Once again, the alarm clock rang quite early – it was 5am and we wanted to be as early as possible at the gate of the Kruger National Park. We had managed the night before to book entry and entrance in advance and pay online, but you never know.

Arrived at the park, first the car was frisked, from our dirty laundry the park guards left their fingers for their own protection. Shortly after, we had to fill out some forms again, measure temperature and disinfect our hands. At first we thought that was the end of it. Far from it. The form we had just filled out only entitled us to join the ever-long checkout line. It now took 2 hours until it was our turn and we received our correct tickets – a cheer for pre-booking … or not.

We drove the entire day through the park, which is admittedly very touristy. Next to the camps there was always a gas station, restaurant, souvenir store and supermarket – including a slush machine, which particularly pleased Andreas. Also here in Kruger Park there were for the most part asphalted roads and so it was not always easy for Andreas to keep to the speed limits, we were not flashed this time.

A little bit of Africa feeling, or safari feeling, like in Kenya, actually only came up when we drove off the main roads on one of the few gravel roads that were not closed or forbidden.

Even though for both of us the park was just too touristy and crowded, we saw some animals in the wild. The mass tourism was most noticeable just before a camp, at a spot where lions were spotted in the tall grass. The road was simply dense, everyone parked wildly crisscrossing on and off the road without regard for others. Due to the high grass, one saw of the lions but anyway only a part of the head.

  • Freshly hunted a bird like this still tastes best

Despite all the complaining, it was still an interesting time in the park, as chaotic people like us always have something “special” happen to them.

We were on our way to leave the park and were in a bit of a hurry since 6PM all gates are closed. We drove off the beaten track over a gravel road, trailing a long plume of dust behind us. Suddenly Andreas saw movement in the bushes to the right of the track and braked. Suddenly 2 full-grown rhinos stood in front of us on the road. Since only the reverse gear helped to bring fast distance between us and the two. After one of the two snorted wildly and drooled, we only had one more escape back to a hilltop. The fact that the rhino didn’t really see us anymore wasn’t enough – its ears and eyes were still pointed in our direction. Finally stopping the engine helped, after a few seconds they moved on.

  • That can make you feel a little different
  • Finally they move on

We still made it to the exit on time and now had another 1.5h drive ahead of us to drop off the rental car at the “international” Kruger Mpumalanga airport.

Around 19:30 we arrived and stood in front of a closed gate, which no one at Avis had told us about. In addition, it was Saturday and because of the holiday and weekend no one on site. We discussed an eternity with the security guard, who was not allowed to let us on the airport premises, without an official invitation. Along the way, we tried to organize accommodation, which was also seemingly impossible, because even in the nearby big city of Mbombela, everything was fully booked.

Andreas was already thinking about putting the car under a lantern and sleeping in the car. After ages we managed to book an accommodation in a town called White River, to organize a cab via Bolt (a kind of African Uber) and to drop off the car at the airport. The security guard took pity on us (he had even offered to call his friends to pick us up), as did his supervisor in the tower, and so they let us onto the premises together with the Bolt driver.

So the Bolt driver took us to our booked and paid accommodation – but once again it was supposedly fully booked. The ladies present were not at all helpful or cooperative. On the contrary, one still had to put up with “Not my Problem” and “Shit happens”. With Andreas the red cloth fell, he became loud and threatened to pull out his lighter (small insider).

Whenever you ever end up in White River, be sure to avoid the lodging “Lalamnandzi1” at 45 Frank Townsend Street, 1240, White River!!!!

Fortunately, Melanie had the presence of mind to prevent the Bolt driver from leaving, who now called friends and acquaintances and managed to get a room for us in a nearby hotel.

We ended up in a rather luxurious hotel (Hotel247 in White River, highly recommended, just under 60€ a night including breakfast) and later fell happily, because of the roof over our heads, with a few beers and thick steaks in the stomach and after some nice conversations (by the way, Leipzig seems to be known throughout Africa because of RB Leipzig) in the great bed.