S1 - Ep 424 - Home to the Kruger National Park!

Having not set foot in the Kruger National Park for 19 years, a palpable excitement fuelled our determination to make this trip happen before two decades passed. The road to our destination was a long one, but every kilometre we travelled was infused with a sense of adventure and the promise of rediscovering the untamed beauty of Kruger. As we left home and enjoyed the diverse landscapes of South Africa, from the amazing Karoo to lush plant life in the Bushveld, the journey became as significant as the destination itself. We invite you all to join us on this long-overdue odyssey, as we forge our way to the far north of South Africa, where the majestic Kruger National Park awaits with its unparalleled wildlife, diverse vegetation and scenic wonders. #DustBugs #dustbugstravel #adventuretravel #southafrica #southafricavlog #travelongravel #krugernationalpark #strand
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[@bonitamacdonald8783]

Oh wow. Welcome back guys. I'm super exited with you.... thank you thank thank you so much for this program..... as they say in afrikaans ek het al ontrekkings symptoms begin kry.... I missed you guys.

[@lee-anneadams9222]

Hi Curtis Sonia and Dusty, I'm just so excited to be on the road, I've not even watched yet, super excited 🎉❤ safe travels ❤

[@lee-anneadams9222]

Love it love it love it, your emotions are so genuine, I want to shout with you ❤ safe travels on this long overdue adventure ❤

[@terrimeyer3815]

Its wild guys......just wild in every possible way. Lets hit the Park and find the big 5. So excited cant wait. Your excitement is contagious 🎉🎉❤❤🎉🎉

[@susannaemmerich1166]

Hi you 2, lovely to be on the road again. Thank you!!! You are truly going into the "gramadoelas". Enjoy. Love that hat.🙃🙏🎶🎶🎶🎶🤗🤗

[@tillabezuidenhout6460]

This us going to be such fun. Thank you for taking us along!!!!!

[@MK-gn1nz]

".. so excited to see the animals!" So are we! 😊

[@flodillon991]

Well I never thought l would see the K National park this is going to be very nice for me. Thank you for having me along. " Let the park begin".

[@guillaumedeswardt6876]

So excited for you. Welcome in my part of the world. Spend 33 years in the bush. Can't escape

[@tonygrant06]

Welcome back guys . Safe journeys so glad you’re back and safe.

[@thabo9861]

I'm so excited the KRUGER PARK!!!!!❤❤🎉🎉🎉😅😊

[@rosemarymoolman6765]

Oh I am so excited and can hear how excited you are!!!!! 😊

[@danielprinsloo2917]

Absolutely brilliant - thank you

[@susannaemmerich1166]

That's why the Railway was called into existence. 🥺🙃🙏

[@vonrecht1236]

Greetings from the overcrowded and overtraffict UK. Man...all that space! Hoe lekker kry ek nou. Green with envy...

[@emmerentiagroenewald3694]

On the road again!!❤ How many bridges before you get to the Kruger Park?! I am travelling with you all the way....!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Many bridges! I can't give you a number because we didn't count, but many! 🚙😁

[@elizabethterblanche5311]

Missed you two so much! So glad youre back. Getting just as excited to see all the park is offering. Looking forward to the trip .... hope to see the big 5 with you

[@franspistorius1886]

Hi Sonia and Curtis (and Dusty of course), I like your hat, pity we can’t see Sonia’s. Thanks for hitching a ride with you again. This trip brought back a few memories. Freshly out of Maties in the late 1970s, I was fortunate to be part of the road construction to connect Tshipise with the northern roads inside the KNP. Good to see the roads are still holding strong. Our construction camp was at Massissi, which was a wee village back then. My brother was the construction engineer for this project, in the early 1980s there was a huge flood and all of these roads got flooded by the Limpopo. The Air Force had to rescue him and others by helicopter as all roads were impassible then. Apart from the roads, I was also involved in military camps in the Pafuri area at Madimbo due to clashes between the Rhodesian Forces and Frelimo. All these roads in KNP were sealed by a specially designed seal called a sand seal, by using river sand and bitumen. Which were cheap then due to the abundance of sand all over the park. Happy travelling. Groetnis Frans

[@p.srussell3899]

Great road trip 🇿🇦🍀

[@metalbird8992]

Looking forward to the next episode! Pafuri is the best part of the park.

