Michael Rowlands

hi can anyone give me advice on accomodation in Kruger.I ,m looking for 3
nights in cheaper camps in mid Oct. How far ahead will I have to book ,what
are their tariffs etc and any recommendations on the best and worst camps.
Many thanks
M Rowlands

Vera

Hi

Check out this website

http://www.parks-sa.co.za/

it gives you all the info you need to know about Kruger including
prices and on-line booking

I visited in November and camped but did not pre-book. However,
during school holidays I hear you must book well in advance.

Regards
Vera

On Fri, 14 Feb 2003 11:42:49 -0000, "Michael Rowlands"
wrote:

    >hi can anyone give me advice on accomodation in Kruger.I ,m looking for 3
    >nights in cheaper camps in mid Oct. How far ahead will I have to book ,what
    >are their tariffs etc and any recommendations on the best and worst camps.
    >Many thanks
    > M Rowlands

Scott Elliot

We booked all out accomodation in Kruger through the South African National
Parks web site.

http://www.parks-sa.co.za/

Two books that I found particularly useful for deciding which camps I wanted
to visit were Kruger National Park, Dr. L.E.O. Braack (Globetrotter) and
Where to Watch Game in the Kruger National Park, Nigel Dennis (Sunbird
Publishing). We used these books to decide our intended schedule, then
tried to book through the web.

We did not get every camp we wanted because some were completely booked.
Booking opens 365 days in advance so the sooner you book the better.

On our trip we stayed at Skukuza, Lower Sabi, Oliphants and Letaba camps and
at Sirheni and Talamati bushveld camps. All the camps we visited seemed
quite nice althought the restaurant at Oliphants was a little unorgainized.
If you want to see game there seems to be more in the southern part of the
park.

We spent a few nights in the smaller, more expensive Bushveld camps. If you
don't mind the extra cost one of these would be ideal for three nights.
There is no restaurant, but there are much smaller crowds and the you can
organize a less crowded game drive or walk with the guides. We enjoyed the
atmaosphere more. We didn't stay at Biyamiti, but it is one I will try to
book for my next trip. As with the other Bushveld camps it is on a road
that is only open to visitors at the camp so you can get less crowded game
viewing if you happen to see a lion.

The main camps offer a variety of accomodation from bring your own tent
campsites to comfortable safari tents to cute little cabins to luxurious
chalets. Something should fit your price range.

Scott Elliot
http://www3.telus.net/selliot/

"Michael Rowlands" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > hi can anyone give me advice on accomodation in Kruger.I ,m looking for 3
    > nights in cheaper camps in mid Oct. How far ahead will I have to book
,what
    > are their tariffs etc and any recommendations on the best and worst camps.
    > Many thanks
    > M Rowlands

Goose

I don't know what you mean by "Camp sites". Do mean tent camping? Or are you referring to rondavels (thatched roof lodges)? Any booking for Kruger must be done months in advance. We always booked 6 months in advance and some people book a year in advance.

After visiting almost every year for 10 years we found Satara to be the best place to base ourselves. Skukuza is huge and is the most accessible to mainstream tourists in that it is closest to Johannesburg and has its own airport. The result is that you have busloads of tourists staying in the camp and the roads in and around Skukuza and Sabie are like a zoo (except the sight is motor vehicles and not game). Having said that there is often good game to be seen down there especially during the winter (May-July) as there is generally more water and greener vegetation.

If you are going in October it will be hot (but not unbearable) and the spring rains will have started so there will be plenty of game around Satara. The vegetation down Skukuza and Sabi way will thus be denser, as a result of the rains, meaning that you will not be able to see that far into the bush from your vehicle which is not allowed to leave the road.

The veld opens up as you travel further north (to Satara) and there is a good combination of open plains and rivers. The beauty of this is that you will see herds of buffalo, elephant and antelope on the open plains as well as leopard and lion and cheetah (which particularly enjoy the open plains). Since the vegetation is thinner around Satara you will be able to see further into the veld and will see more.

You can always make trips down to and around Skukuza area but I personally would avoid the area as much as possible (unless hooting vehicles and massive buses are your idea of fun in the bush).

Oliphants camp (north of Satara) has a beautiful vista over the river and the plains and is worth a night or two, but its surrounding vegeatation from the camp northward is primarily Mopani shrup type trees (very dry and hilly vegetaion) - not conducive to spotting lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo etc none of whom favour hilly rocky geography). We have just never had much luck seeing game any further north than Oliphants.

L. Andreoli

Hi, Michael,

Lower Sabie and/or Satara are nice camps and lots of wildlife in the
surrounding area.
If you camp in a rondavel the price in all camps are more or less the
same (around EUR 50,-).
Advise: book well in advance!!
Kruger NP
For extensive information about Kruger NP
(and Kruger park home page for full information) see our website:
http://www.homepages.hetnet.nl/~louine
Lou Andreoli
Wildlife Photographer






"Michael Rowlands" schreef in
bericht news:[email protected]...
    > hi can anyone give me advice on accomodation in Kruger.I ,m looking
for 3
    > nights in cheaper camps in mid Oct. How far ahead will I have to book
,what
    > are their tariffs etc and any recommendations on the best and worst
camps.
    > Many thanks
    > M Rowlands