Public or private? Game Reserve in South Africa

For most of us, certainly those of us who do not live near wildlife, planning a trip to a destination such as South Africa's Kruger National Park is almost as exciting as experiencing the park itself. If you have already started the process, you know that a bigger stumbling block is price. Specifically, the price of the private game reserves, which can range from $ 300 upwards of $ 800 per night. And you may also have noticed that the public accommodation facilities offered at Kruger cost a lot less, often less than a third of the price of the best private reserves. Why would anyone then unpack $ 800 to look at animals when there may be perfectly adequate accommodations for $ 100? Below is a list of the major differences between the two options. Finding out what the priorities of your visit are and how to balance them with your budget will be the key to deciding which option is best for you.

Luxury - These soaring rates at the private reserves not only cover a bed for the night and basic meals. The accommodation is on par with some of the best hotels in the world, albeit in a different setting (you may be sleeping in the most luxurious tent structure you can imagine rather than in a traditional hotel room). Food on most of the top rated reserves can hold its own against the best restaurants in the world, and the staff-guest relationship ensures you never want any service or recreation for a very long time; there is always someone nearby to answer your question or help you with a problem or bring you what you want. Don't be fooled by the private reserve's location in the middle of the bush - they are among the best hotels in the world.

Expertise - Traveling through Kruger on your own means that you are basically your own guide. The South African government has done an excellent job of creating informational maps, and there are a wealth of guides to the park that can be purchased in the United States or found online. But whether you read these guides, and no matter how much information you track wild animals you may have in your head before your trip, it is impossible to absorb the astounding amount of information that professional guides and trackers in the private reserves have. They are all native to the area and most have spent their entire lives in the bush, tracking and observing animals. Their knowledge can improve your experience by giving you background on the animals you see, but it also works in a much more important way: professional rangers and trackers know what to see and listen to to find animals. For hard to see animals like leopards, this knowledge is crucial. None of the animals in Kruger have any particular interest in presenting themselves to your vehicle for photo-ops, but some species are known to be secretive and shy and therefore difficult to spot. Trackers and rangers use their knowledge to look for clues as to where an animal might be aiming and pointing their vehicles in the right direction. An example from one of my trips to Kruger was one evening when the ranger was sure there was a leopard nearby, but had trouble finding it until he heard an emergency call from a group of impalers coming straight north of our vehicle. He was able to determine that the emergency calls were related to the leopard he was looking for, and used the location of the impalas to find that the elusive leopard was just south of us. Other tracks are tracks where recent animal declines are left, wind direction and recent observations by other rangers and trackers. Those who attempt even guided tours of Kruger's public camps do not have access to this information and may miss seeing the animals they came to South Africa to see in the first place. Although you are very likely to see water buffaloes, various antelopes, elephants and baboons, if you choose the self-guided method of seeing the park, it is very possible to spend a whole week at Kruger and never see a cheetah or leopard or even a lion. As mentioned, there is no substitute for experience.

Access - Individual visitors to the public areas of Kruger are strictly prohibited from driving off-road. That is, you must stay on the paved road surfaces that snake through the park. And hope the animals you want to see cross your path. What often happens is that an animal walks a few feet or yard along a paved road and then runs out into the bush, away from where you stopped to see him.