Do
- visit this beautiful country. Despite
all negative reporting, we never experienced
-
anything bad and found
the people there very friendly. Be smart, however, avoid
-
places you shouldn't
go to and be cautious at all times (for example, we always
-
locked our car
when we were driving);
- arrange everything on your own through the internet. It
not only gives you
-
flexibility
over a fixed itinerary but also saves money. Many car rental
companies
-
have offices
at the Johannesburg airport. We booked through Budget
and were
-
very satisfied.
We advise you to rent at least the second smallest car;
- stay at one of the 'airport' hotels, they are close by,
safe and most of them have
-
a free shuttle service (check upfront). This way you don't
have to go into
-
Johannesburg if you are leaving the following day and don't
want to visit the city;
-
bring your debit/credit card. ATM's are available (also
at Letaba en Skukuza
-
restcamps
in Kruger NP);
- take a flashlight and your binoculars, you'll need them;
- buy a good roadmap in your home country before you leave;
-
bring
a book on animals if you want more information on the animals
that you
-
might encounter;
- make an adventurous whale watch trip from St Lucia. You
might need sea
-
sickness tablets though
as the sea can get rough (www.advantagetours.co.za);
- stay at Leopard
Walk Lodge near Hluhluwe town or Pezulu
Tree House Lodge near
-
Hoedspruit, both have
friendly staff and nice accommodation;
- drive through Swaziland to Kruger National Park (Malelane
gate) if coming from
-
Hluhluwe. It takes
a long day but it is certainly possible. Bordercrossings
take
-
about 30 minutes each
border;
- stay in the national parks of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi and Kruger.
You will not loose
-
driving time to and
from the parks, and it is special to be close to animals
and
-
nature. For information,
accommodation and reservations at Kruger National Park,
-
look at www.sanparks.org.
For Hluhluwe-iMfolozi in
the Kwazulu Natal province
-
check www.kznwildlife.com;
- use the sighting boards at the reception of all the restcamps
in the wildparks:
-
they can be helpful
in animalspotting;
-
buy the detailed map booklet (R30) of the camps you are
visiting, they are very
-
helpful in choosing
your itinerary and give you pictures of most common animals;
-
tip friendly gaspump attendants, they will check your oil,
tyre pressure, and clean
-
your
window.
Don't
- rush this huge country (size of Spain and France together),
better to visit a small
-
part well, than visiting
too much and see only half;
- forget an electric adapter. Be aware that Dutch travel
adapters do not include the
-
adapter
for South Africa. Buy one, the moment you drive by a large
Spar or
-
Build-It store or at
one of the restcamps in Kruger National Park;
-
drive after dark (in wintertime at 6pm it will be dark)
as many people in South
-
Africa drive around
without (working) headlights. Crime
is another reason why
-
driving by daylight
is preferred;
-
be fooled by the highway sign. People and animals might
cross roads where you
-
don't expect them;
- exit your car or come too close to wildlife in the national
parks (unfortunately
-
still many people do it); you will not only scare away or
upset
the animals, you
-
will also put yourself at risk and annoy other patient viewers;
- feed the squirrels, baboons, starlings or bushbucks (in
short all animals), even if
-
they appear cute or
hungry. They will become aggressive and have to be put
-
down because of it;
-
drop your cigarette ashes in the park, we saw too many people
do it;
-
forget driving on the left side of the road!
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