Kruger
- pete
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
It feels like I’ve been in Mozambique for a long time. Maybe it has something to do with being so far away from the U.S., I’m not entirely sure. But after nine weeks of acclimating to a new job, setting up a new home, and learning a new city, I was ready to venture out of Maputo and see some big animals.
One of the draws of taking this position in Mozambique is its proximity to Kruger National Park (among other nature-based incentives). Kruger is widely regarded as one of the top game parks on the continent. As mid-October rolled around and a week off work approached, Sol and I packed up the car and headed to South Africa to visit this famous destination.
After about three hours of driving, we arrived at our Airbnb in Marloth Park, about 25 minutes from the Crocodile Bridge entrance to Kruger. After a quick drop-off of our stuff, we jumped back in the Prado and started our adventure.
Writing this now feels a bit like recalling my first time diving as everything in Kruger was new, so the excitement was overflowing. I took a million photos of every animal I saw, so (like diving) a lot of these photos will probably make me cringe a few years from now, after I’ve taken many more—and hopefully better—shots.
But here we go.
Our independent drive was mind-blowing (at least for us). Within five minutes, we saw giraffes and elephants. Kruger is an incredible place. It is addicting and exhausting at the same time. It’s amazing how tiring simply looking for stuff can be.
I had removed the seats and cleaned out the back of the Prado before we arrived, so with Sol at the wheel, I could jump between both sides of the car to look for animals.
If my memory serves me correctly, the first animal we saw was a giraffe and it blew our minds. We ended up seeing quite a few, so I only included my favorites below.
Soon after, we ran into the common (yet beastly) Pumba, as they’re affectionately called.
And I should mention: I have different photos of different animals taken at various times, but will try to stick with events as they occurred chronologically. For this post, single photos have a black border; slideshows don’t.
Running solo on this first drive-through rewarded us with a bit of luck. Some elephants were around the corner. The next day we saw the two brothers meandering back to their mom.
There was ample prey scattered about the park. It was fascinating to see how close the herds grazed together. There is clearly an advantage in having so many eyes on alert.
What a day! Let's take a breather from these animals and head back to Marloth Park.
Marloth Park is a gated residential community on the southern border of Kruger National Park, but certain animals have a knack for getting through.
Sol and I took a stroll to the river, which serves as the border, and along the way we ran into a banded mongoose and a red-billed hornbill.
This hornbill (Zazu!) lived right outside our Airbnb.
The next day, Sol and I woke up at 3:15 a.m. for a guided morning safari. The advantage of these guided tours is that both of us could focus on spotting wildlife while the guides radioed each other to report animal sightings.
It was an incredible morning. We kicked off the day with a rare rhino sighting, then detoured to a watering hole where we saw a herd of wildebeest. When we finally arrived, two cheetahs were resting in the distance. I couldn’t believe it!
But first, the magnificent white rhino.
The cheetahs were fascinating. One was relaxed, the other, restless. Eventually, they caught sight of the wildebeest and a particularly muscular warthog. I kept taking photos, capturing the little progression of their attention and movement.
I debated whether to share that sequence since it’s a bit anticlimactic, but I decided it was interesting enough for this silly website. I’m guessing the restless one was an adolescent hanging out with mom. She likely chooses her hunts more carefully, while he’s curious about everything and can’t stay still.
Later, luck was in our favor. On our way back we saw three cheetah brothers lounging near a bush. We were so close!
They were very cool. One had a tag, the other two were itch-free.
Predators aside, prey was abundant too. It was strange for us to see; in nature documentaries, it always seems like predators and prey are miles apart. Here, a herd of gazelle grazed just half a football field away. People often get bored with them, but they’re still beautiful and worth photographing. Watching them sprint (or more accurately, leap) was mesmerizing. They just hung in the air as they jumped.
Leaving Kruger requires we cross Crocodile Bridge. It is unnerving to do anytime, much less at night or with animals running around.
They actually coexist pretty peacefully with hippos, though every now and then they get cross with each other.
My goal (unsurprisingly) is to get a photo of these two animals yawning. Oh well. Seeing them relaxing is still cool.
After our second full day, Sol and I returned to our routine of barbecuing—or braai, as the locals call it. It’s an Afrikaans word and a big part of local culture.
The 3:15 a.m. safari had worn us out, so we slept in the next day. After recovering, we took off for another solo safari, then joined a guided night tour.
We saw a troop of monkeys pass by. One peed in his hand and then smelled it, which is what you see in the third photo. Ha!
Later, we watched some particularly cuddly zebras interacting nearby.
We were still hoping to spot a big male lion, but none appeared during the day. Our last hope was to get lucky on the evening safari.
The evening was remarkable. The hot sun had spent the day baking the earth, and as night approached, the lingering warmth combined with a cool breeze to create a particularly comfortable atmosphere.
As the temperature dropped, lions gathered on the warm asphalt to enjoy the day’s stored heat (and we got lucky again!).
Seriously, their paws were massive. It was incredible to see them so close.
We did see a male lion the next day, but it was pretty far off in the distance, and only an adolescent.
What a trip!
It felt great to have our first safari adventure under our belts. From navigating the Komatipoort border crossing to finding our way through the park, Sol and I learned a lot. I can’t wait to go back. My goal is to photograph wild dogs, a full-grown male lion (with mane, preferably yawning), and a leopard which, I’m told, is extremely rare.
We finished the week with two days in Mbombela to get some car work done and do a bit of grocery shopping before heading back to Maputo. Sol stayed at the Airbnb to study, and while I waited for the mechanic, I took a stroll through the local botanical garden.
And the mini-waterfall:
And that's a wrap! I look forward to going back to Kruger to see what else is out there. And if you're reading this, I cordially invite you to come visit and we can go on safari together.
