Kruger Park, South Africa

[mtcham]

Just back from my second trip to this fantastic Park. Took some family members this time and the only hairy part was leaving the Joburg airport at night with a crappy GPS. The police were incredibly nice and helpful after witnessing some really poor driving on my part. Kruger has to be one of the best parks for a do it yourself trip.
If interested the whole set is here https://www.flickr.com/photos/jrmorr...7645157200637/

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Kruger 2014 1-9287 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-4519 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-8210 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-4724 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-9621 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6676 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-5208 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-7750 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-4675 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-9122 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6062 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6779 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-8369 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6184 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-4822 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6044 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-8779 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-5139 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-5063 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-9505 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

[mtcham]

some more....

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Kruger 2014 1-9300 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-4950 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-5694 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6690 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6704 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-4750 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-8965 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-5244 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-9664 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6533 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6568 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-5379 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-5617 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-5884 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

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Kruger 2014 1-6018 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

[Fuzz]

D-A-M-N!!! Nice shots. 13, 17, 18, 21, 24 are my favourites, but they're all fantastic. Love the series on Flickr of the lioness walking along the road (towards the camera, top of page 5) and the male lions on page 7. What lenses did you use? Looks like at least a 70-200. And a 500? Did you do your first trip to Kruger as a guided one?

[mtcham]

D-A-M-N!!! Nice shots. 13, 17, 18, 21, 24 are my favourites, but they're all fantastic. Love the series on Flickr of the lioness walking along the road (towards the camera, top of page 5) and the male lions on page 7. What lenses did you use? Looks like at least a 70-200. And a 500? Did you do your first trip to Kruger as a guided one?

Thanks Fuzz-the lioness was using our cars to circle a herd of wildebeest, she stopped at my car to taste the rear bumper. Was really exciting to watch 5 lions put the sneak on in mid day.
I did use the 70-200 and 500 for the animals and a 14 and 50 for the bush walks. First trip was also self guided as I really like to be in control of my routes within the Park. I drive mainly dirt roads where many people don't go. The elephants are the only animals that make me a bit nervous. They can be extremely hard to see sometimes until you are right on them, very strange for as big as they are.
The Sanparks website has all the information needed to plan and book a trip and the cost is quite inexpensive. http://www.sanparks.org/

[grskier]

Amazing!

[crashtestdummy]

Amazing photos, I can't even imagine what it would be like to do that.

[summit]

Awesome shots!

[Teague]

Just went through the whole Flickr collection. That is an amazing set of photos. Mind if I press you for some details about your trip? I got back a month ago from 4 weeks in SA including some time in Kruger and a few other National Parks. As far as Kruger went, the wife and I spent two days doing self drive in the southern end of the park near Hazyview and a few days in the private Thornybush Reserve a little further north. We had a fantastic time, but we were pretty much winging it without some objective, expert advice. I also got the impression that you could have an amazing safari experience on the cheap if you knew what you were doing. So as somebody who appears to know their way around the park and knows how to find what they're looking for...

-What was your general itinerary?
-What were you driving and how was shooting photos from the vehicle?
-How much of the park have you covered? Any favorite areas?
-Do you have a method to finding animals or is it simply a function of putting in the time and miles?
-Biggest photographic frustration or potential pitfall?
-Were you driving at night or were those park run drives?
-How was the winter weather? Would you go during any other season?
-Any other destinations outside of Kruger you would recommend?

I feel for you on the driving front. Had some borderline traumatic driving experiences in Durban and some epic GPS failures through Swaziland.

[treebasher]

looks like a wild trip, great images

[mtcham]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed them and so cool you've been. What other Parks did you visit?

-What was your general itinerary?

Started in the south at Berg en Dal > Pretoriuskop > Skukuza > Satara > Letaba > Skukuza > Crocodile Bridge > Skukuza. 2 nights each camp except the last 3 camps(1 night each), school holidays had commenced and I was forced to take what was available. I will never go during a holiday again

-What were you driving and how was shooting photos from the vehicle?

Nissan Livina this trip, Toyota Avanza last one. Last year my son did all the driving and I photographed from the back seat. This year I drove which was nice as I could position the vehicle exactly where I wanted it and follow moving animals while still shooting. My father used a window mount and fluid head for shooting video and got very good stable video. I carry my 500mm on my lap and the 70-200 within easy reach and will switch back and forth.

-How much of the park have you covered? Any favorite areas?

Have covered most roads south of Letaba. Favorite area is Satara for all cats. Next is Skukuza which is the busiest and least nice camp but you have good access to Lower Sabie and the southern game rich areas and is in a central location.

-Do you have a method to finding animals or is it simply a function of putting in the time and miles?

I never have expectations and move slowly 20km/h, and try to read the animals. If you see anything running there is a good chance there is a predator nearby. As their winter progresses animals are in closer proximity to water and that is also where the predators take many of their meals. The south and eastern part of the park lie over a basalt which yields a sweeter, more palatable and nutritious grass so there will be more grazers in that area.

-Biggest photographic frustration or potential pitfall?

Harsh light. Best shots are always early morning or late afternoon. Tall grass.

-Were you driving at night or were those park run drives?

We do a morning bush walk and a night drive every other day booked thru the Park. Night drives are dependant on who has the spotlights. My brother in Law and I spot with good flashlights if the spotters suck. We don't miss much. I had one guide this year that did not allow flash but usually I use a better beamer and try to shoot the bigger cats not looking directly at me.

-How was the winter weather? Would you go during any other season?

Light down jacket and a windbreaker for the night drives. shorts and tees once the suns up. Snakes are down but we still saw 2 puff adders and the malaria risk is nil. I prefer it when it's greener and would like to go in their summer when the babies are being born.

-Any other destinations outside of Kruger you would recommend?

Looking at Etosha, Chobe and the Serengeti-all self drives.

.

[Spats]

Excellent shots!

Also, DAWWWWWWW. Hyenas are fun to watch, and young hyenas are about the cutest things ever.

[Teague]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed them and so cool you've been. What other Parks did you visit?

After Kruger we continued on to make a large loop back to Johannesburg. We passed through Swaziland to iSimangaliso Wetland Park, then on to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, and finally on to a few stops in the Drakensberg Mountains. It was a great look at some of the variety of landscapes SA has to offer.

[freak]

great shots!

freak~[&]

[tripsandfalls]

13, 17, and 34. But wow, what a trip.

Great shots.