The Kruger National Park is often described as the “best place on earth” and as sworn Kruger addicts, we concur. We have both travelled quite extensively and have been privileged to reside in other countries, and we loved every adventure that came with it. However, South Africa – and particularly the country’s crown jewel, the Kruger – beckons us back, time after time.
“Three days in the park is too short,” says Anton when we started planning. “Thirty days would be too short for you,” I quip and immediately notice the longing in his eyes. Longing for days gone by, when his parents would pack the VW Microbus and the Ventertjie to the brim and traverse the park from north to south for up to three weeks at a time…
“Snap out of it,” I say. This time around we only have four days, so best we make the most of it. First up – pick a vehicle that can get us there and back without any issues and with enough space for all our luggage. Luckily for us, the all-new Kia Carnival was recently launched. It would be the perfect adventure partner for us and our friends, Annelien and Christo Möller. It could also swallow all our luggage without having to tow a trailer. And – bonus – it is a bus of sorts, so Anton could get his nostalgia fix!
Car sorted; we phoned SANParks to book – only to realise that our intended coincided with the traditional “Kruger holiday” break. No luck in the park, then! Now back in the day this would have been a massive problem as accommodation options were very limited – if you
