The Wild Garden

Over the Christmas season we went to a place that Afrikaans people call the "wildtuin" - (pronounced as vilt-tain in English). Direct translation, it means "wild garden", but more correctly it means "game reserve" however when you say it to Afrikaans people they know it is the Kruger National Park. Even though there are many game reserves in South Africa there is only one "wildtuin".

For those that don't know this park, it is huge, England can comfortably sit in it, and below are some facts:

The Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa.
19,485 square kilometres in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 kilometres from north to south and 65 kilometres from east to west.

In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is Mozambique. They are part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a peace park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

When we went the weather forecast stated that the temperature would be 40°C! Fortunately it was overcast the whole time so the weather was very comfortable.

We got to see amazing wildlife from cheetahs crossing the road. Herds of elephant drinking and covering themselves with water. Lions stuffed with food but still protecting their prey from hyena and vultures. Crocodiles, hippos and much more. We also saw a lot of baby animals of which my daughter loved.

One thing we do know is that the birds are beautiful but they will steal your food if you're not looking. And the same with the vervet monkeys, baboons and squirrels. On our last day when we were leaving we stopped at a restaurant for breakfast. A monkey jumped on our table and stole our toast. My daughter and I got such a fright that we screamed our lungs out. And of course we then got the attention of the whole restaurant!

It was an experience of a lifetime and I will definitely do it again :)