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Coming soon · Waitlist open

Kruger's sightings, on WhatsApp. Know what's been spotted before you get there.

ChatKNP is coming to WhatsApp. It will tell you what the pack has spotted on your road in Kruger, and when.

The ChatKNP mascot, a cartoon African wild dog with big gold-rimmed ears and a patchwork coat, waving hello

Hear first when ChatKNP opens.

South African numbers can be typed as 082 123 4567. Overseas? Start with your country code, like +44.

For adults, 18 and over · How we use your details

Joining the waitlist is free · No app to download · Independent, not affiliated with SANParks

No rhino locations Speed limit, always

See an example chat

Example WhatsApp message from ChatKNP.

Heads up: wild dogs on the H4-1 near Nkuhlu, heading east (). Easy does it, it's 50 km/h on tar.

Try an example ChatKNP chat

Watch a heads up arrive, then tap a reply to see what else ChatKNP will do.

ChatKNP Coming soon · example chat

  1. ChatKNP: Welcome to the pack! I'm ChatKNP, your Kruger companion on WhatsApp.

    Tell me which road you're on, and I'll tell you what's been spotted.

    Independent. Not affiliated with SANParks.

  2. ChatKNP: Howzit! sticker

  3. You: In the passenger seat on the H4-1, Skukuza to Lower Sabie. What's been spotted?

  4. ChatKNP: Morning! Spotted on the H4-1 in the last 2 hours:

    Leopard in a marula · H4-1, 6 km east of Skukuza ·

    Elephants, a breeding herd at the river · H4-1, 3 km before Lower Sabie ·

    Hippos in the Sabie · H4-1 near Nkuhlu picnic site ·

    Easy does it, it's 50 km/h on tar. Want a heads up if anything new turns up nearby?

    • Yes, keep me posted
    • Log a sighting

  5. You: Yes, keep me posted

  6. ChatKNP: Done. I'll send you a heads up if the pack spots something within about 30 minutes' drive of you. Reply STOP any time to pause.

  7. 2 minutes later

  8. ChatKNP: Heads up: wild dogs on the H4-1 near Nkuhlu, heading east (). Spotted by the pack.

    Easy does it, it's 50 km/h on tar.

  9. ChatKNP: Heads up! sticker

More from the example chat

Log a sighting

  1. You: Log a sighting

  2. ChatKNP: Lekker! What did you see?

  3. You: Two elephant bulls drinking at the Sabie. H4-1, 10 km east of Skukuza,

  4. ChatKNP: Logged. Elephant bulls ×2 · H4-1, 10 km east of Skukuza · . Thanks for the heads up. The pack heading your way will hear about it.

  5. ChatKNP: Logged! sticker
Ask about wild dogs

  1. You: Do all wild dogs look the same?

  2. ChatKNP: Short answer: no two are alike. Every wild dog's coat has its own pattern, and even its left and right sides differ. That's how Kruger's wild dogs are counted: researchers identify each dog from visitors' photos.

    They're also called painted wolves. Their Latin name, Lycaon pictus, comes from the words for "wolf-like" and "painted".

    Want a heads up next time the pack spots them on a road?

  3. ChatKNP: Did you know? sticker
Any rhino about?

  1. You: Any rhino about?

  2. ChatKNP: We never share where rhino are, not even old sightings. Poachers have used social media and geotags to find them. If you're lucky enough to see one, enjoy it and keep it to yourself.

Follow from home

  1. You: Back at my desk in Joburg next week. Can you keep me posted?

  2. ChatKNP: Yes. From next week I'll send the best sightings as they happen and a round-up around 18:00. Photos are only shared when the member who took them says yes. Reply STOP any time to pause.

  3. Example round-up, a week later · 18:00

  4. ChatKNP: Today in Kruger. The best of what the pack logged:

    Lions ×3 · H1-2 near Tshokwane ·

    Wild dogs, a pack of 8 · S100, 5 km east of Satara ·

    Elephant bulls ×2 · H10, 8 km north of Lower Sabie ·

    Reply STORY for tonight's Kruger story, or STOP to pause updates.

  5. ChatKNP: Spotted! sticker

That's a taste of how ChatKNP will work. It isn't live yet. Join the waitlist and we'll message you on WhatsApp when it is.

