Kruger National Park

Ecosystems within the Kruger Park are highly varied. Six rivers feed the park - an area that encompasses an astonishing 16 vegetation zones including 1980 plant species and 300 tree species.

Seasons: The best time to see game is during the winter months (April - September), as water is restricted to rivers and waterholes, where the wildlife congregates. Visibility is also good as the vegetation is less dense. Summer (October to March) is lovely due to the rains - everything is lush and green, and the birding is excellent. November and December are the calving months.

Wildlife: You should see: elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, warthog, lion, spotted hyaena, baboon, hippo, impala, kudu, vervet monkey, waterbuck, tsessebe, wildbeest, bushbaby, mongoose, duiker, steenbok, klipspringer, genet, bats. You may see: leopard, wild dog, cheetah, roan antelope, sable antelope, bat-eared fox, rhino, honey badger, porcupine, rhebok, aardvark, aardwolf, civet, caracal, serval, suni.

Birds: You should see: vultures, owls, bee-eaters, rollers, eagles, bustards, hornbills, starlings, shrikes.

Precautions: Malaria area - minimize mosquito bites by wearing light, long sleeved clothing and using effective insect repellents (containing Diethyltoluamide DEET) on exposed skin. Sleep under treated mosquito netting or ensure that the doors and windows of your accommodation are screened against mosquitoes. Having a fan or air-conditioner on at night will further suppress mosquito activity. Currently, the three effective anti-malaria tablets are Mefloquine (Lariam or Mefliam), Doxycycline and Malarone (Malanil). It is still possible to contract malaria while on malaria prophylaxis. Note that Lariam may present serious side-effects - please test before you depart.