[@bigvee6900]

We're not going anywhere far this year, so going with you guys is the next best.

[@vonrecht1236]

And what a treat to see swallow city, under the bridge...

[@debbiekruger9414]

Those trucks, my goodness, they just never stop.

[@etiennebeukes9384]

When Sonia said the feeling was incomprehensible I thought only people that have experienced the Kruger park can understand this. Born in Cape Town and now living in Johannesburg I miss everything about the Cape. The only thing we have going for us here is it’s only 5 hrs to the Krugerpark!! We are lucky enough to go several times a year. For you guys the feeling must be off the charts to be back in Kruger after so long. Love the idea of a North to South trip. All the senses have to be retuned ,sight, smell, sounds. So glad we can enjoy the trip with you.

[@axelmertens7762]

Magnificent journey brought back many many memories! From the south of SA to Louis Trichard where I walked over the mountains to the entrance of the Kruger National Park!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Cant wait for the big 5 in the Kruger! Save travels Sonia and Curtis!

[@zinimountglobal]

Woah! That was a such a long drive! 🤯

[@sandragrobler2957]

Yes, yes!!!!!!! We're on the road again with you two cheerful people. What a joy! Can't wait for the next episode.

[@susannaemmerich1166]

Guys the heat in the Park is multiplied by what you've got in the Park.🥵🙃🎶🎶🎶

[@charlietreston4035]

Hi guys great to be back on the road with you again. I will never get used to the beautiful scenery as you came out of the Hugenot tunnel it just hits you .the block house was fantastic and the iron bridge. Shallows in their hundreds mind blowing. Lots of tolls 550 rand wow but I suppose the roads must be paid for !!! .1978 since I saw the signs for joberg and randburg .memories came flooding back. Great to hear your memories of getting married in Pretoria and Sonias about her school days .when you said about no open land between joberg and Pretoria it reminds me I picked up two African ladies outside West minster Abbey in London I ask where they were from they said Midrand one was xhosa and one was Zulu so I said Dumela and sobone you should of seen their faces lol .almost 20 years since I've been to the Kruger Park but never this far north baobab tree stunning vegetation can't wait to see the park again. Thanks for taking me the full length of South Africa. Cheerio till the next one

[@karnuffel]

My wife, me and our two sons lived on a farm in Levubu (1960 to 1980,s ) between Louis Trichardt and Pafuri. You are going down Memory lane for us today. We have been living in Ontario for 24 years now.

[@willemkruger4564]

You may know the Devenishes who had a farm at Ratombo.

[@renewittstock171]

O boy🎉🎉 I'm so happy you are back! Missed you, tx for sharing your trip with all of your viewers

[@willemkruger4564]

Louis Trichardt...my home town....left in 1967...my last visit was in 2007...and probably my last...certainly have "heimwee"

[@deonzar]

So glad you are back on the road again...and you both sound so happy...and so nice to see the Karoo again. Going north of Bloemfontein I have not done in a long time...interesting. I am looking forward to the visit to the KNP.

[@ronnykenny3965]

Whoop whoop. You awesome folk are back. That's the best Christmas gift ever. Truly enjoyed this trip Curtis & Sonja. Thank you, I'm just as excited to see KNP as I've never been there 🐘🐆🦓.. Blessings to all 3 of you . If you hear snoring @ night it's not the animals it's me sleeping outside underneath the stars waiting to climb in 😅 🚗🥰

[@tillabezuidenhout6460]

Love the birdcalls!!!!

