Taking a trip to a local tourist hotspot is always easier to plan than a trip overseas, and has even less impact on your pocket the closer you are to home. With careful planning, one could travel more frequently throughout the year.
And why not travel around South Africa and explore its pristine game parks, picturesque countryside, and flawless coastline.
A good place to start is in the Kruger National Park – South Africa’s most iconic big five safari destination, with a land area of over two millions hectares. To put that into perspective, the Kruger National Park is as big as the city of Israel. The Kruger’s ecosystem is truly diverse, with areas of savanna grassland, mopane woodland, and riverine forests. The concentration of animals is astoundingly high, with a total of 147 mammal species and over 450 species of bird.
Entering the park through Paul Kruger Gate, Skukuza Rest Camp nestles in a prime game viewing area only twelve kilometers away. With Hazyview and the city of Nelspruit only 56 kilometers and 120 kilometers away respectively, weekend getaways in the bush are a wonderful possibility for locals.
Skukuza Rest Camp is the largest in the Kruger, with a variety of accommodation options to choose from – campsites, safari tents, bungalows, luxury bungalows, cottages, and guest houses. Most units have kitchens, multiple bedrooms and usually more than one bathroom. In some cases, cutlery and crockery can be hired from the camp reception, or one can bring along their own kitchen equipment and make use of the communal kitchens.
The facilities offered at the camp include a reception, post office, ATM, restaurant, deli, grocery shop, laundromat, petrol station, auditorium and conference venues, picnic area, two swimming pools, car wash, and cellphone reception.
Locals staying at the camp will generally travel there by car, giving them the option to self-drive around the Kruger in search of incredible wildlife. The camp does however offer guided activities for those who would prefer to be led by professional guides and can be booked prior to arrival or at the camp reception. The activities include game drives, bush walks, bush breakfasts and braais, golfing, wilderness trail, visits to Lake Panic bird hide, and wildlife films every evening (except Sundays).
Skukuza Rest Camp has something for everyone, keeping you busy regardless if you stay for a weekend or an entire week.
