Africa national park named Kruger. Kruger National Park. Kruger National Park and its fauna

History of the Kruger National Park
In 1884, he initiated the establishment of an environmental zone in Lowvelde. Paul Kruger, president of Transvaal. In 1898, the Sabi reserve was created. It is located on the territory between the Crocodile and Sabi rivers. Hunting on these lands was limited.

Having become the first national park in South Africa, it was formed on the basis of the Sabi and Shingwedzi hunting reserves on May 31, 1926.

Traces of Homo erectus were found in the current protected area: they lived in this area more than half a million years ago. In addition, the park has artifacts that date back to the Stone and Iron Ages. In the lands kruger National Park   there are approximately 130 places where cave drawings, as well as more than 300 archaeological sites, including ruins of Masorini and Thulamela.

Kruger National Park and its relief, climate and general information

The oldest national park in South Africa - kruger Park   - located in the northern part of the country, in the east of the Transvaal between the rivers Crocodile   and Limpopo, and is part of the Kruger-to-Kenons biosphere reserve, which was formed in 2001. In the east, protected land borders with Mozambique and is part of.

From north to south, the total length of the park is 340 kilometers. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe park is 18 989 km². The Sabi and Olyphants rivers form the three main parts kruger National Park: southern, central and northern. In addition, in the park, near the border with Mozambique, is the Lebombo massif.

It differs in that the climate here is transitional from tropical to subtropical. For summer, hot and humid weather is typical, the temperature often rises above 40 degrees Celsius. The rainy season begins in September and ends in May. Dry winter is the best time to visit. kruger National Park: at this time, the likelihood of contracting malaria, which is still not defeated on the African continent, is minimal.

Kruger National Park and its flora

Geographically plant world kruger Park includes six ecosystems, which are gradually moving from savannah to riverine thickets and woodlands. In total, there are about 1980 species of plants on the lands of the park, among which there is also the most important attraction and pride of the flora of Africa -   baobab, a tree of enormous thickness: the circumference of its trunk can reach 25 meters.

In the territory kruger National Park   the vegetation of the park savannah is dominant, which is characterized by cereals, dry deciduous forests, light forest. Located north of the river   Olives   part of the park is a veld mopane, while the southern part is a tornveld. Within the territorial framework of the park, 17 out of 47 species of trees under state protection grow (according to the list published in September 2004).

Kruger National Park and its fauna

Animal world kruger National Park   represented by 527 species of birds and 147 species of wildlife. The park is inhabited by crocodiles, lions, giraffes, leopards, rhinos, hippos, elephants, hyenas, antelopes (17 species).

In accordance with the information provided by the park management, the protected area inhabits 5000 rhinos   (both black and white), 1000 leopards, 2500 buffalo, 12000 elephants, 1500 lions.

"Kruger" is located quite far from the major cities of South Africa. The nearest of them - Johannesburg - is over 400 km away. However, this is not a reason for frustration! As well as in New Zealand, people travel to South Africa mainly for one purpose - to enjoy the beauty of nature and see the wildlife, so an independent traveler can do without renting a car here is almost impossible. And since you have a car, then the issue can be considered resolved. The roads are excellent and you can easily get here in just a few hours.

The territory of the park is huge. Kruger is one of the largest national parks in the world with an area of \u200b\u200babout 20,000 (!) Sq. km Not a week is enough to go round it completely. However, I had been traveling in South Africa for a month now, and my trip was coming to an end, so I had only 24 hours to go on a Kruger inspection. "What animals can be seen per day in such a huge reserve?" - you ask. As it turned out, almost all the animals that South Africa is so famous for!

There are several entry points to the Kruger. The distance between them is hundreds of kilometers, so the day before it was necessary to decide in advance where to go. To visit the park, I chose one of the most recommended by other travelers entry - the so-called Crocodile Bridge. Hours of the park - from 6 am to 6 pm (depending on the time of year, the time may vary slightly).

