First timer to Kruger with 20 y/o daughter (I'm 55). Can you help me with a couple questions?
Which camps have you enjoyed the most? We are mostly interested in wildlife viewing and natural scenery. Comfort is good, but we are not "high maintenance."
We plan 3-4 nights.. is it better to go camp to camp or stay put?
Also considering a nicer hotel just outside the park, like Protea Kruger Gate, then venture in during the day. Is this a good idea?
Based on this forum we plan on self drive but would also consider a budget tour...
Thanks in advance for your response to any of these questions!

We were in Kruger this past March. We stayed a night at Satara and a night Lower Sabie. We had excellant animal sightings around both camps and on the first day drive from Kruger Gate to Satara, the second day driving from Satara to Lower Sabie and the third day driving from Lower Sabie to Crocodile Bridge Gate. With more time, like you will have, do a 2/1 or 2/2 night combo. Both areas were good for us and the scenery is a little different in each area which makes for interesting viewings.

We stayed in cabins in each camp that were next to the fence and did see some animals on the outside in the evening and early morning. Both cabins were modern and very clean. The A/C worked well and the cabins were well equiped for fixing your own meals. There are ample places to eat in each restcamp if you don't want to cook. Over all the restcamps are a great value $60 or less per night. We will definitely be back. The self drive safari is wonderful!

Personally, I think you would miss alot staying outside the gate and/or doing a group safari. The fun for us was the "hunt" and "discover" own our own. We also liked being able to stop and watch untill we were tired or the animal moved on.

We did trip different safaris on our trip and to be honest, the self drive in Kruger was the best. We loved it!

Check out or blog for details of our days, roads we took and pictures of our sightings:

www.aroundtheworldin132days.blogspot.com

Click on April the righthand side and scroll to March 30 read up to April 1.

Satara and Lower Sabie are excellent choices. Most of my best sightings have been in the areas around Lower Sabie. My favorite camp is Tamboti (near the larger Orpen camp). I find the area between Orpen/Tamboti and Satara to be very beautiful. Be aware that if you stay at Tamboti you will have to cook your own food. They have places to do this.

Berg-en-Dal camp also has great scenery as well as good wildlife sightings. It's tucked in at the base of the mountains at the southern tip of the park. The number of roads to explore in that area are limited, however. It's a great place to stay for one night at the beginning or end of a trip.

I would recommend a self-drive over a tour that's based outside the park, if you can afford it.

I forgot to mention Olifants camp. It's got a great viewpoint of the Olifants River, quite spectacular. I wouldn't recommend staying there if you're only in the park for a few days as it's not the best place for wildlife viewing. Olifants is at the southern border of the park's belt of mopane woodland where wildlife are harder to spot. I would recommend driving to Olifants from Satara if you plan to stay there. You could drive up and back over the course of one morning, or take it slow, eat lunch at Olifants, and drive back to Satara. Just a thought.

Wow! Is this a great forum! From Honolulu I thank you all for your excellent responses!

cwn.. enjoying your132daysblog immensely! Maybe we won't go... we'll just stay at the computer and check out your travel log!

Thanks for the kind response. We had a great time, glad you are enjoying our trip report.

Go and enjoy...it is a great experience. We got a great map and guide at the Kruger Gate when we bought our tickets. The map made exploring sooo... easy. Be sure and get one.

I'm sure you'll have a great trip!

I would recommend getting a Kruger Eco Zone Map booklet at one of the shops. It's a really thin, inexpensive book (less than US$10). It has all of the roads and camps listed in it but also overlays a color-coded guide to the different "ecozones." As you drive through the park you'll probably notice changes in the number and types of trees. This book tells you a little bit about why habitats change (e.g., geology, rainfall, etc.) and what trees, bushes, and animals could be seen in each habitat.

Here's a Google Books preview of the Eco Zone Map (I had to learn how to use one of those URL shorteners, hope this works): http://bit.ly/aILOe3

Thanks to you both. We are just back and had one of the best trips ever!

Ok MJ747, happy to hear you had a great time. Now please tell us some (preferably a lot) about where you stayed and what you saw and where you drove around and more.

regards -tom

Very happy to hear you had a good trip! I'm curious, too, to hear your experiences. Perhaps after the jet-lag wears off?

Thanks for asking about our trip. I have just posted a brief review under "Short Kruger NP Trip April 2010"
Also someone recommended the book "Kruger National Park" by L.E.O.Braack which lists for $10.95 and included an excellent map... Worked very well for us.