The Extraordinary Beauty of Kruger National Park

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Think going on an African safari is all about the animals?  Well, by definition, it might be, but seeing the awe-inspiring landscapes is a huge part of it as well!

I love photographing landscapes more than anything else, and I couldn’t resist apologetically asking our guides Lee-Anne and JP to stop the vehicle again and again so I could take tons of HDR photos.

This isn’t what Kruger is known for, though.  Though it’s an immense national park — the same size as New Jersey or Israel! — it’s not known for being one of the visual stunners.  You don’t get the sweeping landscapes of the Serengeti or the arid beauty of the Namib.

That said, there is so much beauty here if you know where to look for it.

How about this cloud action?

The river running through Ngala was dry during our visit, as it is for much of the year.  At the moment when I took this picture, it was like all the rays of the sun lined up perfectly.  An unforgettable moment.

Because of the river, the waterholes are where you’re most likely to see action.  This waterhole made a beautiful stop for our coffee-hot chocolate-amarula break on our final game drive.

On Halloween, I kept looking for scenes that could be doctored up a tad to look extra spooky.  The crazy clouds behind this lone tree fit the bill.

Purple sunsets?  Absolutely!  A magical, magical moment.  This photo is definitely edited, as are all the photos here, but trust me — the sky and clouds were purple on this evening.  I just brought out the purple a little bit more.

And finally, we watched the sun set into the distance as we enjoyed glasses of bubbly, little sausage skewers, and guacamole.  A perfect way to end the day, and a great finale to a fantastic safari.

Which photo is your favorite?

Many thanks to &Beyond and Visit South Africa for hosting me on this unforgettable adventure.  All opinions, as always, are my own.

 

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22 thoughts on “The Extraordinary Beauty of Kruger National Park”

  1. These photos are amazing! The clouds really give them some atmosphere. I went on a safari at Addo Elephant Park when I was in South Africa but didn’t make it to Kruger.. Would love to go one day though.

  2. That is some HOT cloud action! (get it, the sun is behind em, eh!) Love the pic.

    I thought when I was a kid I would go to Africa and film wild animals, I might have watched too much National Geographic (if that’s possible)

  3. Extraordinary photographs with good editing..yes, most of us visualize animals when we think about Africa, of course it is not..your photographs near perfectly depict the start yet amazing landscapes of the continent.

  4. The last picture is the best, I love how the colours merge and gradually fade into the blue horizon. Sunsets are one of my favourite things to photograph but the photographs hardly ever mirror the way things look in the real world, there’s always a dulling of colours or something else going on. Editing isn’t cheating, its just helping the viewer see how beautiful it looked with the naked eye.

  5. Stunning pictures. I was the same on safari in the Serengeti – always asking the driver to stop. There’s nothing more annoying that trying to take photos from a bumpy jeep! Well, maybe a bumpy boat…

  6. Hi, i think that i noticed you visited my web site so i came to go back the favor?.I am trying to to find things to enhance my website!I guess its good enough to make use of a few of your ideas!!

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