The best chance to see animals is in the early morning and an hour or two before sunset, so at 6 in the morning I was already standing in front of the gate. According to the rules established here, you can freely travel around the territory in your car, however, strictly on roads that you are not allowed to turn off. There are many country roads, so getting to any part of the park is not a problem.

The only thing you can’t do is get out of the car. It is understandable - no one wants to be responsible if suddenly one of the local inhabitants decides to try you for breakfast. Time did not take long. Ten minutes later I saw the first inhabitants of the park!

Soon the sun rose, and my eyes opened to the endless savannah, on which here and there huge herds of antelopes grazed.

After a while, I realized that I was not the only one to watch the antelopes ...

I sat in ambush for a long time, watching what was happening, but the attack was so quick and fast that even with the high-speed mode of the camera, only blurry silhouettes of the cheetah and its victim were on the frames. The fate of the antelope was decided in a split second ...

Meanwhile, elephants and elephants returned from the riverbank. At first they bathe, and then shower themselves with dust columns to protect themselves from the sun and insects.

There are a great many elephants in Kruger, so I met them on my way more than once or twice. However, like giraffes and antelopes. Whom I was looking for long and hard, but still saw in the afternoon - these are rhinos!

Here and there, here and there, in places, a merry fellow Pumbaa and his friends ran through here and there. There was no lack of zebras in Kruger either!

With lions that day, things were not good. Then when you get there. But still I was able to very close, literally at a distance of several meters, to see a lioness resting from the heat in the shade of trees. But cheetahs and elephants, as they say, climbed right under the wheels. To see the cheetah so close is, by the way, a great success.

Hippos with crocodiles, fleeing from the heat, sat all day in the river, almost without protruding. Only nostrils and eyes stuck out. Only in the evening they decided to stretch a bit and swim.

In the park you can also find baboons, water buffalos, birds of prey, etc.
According to the photo, it may seem that the animals are simply teeming with it. In fact, this is not entirely true - after all, the territory is huge, and animals do not sit there in aviaries, like in a zoo. The happier moment is when you manage to get close to them! But you have to be prepared for the fact that you may simply not be lucky to see all the animals in one day.

Having returned to the hotel in the evening, I met a couple from Canada who paid a tourist guide in a special car with a highly raised body a lot of money, but the guys returned with almost nothing. At the same time, on the same day I saw all those animals for which I went here to distant lands. Maybe because it was worn like crazy across the territory all day without lunch until the very close?

Some practical information for those traveling alone:

1. Car rental in South Africa is quite cheap. It is more profitable to rent online immediately for the entire duration of your trip. A new subcompact with almost zero mileage cost me around $ 20 a day. And I didn’t book anything in advance, but found the car via the Internet already upon arrival.

2. In the park there are so-called lodges (hotels). The prices in them - both for excursions in the park, and for accommodation and meals - are just scrap. I recommend staying in a town located 8 km from the Crocodile Bridge, but already outside the park. There is a huge selection of accommodation for every taste and budget, as well as a gas station, supermarket, etc. Prices there are much lower than housing in the park. For example, I paid only $ 15 for a separate room, since at that moment there was practically no hostel in the hostel.

3. Go to the park by 6 in the morning, and it’s better to get there half an hour early — you will have more chances and time to see the animals. An hour or two after the opening, tourists begin to arrive in the park, as well as those independent travelers who stopped for the night in another city located 100 km from the park by car.

4. Until recently, tourists relied solely on the occasion and on the experience of guides to see wildlife in Kruger or elsewhere in Africa. By the way, I also hoped only for luck. However, now everything has become much easier! And all thanks to one 15-year-old South African kid who became famous all over the world for creating a smartphone application that allows the lucky ones who saw wild animals to immediately inform other users about this, indicating the coordinates. Thus, your chances of success are greatly increased!

