So much to offer - Kruger Park Safaris

After picking up our rented car at the Johannesburg International Airport, my friend Alex and I were on our way to one of South Africa's most sought after Kruger Park safaris. We were to spend our time there on a four night foot safari, but this was no backpacking safari, this was going to be a four star expedition!

The Low and High of it
Mpumalanga is a beautiful province and it's easy to see why thousands of tourists, both local and international, flock each year to this province. As you enter Mpumalanga you are welcomed by the Mpumalanga Highlands followed by the Escarpment. I think that you need at least a week in this area alone, since you would have a lot to see and experience. Alex and I decided to only venture to Pilgrim's Rest. This small town came into existence during the gold rush era and today offers a lot of historical insight during this time period when people over the world rushed to get their bit of the treasure.

After Pilgrim's Rest, we were heading towards the Lowveld, making our way into the Kruger National Park. The Plains Camp formed part of the private concession of Rhino Walking Safaris. Alex got all our things ready in our tent while I was looking around the campsite. This was going to be a high class safari like no other. We were only eight guests accompanied by two trail guides and personal to create this Eden in the middle of the Kruger National Park.

The long walk to freedom
After getting settled, our armed guides gave us a brief introduction about all the do's and don'ts for our foot safari. They also made an assessment of our fitness levels to work out a schedule accordingly. I was very relieved to hear that it wasn't going to be too strenuous since this was a holiday after all and I haven't been to the gym in over a month. Alex on the other hand was a little disappointed, but considering that he is a triathlon athlete, I felt that if it the hikes were worked out according to his fitness level, I might as well raced to the nearest hospital for pure exhaustion. But differences aside, we were ready for our first hike.

Once on the trail our guides were giving us in-depth information on everything from local folklore to the bushveld culture. They taught us how to identify animals, birds, trees, insects and plants. Some of the plants are known to have healing power and they explained which to use for medicinal purposes. When I turned around to ask Alex something, he had just picked a piece of grass and put the tip of it in his mouth. He looked so comical, like a real local farmer with his leather hat on.

What I liked most about a foot safari is that it's so unpredictable. We didn't know what to expect, and truth be told, I was very scared when we were following the rhino trails and elephant paths, but that was the safaris biggest appeal. While we were following the elephant path, we came across a herd of zebras and buffalos. It is a whole different experience to see wildlife on foot instead of sitting in the comfort of a car. Only when on foot, can you see just how little we are in comparison to these animals, especially so with the buffalos. They are much bigger then I remembered and I was holding on to Alex's arm a little tighter than usual, but the guides assured us that we had nothing to worry about, just as long as we stay quiet, because we weren't close enough to show any threat to them.

We soon continued until we caught up with a herd of elephants. Much bigger than buffalos, it felt strange that I didn't feel as threatened. We stood there probably for half an hour, mesmerized by the beauty of largest land animal on the planet today. They were very calm and slowly grazing their way to the nearest waterhole for their daily bath and to quench their thirst.

Soon after that we were back at our camp, waiting for lunch to be served as we sat back looking at the beauty of everything that surrounded us. This was our first hike out and already we were able to experience more than most do when going on a safari. Our Kruger Park safaris always seem to be filled with more experience than the one before and I couldn't wait to see what else awaited us in the next three days!

Author Bio:
Wydah Tours has a variety of Kruger Park Safaris, just perfect for a week or two's getaway in one of Africa's most beautiful destinations.