The tourist attractions Kruger Park offers are plenty. From wildlife safaris to golf, museums to traditional dances, there’s something for every traveller to the national park.
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Wildlife
Let’s face it. The main reason people go to Kruger National Park is to see animals – and the park won’t let you down!
You’re bound to come across a vast variety with so many species living in the park:
- 147 mammals
- 507 birds
- 114 reptiles
- 34 amphibians
- 49 fish
Firstly, a little about watching the bird life, which is another major Kruger National Park tourist attraction. We’re fascinated by their bright colours reflecting in the sunlight! Whether you’re a birdwatcher or not, it’s worth trying out at least one bird hide – they’re covered view points, usually on rivers or lakes, where you can get out of your car and see the bird life without it seeing you!
Of all the wildlife attractions Kruger Park visitors seek though, the most popular is the big 5. These animals were originally the most sought after game for hunters:
Even if you’re only in the park for one day, you’re almost guaranteed to see elephants and buffalo. Rhinos and lions are rarer and you’d be down right lucky to catch a glimpse of a leopard. We were once in the park for 7 days and only saw a leopard 20 minutes before leaving!
Witness the Animals in Action
If the Kruger National Park bug has bitten (figuratively speaking) and your ready to witness animals in action, there is tons of accommodation in and around the park. Put your travel dates into the search box below to see what’s available on Booking.com.
Booking.comFlora
Of the attractions Kruger Park offers, it’s easy to forget about the flora when you’re on a wildlife safari. Nevertheless, Kruger National Park has 336 different types of trees!
One of these landmark trees is the southernmost naturally occurring baobab tree in Africa. By this we mean that the tree grew naturally and wasn’t planted by someone. If you want to see it, it’s about 25km (15.5 miles) south of Satara.
If you want to take a part of Kruger home with you, stop off at the indigenous plant nursery at Skukuza. It sells a range of native plants which grow in the park.
Lakes and Dams
There are a number of lakes and dams that offer fantastic game viewing, such as Sunset Dam near Lower Sabie. Another of our favourites is Lake Panic Bird Hide near Skukuza. You can sit here and watch the animals without disturbing them. The hides make for good Kruger National Park sightings and great pictures!
Cultural Sights
On top of all the wildlife, there are a range of cultural sights to see in the park:
Kruger National Park sight | Information |
| Bushman rock paintings | Scattered throughout the park. Ask at any rest camp where the nearest site is and if it’s accessible. |
| Masorini ruins | Iron Age site with a museum near Phalaborwa Gate. |
| Albasini ruins | Archaeological remains of a 19th century Portuguese trader’s post at Phabeni Gate. |
| Thulamela | 500 year old walled archaeological settlement in Pafuri Triangle in the very north of the park. |
| Stevenson-Hamilton Memorial Library | James Stevenson-Hamilton was the first warden of the park. The museum is at Skukuza Rest Camp. It has an historical account of the park with displays. |
| Letaba Elephant Hall Museum | Home of the Magnificent Seven elephants’ tusks and skulls. Each tusk weighs over 50kg (110 stone)! The museum is at Letaba Rest Camp. |
For some living culture, check out the catered traditional dances on offer at these rest camps:
- Berg-En-Dal
- Satara
- Skukuza
If you’re interested in going to a traditional dance, you need to pre-arrange it with the rest camp.
Activities
There are a range of activities to choose from in Kruger National Park. Game drives and walking trails, where you’re lead by a Kruger Park ranger, are popular. They last for 3-4 hours.
If you like longer driving adventures, you can book on 4×4 trails which last a number of days.
There are also Kruger walking safaris where you can trek through the open bush for a number of days carrying all your camping equipment.
And if you like cycling, take a mountain bike safari ride from Olifants Rest Camp.
On top of this, there are interesting eating experiences that can be arranged through rest camps:
- Bush braais (BBQs) – a game drive to a BBQ site in the bush
- Bush breakfasts – a game drive to a breakfast spot out of a rest camp
- Boma braais – communal BBQs under an open-sided thatched hut
Skukuza Rest Camp is home to a 9 hole Kruger golf course. There’s no fence around the course, so you’ll get some interesting animal spectators! If you hit a stray ball, don’t wander too far into the bush!
If you like wildlife films, some of the main rest camps show them every evening except Sundays:
- Berg-En-Dal
- Letaba
- Mopani
- Satara
- Shingwedzi
- Skukuza
If you’ve never been to the tropics, you can officially cross into them by visiting the Tropic of Capricorn. It’s 12km north of Mopani Rest Camp.
We hope you enjoy the primary attractions Kruger Park has to offer. They’ll keep you entertained!