[@kategalt1824]

Fantastic video: beautiful scenery, useful information, interesting conversation. Thank you!

[@junctionballito2813]

Beyond amazing💜

[@1812nico]

Hi you two! Greetings from a holiday lodge in Strand (yes!). Great to see you again. Thanks for the long expensive N1 trip. One has to pay a lot for those stop-and-go's. Limpopo is so different from the Capes, but has its own unique beauty. I'm looking forward to the Kruger Park episodes! Keep safe!

[@joannebedford2695]

Love the hat!

[@stanleyrobson4622]

Awesome! Just awesome.

[@doraduplessis2727]

So glad that you showed us part of your journey from Strand to the Kruger National Park. We enjoyed it thoroughly.

[@volksieza]

So glad we invited along on such a personal trip, yay, was last that way in 2010 ( JHB), so great to see. Never had the opportunity to see Kruger, some exciting episodes ahead 😍

[@kennethdshort]

Hello Curtis, Sonia and Dusty. So glad to see you back on the road again. Time to enjoy new and old roads with you. Back in the mid 70s when I was 20 I took part in a cycle tour from Pretoria to Mbombela , up to Tzaneen, and back to Pretoria. It was 1000lm of shift riding for the whole group I remember passing through the 2 Verwoerd tunnels on the shift I did . All the best for the festive season for you and Sonia and your families

[@user-rq5zw4yy9v]

Enjoy every minute of your holiday in the Kruger. We love watching you guys. We cannot wait for the next episode.❤

[@lulamantshephe5595]

Soooo exciting, man i envy you guys❤❤❤😅

[@SimonR016]

Thank you both for sharing your latest adventures with all of us again - really enjoyed it, looking forward to watching all of your other ones too... 😊

[@user-wk4po9tg9f]

Hi you guys. Thank you for taking me with you to Kruger. It was so nice. I have seen so many places new to me. Hope you have a awesome time there😂

[@rosemarymoolman6765]

That building just after Allandale Offramp in Johannesburg is the Mall of Africa.

[@ingeborgvanderveer789]

Geweldig Curtis & Sonia dat jullie weer terug zijn met mooie avonturen ❤. En jawel het is dus Kruger Park en omgeving, wat een cadeautje. Zo leuk om jullie enthousiasme te horen over de terugkeer naar een regio vol herinneringen zoals de trouwceremonie in de NG kerk. Ben heel benieuwd wat we allemaal gaan zien tijdens deze toer, ongetwijfeld met veel hoogtepunten! De ‘stop&go’ momenten zijn een rust intermezzo moet je maar denken; zojuist keek ik naar de nieuwe aflevering van Itchy Boots en in Nigeria dromen ze vast van zulke wegwerkzaamheden. Hoe kan het ook anders dan dat de reis begint met een oude trein spoorbrug, gevolgd door heerlijk eten, enige loadshedding en bovenal het plezier dat van de gesprekken en beelden af spat 🎉🇿🇦. Blij dat we weer op toer kunnen met de DustBugs 👍👍👍 en ook deze keer neem ik graag plaats op de achterbank bij Anna, Marius en de rest 😍🦓🦒🐅

[@DustBugsTravel]

We just couldn't pass that old train bridge and blockhouse by. They were both in such great shape and I was super happy that Sonia could also get up close to both this time. 🚙😍

[@annawitter5161]

Yes the old train bridge and blokhuis were fantastic!

