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Here is a photo I took of the FF4 unit (#29) in 2006.


When I was in Shingwedzi in November 2009, the outside of the bungalow still looked the same. I don't think it has been renovated.
Btw, the kitchen is inside.

Aw wow
So lucky. Shingwedzi is just got such a amazing feel. Look out for Roan Antelope and Eland North on the tar towards Punda Marie also at Babala Picnic site first water hole on the way back. Some interesting things on the dirt road to Bateleur. Note especially Leopards and breeding Elephant herds. Red Rocks is spectacular and Silvervis dam always is an interesting stop and WAIT spot. TRUST ME!!!

Have fun
I am only going in September

Shingwedzi is a beautiful camp, with friendly staff. Not a blade of grass in sight, but the trees in the two rings of bungalows are marvelous.

The pool has been acid-washed (or cleaned somehow), that it is a major plus over all the other stained pools in KNP, nicely done, and brilliant on a 36-degC day.

It is now my second favourite camp (after beloved Lower Sabie), yet ironically, we are unlikely to venture back soon, due to distance and dearth of game.

Even the ver(min)vets don't bother anyone... mefinks there aren't enough tommy-tourists around to feed them and kick-start the problem.

Shingwedzi is the Tsonga name for the place "where the sound of metal objects rubbing against each other" rings.

It is place where I have very fond memories of dating back to October 1970, when we met Ben and Quarta Pretorius.

It is place of many Elephants and beautifull birds, a place where the roaring of Lions keeps one awake at night. It is near to where we found 27 Roan Antelope, where the Nyala daintily graze along the river and look upon one with peace in their shiny eyes, where the Impala fawns will be frollicking very soon.

It is the place where the Crocodiles will await their catch at the low water bridge, where you may find two Saddle Bill Storks wallowing in the pools and maybe some White Storks as well.

You will hear the call of AFRICA from the Fish Eagles, you will hear the call of the Kingfishers.

Early morning you will be awakened by the Francolin and the Guinea Fowls, you will breath in the fresh air of AFRICA and you will savour the taste of your early cup of coffee.

Maybe the Leopard will still watch from where perched in the cool of the huge branch of the Sycamore on the opposite side of the river, and possibly wonder what all those inquisitive humans are staring at.

The Buffalo will come and slake their thirst in the cool waters . . ..

Shingwedzi has the shop where the three girls used to sniffle around and then ask Mrs Milne to please keep the item as they are just quickly going to beg for an increased allowance.

Shingwedzi has the restaurant where our in the Jordaan family used to enjoy a buffalo burger and a milk shake in the cool of the fresh smelling thatch. Shingwedzi is the place where ou Jan and myself used to recall our younger days while sipping an ice cold beer mug, filled with a double Bells and soda and cold precious ice, while watching the flames turn to a purple glow.

Shingwedzi is the place where one can be occupied for hours just watching the Yellow Billed Hornbills and the restless Squirrels who may later out of sheer exhaustion just plonk down and stretch out on the cool of the verandah.

Shingwedzi is the place where we for so many years celebrated Christmas, all of us Oupa Dirk (Dear Old Dad), Ouma Sue, Lanette myself and the three girls and later some hangers on of the male sex who became sons in law. Hopefully Elsabe, Alistair, Nicholas and little Danika will also in the future open their Christmas gifts there after Oupa Gerhard had read from Luke 2 from the Great Book, as he had done so many times before.

Shingwedzi is the place where I also imagine hearing the sound of metal object rubbing together.

Shingwedzi is just a wonderful place to be; maybe hot in summer but so rewarding. Oh yes I almost forgot, maybe - just maybe you will also see the White Rhino we found in September 2010 about 2.5 km to the east of the place I mentioned above, along the cool river.

Just go and enjoy this wonderful place and when you also hear the sound of the metal objects, place it in your memory file and when at home and have some leasure time - open the file and it is guaranteed you will start planning your next visit.

Hi Blouaap

The tuskers can be found by visiting the http://celtis.sanparks.org/parks/kruger ... erging.php.

The whole Shingwedzi area is good for birding. Even the stretch from the camp to the main road, owls early morning in the trees. Back road out of camp to bird hides. Good bird book and binos essential. When will you be there.