Join the pack

Example conversation. ChatKNP isn't live yet, and everything in this chat is made up to show how it will work.

01 · Heard about it too late?

How ChatKNP will work

Same morning. Same leopard. Two drives.

An example morning, once ChatKNP is open. The sightings are illustrations, not live. Nobody can promise a leopard. But the more people in the pack, the more the pack sees.

Without ChatKNP

  1. A leopard climbs into a marula on the H4-1, 6 km east of Skukuza.

  2. Coffee done, you leave Skukuza and take the H1-2 north. No reason. It just felt right.

  3. Impala. Then more impala.

  4. At the Skukuza petrol station, someone asks, "Did you see the leopard on the H4-1? It was right there."

You hear about it hours later, from someone who was there.

With ChatKNP

  1. Over coffee, you tell ChatKNP you're at Skukuza and ask for a heads up if anything's spotted nearby.

  2. A member spots a leopard in a marula on the H4-1 and tells ChatKNP.

  3. Your phone:

    Example message from ChatKNP: Heads up: leopard on the H4-1, 6 km east of Skukuza, in a marula ().

    Easy does it, it's 50 km/h on tar.

  4. Coffee done, you leave Skukuza at 20 km/h and take the H4-1 east instead.

  5. You arrive at an easy pace, never over 50 km/h. Engine off. The leopard is still in the marula.

You hear about it at , with time to finish your coffee.

Once ChatKNP opens, it will work in three steps:

  1. 1. Tell it where you are or where you're heading

    A road number, a camp or your location pin. "H1-2" or "near Lower Sabie" is plenty.

  2. 2. It tells you what the pack has spotted nearby

    Species, road, nearest landmark and time, newest first, always with the speed limit.

  3. 3. See something? Tell it, and the pack hears about it

    It will ask only for what's missing, then give members heading that way a heads up, speed limit included. Rhino and den sightings stay private.

Right now, step one is joining the waitlist.

Join the pack

Your whole Kruger day, in one chat

What ChatKNP will do in Kruger

ChatKNP is an independent WhatsApp companion for Kruger National Park in South Africa, coming soon. It will share sightings logged by its members (known as the pack), answer questions about the park's animals, camps and history, and send the day's best sightings to fans at home. ChatKNP is not affiliated with SANParks.

  • What's been spotted near you

    Before you leave camp

    You'll be able to ask what the pack has spotted near Satara or on the road ahead. Opt in, and you'll get a heads up on new sightings within about 30 minutes' drive, always with that road's speed limit.

  • Log your own sightings

    On the road

    Tell ChatKNP what you spotted and where, like "leopard in a marula, H4-1". It'll log it and tell members heading that way. Rhino and den locations are never shared.

  • Ask anything about Kruger's animals

    At the sighting or at home

    Why do elephants flap their ears? Mostly to cool down. You'll get short answers like that while you're still watching, and if ChatKNP isn't sure, it'll say so.

  • Kruger's history

    Midday at camp or at home

    Kruger has been a national park since 1926. You'll be able to ask how the park began, or how places like Skukuza got their names.

  • Camp and restaurant info

    Heading back to camp

    Gate times, and which rest camps have a restaurant, shop or fuel, with their hours. Ask for a reminder before your gate closes, and share your location to get the drive time at the speed limit.

  • Share your photos, if you want to

    Evening at camp or at home

    Send your best shots. If you say yes when asked, one could be Photo of the day, credited to you. Later, photos shared with permission will help build an interactive map, with no rhino or dens on it.

  • Kruger stories

    After dark or at home

    Short stories about the park's characters and places, a new one each day. You'll be able to reply STORY for it after a long drive, or whenever the bush feels far away.

  • Kruger from home

    Between trips

    Opt in, and ChatKNP will send the pack's best sightings as they happen, and a round-up at about 18:00 South African time. More about Kruger at home

None of this is live yet. Join the waitlist and we'll message you on WhatsApp when ChatKNP opens.

Join the pack

Joining the waitlist is free.

The pack

Why the pack sees more of Kruger

Kruger covers nearly 2 million hectares. That's a lot of ground for one car. When ChatKNP opens, anything one member logs will reach the pack heading that way.