[@ingeborgvanderveer789]

@@annawitter5161ha Anna, toen ik het Blokhuis zag, dacht ik meteen “daar gaat Anna een tekening van maken!”. Fijn dat we weer met zijn allen op toer zijn met de DustBugs, en ook nog eens rondom Kruger Park. Ik ben benieuwd of we Pretoria zelf ook te zien krijgen en of oom Paul daar nog als standbeeld staat omringd door hekken … 😢. Toch apart om Curtis en Sonia echt te missen, we zijn een beetje familie van elkaar geworden door de tijd heen. Ik vermaakte mij ondertussen met filmpjes van Itchy Boots, een Nederlandse vrouw die met haar motor overal naartoe gaat en nu door Africa rijdt. Heel stoer, ik zou het niet durven. Ze is nu op de grens van Nigeria en Kameroen. Hopelijk gaat alles goed met jullie in Nieuw Zeeland en met je nieuwe kleinkind. In Nederland is nu in het nieuws dat steeds meer Afrikaners (terug) naar Nederland komen, weggaande van de corruptie in Zuid-Afrika, helaas. Gelukkig houden onze DustBugs vrienden moedig vol 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🥳

[@annawitter5161]

@@ingeborgvanderveer789 ja het is leuk om weer op het agtersitplek te kuier! Ik ben fassineer met Krugerwildtuin. Itchy Boots klink interessant, zal graag kijk.

[@dumisanimhlongo6507]

Epic journey indeed, I can't wait to see your experience in the park, I love this channel

[@laliedutoit]

This "stop and go" results from not maintaining a railway and using trucks too hard on the road.

[@dianek1220]

Hi Curtis and Sonia, I've been saving up your Kruger trip videos to binge-watch, so excited and I can feel your excitement as you set off from the Strand at 5am!

[@monicaalberts8130]

I love your videos indeed !!

[@elsjec.naicker9037]

So happy to see you guys are back on the road, whoop whoop 🎉. We moved to Midrand in December 2003 and lots of development has taken place since then. If you take the Allandale on ramp, from the N1, you will find Mall of Africa, on the left, which opened its doors in April 2015. This mall has every shop imaginable, a big food court in the mall and many fabulous restaurants on the upper lever with an entertainment area (open air). That amazing building belongs to PWC which opened its doors in 2018. Midrand has many lifestyle centers, schools, hospitals, plots, equestrian estates, hotels etc, really worth a drive through. Nearly forgot about the Ellipse apartments, another beautiful development in Waterfall. The Gautrain also runs through Midrand which connects to Pretoria and OR Tambo, there are also pick up points in the area to transport passengers to the station. Midrand has a "heart beat" of its own and you can live and work in the area. Dust Bugs Travel has inspired us to start working on our bucket list and yesterday we booked our first trip out of SA, we are going to Swakopmund next year. Thank you so much for sharing your travel journey with us, love every minute of it. Have a blessed festive season and may we have many more adventures together. 🎄🤶🎅☃️🦌🐾

[@willemkruger4564]

The Hendrick Verwoerd Tunnels were built due to a massive flooding and washout of the previous pass ( Wylies Poort) that runs alongside the tunnels. That must have been the late 50's. Many Rhodesians and Belgians that were returning North from their holidays were trapped in Louis Trichardt. Eventually they had to make their way westward around the mountains and continue north. We took in a couple of families at the time.

[@annawitter5161]

That is so interesting to read. Thank you

[@neilblunt1926]

I'm typing my 1st response as you eat your night time meal. Loved seeing your journey along the N1. It brought back many memories in 2019 of us traveling from Fish Hoek back to Howick in KZN towing our caravan. NEVER, NEVER again. It was a nightmare with all those trucks. But the scenery was wonderful. Always love the kilometer signs to the next destination. You must have been very tired.

[@beatrixfourie9792]

❤

[@jacquesdelaan8343]

Welcome back! We really enjoyed watching this video. We were just as excited as you guys. We will watch the next episode tomorrow.

[@sharondupreez1975]

❤❤❤❤... haven't missed an episode....you to remind me of the sticker I saw today..... Adventure before Alzheimer's 😅😅😅

[@fireandicewine]

Glad to see the Dust Bugs are safe and sound. Lots of dangerous creepy crawlies here and there. Merry Christmas.