Blouaap definately drive the red rocks loop, it has plenty of game and is very scenic. Another road that you have to try in the area is the S56 up towards babalala , probably my favorite road in Kruger. I have seen leopard on both red rocks and the S56 . The birding is very good up that way during december

GML Smit - you may recall that near to the above place the lions roared one night - was it the same night the rhino appeared - and the day you left my friend who arrived to join me for the last night saw them from Kanniedood dam road - they were on the opposite river bank and very close to the "fever tree forest" ....

Blouaap, you're going to have a ball!! But be aware, you'll never feel the same about the north again.. Shingwedzi is addictive! Just remember Tshanga lookout point as well, same road as Red Rocks, just about 20 kilo's further on with it. And if you're up to it, try to make Pafuri. If you leave really early you'll make it easily because of the times the gates open and close in December. Go via Babalala and Punda. You're going to need the comfort breaks, but I did it before and surely will do it again come next year. Saw lions, leopard, roan and eland on our way to Pafuri!

@Gmlsmit, very well said!! With your "gevleulde woorde" (winged words) you can easily give oom Oubaas a go, and most probably beat him at that!! Cant wait for my 8 nights there next June

Hi

I am from the north part of Kruger and visit the park every 2 weeks and always travel between Punda and Shingwedzi, and stayed more than 400 nights now in Shingwedzi. Its a beautiful camp with a dry river bed over viewing the camp. There is a pride of lions I got to know, also known as the shingwedzi pride. It has 1 male and severel females with about 6 cubs. in my 9 out of 10 trips I have seen them resting in a loop which comes just before the bridge where you allowed to come out of the car if you coming from camp and if you coming from Punda it is after you croosed the bridge. The most beautiful loop is the Kanniedood Dam and the bird hide is quite scarry but has beautiful bird life and I have seen a leopard once at the bird hide. The mphongolo loop is home to alot of elephants and buffalo. There is a lion pride there but I cant remember the pride members with a shy residence leopard which I normally see just after Babalala picnic spot. There is a huge amount of elephant population in this area, and sometimes they can be quite grumpy. There are 2 white rhinos which I see on the main road just before babalala which dont like human confrontation which normally hide behind a bush as soon as they see a car. The red rocks loop is really good as well. I have not seen any predotors in that loop yet but has wounderful scenary. The Punda area does not have hyaena's but there is a lion pride which I usually see in the Mahoni loop as which is around the camp, there teritory is from Thulamela loop which is the first loop after you enter the gate to punda camp. There are 3 young males who took over the pride from a male named scar. I havent seen the Pafuri are of the park but hopefully my info is helpful. by the way the main road after the bridge to shingwedzi camp is also a part where lions are normally seen on the river bank.

Indeed, WONDERFUL SCENERY, lovely loops, lots of animals and a special feeling...... Shingwedzi is like: my favorite place on earth

Taken June this year

Hi Blouaap: Bush Baptist is correct about the birds. I have got some of my best birding pictures inside Shingwedzi - go to the bushy area just south of the filling station on the road to the swimming pool. There is a bench there in the bush. Sit on it and wait. I got numerous species within a few minutes of sitting still, including some really close up shots where the birds came to me rather than the other way round. Also very good are the thickets one finds on the caravan camp. I have got lots of birds there including my best ever shot of a Puffback. Look out for the woodpeckers (I find them by listening and then following the noise). I take about two hours to do a slow walk of the camp and get marvelous pictures of birds (and squirrels, mice, etc). They are very habituated to movement of people and as long as one moves slowly the birds just go on doing birdy things.
Keep well
Pete

I stayed in Shingwedzi again in December. It's a great camp for birds, saw a lot of new ones. The staff were friendly and the general area was very beautiful.
This is the view from the restaurant:



This is the view from the bungalow during some rain



[ Post made via Mobile Device ] [img]

And the causeway was stunning as always

Cheetah - drive to Babalala via the Mphongolo loop . And Pafuri picnic spot is about 90 km from Shingwedzi for a great days outing

If I am not mistaken, the Kannidood road goes on to Grootvlei, where you can drive along the dam wall.