Discount European Airfare - Kruger National Park Safari - South Africa

So much to offer - Kruger Safaris

So I asked my friend Eddie to join me on a four night foot safari in the Kruger National Park, i wanted a short getaway trip where I was out in nature breathing some fresh bushveld air. Specifically Kruger safaris, the nice thing about travelling in South Africa is the variety of holidays available.

. . Before the hike begins.

Blyde River Canyon and of course the Kruger National Park, pilgrims Rest, with other tourist attractions including Bourke's Luck Potholes, it does seem like God favoured this area. The landscape of Mpumalanga is rolling lush green hills with sights like God's Window. Mpumalanga is one of South Africa's most beautiful provinces and one of my favourites. We made a few stops along the way, on our way to the Kruger National Park.

Not to mention the wildlife, it allows you the time to really take in the diversity of the fauna and flora around, the pace at which you travel is much slower than what you would normally be travelling by car, by foot, since. Eddie and I both agreed that this was the way to really experience a safari, now although you might think that it could be quite daunting. Experiencing the Big Five while on foot is something unique indeed, is environmentally sensitive and in my opinion, which is an official wilderness concession, the area. We booked in at the Plains Camp for our four day Rhino walking safari.

First things first

And he assured me (with a smile) that I won't be left behind, but Eddie seemed quite fit, since I haven't had an exercise program for the last couple of months, it didn't come much of a surprise that my fitness level left much for the imagination. Followed by a fitness level assessment, we had a brief introduction where the guides informed us of all the do's and don'ts while walking. The best in their field with the highest qualifications in South Africa, that you are guided by armed senior guides, which only allows eight people per trip, it's comforting to know that on your walking safari.

Eddie rather favoured the survival skills that our guide Samuel taught us. Even though I knew that I would probably never in my life used this knowledge in the concrete jungle, i was fascinated by the skills they taught us for tracking animals. To the local folk lore and medicinal uses of some of the plants, identifying everything from the names of the grasses, our guide shared with us his extraordinary knowledge of the bushveld culture, while walking on at a comfortable pace. We set off on our first walk, after a hearty breakfast.

Heading back

After which they lead the life of a bachelor, the fact is that the males only join the herd during mating season. Not the males as one would expect, the females are the leaders in a herd. Unlike any other animals, they have quite an intricate social structure, from what I've learned about elephants. By the time they reached the waterhole almost everybody at the camp where standing there waiting with their cameras in-hand. But the cutest thing of all was the little one they had with them, it was probably a herd of about 20 or so. Deep in thought I was distracted by the sound of an oncoming herd of elephants. The rest of the day Eddie and I spent reading while overlooking the waterhole for any potential elephants or other animals that might come to quench their thirst. Following what seemed like the same elephant path we followed in the early morning, we headed back towards camp, just in time for brunch.

Followed by a nice camp fire and sipping on some sherry to cure the early winter's chill, we headed back to the camp again for an African sunset. Including a variety of antelopes, during this walk we saw quite a bit of wildlife. We enjoyed a cup of tea before our late afternoon walk, after the excitement of the elephants at the waterhole.

But it didn't stop me from going on a walk in the morning and afternoon, making me feel quite ashamed at my laziness, eddie mocked because of this. I was grateful that we didn't spend the whole day on foot because I could feel that my legs were not used to so much walking, even though I loved the fact that we were doing a walking safari. After which we had a teatime before going on an afternoon walk, followed by brunch and lazily lying next to the pool, a light breakfast before our morning walk, our next three days was spent in the same way.

The way one should enjoy a brief holiday before getting back into the swing of things. Seeing some of Africa's greatest wildlife and even enjoying a few laughs with a good old friend, breathing the fresh African air, i was in the open field. But I got what I came for, by day five we were on our way back after our well enjoyed Kruger safari and I was sad that the trip was so short.