Kendrick Imports in the Kruger Park

Kendrick Imports and the Kruger Park April 2009
April 8th and 9th 2009 saw Kendrick Imports www.kendrickimpots.com visit the Kruger Park in South Africa.  Ten of us spent 2 days in this National Park spending one night at Berg-en-dal Camp.
The Kruger National Park is one of several National Parks in South Africa.  The broad aim of the Parks is to preserve natural ecosystems so that the full range of animal and plant species and their habitats are protected, and that ecological processes such as droughts, periods of high rainfall are allowed to take their natural course.
The Kruger Park is in Mpumalanga to the east of South Africa.  It is about the size of Wales and is totally wild.  All of the animals in the park are wild and although are not afraid of the outline of vehicles, will become frightened and run away if you break that silhouette by for example putting your head out of a sun roof.  This may also cause them to attack with serious consequences!

The whole gang of ten packed the cars with essentials for a night’s stay in the Kruger Park… including food, water, Rogue hats, Rogue boots, Rogue bags, http://www.kendrickimports.com/index.php/rogue spare clothes, Bug Geroff insect repellent http://www.kendrickimports.com/index.php/bug-geroff and a few beers!

Rogue canvas and breezy hats

We got to the Phabeni Gate in to the park at 6am as it opened.  Every person must be checked in and be accounted for on the gate pass.  We drove slowly for two hours until a breakfast stop at Skukuza Camp (the nerve centre of the Park).  During those 2 hours we saw elephant, kudu, zebra, rhino, buffalo, giraffe and a wonderful leopard which crossed the road in front of us.

We spent the night at Berg-en-dal Camp in the south of the park.  The camps have self-catering bungalows equipped with a BBQ area, kitchenette, bedrooms and bathroom.  We booked ourselves on a night drive, leaving at 5pm and returning and 8.15pm.  Before setting off we all used Bug Geroff insect repellent as the park is a malarial area and it is essential to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.  The Bug geroff soap http://www.kendrickimports.com/index.php/bug-geroff combined with either the spray, gel or cream is an effective deterrent to the mosquitoes and as it is DEET free is safe to use even on children.

Playing Uno before night drive!

The night drive was fantastic, with sightings of most game.  We were treated to a close encounter with a black rhino – much smaller than the more common white rhino. (Both types of rhino are the same colour but the white rhino has a wide lip and is much bigger.  The black rhino is much more aggressive and skittish). The black rhino was spotted whilst we were all out of the game-viewing vehicle having a “sun-downer”.  Awesome! We also saw a herd of Buffalo standing on the warm road at dusk and most exciting of all a leopard right beside the game-vehicle.  We followed the leopard for a short while before it “evaporated” out of sight back in to the long grass.

After a very tasty dinner of boerewors (South African Farmers Sausage) followed by steak, garlic bread, salad and potatoes we listened to the sound of Hyenas “whoooooping” in to the night.  The cottages were metres from the perimeter fence and there was much anticipation about what sounds might be heard later that night.
A stay in the park is a must for any visitor to South Africa.  It is a very special place and as it is completely wild there is always such anticipation about what you might see…. Right up to the moment when you stop at the exit gate and have your exit permit stamped.