Just two weeks after our wild camping adventure with honey badgers and hyenas, my husband Ben and I were off on a new adventure in Kruger National Park. We’d booked a four-night stay and had already spent two incredible nights at Pretoriuskop Rest Camp, followed by one in Skukuza Rest Camp. We had one more to go in Skukuza. Every morning, we left our camp as the gates opened at 6 am and spent each full day exploring the park, always returning just minutes before the gates closed again at 6 pm. We’d enjoyed grand skottel breakfasts at different rest camps, fending off cheeky starlings and vervet monkeys that seemed particularly interested in our bacon and eggs.
As Thursday afternoon rolled around, we were soaking up our second last game drive, sad to be leaving in the morning but ready for one last day of adventuring. The weather report predicted strong winds would start at around 7 am on Friday, but we figured we’d be packed up by 6 am and ready to leave just in time to avoid packing up our camp after the wind really set in. “Perfect!” we thought. But in true safari style, what could go wrong…did.
A Leopard’s Grand Entrance
That afternoon, as we were making our way back to camp, we noticed a lone car parked along the road. Inside the park, that almost always means something good is nearby, usually there are many more cars though. The driver informed us that he’d been watching a leopard hidden under a tree for the last two hours already, waiting for the perfect photo. The tree wasn’t far from the road, and though we could only see a hint of the leopard’s spots peeking through the branches, we decided to join the stakeout. We still had cool drinks and snacks in the car after all.
After a while, a few more cars had joined us, and the wind began to pick up earlier and stronger than expected. Our leopard began to stir, licking and stretching. Ben mentioned that rushing back to camp wouldn’t make a difference now that the wind was already up, so we stayed put, hoping the leopard would emerge and trusting that our tent would be okay.
Finally, after a further two hours of waiting, our patience paid off. The magnificent creature sauntered over to a fallen tree, posing in full view just beside the road. A massive male, he was an absolute vision—graceful, regal, and effortlessly captivating. We snapped our wanted photos but eventually, as the wind turned into a howling gale, I nudged Ben to head back to camp before we missed the gate closure and risked a fine. The clock was definitely ticking. We got our fill of leopard magic (does that ever really happen though) and reluctantly hit the road.
The Tent…or What Was Left of It
We made it back to camp with barely five minutes to spare. Before heading to our tent, we stopped by the office to grab our exit pass for the next morning and then hurried to check on our tent. When we arrived, we were horrified—the wind had wreaked havoc. Our once-vertical tent was now flat, held up only by the height of our quite high blow up mattress. It resembled, as Ben put it, a “pizza slice.” Some of the tent poles had snapped, and the walls were flapping miserably, covering everything inside. It was clear that spending the night in our tent was impossible. We would have no way of cooking nor would we even have anywhere sheltered to sit. A fire was definitely out of the question.
Desperate, we rushed back to the office, which was thankfully still open just a few minutes after closing time. We explained our predicament, and, after a short wait, the manager handed us keys to a rondavel for the night. We were fully expecting to sleep in the car, with all our stuff, because it needed to be taken down before we lost anything. Relieved and grateful, we headed over to our new, solid-walled refuge to start unloading what was already in the car and then assess the damage at camp.
Battling the Storm
With one task ahead—taking down the tent in the windstorm—Ben gave me a pep talk to keep me calm. The tent’s “stoep” area, which held our chairs, table, and some camping supplies, was now pressed almost flat to the ground. We tackled that first, with Ben passing items to me under the tent cover while I quickly stashed them in the car. I was opening and closing the car door every time I had to load something else in, worrying that the wind would rip it right off its hinges.This seemed like a real possibility at that point.
Finally, it was time to tackle the main sleeping area. Together, we lay on the mattress to deflate it as quickly as possible. Professional panicker that I am, I began to worry the tent would smother us under the rain sheet covering it, convinced we’d somehow suffocate under there. It was on top of us like a blanket! I bolted out, calling for help, but Ben, ever calm, insisted we’d be fine and continued disassembling the tent solo.
While Ben methodically took down the remains, I recruited a nearby couple, offering extra tent pegs in exchange for a bit of help. By the time we returned, Ben had already taken down the tent cover and mesh all on his own. With our two new helpers, we dismantled the broken poles and managed to pack everything away. From our first rush to the office to finally securing the tent remnants, only about 40 minutes had passed, but it felt like a lifetime! Thank you to this couple- we probably didn’t need the help but knowing there were extra hands if the tent decided to turn into a sail too strong for us to hold, did help keep me slightly more sane.
It makes me feel better looking back to know that our tent pegs probably helped secure their tent better too. When I was looking for fellow campers to recruit in the help there were a few adding extra security to their own tents but none were looking remotely like pizza slices. I still wonder where ours went wrong.
A New Kind of Luxury: Walls!
Once back in our rondavel, the real work began. We had to unload and reorganize the car, make sense of the mess, and properly stow away our tent and mattress along with all the other gear. It was a lot more sheltered where the rondavels were! We could actually fold the tent in a half decent fashion. Exhausted, cold, and slightly in shock, I finally remembered dinner. It was now nearly 10 pm, and while neither of us was hungry, I knew we’d regret skipping a meal. So, sitting on the floor, I used our JetBoil to make a quick pasta dish with an instant packet sauce, true camping food. That simple, warm meal felt like a feast. There was a kitchen available but it was outside on the stoep and any other time this would have been okay but I was done with the wind at this point and at least I could sit down and cook on the JetBoil.
Despite the cold and the wind still howling outside, the solid walls of our rondavel offered a cozy sense of security. We finally went to bed, full and ready for one last early morning game drive. With everything packed and prepped, we were able to leave on schedule at 6 am the next day.
The End of Our Camping Adventures…For Now
After the Cape Vidal and Kruger tent fiascos, we agreed it was time to retire the tent for the rest of our road trip. Although we eventually fixed the poles, that night in Kruger left us with some wild memories and a newfound appreciation for sturdy shelter. My panic over the tent collapsing was probably heightened by a bit of PTSD from an earlier in the year ice-fishing mishap in Colorado, where we’d faced 56 mph winds on a frozen lake and lost our ice shanty as a result.
That night, taking a break from organising in our rondavel, Ben called a friend to share our story. I could hear his friend laughing on the other end of the line, he told Ben the wind never blows in Kruger—except for the one night we were camping. It helped us see the humor in the situation, adding yet another wild tale to our collection.
Lessons for Future Safari Campers
Our adventure in Kruger taught us a few invaluable lessons:
- Check Weather Updates Regularly: It’s always worth double-checking local forecasts, as weather in the bush can change quickly.
- Invest in a Reliable Tent: A sturdy, wind-resistant tent is worth its weight in gold. If you’re camping in a safari park,choose a tent designed for resilience.
- Stay Calm and Adapt: Camping in the wild is full of surprises, from unexpected weather to late-night wildlife visits. Staying flexible and finding humor in the chaos can transform a stressful situation into a cherished memory.
Our Kruger camping adventure turned out to be one of the most memorable nights of our road trip. Though we may hold off on tent camping for a little while and stick to accommodation with the grandeur of solid walls, we’re grateful for the laughter, the mishaps, and the incredible leopard sighting that made this night unforgettable.
