Hi Dryocopus,
great report but the comment above worries me. We are planning to spend 2 nights in Letaba in July, and had heard from another forum that the restaurant was bad.
The problem we have is that my wife is a diabetic, so we have to eat at regular times. If we spend all day in the park, then not only are we really too knackered to cook, but it would also be getting too late for my wife. Hence the plan was to eat at the restaurant.
Does anybody else have any comments on the restaurant at Letaba?
Other than that it does seem a great camp to visit, so looking forward to it.
11 days
Allan
Hi, Allan,
Let me try to set your mind at ease.
A little of Kruger's history................
Since its inception, Kruger's mission has been, apart from the protection of wildlife, to provide affordable holidays to generations of South Africans. And you will know, having been to SA before, that the entire nation is hooked on the
braaivleis, or barbecue. Every single accommodation unit has a charcoal braai or barbecue provided, and, take it from me, there is
nothing nicer than sitting by the fire, with the sizzle and smell of a fine sausage or piece of steak, as the stars shine overhead and the hyenas call from the darkness. Kruger, in other words, was synonymous with self-catering. As such, restaurants were a secondary consideration, to give one a break from braaiing or to cater for the rare thunderstorm which might occur in summer.
Letaba is our favourite camp, and I promise you, at least once every trip, we make a point of going to the restaurant. The best way to describe it is 1950's UK boarding-house. Imagine Fawlty Towers, or a boarding-house on the south English coast run by some formidable spinster, and you will get the idea. The menu will be something like brown Windsor soup, a piece of fish, a choice between sliced roast beef and gravy or roast chicken, and a dessert such as pears and ice cream or sherry trifle. The service may be less swift than you would want, and the coffee might be instant, but the food is simple and perfectly fine. The restaurant also offers a good English breakfast, but not lunch. Each camp has a sort of canteen where you can get hamburger-and-chips-or-sandwiches sort of cooking at lunch time should you wish it.
Note that there are many establishments close to Kruger such as Mala Mala, Ngala, Sabi Sand, etc., which offer the highest standard of cuisine, but the cost of such places is prohibitive.
My wife is also diabetic, and she has pointed out a couple of things worth considering. Bearing in mind that the severity of the condition varies with the individual, and what you actually do is up to you, she makes a point of always having food in the car in case, for any reason, you are unable to eat at the normal time. This might comprise apples, processed cheese such as Kiri or La Vache Qui Rit – I am sure you know the kind of thing – biscuits, biltong or dried sausage, and perhaps some dried fruit. Make sure you have lots of water in the car, in case you get held up anywhere. I assure you, if you get caught up in a lion sighting, for instance, you may find the road blocked by other cars, for not everybody will be as considerate as you. There is also the possibility, however remote, of breakdown.
When you get to the park entrance, purchase the latest map. Besides roads, camps, hides etc. this will show you the various picnic spots. At these picnic spots, for a very modest fee, you can hire a gas cylinder and
skottel (originally a plough disc), on which you can cook bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, whatever you like. We often have breakfast at a picnic site, or you could have lunch should you prefer it.
Our suggestion would be to purchase a coolbag and some of those blue freezer blocks, buy some milk, bread or rolls, eggs, bacon, sausages, steak, whatever, and join the Kruger culture. How hard can it be to light some charcoal under your braai, and get those steaks sizzling? You can buy much of what you require in the camp shop, but it will be cheaper if purchased outside the park. Charcoal and/or wood and firelighters are sold in all the camps. Note that in July (winter), with its early sunset, the camp gates will close around 6 pm. From your wife’s point of view this should give you plenty time to grill a couple of steaks or sausages. Your accommodation will have a fridge/deep freeze, so, once there, you will have no problem keeping food. It will also have a two plate stove or, if not, there will be an excellent communal kitchen close by, so you can make tea, coffee, the morning bacon or whatever. Should you have any query about what kitchen equipment is available, contact the Parks Board by phone or Internet, and set your mind at ease.
While at Letaba, take the time to visit the Elephant Museum. It is fascinating, and well worth it.
Best wishes,
Dave Kennedy
