Kruger Nat'l Park - when to go?

Hi,
I'm starting to plan a trip to South Africa and want to visit Kruger
Nat'l Park. I haven't been able to find weather summaries for it on
the internet. If anyone knows which months are the coolest, please
share with me. I don't tolerate heat very well, so am looking to go
when the temps are more agreeable. Also, is it recommended to get
there on a guided tour, or is independant travel (for a woman
travelling alone) OK?

Thanks for the help!

Cheers,
Ann

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Ann B. wrote:
Hi,
I'm starting to plan a trip to South Africa and want to visit Kruger
Nat'l Park. I haven't been able to find weather summaries for it on
the internet. If anyone knows which months are the coolest, please
share with me. I don't tolerate heat very well, so am looking to go
when the temps are more agreeable. Also, is it recommended to get
there on a guided tour, or is independant travel (for a woman
travelling alone) OK?

If you don't like heat (and humidity and bugs) the winter months will be
best. Remind that the winter in the southern hemisphere is july-august.
Days will be sunny with lots of blue skies and nice temperatures
(20C-25C) and nights can be cold (down to 5C).

This is also the dry season, so most trees have little or no leaves and
the animals are concentrated around a few waterholes, so they are easy
to spot.

Independant travelling is no problem, I have done it on my own (alone) a
few times too. You do however need to rent a car and preferable drive up
there from Johannesburg airport (about 5hours driving). Book in advance
for the camps you want to stay in.

Regards,
Hans

==================================
Hans Martens

Wildlife & Nature Photography
http://www.wildpicture.com
==================================

Cooler weather, for sure, in June - July - August.
Here's the web site for South Africa National Parks:
http://www.parks-sa.co.za/
The map of the parks will link you to Kruger...

If you go waaay down that Kruger page, you will see a
Word document that gives monthly temperatures
(highs and lows and averages! for several of
the camps and camping areas.

As you will also see if you spend some time looking
at that same page (it's humongous),
staying in Kruger can be done in so many ways that
I think you need some serious advice from people
who have done it themselves. Advance booking
is mandatory, even though the cooler months tend
to attract fewer South African visitors.

What it really is, is an enormous park with a
developed infrastructure that just happens to have
wild animals in abundance. If you organize your
accommodations, you can certainly drive yourself
all through Kruger, and see so much.

I don't know where you live - but I can tell you
that the USdollar is not so strong right now in
South Africa (and Europe, Britain, etc.,) so don't
be expecting the kind of prices you might have
heard about a couple of years ago. Most everything
is priced about the same as it is in the US. Fuel
is more expensive - rental cars are, as well.
On the other hand, moderate hotels, guest lodges,
most restaurants, are not costly, and are
wonderful.. as are the people you will meet
who operate them and work in them.

I can advise you on airfares, perhaps.. though those
cooler months in South Africa are also high season
for airfares to and from the US.

Hi Ann,

In my opinion you don't met problems travelling on your own (we have
been visiting Kruger NP two times for a long period).
But, instead of driving your rental car (order one with AC) from Jo'burg
to Kruger NP you may consider to fly from Jo'burg to Kruger NP like some
people do (expensive) and make reservation for your car on the airport
in Kruger itself. The (small) airport there is situated about 6km from
maincamp Skukuza.
Make reservations for your accommodation in due time and try to
visit/overnight in more then one camp (if you have time) in order to see
more different wildlife.

==================================
Lou Andreoli
Human, wildlife & nature photographer
http://www.homepages.hetnet.nl/~louine

==================================


"Ann B." schreef in bericht
...
Hi,
I'm starting to plan a trip to South Africa and want to visit Kruger
Nat'l Park. I haven't been able to find weather summaries for it on
the internet. If anyone knows which months are the coolest, please
share with me. I don't tolerate heat very well, so am looking to go
when the temps are more agreeable. Also, is it recommended to get
there on a guided tour, or is independant travel (for a woman
travelling alone) OK?

Thanks for the help!

Cheers,
Ann

To email: replace 'REMOVE' with 'b' in email address.