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Claire
Exploring Famous Kruger National Park: From Orpen Gate and Tamboti Tented Camp in Timbavati, through Letaba and Satara, to Olifants and Balule
Lion Land, Tuskers, and the Power of Connection in Central Kruger National Park: The Heart of Parkness
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Timbavati Tented Camp and Orpen Gate
It was our first trip to the Timbavati area – a name I had heard mentioned with the reverence of wild places for as long as I could remember. White lions, outpost life, big name safaris: I was excited. Little did I know, this was the first of many trips to the area, which I think of as lion land in Kruger National Park.
The sightings in the build-up to my birthday were world-class. Our first drive in the Timbavati area was marked by a lion we’ve dubbed “the Bear” for his absolute enormity. I’m not sure how our fellow game drivers missed this bulk of beast, but we watched this giant lion eating a warthog kill not far from the road. We were not the only watchers. He also had a semi-circular audience of hyena, jackals, and vultures – all of which only moved once the Bear had walked into the distance.
At the Bobbejaankrans viewpoint, from my position outside the car at the top of the cliff, I was almost directly above three serene elephant bulls as they fed in the sand river below. As they made their way to the opposite banks over elephant-dug water pits and scrawled signature of scattered individual elephant prints, I photographed their elephant shadows in the sand – cut-out bulls in the sun.
At another viewpoint just down the road, scanning into the far distance down the curve of the riverbed, I saw a leopard sitting in a snatch of shade against a great rock boulder. The surprise of the sighting was extraordinary and undiluted by distance. In extraordinary alertness, he stood, stretched and disappeared up the path around the rocks. →
Leaving Tracks and Taking Shadows
I glanced over the vertical edge of the viewpoint to see the sand-spattered head of an elephant bull right below me. On a sand river scattered with elephant tracks, the bulls rumbled their departure plan and made their dry river crossing - their shadows like elephant-shaped sails at their sides.
From the deck at Tamboti Tented Camp, buffalo, elephants, giraffe had all watched us watching them from the Ngala concession across the riverbed. From our tent, we had been woken by roars – near and far – every night. When I woke on my birthday, we were not far from camp when the first lions were spotted right next to the road. Lions of all ages, dispersed in the bush in every manner of leonine pose. Among them were undeniably different white lions – like phantom forms among the tawny variety I love so much. This is Narnia, I thought – and the place has given me many chances to prove itself to hold every measure of magic since that day.
During another stay at Tamboti, I had to work late and sat with my laptop on our deck. Elephant rumbles moved up the river toward me until they were close enough for me to hear their teeth grinding. Every time I moved, it caused a total pause of stillness down the line along the sand river. I sat in the darkness with elephant rumbles for over an hour with the fast heart race of excitement merging with a completely unique sense of peace.
That night, I was kept awake all night by the sound of lions all around us – in the river in front of us, in the bush in every direction. I got up the next morning refreshed – and the source of the roars wasn't too hard to find the next day. →
Post-Impressionistic Painted Wolves
A late-afternoon sighting gave us a hint of the washing machine chaos of a wild dog pack on the hunt - and a gallery view of the avant garde patterning on the coats of these beautiful animals.
Satara
The Timbavati area may be my lion land, but the camp with a big cat reputation is Satara. On our last guided bush walk, our guides both mentioned Satara as the place to experience adrenaline-fueled walks, with a 50/50 chance of seeing lion on foot.
As if living up to the legend, many of my most memorable sightings around Satara have been of big cats. In the flat, open plains beyond the camp, a long line of cars all had great views of a pride in the shade. On another occasion, two males walked through a gauntlet of cars in the early morning. One white male, one black-maned tawny male, their fresh battle scars were the etchings of night-time politics of which we had little comprehension.
Lions are one thing, but the elephant sightings in this area have been equally unforgettable. We have been next to mammoth big tuskers, grazing peacefully right next to the road. These incredible animals are iconic of Africa which, sadly, are a rare enough to be a relic of the continent’s wild past. This makes seeing this pocket population of tuskers at Kruger National Park such a profound privilege. →
One white male lion, one black-maned tawny male lion, their fresh battle scars were the etchings of night-time politics of which we had little comprehension.
A Simple Twist of Fate
From loud and busy high-profile species to a few silent moments with some of Africa's most majestic creatures, great sightings are a certainty in Kruger National Park.
Letaba
Talking of tuskers naturally leads me to Letaba. The Elephant Hall at Letaba Camp pays tribute to the Magnificent Seven of a few decades ago – elephant bulls with tusks that weighed up to 50 kilograms each. The skulls of some of these animals can be viewed at the Elephant Hall, which is a wonderful place to learn more about these incredibly special animals.
Tusker research in Kruger Park is ongoing and visitors are asked to send in pictures of any of these elephants to assist rangers in mapping their home ranges. This project and the museum connect current and past. Looking into the eyes of this generation of tuskers does the same. →
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Tickled Ivories
Elephants with remarkable tusks have held an enduring mystique for travellers to Africa for generations. To be in the presence of these animals is an incredible privilege.
Olifants and Balule
On a scorching February day, we drove the game drive roads along the Olifants River to Balule Satellite Camp – our first time staying in this section of the camp. The temperatures were oppressive, although you wouldn’t believe it watching the elephants as they drank in sun from the shallows of the river. On reaching camp, we met our neighbour – a woman who made regular solo trips to Kruger. It was something she had done often with her husband and, after he passed away, it remained their connection after he died. We’ve seen her on separate trips since, so the Kruger connection deepens.
That night, in a heat that defied darkness, we watched the stars as a leopard called from just beyond the fence. The camp was filled with a buzz of energy and a collective sigh of “if only”.
We later stayed at – and rather fell in love with – the fence-line chalets at Oliphants Camp. Perched at the top of a hill, this isn’t a half-bad spot to watch the helix of the river with a pair of binoculars – watching for distant game with plenty of birds and dwarf mongooses for those more focused on the near-at-hand.
The early-morning views from camp – and as you drive down the hill to the river – is exquisite. The moody mists burn off and the river almost takes on a new character through the day. Taking some time on the bridge rarely disappoints. From here, we have watched lines of elephants drink, bathe, and cross – the river a waypoint on elephant routes. We have watched a stranded giraffe warily watch the river, surrounded by crocodiles waiting for an opportunity. We have seen the air filled with the titter and glide of little swifts – a migration of the skies. As they fly under the bridge beneath you, another Kruger connection of earth, water, and sky. →
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Elephants and Olifants
The Olifants River and its surroundings is ever-shifting grand scenery - a canvas for the day's experiences. From curlicued waters to steaming, misty winter sunrises, my camera holds many images of the different personalities of this area.
Take in the sand river and savannah views without a worry with the best safari clothes and accessories. Get in-depth Kruger safari packing advice and quick tips for travellers to Kruger National Park from our experts and your comprehensive safari packing list.
A Feather in the Cap
A lesson from even the most formidable beasts: never travel alone and always make sure you add a dash of colour to your head gear (when you're not in a wildlife area, of course).
Spotted in Plain Sight
In searching the middle distance for sightings, don't forget to look right next to the car. This leopard reinforced a bush lesson for me: if lapwings are screeching, always check the source of the commotion.
Top Destination For a Family Safari
When it comes to picking a holiday, safari holds incredible appeal for creatures great and small within our households - and everything about Kruger is geared towards a safe and authentic experience for young and old.
Unfence My Heart
The fenced camps at Kruger National Park detract only slightly from the sense of wild you will feel staying inside the park.
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