Examples, not live

Illustrated map of the main roads in southern and central Kruger, not to scale Example sightings on several roads, each with a time. Made up for illustration, not real sightings.
  • You
  • Example cars
  • Example sightings

Speed limits: 50 km/h on tar, 40 km/h on gravel, 20 km/h in rest camps.

The pack sees the park. Easy does it on the way: 50 km/h on tar, 40 km/h on gravel.

An illustration of southern and central Kruger, from Malelane to Satara, not to scale. Every car and sighting here is a made-up example.

ChatKNP will never share where rhino are, on this map or anywhere else. Dens stay secret too. It keeps the animals safe.

Example sightings on this map
  1. Example: Leopard in a marula · H4-1, 6 km east of Skukuza · 07:12
  2. Example: Elephants, a breeding herd at the river · H4-1, 3 km before Lower Sabie · 06:58
  3. Example: Buffalo, a herd crossing the road · H1-2, 12 km north-east of Skukuza · 06:55
  4. Example: Wild dogs, a pack of 11, heading east · H4-1 near Nkuhlu picnic site · 07:31
  5. Example: Lions ×2, resting · H3, 10 km south of Skukuza · 06:47
  6. Example: Martial eagle · H10, 10 km north of Lower Sabie · 07:26
  7. Example: Cheetah · H4-2, 10 km south of Lower Sabie · 07:05
  8. Example: Giraffe ×3 · H1-1, 10 km from Pretoriuskop towards Skukuza · 07:20
  9. Example: Elephant bull · H1-3, 15 km south of Satara · 06:40
  10. Example: Zebra and wildebeest · H3 near Afsaal picnic site · 07:15

04 · Not in the park?

Kruger at home, between trips

The dust is barely off the tyres and you're already missing the park. Whether you're in Gauteng or Germany, ChatKNP will bring Kruger to your WhatsApp until you're back.

Example round-up

ChatKNPcoming soon

  1. ChatKNP:

    Here's today's best from the pack. Reply STORY for tonight's Kruger story, or STOP to pause updates.

    18:00
  2. ChatKNP:

    Today in Kruger Example

    The best of the pack's day

    • Lions, 2 of them06:47H3 · 10 km south of Skukuza
    • Elephants, a breeding herd06:58H4-1 · 3 km before Lower Sabie
    • Cheetah07:05H4-2 · 10 km south of Lower Sabie
    • Leopard in a marula07:12H4-1 · 6 km east of Skukuza
    • Wild dogs, a pack of 1107:31H4-1 · near Nkuhlu picnic site

    Easy does it: 50 km/h on tar, 40 km/h on gravel, 20 km/h in rest camps.

    Spotted by the pack · Rhino sightings are never shared.

    ChatKNP

    18:00
  3. You:

    STORY

    18:01
  4. ChatKNP:

    Why is it called Skukuza?

    It was the first warden's local nickname, usually translated as "he who sweeps clean".

    Reply STORY for another one tomorrow.

    18:01
ChatKNP isn't live yet, so these sightings are examples only.

  • The best sightings, as they happen

    When the pack spots something special, ChatKNP will send you a heads up, if you want one.

  • Today in Kruger, every evening

    Every evening around 18:00 South African time, ChatKNP will send a round-up of the day's best sightings from the pack.

  • Kruger stories and the pack's photos

    Kruger became a national park in 1926, so it turned 100 in 2026. ChatKNP will send a Kruger story each evening when you reply STORY, and photos from the pack, shared only when the person who took them says yes.

Coming from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands or the US? You'll be able to follow the park from home before you fly, and arrive knowing which roads people are talking about. When you join, add your country code to your WhatsApp number (+44 ...).

You'll be able to reply STOP to pause updates and START to pick them up again, so you decide how much Kruger you get.

The Kruger withdrawal check

Kruger withdrawal is real. Tick every line that's true for you.

Kruger withdrawal symptoms

Tick a symptom to get your diagnosis.

Ticked even one? That's Kruger withdrawal. Treatment: join the pack.

Join the pack

You're in the pack.

Share my result

Just for fun. Your answers aren't saved or sent to us.

Six rules, no exceptions

The pack’s rules

A pack that sees more has to be careful with what it shares. These rules come before every feature.

  • Rhino locations are never shared

    ChatKNP never shares where rhino are. Not live, not delayed, not “somewhere around there”, not even old sightings.