5. A day admission ticket will cost only $ 23, for children under 12 years of age a 50% discount. You don’t have to pay for the car. Independent visit to the park by car is much more profitable than those tours that are offered in hotels outside the park. A place in a high open jeep will cost you from $ 90 in addition to the cost of the entrance ticket to the park. The benefits of riding in an open jeep are dubious - all day in the heat without air conditioning. And although I had a small low-sitting passenger car and there was no guide, I was very pleased with what I saw! What I wish you too!

By the way, it was in Africa that remained the only country in the world where slavery was not abolished. You can see how people live in Mauritania on the site of the My Planet club.

Alexander Himushin

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Who in childhood did not hear stories about Limpopo? As beckoning children’s spontaneity beckoned for a walk through this wonderful country, but these are not fairy tales, but a real province in the hot sands of the African continent.

African lands is one of the points on Earth that has preserved part of the true nature of the pristine specimen. This zone is represented by Kruger Park. It is here that you can see the world around us the way the planet itself created it.

The park has no separate borders among the territories of the states on which it is located. All animals living in the reserve are free to move throughout the area.

Reserve Description

Kruger National Park is the oldest conservation area in the Republic of South Africa and one of the largest in the world. It is located in the north-east of South Africa, in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The area of \u200b\u200bthe entire conservation zone is 19 thousand square kilometers, from the north it stretches to three hundred and fifty kilometers, and from the east to sixty kilometers.

Compared to Pilanesberg and Table Mountain, the Kruger National Park in Africa is considered the most visited among tourists. Together with similar Gonarezu parks in Zimbabwe and Mozambique-owned Limpopo Park, the Greater Limpopo Cross-border Park, which has international status, is included in the Peace Park. It is this situation that erases the political boundaries for the movement of animals among the territories of all three reserves. Such a grandiose association, with a total area of \u200b\u200babout 100 thousand square kilometers. It is planned to join other protected areas of the above countries.

History of creation

The park was created at the end of the 19th century. The idea of \u200b\u200bcreating such a zone was introduced by the authorities of the Boer republic of Transvaal back in 1884, and three years later the proposal was approved by the president of the republic, Paul Kruger. It was in honor of him that the Sabie Game Reserve was subsequently renamed, coupled with the unification of neighboring farming lands and the Shingwedzi reservation. In 1927, the park was finally formed.

Initially, the Kruger National Park had the function of protecting against uncontrolled slaughter of animals that were completely extinct. The first ranger was James Hamilton, he was nicknamed the father of animals, as he made a very large and valuable contribution to its development. All the years of work (from 1906 to 1946), James tirelessly monitored the implementation of all requirements for the protection of the flora and fauna of the selected area.

Climatic conditions

The region where the Kruger National Park is located has a subtropical climate, which means that in summer it is quite hot and humidity is high. The temperature reaches 38 degrees Celsius above zero.

In winter, the humidity partially disappears and the air becomes much drier, and the weather is milder, and the temperature rises to only 25 degrees Celsius. Plus, in winter it is more profitable to look out for animals, since the stormy summer vegetation leaves, and the platform for their walks becomes open, because in the mornings and evenings animals always come to a watering place to local reservoirs.

Visit program

The program of the park includes various ways to get acquainted with the wild African nature. It all depends on the travel plans and personal desires of the visitor. Some tourists like to come to the reserve territory on rented cars or off-road vehicles and spend the whole day on a safari program, with lunch included in a local restaurant, and then go along their leisure route. Others prefer to stay overnight, among other visiting services.

Someone brings camping equipment with him, which can be conveniently located on a special site. In any case, the emotions and feelings of being in the Kruger National Park in South Africa will remain unforgettable.

You can go on a real hike. Usually it lasts about three hours, and the group recruits no more than eight people. Throughout the journey, the guide will not only show the most interesting places where you can meet animals, but also tell about their life, stories and give other important information.

