Kruger Breakaway

by Vicky Papa

Lions, buffalos and elephants, oh my! This time I was heading back to Africa for a little animal viewing. I have been on a couple of safaris before and this time wanted to do a different style of safari. I only had a short time to travel so I decided to do Gecko's 7-day Kruger Breakaway.

I'm not going to lie. The flight to Johannesburg is long! Armed with books, magazines, iPod and sleeping pills I arrived in South Africa after MANY hours of flying. We were transferred to our guest house and had the rest of the evening to relax before our 6am pick up. I was traveling with my dad who had made comments in the past about 'why go on safari when you can see the animals in the zoo?'. I was out to prove him wrong - seeing animals in the wild and in their natural environment is not like going to zoo! The following day we set off to Kruger Park with our group of new found friends - six people coming from America, Australia and Germany. The campsites were great and were located in two private game reserves on the border of Kruger. We stayed in tented camps and slept in beds. There was no need to bring a sleeping bag, the water was drinkable, the toilets flushable and the outdoor showers had hot water and views to die for.

This safari was unlike the other safaris I had done prior as this was primarily a walking safari. We were to walk 3-4 hours a day rather than sitting in a vehicle the whole time. You set out in a single file line behind two rangers who carried guns. This might seem dangerous but the rangers hardly, if ever, have used the guns. The walks are not an option. They are not strenuous at all but there is no turning back if you are hot, tired or it's raining. The walks are a way to experience a closer up, more personal encounter with the land, plants, animals, birds and insects of all kinds.

We woke up at 5:30am and grab a quick bite to eat. At 6am we set out on our walk sometimes driving to a destination first. We walked quietly occasionally stopping for nature lessons, animal tracking, etc. We returned to camp between 9:30-10am to a big breakfast buffet waiting to fill our hungry stomachs. We then had a few hours' siesta to relax, shower, nap, read, etc. as during the hottest part of the day the animals are away. After a late lunch we loaded up in the Land Rover and set out for an afternoon/evening game drive and look for the 'Big 5'. We ended up seeing four out of the five - elephant, buffalo, rhino and lions...only the elusive leopard was no where to be seen. We did see a group of cheetahs so that made up for it. Our guide hadn't seen cheetah in the area for the last three years. So we were lucky, and luck is a big part of safaris. At sundown we drove to a watering hole or scenic viewpoint for 'sundowners' (snacks and drinks). The return ride to camp was in the dark and the ranger would shine a large spotlight in search of animals that we might see. On arrival back at camp we had a fabulous dinner prepared and then hanging out by the campfire before going to bed.

The highlights of the trip were being surrounded by a herd of over two hundred cape buffalo on a walk, early morning wake up calls by the baboons, and hearing lions roar nearby as we were in our tent. The best was hearing my dad continuously comment about much how prettier and larger the animals were up close, how amazing it is to see a parade of elephants of all ages and how great it was to try and find them on your own, certainly not like going to the zoo. He is already researching new safaris to take my mom on. The trip was good overall - short and sweet and plenty of animals. You could tell the rangers loved their jobs and their enthusiasm was passed on to us. Now it was time to take the long flight home. Good thing I still had a few sleeping pills left!!

To learn more about this trip and to see current dates and prices click here.

Vicky Papa is an Adventure Specialist at Adventure Center. If you have questions about travel to Africa please call Vicky on 877-285-0656.