So we spent a weekend in Kruger, well actually Ngwenya Lodge on Crocodile River (Ngwenya means crocodile in Siswati – the language of Swaziland). The lodge was quite nice and right on the river. During our stay we saw rhino, elephant and various types of buck up close. the park though has become heavily commercialised. Also, depending on who you talk to can alter the price you pay – the first afternoon we paid the same price for half a day for a 4 year old as we did for a full day adult. O.k. while only 9 quid it was the principal that annoyed me… oh and the attitude. I didn’t mind the international increase (“locals” only pay 2 quid) but it was the completely inept staff that really made me want to weep. The second day they were full and the last day we paid half price for my daughter… go figure.
If you want to come here, I’d recommend that you do a tour of the internal camps, Crocodile Bridge and Lower Sabie are my favourites.
The big 5 were a little tricky, the cats were very illusive, while technically we did see them, they were very far away or very well hidden. Why are they called the big 5, well, they are the biggest, most dangerous animals in South Africa. Yep, the cape buffalo, while looking pretty much like a regular cow is actually the most dangerous of the five. True, if you get mauled by a lion, you probably won’t live to tell the tale, but the cape buffalo is completely unpredictable and gives absolutely no warning when it wants to go for you. The horn and skull are thick enough to stop a bullet, and you don’t want a buffalo with a headache coming at your car. The big 5 consist of the elephant, the rhino (technically the white rhino), the cape buffalo, the lion and leopard.