[@annawitter5161]

Hullo! So good to see you back. I missed you so much. Never been to Kruger park myself but have seen lots of movies. Such a nice exciting journey. Lovely to see the Karoo and Free State again, brings back so many happy memories . The rail bridge and blokhuis are definitly paintings. The warty tree is not a tree, it is an Ent! The swallows are amazing, talk about air traffic controll! How do they fly in such a mass without bonking into each other? That is one hell of a wack of money to spend on tolls!! Ouch! I am surprised Louis Trichaard is not called some other name by now. Hmmmmm.......Pretty town, would love to visit. Cute place you overnighted in, very nice! Those tunnels...😬😳😖🤬I suffer from tunnel phobia. Freak at the thought of going through a tunnel. So I had to shut my eyes for those bits!

[@DustBugsTravel]

I stood watching those swallows for a long time and wondered myself how it is possible that they don't fly into one another or aren't struck en masse by the vehicles flying through under that bridge! 😳 Kamikaze swallows those are! 🐦

[@michalf6460]

love it! im wayting for the next one

[@mrstukutela5126]

Hi, Curtis and Sonia. I am so glad to see you back again! I am really looking forward to this!

[@neilblunt1926]

I can understand your excitement as you neared KP. We used to have that each year we travelled to it once the bug had bit. We used to leave Durban at 4 a.m. driving via Zululand, Swaziland and in at Crocodile Bridge. My friends had the same feelings you guys have about KP. They couldn't even sleep, would leave late at night and drive through the night and arrive at Malelane in the early hours of the next morning and camp outside the gate waiting for it to open. Glad you arrived safely. That was one heck of a long drive.

[@mariusroos]

Thank you for this looong drive. So much to see and a huge distance covered. I am looking forward to the video inside the park and will join you on the next one. Well done

[@annaatkins2971]

Thanks Guys. I love it that you're so NORMAL ❤

[@CharlesJHin]

Loved this episode! We've been in Australia for 5 years and will be visiting SA in April next year. Kruger is on the itinerary! When we lived in SA we went to Kruger many times, from north to south. We'll be driving from Jo'burg to Storms River and then to Cape Town!

[@antoinetteharding3405]

Baie dankie dat julle hierdie ervaring met ons deel. My eerste besoek op Dustbugs, en ek kan nie wag om al die videos deur te werk nie. Dit voel sommer asof ons saam met julle reis.

[@susannaemmerich1166]

The Carousel is NO MORE!!!!!!🙃

[@martinihrck2704]

So beautiful and a pleasure to travel with you guys.

[@MagnusPaul1976]

The N1 is in a terrible terrible condition, thanks to all the trucks and accidents, that occur frequently on the entire route from Cape Town right up to Mussina. That is why... Jan tuisbly se karretjie... Much cheaper and much safer ! 😊

[@tausif250]

Love your blog Love ❤ from India, one day I want to do trip for Kruger like you good couple🎉

[@sicko_the_ew]

Not just a visit to Kruger, but a properly epic North to South whole park expedition (after covering the whole of South Africa coming up - so this might be the most comprehensive series of videos of South Africa, now). I'm sure you guys enjoyed it. (No need to just hope so, because this one's a certainty.)

[@johndavids6007]

Hi Curtis it's John Davids, I'm always ridding along. Are you guys not having Christmas 😅😅😅

[@DustBugsTravel]

We will most definitely be celebrating Christmas coming Monday! 🤩🎄It's our favourite holiday of the year.

[@frederikbrits9559]

You guys was supose to pop in at Pietersburg for koeksisters and boeretroos

[@mzeinvestments9176]

52:00 finally you visited my home town, Venda!

[@Mankind0112]

I’m so surprised 😳 you been travelling around the country, but avoiding Gauteng for so long. Wow Sonia was born in Tzaneen, and I was born in Acornhoek 😊 hope you know the place near road to Orpen gate. I love ❤️ Kruger Park

[@mrstukutela5126]

I live in Middelburg, Mpumalanga and would you believe that after 34 years of living here, I have never been to the Kruger National Park! This is a cheaper and safer way to visit there, though. You seem to have such fun!