Park Rules

Any territory under state protection has its own regulations for visitors. In the Kruger National Park, there are several unbreakable rules that you should adhere to unconditionally throughout your stay:

• Unauthorized exit from the car outside the hotel area is prohibited.
• It is forbidden to move around the park after sunset and in the dark.
• Feeding animals is also strictly prohibited.
• Passage to the park with your pets is not allowed.

In addition to the wildlife, in the conservation area are historical objects of world significance:

• Traces of the sites of people belonging to Homo Erectus (Homo erectus), a direct ancestor of Homo Sapien.
• Rock paintings and paintings.
• The ancient remains of the settlements of Thulamela and Masorini, dating from the Iron Age.

Moreover, you can look at the Hamilton Memorial Library.

The most favorable period for exploring African nature is the time period from early March to October. By the end of autumn, the rainy season begins here. Moreover, the park administration allows only a certain number of cars, they are not allowed to drive above a limited limit, so it is better to book a safari tour in advance. Despite the above recommendations, the park is open year-round, according to its charter: "The park belongs to people."

You can enter the reserve through gates located in nine directions, but a guide is required. For unauthorized entry, or for violation of the rules, the visitor will be fined.

Flora and fauna of the African treasury

Looking at the photo of the Kruger National Park, you can be sure that there is something to go for! A wide variety of animals and plants is represented here. In the park you can see six ecosystems (starting from the savannah and ending with forests near water bodies). The main attraction is a baobab twenty-five meters thick, in order to hug it will take about a dozen people. Here you can see about five hundred species of birds, more than one hundred species of reptiles and fifty species of fish.

Of course, the most interesting inhabitants of the Kruger National Park are animals. Due to the presence in the territory of more than 250 thousand animals, the reserve is secretly called the Noah's Ark. The "big five" of mammals lives in the park - these are buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino. They are considered the strongest and most dangerous enemies of people engaged in hunting.

You can watch the life of animals in the wild live or through video cameras. With the help of a guided tour, you can meet some representatives of the fauna in person. However, no one will allow you independent movement through the territories due to elementary danger. After all, almost all the animals living in the reserve are unusual for being close to humans. Therefore, tour groups are supervised by special rangers.

Services provided by the reserve

In addition to tours, the Kruger National Park offers its services in the largest local camp - Skukuza, where the visitor can not only have a bite to eat in a cozy gazebo, but also refuel the car, buy necessary things and groceries on the road, stay overnight at the hotel and even play golf . Here is the hospital and airport. By the way, you can also rent a car on the spot. The work of the park is supported by more than three and a half thousand people.

Reservations must be made in advance. After all, this is a unique place where the originality of nature is preserved. Only thanks to the foundation of the reserve you can see an elephant or an antelope not behind the fences and bars of the zoo, but in the conditions of their real wild life.

How to get there

To get to the Kruger National Park from Moscow, you need to buy a plane ticket to the city of Johannesburg, usually transfers are made in London or in Istanbul. From Johannesburg, using the services of local airlines, you need to fly to the Kruger - Mpumalanga international airport. Well, on arrival it is easiest to rent a car in order to conveniently get to the conservation area.

There are various package tours provided by tour operators, which include transfers and accommodation, most often these tours are individual and are made for each customer.

Access to the park opens at 6.00 from April to September, and in the remaining months at 5.30. In April-February and November-December access to the Kruger National Park ceases at 18.30, in May-July at 17.30, and the rest of the time at 18.00. The gates of the campsites are also locked at night, and open at about the same time as the entry gates. (in November-January 1 hour earlier). The eastern border of the park is at the same time the border between South Africa and Mozambique, there are the only Girondo gates (Giryondo Gate)performing the function of border checkpoint.

Kruger lies on the plain known as Low Veld (Lowveld, from dub. Veld - "field"). Its height does not exceed 600 m above sea level, but less than 100 km to the west passes the colossal 1000-meter cliff Drakensberg Escarpment (Drakensberg Escarpment). Behind him begins the High Veld (Highveld)on which Jobburg and Pretoria are located. In the Kruger, a low ridge of Lebombo (Lebombo Mountains)   stretches along the eastern border. On the rest of the territory you will not see anything but the classical savannah and a few ponds. The largest river in the park is the famous Limpopo, which forms its northern border. The administration is in Skukuz (Skukuza)   in the southeastern part of the park - in the same place as the main park camping. The best time in Kruger is the months from October to March.

