Kruger Park Trip: How to get there?

We are planning a family trip up to the Kruger Park next month. This is when the bulk of the tourism has slowed down and things are a bit more relaxed for us and the animals. Like us, I am sure they are not keen on bumper to bumper traffic in their back garden. The end of summer is traditionally a good time to view animals as the vegetation is at its thinnest, but seeing the unusual amount of rain we’ve been getting this summer, I am not so sure.

We are staying at the Kruger Park Lodge in Hazy View for 5 days, then on to the Sabi River Sun for a week on the banks of the Sabie River. I can’t wait! There is something about the bush (like Malaria) that just never leaves you. You can see a thousand elephants on the discovery channel and in Zoo’s, but when you see them in the wild and specifically hear them crashing around, amidst the deafening quiet, that’s when you truly realise them.

At the moment we are planning how we want to get there and we have three options. Drive, Train and Fly. Driving takes about 18 hours and probably R1500-R2000 in Fuel, plus extra for overnighting somewhere. The train takes you to Jo-Burg and you have a further 4 hours drive from there. It costs R1500 for the car and around R200 each for passengers in a sleeper cabin. Flying can be cheap, but one will have to get a hire car when you arrive, so It’s either one or two methinkst.

The last time we took Talulah on safari was in 2002 (she was 2), so i’m particularly looking forward to her reaction and the memories she will take away from it all.