[@DustBugsTravel]

😱 I had to read your comment a few times to believe what I was reading! I have to admit that I would struggle not to be in Kruger every weekend if I were you. We love the place THAT much! 🚙😍

[@nevillerichards7354]

You guys are too sweet.

[@ExpressionsPhotoSA]

Epic you guys! Awwwwww, the feline story. Where did you guys stay abroad? And would love to know how you ended up bringing the kitties to SA!

[@DustBugsTravel]

We lived in the US (upstate New York and South Florida). Africa called me home though and when I proposed returning to Sonia, she only had one condition and that was that our four felines return with us. It was quite a mission, an expensive one too, but they were our babies and we couldn't imagine our life without them. I would do it all over again! 😻😻😻😻

[@ExpressionsPhotoSA]

@@DustBugsTravel I love this story. Yea our fur babies are our children. Our kitty passed away a few years back and we have been very hesitant getting another one.

[@user-ed4sb2wr2o]

Next episode plzzzzzz

[@DustBugsTravel]

Our whole Kruger series is available for you to watch, from Episode 424 to 443. Enjoy! 🚙😁

[@marktintinger7492]

I dont know why but when we were younger in the car with my dad driving he always said never trust a driver with a hat on.😂😂😂😂

[@mzeinvestments9176]

38:22 they sayonce you see that bridge, you out of gauteng

[@davidwilliamson2115]

does the car ever get unpacked?

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yup, every time! We rent a different car each time, so you'll see a different colour on every trip. 🚙😁 Our trips are a few weeks apart, so everything gets put away and taken out again. Over and over again, and we love it!

[@khumbudzotshikalange2461]

i would conserve the BATS,

[@theunskoch7406]

The Windmill Guest house is 'n lekker plek. Baie vriendelik en baie goedkoop. Sy maak ook 'n lekker breakfast. Ek het in 2020 en 2022 in nommer 2 gebly daar toe ek Die Munga mountain bike race gery het Bloem to Wellington 1100km toughest race on earth. Was so opgewonde toe ek sien julle bly by dieselfde plek.

[@stuartarmet3526]

Hi Guys, my wife and I are wanting to fly from Australia to KNP around September next year. We are in our mid sixties and would like to spend about 10 days in KNP and then self drive around the Drakensberg range, down to East London, PE to Addo, Oudtshoorn, Cango caves , Garden route and Cape Town. Do you think it is safe to do on our own?

[@DustBugsTravel]

You should be perfectly safe, but vigilance is key. It's important to stick to the main roads (KNP excluded of course), avoid driving when it's dark and never leave valuable items out. As in the rest of the world, no-one can guarantee your safety. You'll also have to contend with rather wild driving. It's all part of the adventure. Safe and happy travels! 🚙🇿🇦

[@stuartarmet3526]

@@DustBugsTravel thanks for the prompt reply. Safe travels.

[@riaanporter1486]

How much kms have you travel since you left home until you got home again

[@DustBugsTravel]

We share that and lots of other info in our next episode, which will go live tomorrow! 🚙😁

[@riaanporter1486]

@@DustBugsTravel awesome over 7000kms but Its all the kms worth. Also please let Sonja know that Im sad and feels like I wanna cry my eyes out when Im leaving the Park after 3 or 4 days I can only imagine how I will feel after 21 days

[@riaanporter1486]

Good evening Curtis and Sonja I miss your Kruger adventures dearly.....we also planning the same kinda thing to enter the North and ends at the far South. What was the estimated costs for the 21 days?

[@DustBugsTravel]

I haven't added it all up yet, but I'd say an estimate of between R60k and R70k would be accurate. 🚙 It was worth every cent! 😍

[@riaanporter1486]

@@DustBugsTravel 😍

[@mzeinvestments9176]

August 1997🤣