Kruger, My Backyard - Floods of 2012

Lower Sabie Camp

I have had some of the most amazing times in Kruger National Park located in the Northwest corner of the country of South Africa. The park is about the size of the State of Massachusetts but the land – the wilderness area in which the animals roam – is much bigger expanding into the countries of Mozambique and Zimbabwe. My first visit to Kruger was short, only a night, during my first ever trip to Africa back in 2001. I was with a group that camped in Lower Sabie campsite. During that trip I had amazing animal encounters and fell in love with the beauty that was Africa. I was hooked on Africa for sure but particularly so on Kruger National Park.

A Flooded Roadway

When I went back to live in South Africa during my 2001/2002 sabbatical, I was intent on going back to Kruger and did just that. I hired a private driver/guide and stayed in several different camps. I saw much more of the park and had many more exhilarating animal encounters. On that trip I learned about the floods of 2000. There were several markers throughout the park that showed the levels the water reached during that disaster. Pictures of the high water and the damage the water did were framed and hung at camps throughout.

Since then, I have been back to Kruger five times more.  I now driving myself amongst the great wildlife of Kruger. I have stayed at almost every camp in the park from north to south. South Africa is like a second home to me and Kruger like my backyard which is why in late January when the park suffered from torrential downpours resulting in devastating floods – some say worse than those of 2000 - I could not stay away from the Sanparks web site, Facebook page and various Twitter feeds on the subject to see photos and hear the latest news. Water in Lower Sabie camp was up to the windows of cars. Water at Skukuza camp was up to the restaurants’ deck rushing by carrying whole trees with it that the current had forced down. Tourists had to be rescued from flooded roadways. Tshokwane picnic site was terribly damaged. Roads were washed away. Bridge railings were taken by the power of the water. I wanted to go and help clean up my back yard but was useless from afar. All I could do was keep tuned to the latest news and be grateful for social media so that I felt close and informed.

The Aftermath at Tshokwane Picnic Site

I am thrilled to say that less than a month later the park has almost returned to normal. Water levels have receded albeit leaving much debris behind. All of the camps have reopened even though a few of the accommodations within the camps are unavailable to guests due to damage. The staff at Kruger has gone above and beyond to get things back to normal.

I guess there will be more official markers placed showing the water levels of the floods of 2012. I hope to see them and the park I love so much in person sometime soon. In the meantime I say thank you to the staff of Kruger for cleaning up my backyard. I wish I could have been there to help!