Skukuza
Encyclopedia
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers and extends from north to south and from east to west.To the west and south of the Kruger National Park are the two South African provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In the north is Zimbabwe, and to the east is...
. The name, adapted from Sikhukhuza (isiZulu
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
), was a nickname for James Stevenson-Hamilton
James Stevenson-Hamilton
Colonel James Stevenson-HamiltonFather of the Kruger National Park Parks BoardLife before the Sabie Game reserve:James Stevenson-Hamilton was born the eldest of nine children in Scotland on the 2nd of October 1876. Being first born he was the legal heir to their family title and home at Fairholm,...
. It could be translated as 'a new broom', as Stevenson-Hamilton swept the area clean of poachers and outlaws.
It is also the largest camp in the Kruger Park and is situated on the southern bank of the Sabie River. It has a number of historical sites including 3 museums and a library, besides a camp centre consisting of shops and restaurants. The Selati Train restaurant is situated on an old train platform on the eastern verge of the camp.
From the main reception a visitor can organize game drives, bush braais and guided walks in Kruger. Besides the camp basics, Skukuza also has 2 swimming pools, a golf course, a police station, a post office and even a bank. These shops and facilities are surrounded by different sized huts and guest houses. All the guest houses and huts are fitted with an outdoor braai suitable for evening grills.
Nearby the camp is a nursery where plants native to the region can be viewed and purchased. These are mostly suited to a similarly hot climate.
Gameviewing
Skukuza is located in the southern part of Kruger and is the most popular and accessible camp, and one of the best for game viewing. In the vicinity of the camp all of the African Big Five can be found as well as other recognisable and exciting animals. The nearby Lake Panic hide 24°58′52"S 31°33′58"E offers a vantage point of a water body from dense woodland.The camp itself overlooks the Sabie River where elephants sometimes congregate. The stretch right opposite Skukuza is the home to a number of hippos. The trees along the river are home to very loud Chacma Baboon
Chacma Baboon
The Chacma baboon , also known as the Cape baboon, is, like all other baboons, from the Old World monkey family. With a body length of up to 115 cm and a weight from 15 to 31 kg, it is among the largest and heaviest baboon species. The Chacma is generally dark brown to gray in color,...
s, while the piercing calls of Greater Galagos
Brown Greater Galago
The brown greater galago is a nocturnal primate, the largest in the family of galagos.-Physical characteristics:This species has a rounded head with a short, wide snout, very large ears and relatively small eyes...
are heard at dawn and dusk. Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat
Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat
The Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat is a species of megabat in the Pteropodidae family. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland,...
s are easily seen under the verges of some thatched roofs. Some of these have been fitted with radio transmitters to study their feeding patterns.