The attractiveness of the park is provided not by photogenic landscapes, but by fauna and flora - including 147 species of mammals, 507 species of birds, 148 species of reptiles and amphibians. Despite the dry climate, more than 300 species of trees alone grow here. Transport and large settlements gravitate towards the southern part of the park - it is surprising that there are more animals in the southern Kruger than in the poorly populated northern part of the park. Chances to collect the full Big Five (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo) especially large in the triangle formed by the gates of Pabeni, Numbi and Kruger. Conservation of local nature has been going on without interruption for more than a century, and tourism has been going on for almost 90 years (since 1923). During this time, the animals got used to the observers, so that excellent pictures in Kruger are guaranteed. Another “trick” is the wealth of cultural and historical heritage on its territory. More than 250 objects of the park are protected monuments of civilization, including more than 100 rock paintings made by the ancestors of the current Bushmen. In 2002, South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe announced the creation of an international nature reserve, which, in addition to Kruger, will include protected areas of its neighbors.

Nowhere in protected Africa there is such a choice of places for spending the night and such opportunities for exploring nature. You can stay in a "shelter" of several huts or tents (Hide), a small campsite without a restaurant, but with a kitchen (Bushveld Camp)large campsite with restaurant (Rest Camp)   or comfortable private camping (Bush lodge). In large camps, different categories of accommodation - from the place to set up your own tent (gives the right to use the infrastructure) to an expensive guesthouse with full rooms and bathrooms. All Krueger camps and lodges can be reserved at the National Park Service of South Africa (in Pretoria + 27-012-4289111, 7.30-17.00 on weekdays, 8.00-13.00 Sat; [email protected]).

Visitors arriving by their own transport from Hazyview and Nelspruit can book an excursion with the park staff at the gate:

• Phalaborwa gate (north, + 27-013-7356509)   - walks through the bush of 900-1000 p., morning walks from 380 p., morning safaris from 420 p., day safari, morning game drive from 215 p., night safari from 215 p., evening walks from 320 p., cycling 740 p. (own bike 530 p.)traveling on their own. car 190 p.
• Orpen gate (center, + 27-013-7356355)   - morning and evening game drives 340 p., night 202 p., morning walk 460 p., trips to own. auto 190 p., bar-bequu 60 p.
• Kruger gate (center south, + 27-013-7355107)   - morning and evening game drives 340 p., trips to own. auto 95 p.
• Numbi gate (center south, + 27-013-7355133)   - evening game drive 340 p., own. auto 190 p., barbecue 60 p.
• Phabenigate (center south, + 27-013-7355812)   - morning and evening game drives 340 p., own. car 190 p.
• Malelane gate (south, + 27-013-7356152) - morning walks for guests of nearby campsites 390 p., for the other 460 p., morning and evening game drives 340 p., trips to private. auto 190 p., barbecue 60 p.

Finally, the park service organizes hiking in the wild. (Wilderness Trails)   - This is 7 routes for a group of 4-8 people. (from 12 years old)   with the ranger. They include 3 overnight stays, and begin on Wednesdays and Sundays. (start at various campsites). Such entertainment is worth 3900 p. from each participant.

