Kruger National Park Off the Beaten Path Tips by kzngirl

Most animals head down to the waterholes to drink at dusk and dawn. Try to plan your driving route so you head towards a waterhole near to these times…These are great places to park your car, and sit with your engine turned off and just watch and listen to all the wildlife around you.

Watering holes are great places to catch animals coming down to drink and a marvellous site you won’t forget in a hurry is watching the elegant giraffes manoeuvre themselves over the water, stretching out their legs – wide, wide apart – to get their long necks low enough to the water to drink.

I really enjoy sitting by the waterholes. If you have a pair of binoculars, make sure you scan the surrounding bush and veld as well as just what is on, around, and in the water...you could well catch sight of animals making their way - slowly - to and from the waterhole.

Take note of the little things too: the frogs, the birds, the turtles and terrapins - and the myriad of footprints in the mud around the waterhole...who was the last visitor?

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A hide is a man-made structure, usually constructed with natural materials, designed to blend into the natural environment. Sometimes they overlook a water hole, other times a vantage point high up on a cliff. They are great places to while away an hour or two in silence, watching and waiting for animals, birds and insects to make their appearance.

The hides are usually clearly marked on your Kruger Park map, so do make sure you include one or two visits to a hide during your stay. Little kids may get bored, especially if there is nothing "exciting" for them to watch, and if they don't find sitting in silence easy (!) then perhaps give the hides a miss!

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