About Foxys On Safari
Passionate about all things wild, Mark and Gail Fox are living their dream of immersing themselves in the magic of the wild, while making the best of what the Kruger Park experience has to offer, available to guests from all a round the world.
There is nothing ordinary about staying at Foxy Crocodile Bush Retreat overlooking Kruger Park’s Crocodile River, so it’s no surprise that the Foxys On Safari Kruger Park experience is exceptional too!
Mark and Gail dreamed BIG when realizing their safari concept, and this is evidenced in thoughtful extras like super-comfy heated seats (which, in addition to the snuggly blankets and ponchos, make chilly mornings so much more bearable), spacious seating so that you never have to be the ‘piggy in the middle’, and charging ports to keep all your devices ready for that perfect shot, and to keep your favorite people up-to-date on your adventures.
Of course, wifi is available on board (where comms allow), while easily-accessible storage boxes keep all your gear tidy. For avid photographers, there are some cool extras too! For those who are more interested in just immersing themselves in the moment, our onboard dash cam captures special sightings so that you can order your own digital memories of the adventure.
Mark is a qualified ranger, and brings his wide knowledge and deep love of the intricacies and nuances of the wild to the experience. Both Mark and Gail are avid photographers too, so they have a great understanding of what guests who love photography, want from their safaris too.
The Foxys On Safari team wants your Kruger Park Safari to be the best that it can be, and that’s why they’re the safari choice for so many guests around the country and around the world!
About Kruger Park
Kruger Park is home to the legendary Big5, but many people are surprised to learn that it is also remarkable for many other reasons – not the least of which, its intriguing history! Born of the vision of then President Paul Kruger, the park was originally called Sabi Game Reserve at its inception in 1898. At the time, this wild territory was the focus of many complex role-players. Poachers, traders and different resident tribes made for an explosive combination, and in 1902, Scottish Colonel James Stevenson-Hamilton was appointed as the first warden of the reserve.
His mandate? To be “thoroughly disagreeable to everyone”. He soon became known as ‘Skukuza’ – a Shangaan name meaning either “he who sweeps clean” or “he who turns everything upside down”. History confirms that he excelled at doing both over the more than 4 decades that he poured his heart and soul into shaping Kruger! His passion and dedication resulted in the opening of Kruger National Park to tourists in 1926, with a 1 pound entrance fee. In that first year, 3 vehicles availed themselves of the opportunity despite the complete lack of facilities.
The need for stricter control of tourist movement, and a for better facilities could no longer be ignored in the 1930s and led to the etsablishment of overnight accommodation and the enforcement of camp opening and closing times. The first accommodation huts were Selby Style huts, that were round, with a space between the top of the walls and the thatched roof (for ventiliation) and as a safety precaution, a peephole in the door to check for danger before exiting into the unenclosed camp! The first ablutions were also built and the luxury of a hot bath became available for the princely sum of 1 shilling. Travel was also improved with the development of roads and 3 pontoons that carried vehicles accross rivers.
Today, our beloved Kruger Park boasts a surface area of 19,633 square kilometres and plays host to more than 700 species of animal, almost 2000 plant species, and around 500 bird species. There are 254 known cultural heritage sites, including more than 100 rock art sites in the Kruger. Right from the early occupation of prehistoric Homo erectus, cultural artefacts, San Rock art and archaeological sites of Stone Age humans, bear witness to the rich cultural history and significance of Kruger Park.
Kruger National Park is not just a national heritage. It is a global treasure, and its ancient magic continues to betwitch all who immerse themselves in its wild beauty, mystery, majesty. It is a top tourist destination and important wildlife research and training center.
The parting advice the tenacious Colonel James Stevenson-Hamilton gave those who followed in his footsteps, was “keep it wild, keep it simple’. Kruger Park needs no embellishment and at Foxy Crocodile Safaris, we simply want you to experience the magic of the wild that has made the Kruger legendary, but we don’t see why you shouldn’t do it in comfort.
