Kruger National Park

For this blog post we’ll be looking at Owls, and more specifically the owls of Kruger. If taxonomy is your thing, you’ll know then that we are actually dealing with two Families here – Strigidae, or ‘true or typical Owls’; and Tytonidae, the Barn Owls, though the differences are mainly internal. Kruger has 11 of the 12 Owls occurring in Southern Africa (the only one that isn’t present is Cape Eagle Owl). With a warm and dry-ish climate, Kruger supports a good invertebrate and small vertebrate population, which allows for a rich diversity of predatory species, owls included (though Verreaux’s Eagle Owl doesn’t just stick to small vertebrates!). Night drives can produce some great owl sightings, though one doesn’t necessarily have to be out at night to see them. Hard work and good observational skills can produce some great day time sightings, though in my experience at least two of the species seem to be declining in numbers, or at least not being seen as regularly. Read on to find out more.

Raptors of Kruger.

What raptors can you see on a Kruger National Park Birding Safari?

For many a birder, the raptors are a firm favorite, embodying power, grace and beauty, and seeing a new species of raptor is sure to get the pulse rate up for a few minutes. They make great photographic subjects and, when on an African birding safari, new species of raptor are bound to be seen pretty regularly, adding up to an exciting experience indeed...

With an abundance of food, there are few places that offer such a number and variety of birds of prey as the savannas of Africa. And there are few large, savanna-dominated parks that are as affordable and easily accessible as the Kruger National Park of South Africa, which offers some superb raptor viewing indeed...

August's Greater Kruger Discoverer Safari Trip Report.

After close to a year and a half of inactivity due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was time to roll out the safari vehicle as our six clients from the USA arrived in South Africa. We had started chatting with them in April, discussing exactly what they wanted from their experience, and eventually settling on a Greater Kruger Discoverer safari for 6 people, three of whom were keen photographers. Four months later we met them at AfricaSky Guest House in Johannesburg at the start of what was to prove to be an incredible 12 day experience...

On the average Kruger safari, Spotted Hyenas are seen more often than any other large predator. Yet they are often ignored, or given passing interest at most. A Lion's foot sticking out of the long grass will draw massive attention from visitors (in case it lifts its head), yet down the road a clan of Spotted Hyenas lying ON the road will maybe have a vehicle or two in attendance. Yet Hyenas are actually very cool animals, exhibiting some very interesting behavior! And they can be rather grim as well...

The Kruger National Park is South Africa's prime safari tour destination (see the video below!). At over 20 000 square kilometers it offers one of Africa's classic safari experiences. From the hilly country in the south-west to the vast Mopani scrub plains of the north, there's a remarkable array of landscapes and habitat types, making it essential to book a trip that covers multiple camps. But, with 12 main camps to choose from, which one is our favorite?