Kruger from Hazyview: a guide to Phabeni Gate

Kruger is closer than you may think

One of the best things about staying in Hazyview is that you can have a proper day in Kruger without having to move hotels to do it.

Phabeni Gate is 17 km from The Zarafa, around twenty minutes by road.

Leave early, spend the morning or the whole day in the park, and come back afterwards to your own private pool villa, a good shower and dinner already taken care of.

For us, that is a very good way to do Kruger.

Why Phabeni Gate?

Kruger has a number of entrance gates, but Phabeni is particularly convenient from Hazyview.

It takes you into the southern part of the park, with routes towards Pretoriuskop and Skukuza and enough road choices to fill anything from a half-day drive to a full day.

You do not have to travel enormous distances to have a good safari. In fact, trying to cover too much ground can be the quickest way to miss what is right beside you.

Kruger rewards patience. Sometimes the best part of the morning happens because you stopped rather than because you kept driving.

What time should you go?

Early. That is the simple answer.

Early mornings are usually cooler and wildlife tends to be more active. There is also something quite special about entering the park as the day is beginning.

Gate opening times change during the year, so check the current SANParks times rather than relying on an old timetable online.

If we are arranging your safari, we will work out the departure time for you, and breakfast happens at a restaurant inside the park partway through the drive. If you are self-driving, tell us the day before and we will send a breakfast pack with you.

Nobody should have to choose between breakfast and a lion.

Guided safari or self-drive?

Both are good.

If it is your first time in Kruger, we would normally suggest doing at least one drive with a guide.

A good guide is looking at far more than the obvious animals. Tracks, alarm calls, birds suddenly behaving strangely, cars stopped in an odd place, all of these things can tell them something.

And, just as importantly, you are not driving. You can actually look at the bush rather than trying to look at the road and into a tree at the same time.

A private safari is particularly nice because the day belongs to you rather than to a vehicle full of strangers.

But self-driving has its own charm. You can change direction because somebody mentioned wild dogs five kilometres away, stop for as long as you like, or spend half an hour watching an animal that would never make anybody’s Big Five list.

There is no right answer.

Half day or full day?

For many guests, a half-day safari is enough. Go early, spend the best part of the morning in Kruger and come back to The Zarafa with the afternoon still free.

After several hours in an open safari vehicle, the pool starts to look particularly good.

If wildlife is one of the main reasons for your trip, choose the full day. You will cover more habitat, have more time to stop, and simply give luck more opportunity to work in your favour.

That does not mean a full day guarantees better sightings. Kruger has never taken instructions from anybody’s itinerary.

What should you take?

Do not dress for lunchtime when you are leaving before sunrise. Winter mornings in an open vehicle can be surprisingly cold, even when the afternoon is warm. Layers are the answer.

In summer, think about sun protection. A hat, sunscreen and binoculars are all useful.

Binoculars are worth bringing even if you have no particular interest in birds. Plenty of the nicest things you see in Kruger are too small, too far away or too well hidden to appreciate properly without them.

And take your camera if you enjoy photography. Just remember to look away from it occasionally.

Coming home again

This is probably our favourite part of doing Kruger from Hazyview.

You can spend six or eight hours in the park, leave through Phabeni and be back at The Zarafa shortly afterwards.

Then Kruger stops. There is no more driving to do. Have a shower. Get into your pool. Sleep for an hour if the early start has caught up with you. Have a drink. Dinner is later.

You came to the Lowveld to see Kruger, but there is no reason Kruger has to take over the entire holiday.

See our Kruger safaris All guides