Kruger: Was I Wrong?

**Was I Wrong About Kruger?** I returned to Kruger National Park to find out whether the crowds, traffic and commercial side of the park had given me the wrong impression of one of South Africa’s most famous wilderness areas.

I’ve never really been a Kruger person. Busy wildlife sightings, queues of vehicles and everyone fighting for the same view have never been the kind of wilderness experience I enjoy.

But had I judged the whole of Kruger National Park by its busiest areas?

This time we deliberately headed north.

Starting at Phalaborwa, we travelled through Letaba and on to Punda Maria before exploring the far north around Pafuri, the fever tree forests, Crooks Corner and the Limpopo River.

From there, the journey slowly turned south again towards Shingwedzi and eventually Tsendze Rustic Camp.

Along the way we encountered elephants, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, crocodiles, incredible birdlife and plenty of smaller wildlife that is easy to drive straight past.

We also spend time looking at the Mozambique tilapia breeding in the Shingwedzi River, explore some of the flood damage still visible in Kruger, and simply slow down enough to experience the bush without constantly chasing the next sighting.

But the wildlife is only part of this story.

I came into Kruger with a very definite opinion.

The question is whether the quieter northern part of Kruger National Park would begin to change it.

**Was I wrong about Kruger?**

Watch the journey and tell me in the comments whether you think I was being unfair to Kruger from the start.

The journey continues in the next standalone episode:

**KRUGER: THE VERDICT**

Overlanding Africa, One Dust Road at a Time.

#KrugerNationalPark #Kruger #overlandingafrica

00:00 Was I Wrong About Kruger?
03:28 The Kruger Test Begins
05:03 The Long Road North to Punda Maria
13:55 Pafuri: A Different Side of Kruger
20:05 Crooks Corner & the Limpopo River
28:06 Pafuri Picnic Site & Elephant Encounters
33:46 A Slow Morning at Punda Maria
40:06 Leaving Punda Maria for Tsendze
46:51 Was the Problem Kruger… or Me?
48:15 Mozambique Tilapia at Shingwedzi River
51:19 Lunch Stop at Shingwedzi
53:18 Arriving at Tsendze


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Out here, in Africa, silence speaks louder than words.

Tusk & Tire is a solo overlanding channel rooted in Africa’s wild soul. Created by Corne Tewitz—a father, husband, explorer, and cinematic storyteller—each episode is a journey through dust, wildlife, and reflection.

With over 25 years of 4x4 experience across Africa’s most remote and breathtaking landscapes, Corne captures the emotional truth of the bush—from the east coast to the west, through Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.

Expect cinematic visuals, spiritual storytelling, and a quiet call to remember what matters: freedom, gratitude, and legacy

“You can’t control the journey — only enjoy the ride.”

#overlanding #offgridcamping #bushcamping #wildlife

https://tusktyre.org/