Kruger National Park - Step 3: seeing the big 5 and Adventures in Drakensberg - Goodbye SA

After the step in Mbombela we drove to the Kruger Park Hostel in our cute Kwid rental car.

The Hostel is in Marloth Park so not inside of the actual Kruger but like 30mins from the Crocodile Bridge Gate. It is a new hostel with a pool and the two guys who are running it, are really nice. So this evening we went for the sunrise all together.

Next day after breakfast we made it into the Kruger and drove through the Park. It is huge so could drive for a long time and would still just seen parts of it.

Luckily we saw one of the biggest elephants in the park and way more by the river taking their bath with the babys. Also we saw buffalos, giraffes, zebras and soo many Impalas.

When we stopped at a lake we saw hippos the first time. It was really nice and impressive to see all these beautiful animals. We were driving around until the sunset and at this time more animals were walking around. Unfortunately also at this time the park was about to close. We still were on the hunt to see lions, cheetah or leopards.

We witnessed the beautiful sunset between many giraffes and wildebeest and needed to leave then.

The next day we woke up to a group of zebras by the pool and we could feed them. Later on we had a nice day with our new friends in the hostel and did jewelry together by the pool, feeding Kudus and warthogs.

We decided to all go to a night safari and had dinner together before.

Already the drive to the park was like a party and so much fun that the safari itself could just turn out awesome. The other participants of that game drive weren’t very happy about our joy but we still had a good time. The driver went in between of a group of lion cubs. They weren’t bothered by us at all and just continued licking each others and sleeping. So cute, just big cats. Later on we spotted a leopard which was about to hunt an Impala. In total I was so happy to finally see some big cats.

The next night we braaied (barbecue) together and my friend and me finally decided where to go next.

That decision lead us into a 11 hour car ride including big ass potholes and streets that end in nowhere. Nevertheless we did make it to our next (and last) stop in SA: Drakensberg.

We stayed in a nice hostel in the middle of nowhere, between grassland and mountains. The next day we did a smaller hike to the tiger falls which was unbelievable beautiful. For the following day we planned the hike to the Tugela Falls (apparently the tallest fall in SA), for which we needed a shuttle). We messed the shuttle up due to miscommunication and postponed one more day. So we had a chilled day by the pool and laying in the grass, writing blog and reading.

Last day before the departure-day we woke up as planned at 5a.m. First sign of the universe was that the gate of the hostel was closed so we couldn’t exit the property.

There was a car in front of us with a guy that got very mad and angry because they needed to go to a wedding. He tried to open the gate with force and anger but there was a chain with a lock so obviously that didn’t helped. At some point he started hooting and running around to find someone to open the gate.

All this time my friend and me were sitting in our car thinking that we will miss the shuttle but still calm (in comparison to that crazy guy). Suddenly a bit older woman and a yong guy were running towards his car and the woman was really aggresive towards him and started hitting him, screaming at him and pushing him inside of his car. My friend and me we just thought “wtf is happening”.

After that a woman who actually worked in that hostel arrived in front of the other side of the hostel and appeared to be clueless about how to open it. Next thing we watched to happen was two young guys coming along with a plier to brake the lock and finally open the gate.

Already 20 minutes late we started the 1,5hour drive to the point where the shuttle was meant to pick us up. Exiting the property of the hostel we noticed that it was crazy foggy and you couldnt even see more far than 1 meter. It was impossible to go fast due to very bad sight and potholes. Considering these conditions it was meant to happen that I missed to dodge one big pothole. The hubcap flew away and I stopped the car

immediatly. The rim had a dent and we thought “thats enough signs from the universe”. Also we wouldnt even be able to still catch the shuttle.

So we turned around and stopped at the only café close to the hostel which was opening at 8 a.m. and it was 7:20 a.m. We ate the stuff we brought for the hike that never happened as breakfast and waited for the café to open to have a warm cappuchino with oatmilk after these morning struggles.

Next day we got up early again - this time to head to the airport. We gave away the slightly damaged poor Kwid (rental car) without bigger problems and got our flight to mauritius for the next volunteering and new adventures.