Kruger National Park (KNP) is a massive game reserve covering 7,580 square miles (19,633 square kilometers) of the northeast region of South Africa. Surrounding the reserve are Zimbabwe to the north, Mpumalanga to the south, Mozambique to the east and Limpopo to the west. The national parks of Kruger, Gonarehou and Limpopo make up the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a protected area set aside to preserve the area's biodiversity.
The reserve is also part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, which UNESCO recognized and registered in October 2001. It the largest of South Africa's six biosphere regions and ranks third largest on the planet. It consists of land that is a combination of forest, grassland and Savannah.
The Kruger National Park has an abundance of life, plant and animal. Three hundred different types of trees grow here, and an amazing parade of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians and a lot of different insects and other bugs also make their home here. Conservationists the world over has applauded the reserve for implementing environmental management policies and techniques. There is evidence of the presence of man going back thousands of years in the rock paintings scattered all over the area, which in itself is reason enough to declare the park a national treasure deserving government protection.
Africa's Big Five all live in the Kruger. The Big 5 being of course the African lion, the African leopard, the African rhino the African elephant and the Cape buffalo. Game hunters are responsible for the ranking, depending on the degree of difficulty and danger when hunting them. The most popular tours sold are the Big Five tours, where rangers take the tourists out into the wilderness in open Jeeps in the hopes of catching a glimpse of one of these majestic beasts.
While there are a lot of camps and lodges in the park offering safe, guided tours with armed rangers, it would be a very bad idea to go walking through the bush on foot, alone, even during the day.
The reserve's infrastructure is in excellent condition with good quality roads that can easily accommodate regular passenger vehicles as well as 4X4s. Small side roads are more suitable for a 4x4 vehicle. These offshoots allow closer inspection of the landscape and its inhabitants.
Speed limits ensure the safety of the animals and their human visitors. Various types of wildlife often wander onto the roads and the larger species, such as the elephants and rhinos, can do severe damage to a vehicle if spooked. Slower speeds are also more conducive to wildlife sightings.
The reserve has thirteen camps. Visitors can find everything from rustic tent accommodations to luxury facilities with swimming pools, laundry facilities, and cafeterias. The largest camp is Skukuza, which is a 20-minute journey from the Kurger Gate and serves as the KNP headquarters. Among the many amenities are a gas pump, a post office, a grocery store, a library and the world's hottest 9-hole golf course. Its location alongside the Sabie River makes it a prime location for animals to find water.
The BaPhalaborwa society of forgers occupied the region in the eighteen hundreds. The village dates back to the Iron Age and is called the village of Masorini. The village huts and furnaces have been reconstructed as authentically as possible and even has the remains of and original furnace.
The royal citadel of Thulamela is in the northern region of the reserve and is just a few kilometres west of Pafuri. It is one of the most historical sites in the country and remained undiscovered until 1993. Archaeologists believe that excavating bombs found a couple who might have ruled in the 1500's. Because the bodies were decorated with gold, the archaeologists believed they were royalty.
The climate is hot and humid and the polar opposite to the EU countries. Between April and September it is the rainy season and is described as sub-tropical because of its location just south of the border. Visitors from Europe and America find the end of summer to be the best time to spot animals because of the low bush and grasses, and it's also a great time to sit and watch the animals as they all gather around the watering holes. But generally, the weather is very hot and dry in this area.
The reserve is also part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, which UNESCO recognized and registered in October 2001. It the largest of South Africa's six biosphere regions and ranks third largest on the planet. It consists of land that is a combination of forest, grassland and Savannah.
The Kruger National Park has an abundance of life, plant and animal. Three hundred different types of trees grow here, and an amazing parade of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians and a lot of different insects and other bugs also make their home here. Conservationists the world over has applauded the reserve for implementing environmental management policies and techniques. There is evidence of the presence of man going back thousands of years in the rock paintings scattered all over the area, which in itself is reason enough to declare the park a national treasure deserving government protection.
Africa's Big Five all live in the Kruger. The Big 5 being of course the African lion, the African leopard, the African rhino the African elephant and the Cape buffalo. Game hunters are responsible for the ranking, depending on the degree of difficulty and danger when hunting them. The most popular tours sold are the Big Five tours, where rangers take the tourists out into the wilderness in open Jeeps in the hopes of catching a glimpse of one of these majestic beasts.
While there are a lot of camps and lodges in the park offering safe, guided tours with armed rangers, it would be a very bad idea to go walking through the bush on foot, alone, even during the day.
The reserve's infrastructure is in excellent condition with good quality roads that can easily accommodate regular passenger vehicles as well as 4X4s. Small side roads are more suitable for a 4x4 vehicle. These offshoots allow closer inspection of the landscape and its inhabitants.
Speed limits ensure the safety of the animals and their human visitors. Various types of wildlife often wander onto the roads and the larger species, such as the elephants and rhinos, can do severe damage to a vehicle if spooked. Slower speeds are also more conducive to wildlife sightings.
The reserve has thirteen camps. Visitors can find everything from rustic tent accommodations to luxury facilities with swimming pools, laundry facilities, and cafeterias. The largest camp is Skukuza, which is a 20-minute journey from the Kurger Gate and serves as the KNP headquarters. Among the many amenities are a gas pump, a post office, a grocery store, a library and the world's hottest 9-hole golf course. Its location alongside the Sabie River makes it a prime location for animals to find water.
The BaPhalaborwa society of forgers occupied the region in the eighteen hundreds. The village dates back to the Iron Age and is called the village of Masorini. The village huts and furnaces have been reconstructed as authentically as possible and even has the remains of and original furnace.
The royal citadel of Thulamela is in the northern region of the reserve and is just a few kilometres west of Pafuri. It is one of the most historical sites in the country and remained undiscovered until 1993. Archaeologists believe that excavating bombs found a couple who might have ruled in the 1500's. Because the bodies were decorated with gold, the archaeologists believed they were royalty.
The climate is hot and humid and the polar opposite to the EU countries. Between April and September it is the rainy season and is described as sub-tropical because of its location just south of the border. Visitors from Europe and America find the end of summer to be the best time to spot animals because of the low bush and grasses, and it's also a great time to sit and watch the animals as they all gather around the watering holes. But generally, the weather is very hot and dry in this area.
About the Author:
Now that you've learned plenty to successfully raise your interest, why not look at taking a break and come by this extraordinary park? E-mail us on our web-site Cape Tours to read more and tour tips for an experience off a life time!
No comments:
Post a Comment