You can spend as much time in Kruger as you have. Even in 1 day you can do a lot here - especially if you are based in Skukuz. This is a pleasant place at the confluence of the Sabi rivers. (Sabie)   and Nvasvichaka (Nwaswitshaka), where you can drive from Hazyview with three roads through different gates - any promises to meet with game. Video clip of the battle of buffalos with lions and crocodiles (“The Battle of Kruger”), considered a masterpiece of amateur reporting, was made in 2007 on the way from the Numbi gate to Skukuza. The campsite has an information center, a park museum and the James Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library - this gentleman served as the park’s chief ranger from 1902 to 1946! The monument to the veteran can still be seen next to the campsite along with a cemetery for service dogs, an old bridge (1912)   and train station turned into a Selati Grillhouse restaurant (+ 27-013-7355658; from 7.30 to 22.30). Leaving Hazyview early, you can have time to see all this and get on a day walk in the bush. (300 p.). Especially for one-day campers, there is a Wooden Banana Café. (+ 27-013-7355992, from 7.00 to 21.00)   and even a pool.

Short tours to Kruger are made by many companies, for example:

• Kruger south safaris (+ 27-0828870666; www.krugersoutisafaris.co.za). For those who are based in Nelspruit, a two-day program with an overnight stay in one of the park campsites, 3300 p. in the team.
• Kruger Flexi Tours (+ 27-013-7440993, + 27-0823401508; www.krugerandmore.co.za). Daily trips to Kruger from Nelspruit from 1450 p. with people

Most independent visitors use their own transport. It’s easier to rent a car in Nelspruit - there are enough offers both at the Kruger-Mpumalanga airport and in the city itself (Avis, + 27-013-7570-911, www.avis.co.za). Depending on the class, the car costs an average of 300-400 p. in a day. The condition of roads in the park is decent, there are enough signs, its own road service is working (+27-082-3229733) . Outside the park, avoid driving in the dark, and on weekends arrive at the gate early to avoid bursts.

In Nelspruit there is a beautiful botanical garden (Lowveld Botanical Gardens, Riverside Park, + 27-013-7525531; St. March 8.00-18.00, Apr.-Aug. 8.00-17.00), where about 1000 species of plants characteristic of the Low Veld were collected. 15 km south of Nelspruit (highway R40)   the only chimpanzee reserve in South Africa, Chimp Eden (Chimpanzee Eden Sanctuary, + 27-0797771-514; www.chimpeden.com; daily walks 10.00, 12.00 and 14.00, feeding monkeys 10.00-14.00, adults / children under 12 p. 170/50 p.)occupying about 1000 hectares of "green" in the Umolti nature reserve (Umholti Natural Reserve). No less popular reserve Sabi Sand (Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve; + 27-021-4241037; www.sabisands.co.za)   - The first private nature reserve in South Africa. It borders Kruger, and the entrance is 15 km north of Hazyview.

Most Hazyview and Nelspruit hotels offer accommodation at an average price of 600 p.

The very first African reserve and one of the very first reserves in the world, the Kruger National Park is familiar to all lovers of the unique nature of South Africa. We will tell you more about this unique corner of nature.

When in the distant 17th century, white people began to move to South Africa, they were struck by the abundance of various exotic animals that lived in the savannah and in the forest thickets. However, by the end of the 19th century, herds of African wild animals had noticeably thinned out.

The reason for this was a predatory, completely uncontrolled hunt, which was practiced not only by the Boers (the descendants of the first white settlers) and the English colonists who lived in South Africa, but also by numerous travelers and amateur hunters who were eager for the Black Continent for exotic adventures. Every noble British gentleman considered it his duty at least once in his life to go hunting in Africa.

In fairness, it must be said that Negro tribes treated the wildlife no better than whites, but their negative impact on the African fauna was significantly limited by two factors: 1) they had extremely few firearms, and firing a rifle was still more effective than from onion; 2) they hunted to get their own food or to obtain goods for exchange trade with whites (hides, ivory), but they never hunted for the sake of sports interest.

The current situation could not but disturb the President of the Republic of South Africa, Transvaal Paulus Krueger, who sincerely loved the nature of his homeland, was well versed in the habits of birds and animals that lived in South Africa, and even knew how to imitate the voices of all South African birds.

