An African safari vacation is by far for any tourist, both to African and international alike, a great experience, but you can't say you have experienced a safari truly until you've been to the Kruger National Park. 18 989 square km (7 332 sq miles) of untamed Kruger land offers some of the best game viewing, with the Big Five (buffalo, leopard, lion, buffalo and elephant) and many more of Africa's wildlife in their natural environment. And this year, marking the Kruger National Park's 110 year anniversary, it seemed like a good time to make a visit.

It's been awhile
My friend Bronwyn and I were booked to stay at the Kruger National Park during a seven day trip. We had flown up from Cape Town and hired a car at Johannesburg airport to drive through to the National Park located in one of South Africa's most striking provinces: Mpumalanga. For Bronwyn this was going to be quite an adventure, since she had never before been to Mpumalanga, or the Kruger National Park. This is not uncommon amongst South Africans, because for some sad reason, not all South Africans get the opportunity to travel as much around their own country as some international tourists do.

After our four hour drive to the town White River, we booked in at the Jatinga Country Lodge. Only 38km away from the Park, this magnificent bed and breakfast had quite the superior array of rooms. We settled down after our trip and decided to spend what was left of the day enjoying a stroll through the picturesque little town of White River. The atmosphere was one of relaxation and rich culture. It seemed like type of place all artists would dream of and many call it their home, since we saw quite a few galleries and little shops selling local art such as pottery and so forth. After our walkabout, we soon found ourselves back at the lodge for supper, enjoying the beauty that comprised this beautiful English Country styled lodge.

110 years of natural beauty
Bronwyn was beside herself when we entered the gates of the Kruger National Park. The Kruger National Park was established by one of South Africa's first and most beloved Presidents: Paul Kruger. One of his voortrekkers led an expedition out to what was then the Eastern Transvaal. After establishing that due to the gold rush, there was swift destruction of wildlife by hunters, President Kruger persuaded the Transvaal parliament that they had to establish this area as a protected wildlife area. And this is how the Kruger National Park came into existence.

I was driving while Bronwyn enjoyed her first day in the park, sitting back and being on the lookout for any wildlife. It was all great fun, and every time we saw a group of cars standing still, we tried to rush there in the hope that it might be one of the Big Five, like lions or maybe even a shy leopard, but to our dismay, it turned out to be some kind of bird usually. Although birds are great, we weren't really enthusiastic bird watchers. So when Bronwyn eventually did see lions she made a shriek so loud that I almost did an emergency stop in the middle of the road! Her camera was out in an instant and she couldn't stop taking photos. We share a love of animals and cats of all sizes in particular, so it made perfect sense that seeing lions in their natural environment would have such an ecstatic effect on us, especially from Bronwyn who had not been to the Kruger Park before.

Manyeleti Honeyguide Camp
Our next stay was at the Manyeleti Honeyguide Camp. We were staying in the most luxurious tents, designed to mirror Ernest Hemingway's Africa. The one thing that Bronwyn and I appreciated the most was that when lazing around in the swimming pool, you overlook a watering hole that attracts a lot of wildlife throughout the day. So we were able to spend a whole day just lazing about, swimming, tanning and reading, all the while seeing a number of wildlife at our pleasure. Manyeleti also had a wider range of South African wines than most accommodations which was more of a treat since we Capetonians really do appreciate our fine wines. Manyeleti also had divine cuisine so we were truly basking in the lap of luxury!

Idube Private Game Reserve
The staff at Idube were all very friendly and we felt welcomed completely. At Idube, Bronwyn and I spent some time in an Animal Hide. It was almost like a little house, hidden away so that we were able to watch the wildlife undetected. Our second day we joined in on a game drive where the rangers gave us a thorough lesson on the wildlife of the Kruger.

All-in-all, both Bronwyn and myself had a really great time and almost felt privileged that we could partake in the celebration of a South African legend. The Kruger Park always has and always will be one of South Africa's greatest landmarks!

About the Author - Hidden Vintage specialise in customised itineraries for luxury African Safari vacations, honeymoons or safaris combining appealing destinations with stylish, character filled accommodation and activities offering high standards of comfort and service.