    Kruger has asked visitors to switch off geotagging when they photograph wildlife, because poachers use social media to find rhino. Source: TimesLive (2020) on poachers and geotags

  • Dens stay secret

    Den sites are never shared, not even old ones or “near the den”. Hyena dens get the same protection. Cars and crowds can disturb a den, so we’ll tell you when wild dogs are on the road but hold back any sighting that would point to where they den.

    Wild dogs keep their pups at a den for their first few months, mostly over winter, and often return to the same den the next year. Den season: SANBI on African wild dogs

  • Every heads up will carry the speed limit

    In Kruger the speed limit is 50 km/h on tar roads, 40 km/h on gravel roads and 20 km/h in rest camps. Each heads up will name the limit for that road. Speed limits: SANParks

    Arrive calmly and the animals are more likely to stay.

  • Park rules come first

    Stay in your car except at camps, picnic sites, hides and marked get-out points. Nothing sticks out of windows or sunroofs. Don’t feed or disturb the animals, and don’t drive off-road. Park rules: krugerpark.co.za summary (a private travel site)

    These rules keep you safe and the animals wild, and ChatKNP will never suggest breaking them.

  • Photos only with permission

    A member’s photo will be shared only after they say yes in the chat, and it will be credited by first name and initial. No reply means no. We’ll remove location data first, and we won’t share photos that show rhino or anyone breaking park rules.

    It’s your photo, and a photo can give away more than you meant it to.

  • Independent, not affiliated with SANParks

    ChatKNP is run independently of SANParks, which manages Kruger National Park, and will never claim to speak for the park.

    You should always know who you’re dealing with. For bookings and emergencies, contact SANParks or your camp directly. sanparks.org

Why so strict? In 2016 SANParks said sighting apps were causing speeding, congestion and roadkill, and that it was looking at legal ways to curb them. ChatKNP will be a sighting service too, so these rules are written to keep it from adding to those problems. Source: Africa Geographic (2016) on SANParks and sighting apps

The ChatKNP wild dog

Meet the pack’s scout, an African wild dog

Ears up, and still waiting for a name.

ChatKNP’s face is an African wild dog, also called the painted wolf. When a pack spreads out, the dogs call to each other to regroup. ChatKNP will work the same way: members share what they spot, so the whole pack sees more.

Ears up. I’m listening.

The ChatKNP wild dog, the pack’s scout, standing with its ears up

Wild dog facts

Tap a card to turn it over. Swipe for more.Tap or click a card to turn it over.

Easy does it: 50 km/h on tar, 40 km/h on gravel, 20 km/h in rest camps.

Wild dog facts checked on .

“Wild dog” in four South African languages: hlolwa (Xitsonga), inkentshane (isiZulu), wildehond (Afrikaans), letlhalerwa (Setswana).

Sources: SANBI (opens in a new tab) Iziko Biodiversity Explorer (opens in a new tab)

Name the pack’s scout

The ChatKNP wild dog has no name yet, and the pack can help choose it from this shortlist. Pick a favourite now. You can vote once you’ve joined.

  • Latin Picta Latin for “painted”, as in Lycaon pictus.
  • River Sabie After the Sabie River, which the H4-1 follows.
  • Slang Tjommie South African slang for “friend”.
  • Xitsonga Hlolwa Xitsonga for “wild dog”.

Join the pack

You can vote right after you join. One vote per WhatsApp number.

Already on the waitlist? Join again with the same number to vote. You won’t be added twice.

07 · FAQ

Questions about ChatKNP

ChatKNP isn't live yet, so these answers cover what it will do in Kruger National Park and how the waitlist works.

ChatKNP at a glance

What it is
An independent chat companion for Kruger National Park that will run inside WhatsApp, with no app to download
Status
Coming soon. The waitlist is open and there's no launch date yet (as of )
Cost
Joining the waitlist is free. Pricing for ChatKNP itself hasn't been announced
Who it's for
First-timers and regulars visiting Kruger, overseas visitors planning a trip, and fans following from home
Planned features
  • Sightings near you or on your road
  • A heads up about good sightings
  • Logging your own sightings
  • Answers to animal questions
  • Kruger stories and history
  • Camp and restaurant info
  • Photo sharing for a future map
  • Evening round-ups for fans at home
Where sightings come from
Members, known as the pack
Never shared
Rhino locations and den sites
House rules
  • Every heads up includes the speed limit
  • Photos are shared only with permission
  • Park rules come first
Affiliation
Independent. Not affiliated with SANParks
What is ChatKNP?

