herds of impala antelopes (102 thousand), blue antelopes (14 thousand) and zebras (32 thousand) graze on these lands. Rhinos prefer to sleep during the day. You can see them active at night or at dusk. Interestingly, this huge and seemingly clumsy animal can reach speeds of up to forty-five kilometers per hour.
Elephants
Many tourists are attracted by huge representatives of the proboscis squad - elephants. In one day, such a giant consumes more than 300 kg of grass and leaves. As a rule, elephants move rather slowly (2-6 km / h), but for a short time they can reach speeds of up to 40 km / h.
Where to see animals?
Many rare and sometimes endangered animals can be seen on the territory of the Kruger reserve. The national park is characterized by a fairly uniform distribution throughout the territory. The probability of seeing them largely depends on the state of the vegetation cover and the terrain.
In the south, the highest density of fauna is observed. Near streams and rivers, not far from the camps of Skukuza Pretoriuskop, Crocodile Bridge and Lower Sabie, you can find elephants, hippos, crocodiles, small families of giraffes, and buffalo. The central parts of the park are inhabited by large herds of zebras and antelopes, which attract predators - lions and cheetahs. The northern regions were chosen by huge herds of elephants and buffalo, leopards and nyala antelopes.
sights
In addition to the magnificent nature and numerous animals, in the reserve you can get acquainted with the culture of African countries. Ethnographic settlements, monuments and other attractions are located here, which include:
- 254 archaeological sites;
- finds of archaeologists related to the Stone and Iron Ages;
- Albasini Ruins - trading station (XIX century);
- Museum of Elephants;
- Stevens Hamilton Memorial Library.
Where to stay?
Tourists are provided with a huge selection of accommodation - from modest houses located in the park to the magnificent hotels around it (private areas). Here you will completely forget that you are in the wild. Remember this only when an elephant passes by.
Private hotels (lodges) are located in very picturesque places that are convenient for observing animals. But this is not their only advantage. In such hotels, as a rule, everything is included: accommodation, meals, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks, trips to the park and other services. Often these mini-hotels offer their guests fairly low prices on weekdays and in the off-season. But before checking in, ask if they accept guests with children. The fact is that the vast majority of such institutions accept young visitors over 12 years old. Some lodges are rented for at least 2-3 days, in any case, guests must pay this time.
The park has 18 (state) camps for recreation. They differ in size and equipment. In the largest on the territory there are excellent restaurants and supermarkets, in addition, you have the opportunity to cook your own food, in the open air.
In the five smallest camps - Mopani, Boulders, N`wanetsi, Roodewaal, Jock of the Bushveld - you will have to do your own cooking. It provides accommodation for only 15 people, so usually they are chosen by groups of tourists coming in large companies.