The Kruger National Park is home to cheetah, lion, leopard as well as a host of smaller feline breeds
WINTER | 2014
17
They head out to sea to spot whales and collect
data wherever possible, so contributing to whale
research in the process.
MPUMALANGA
he
Kruger National Park
is one of
Africa’s great conservation areas and most
definitely South Africa’s flagship wildlife
reserve. It’s 20 000km² of wall to wall wildlife.
Winter is the best time for gameviewing in the park
as the bush is drier and wildlife is thus easier to
see. The weather is also cooler, as Kruger’s climate
is subtropical and hot in summer. Birders will
particularly enjoy the northern section of the park,
but wildlife is prolific throughout Kruger. About
148 different mammals, 507 species of birds, 118
different reptiles, 53 kinds of fish and 336 different
species of tree live in the Kruger National Park – so
there is no shortage of things to see.
Pilgrim’s Rest
on the escarpment is a living
museum. Gold was discovered there in the late
1800s and diggers flocked to the town. They
named it Pilgrim’s Rest because after so many
dashed dreams of gold, they finally struck it lucky
and settled around the town. The iron-roofed
buildings have been beautifully preserved and the
old Royal Hotel is still open for business – its bar
being particularly popular and a gathering place
for story tellers. Do a walking tour of the town and
visit the Diggers’ Museum to see a gold panning
demonstration, as well as Alanglade, the opulent
home of a mine manager of old.
SA’S TOP 40 HOLIDAY ATTRACTIONS
MPUMALANGA:
HOME TO COUNTLESS
CONSERVATION
RESERVES
T
RCI.co.za
Photo: Thinkstock