ChatKNP is an independent WhatsApp companion for Kruger National Park in South Africa, coming soon. It will share sightings logged by its members (known as the pack), answer questions about the park's animals, camps and history, and send the day's best sightings to fans at home. ChatKNP is not affiliated with SANParks.

When does ChatKNP launch?

ChatKNP isn't live yet, and there's no launch date to share. The waitlist is open now. Join it with your first name and WhatsApp number, and we'll message you on WhatsApp when ChatKNP opens.

Does ChatKNP cost anything?

Joining the ChatKNP waitlist is free, and it doesn't sign you up for anything paid. Pricing for ChatKNP itself hasn't been announced. If you'd rather not hear from us, reply STOP to any ChatKNP message.

Is ChatKNP part of SANParks or Kruger National Park?

No. ChatKNP is independent and not affiliated with SANParks (South African National Parks), which manages Kruger National Park. For bookings, gate times and emergencies, contact SANParks or the nearest rest camp. ChatKNP will follow the park's rules and add a few of its own, like never sharing rhino or den locations.

Do I need to download an app to use ChatKNP?

No. ChatKNP will work inside WhatsApp, so there's nothing new to install. You'll message it like any other contact and tap buttons to reply. If you're driving, let a passenger do the reading and typing.

How is ChatKNP different from a WhatsApp sightings group?

ChatKNP will be an automated guide you chat with one to one, rather than a group. Tell it where you are or where you're heading, and it will reply with what the pack has spotted there. It will also answer questions, like what a klipspringer is.

Where will ChatKNP's sightings come from?

ChatKNP's sightings will come from the pack: members who tell it what they've spotted, on which road and at what time. Members nearby who ask for a heads up will get one, always with the speed limit. Rhino and den sightings will never be passed on. The more people who join, the more of the park the pack sees.

Won't ChatKNP's sighting alerts make people speed?

It's a fair worry: in 2016 SANParks said sighting apps were causing speeding, congestion and roadkill. ChatKNP is built to avoid that. Every heads up will include the speed limit (50 km/h on tar, 40 km/h on gravel, 20 km/h in rest camps), and ChatKNP will never push you to get there first.

Will ChatKNP share rhino sightings?

Never. ChatKNP won't share where rhino are, not even old sightings. Kruger's camp sighting boards no longer show rhino, and the park has warned that poachers use social media and geotags to find them. Den sites stay secret too.

Can I use ChatKNP if I'm not in Kruger?

Yes. Fans at home, in South Africa or overseas, will get the best sightings as they happen and an evening round-up at about 18:00 South African time, plus Kruger stories. To join from overseas, start your number with your country code, like +44 for the UK. You'll be able to reply STOP at any time to pause updates.

Will ChatKNP work with Kruger's patchy signal?

Like any WhatsApp chat, ChatKNP will need mobile signal or Wi-Fi, and coverage in Kruger is patchy in places. Its replies will be short, and every sighting will carry the time it was spotted, so you can see how fresh it is.

What will ChatKNP do with my WhatsApp number?

ChatKNP uses your WhatsApp number to keep your place on the waitlist, count your scout vote and message you about the launch, as agreed when you joined. This site's waitlist is stored privately in Cape Town and isn't shared with SANParks. Reply STOP to any ChatKNP message. For a copy, correction or deletion, use the form in our privacy notice.

Still wondering about something? Join the pack and ask ChatKNP itself when it opens. You're on the waitlist, so you can ask ChatKNP itself when it opens.

Waitlist open

Join the ChatKNP waitlist: Hear what the pack has spotted on your road.

Leave your first name and WhatsApp number, and we'll message you there when ChatKNP opens.

You've already joined from this device. We'll message you when ChatKNP opens.

Hear first when ChatKNP opens.

South African numbers can be typed as 082 123 4567. Overseas? Start with your country code, like +44.

For adults, 18 and over · How we use your details

Joining the waitlist is free · No app to download · Independent, not affiliated with SANParks

Soon on WhatsApp

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