I Left My Wild Heart in Kruger

My heart is with my family but I left my wild heart in Kruger.

We’ve been in Kruger three days now and are all in agreement that it was so worth it to come here. We have seen animals galore! As soon as we crossed the Malelane Gate and stopped at the bridge overlooking the Crocodile River, we saw an unbelievable variety of animals.

Crocodile River at the Melane Gate photo by Karen Gough

We were allowed to get out and look. On one side of the bridge there was a mother elephant and her baby and several crocodiles sunning themselves on the rocks. On the other side was a partially submerged hippo, a troop of baboons (with babies) and a herd of impala (antelope). There were many types of birds. I felt like I’d stepped into an illustrated children’s book!

So what have we seen in just three days? Here’s a quick summary:

We’ve seen African Buffalo rolling in the mud and drinking from a water hole, several different kinds of antelope, a young zebra nursing, wildebeest grazing next to impala, a wart hog coming down the road, three sleeping rhinos, a huge troop of baboons, a leopard prowling through the bush, a young bull elephant drinking water and splashing himself, and a small herd of elephants.

Then, my husband, my son, and I walked alongside a grazing rhino on the safe side of an electrified fence; a vervet monkey stole the remainder of my daughter’s veggie burger from the table where my husband sat, and my daughter almost got attacked by two monkeys when she stood too close to the one eating her sandwich. However, Chris yelled at it, then the monkeys–with lots of screaming and gesticulating–threatened to attack him! I made both my teens move away.

We also saw two herds of giraffes (about 20 to a herd), and beautiful greater kudu (antelope). I felt like I was in Heaven.