SANParks.org Forums

Thanks for your replies.

I made San Parks my homepage so I won't forget to check regularly

We have secured accommodation for the whole period we wish to spend in Kruger and the camps are not too far apart so we're ok.

We're not looking at the last week of September but at 7-8/9 (Crocodile Bridge) and 12-14/9 (Lower Sabie).
At the moment we have booked 7/9 Crocodile Bridge (we really enjoyed that camp last time we there - we got so pampered by our South African neighbours :-)), Berg en Dal (8/9), Lower Sabie 12-13/9 and Crocodile Bridge again on the 14/9. In between we're going on the Bushman Wilderness Trail which seems to be awesome.
Looking forward to the trip!

And then Lower Sabie & Crocodile Bridge are of the highest occupancy camps in the Park!

Best wishes!

Joep (joep.stevens@sanparks.org)

You should have been given a client number as well as your two reservation numbers. This will never change and as long as it's quoted you should be able to see all your reservations. I'm not too sure about how to do it on line but you should be able to merge the two. However even this may mean that you will have to move units, in the past I have done added an extra 2 nights to an existing booking when they became available but I had to move units - in our case we had to move next door. Its a slight nuisance.

I'm really not sure of the rules for reimbursement for online bookings, I know you have to pay in full up front but not sure about cancellations. I really wouldn't have thought you can use the credit to pay for a Wild Card, they are two completely separate systems.

However I can't say this for certain so your best course of action for all your queries is to call or email central reservations and see what they can do.

If you do manage to get a credit, you may be able to use it to pay for a walk or night drive, but you need to check with reservations.

Hi

I have used a credit to use for a sunset drive but you need to phone reservations. They can normally help you.

Hi Frizzle


The best thing to do is to send a fax to Lower Sabie on fax number +27 13 735-6062, advising them that you have two reservations, state the reservation numbers, for the same type of accommodation, and request that they allocate you the same bungalow for both reservations, so that you do not have to move after two nights.

I am sure that they will oblige.

In the meantime all is settled and I can confirm that Sanparks is refunding online bookings when cancelled.

I called Reservations on 012/428 9111 who gave me the number of Finance (012/426 5102 or 012/426 5104).

A nice lady told me I had the choice: getting a reimbursement on my creditcard or use the credit to book activities or other accommodation. The credit cannot be used to buy a Wildcard.

In order to get a refund you need to send an e-mail to reservationrefund@sanparks.org mentioning your login number requesting a refund of the balance on the creditcard you used to do the online payment.

As for securing the same hut in Lower Sabie during my entire stay I followed Linda's advice and sent a fax to the camp (why did I not think of that myself )

In previous visits to Kruger from Australia we have requested particular huts by telephone after we have completed our reservations and have always had excellent service.

For our next visit, in May 2013, we again contacted each restcamp and politely requested particular huts. Staff at Berg-en-Dal, Mopani and Shingwedzi were again very helpful and took our requests.

However, when we tried to do the same at Satara, Skukuza, Lower Sabie and Letaba Restcamps this time, we were told that we would have to make our hut requests by Fax. Fax machines are old technology in Australia and it is hard to find someone with this technology. When we managed to finally find a suitable Fax machine and sent the fax requests, the transmission consistently fails. Even though our Fax machines automattically try to re-send, time after time, the transmission continues to fail.

This is not a good service. We make reservations early and pay our deposits early. It costs us a lot to telephone from Australia but we have been happy to do so because past requests were handled efficiently. However, it is very uosettling to have our telephone requests refused in favour of a Fax system that simply does not work!

wildebeest I have also had a lot of problems trying to fax credit card payment forms. My experience has been as you describe - continual transmission fail - but I had only been trying to fax central reservations. I also have had problems getting through by phone! I don't know if it is a technology problem that side or an international line problem at certain times? Eventually I gave up on the fax and phone and emailed my form. However that doesn't help your predicament!

Hi. It is my first trip to the Kruger National Park, although have been many times to Umfolozi/Hluhluwe Park. We are coming from Durban and staying at the Sabi River Sun. Does anybody have any advice on which gate to enter at, and how far we should drive in a day? We are staying in Hazyview for eight days. We have two children with us, aged 9 and 5. Any ideas for how many days in the park, and spots to stop at, or routes to drive. Any advice appreciated. Thank you.

Easiest gate to enter is Phabeni, only about 13 or 14 km from the Sabi River Sun. From there you can do a variety of drives. With 2 kids in the car I suggest that you time your drives so that you can make use of camps (Pretoriuskop, Skukuza, Lower Sabie) and picnic spots (Afsaal, Nkuhlu) for breaks (lunch, tea etc).
The options are endless....you can do a circular route and leave via Phabeni again; you can exit via Kruger gate (about 40-odd km from Hazyview), or you can go as far as Satara and exit at Orpen...or down to Berg-en Dal and go out at Malelane (then back via tar road to Nelspruit and to Hazyview via White River)...or even down to Crocodile Bridge and exit there, but then the drive back to Hazyview becomes quite long!
I would personally not do more than a drive every second day, and if possible avoid the south of the park on weekends (also, the gate quotas might fill up quite rapidly during school holidays on weekends).

Hello again,

Do you find any disadvantage staying at a lodge just near Malelane Gate as opposed to staying in Berg-En-Dal camp?
I suppose we need to get up earlier. What about the animal viewing? Are there less near the gate?
Other considerations?

Thank you,
Sirenada

Your biggest consideration is time of year. If you visit at a weekend, public holiday time, or school holiday time then staying outside the park can result in having to join a long queue to get in first thing in the morning, and unless you make a day visitor booking you may even find you cannot get in. secondly if you want to do a park game drive or walk you pay more than those staying in the park.

Inside the park this does not apply as you are there, and your longest queue woould be fellow early risers in the camp.

As far as animals are concerned there is little difference. I have had amazing sightings at Malelane gate itself - including all of the big 5 at various times (yes, even black rhino).

If you are inside the park you don't have to travel to get there. Also, again depending on the time of year, the camp gates open earlier in the morning than park gates so you get more viewing time.

And generally you get the peace and quiet at night.

Hi all,

First of all OURthanks to all who contribute to this forum; it has helped us plan a two weeks trip to start IN three weeks time; only booked accomodation over the weekend with the usual rush and mistakes..............

My wife and I are birders as well as mammalers and would appreciate any thoughts on what we have booked; I gather we can change around if accomodation is still available.

Our big wish is Pels, Wild Dog and Honey Badger ( found one last time around but as we spend a lot of time with our UK badgers we would like to give it a go again ) in addition to the other goodies

This is what we have arranged;

1 Berg-en-Dal
2 and 3 Lower Sabie
4 and 5 Skukuz1
6 and 7 Satara
8 and 9 Olifants
10 and 11 Letaba
12 Shingwedzi
13 and 14 Parfuri River Camp ( outside the park ) Has anybody stayed here?
15 Punda Maria
16 Mopani
and out at Phalaborwa and back to Dunnocks and Muntjacs back home!

If anybody is birding and would like to meet up North to find Pels can happily exchange mobile numbers; does anybody know a birder in any of the camps who would help with Pels and any other goodies?

Sincerely and thanks to all of you; gather we have to find a yellow ribbon....

Mike and Rose/ UK