In 1898, President Paulus Kruger created a nature reserve on the territory where the Transvaal bordered on Mozambique, between the Limpopo River and the Crocodile River. The reserve was called “Sabi-Game” - by the name of the Sabi River, one of the rivers flowing through its territory. The Sabi-Game Reserve, where hunting was completely banned, became the very first protected natural area in Africa, and one of the very first in the world.

However, already in the next, 1899, the Boer War broke out, and after the British occupation of Transvaal by the British in 1900, President Paulus Krueger was forced to leave for Europe, where he died in 1904.

However, the case of President Kruger was not forgotten, and the Sabi-Game reserve he created was saved by the British occupation authorities, and then by the authorities of the Union of South Africa created in 1910, uniting self-governing British colonies, including Transvaal.

In 1926, the Sabi-Game Reserve was transformed into a National Park, and it was named after the creator - President Paulus Krueger.

The difference between the reserve and the national park is as follows: any human activity is prohibited in the reserve, and tourism is allowed in the national park. Thanks to the admission of tourists, the Kruger National Park has become one of the most popular places for excursions, where many lovers of African wildlife have gathered earlier and come today. For tourists in the Kruger National Park, more than 20 camps for recreation and temporary residence are equipped. Each camp is located on the territory characteristic of the habitat of a certain group of animals and birds. Kruger Park is visited annually by about a million tourists from around the world.

Currently, the Kruger National Park remains the largest protected natural area in Africa - its area is twenty thousand square kilometers (which is equal to the entire area of \u200b\u200bIsrael or half of Switzerland). The Kruger National Park extends 350 km from north to south and 60 km from east to west along the border with Mozambique, between the Limpopo River and the Crocodile River, and in addition, the Olifants and Sabi rivers cross the territory of the Kruger National Park, which divide it into three conventional parts: northern, central (where the highest concentration of wild animals in the world) and southern. The park also has the Lebombo massif (near the border with Mozambique).

In the Kruger National Park, you can find interesting examples of cave paintings of ancient Bushmen and see archaeological sites.

Kruger National Park is characterized by the fact that its climate is transitional from tropical to subtropical. In the summer it is hot and humid, the temperature often goes over the top for 40 degrees. The rainy season lasts from September to May. The ideal time to visit Kruger Park is a dry winter season, as it is less likely to contract malaria (still undefeated on the African continent), and not so hot.

The flora of the Kruger National Park is geographically divided into six eco-systems, gradually moving from the savannah to light forests and riverine thickets. In total, there are 1982 species of plants, including pride and the main attraction of the African flora - baobab, a tree of immense thickness (trunk circumference reaches 25 meters!).

The Kruger National Park is home to 527 species of birds and 147 species of wildlife — more than any other African national park or nature reserve.

As of 2009, in the Kruger Park, the number of major mammalian species was approximately:

* 90,000 impala antelopes
   * 27,000 African buffalo
   * 17,800 zebras
   * 11,700 elephants
   * 9,600 wildebeests
   * 5,100 giraffes
   * 4,500 white rhino
   * 3,000 hippos
   * 2,000 spotted hyenas
   * 1,500 lions
   * 1,000 leopards
   * 350 black rhino
   * 350 wild african hunting dogs
   * 300 canna antelopes
   * 200 cheetahs

Visitors to the Kruger National Park can watch animals using hidden video cameras, as well as "live" - \u200b\u200bduring car excursions around its territory. Excursions in the park can be done only accompanied by security guards - “rangers”, because excessive curiosity and attempts to get close to animals at too short a distance can anger wild animals, and an angry lion is, you know, not a pet hamster at all.

Kruger National Park remains one of the few territories where the wonderful world of African wildlife has been preserved, and the significance of this unique natural site will only increase over time - the man’s offensive on nature is constantly increasing, and if President Kruger had not created this reserve, who knows would it be possible today to see an elephant or a rhino in wildlife, and not in the cage of a zoo?

You can download photos of African animals, natural landscapes and beautiful landscapes from the Kruger National Park (a total of 110 high-quality beautiful photos) for free.