SANParks.org Forums

Hi davegrohl and welcome.
And getting married there

Welcome Dave - will the Foo Fighters be touring the park any time soon? (Bet you get that all the time!)

A mate and I were staying at Tamboti a couple of years ago and our first stop on our early morning drive was Bobbejaanskrans. We arrived, poured the coffee from the flask, got out the car and were making our way to the bench to enjoy a peaceful moment when we heard a loud crack. On the slope was an elephant with the top of its head just now in the line of view breaking off a tree branch. Needless to say, we very quickly back in the car swearing at the ellie and the hot coffee we'd just spilt on ourselves.

Almost as scary as a marriage proposal.

Only my second post but have been reading for a while.

where have I been???

We visit the Kruger at least 6 times a year in short visits 3 to 7 days. And this is heaven nothing better.

favourite - Berg/ Dal all roads leading to and from Lower Sabie and Crocodile Bridge. Been very fortunate on these roads over the last two years.

My favourite spot in Kruger follows from the entrance gate all the way up to my least favourite spot - in front of the exit gate ...I will not avoid this pain...

One of my favorite Kruger moments was at the Lake Panic Hide. We were the first to arrive and the sun was just coming up. There were about 20 hippos in the water right in front of the hide. We could have reached out and touched them!

Farther away from the hide, the morning light (beautiful!) was coming through what we first thought were plumes of steam. It was hippo breath!

Total magic. I highly recommend getting to the hide early and being very very quiet as you make your approach so as not to scare away whatever may be lurking close-by.

1. Definitly N'waswitshaka Waterhole, where I saw a lion kill start and finish, from the hunt to the end of the feeding frenzy. Best sighting in my life so far.

All great sightings. For me a specific "best" hide/viewpoint does not really exist, but have been "trapped" by lion at Ratelpan and leopard at Kanniedood, if adrenalin counts.

A difficult one to answer as there are so many places that are special. From Nkumbe (I love the view eastwards as well even though you are not allowed out your vehicle) to Tshanga lookout. Both very special. My favourite road just has to be the Gudzane road (S41) from the Gudzane dam in the south to the Gudzane windmill in the north. Approximately 17kms long and always something interesting to see.

OK. Bearing in mind that I am sticking my neck out here.
Toss up between N'wanetsi and Lake Panic, with Lake Panic being slightly ahead.
Otherwise the answer is; ANYWHERE.

On the h14, Palaborwa gate to Shingwedzi there is a small loop following the Ngenyeni spruit with the best views. O n the road to Letaba just past Masorini is a dam where we always find Elephant. Most interesting is just past the dam on the right is a tree with a big log 8meters up in a fork of the tree. We have been looking at this log since 2003 to see how long it will stay up there. It is still there! Does anyone else know about this log or how it got there?

That may still be a remnant of the floods in 2000?

All very good places... I agree with Nkhulu because we have also had many happy breakfasts there over the years and of Nkumbe... listening to the wind and taking it all in.

My favourite place in the park though is shared between two places:

The first being the Olifants high level bridge in the late evening just before gate closing time... it is all that is Kruger... all the sounds and smells of the bush. Love the smell of the bat guano and the sound of the bats in the evening... at one stage could also walk on bridge, not sure anymore?

The second is probably Rabelais Dam near orpen, also in the late evening... fantastic... even without the water!

Also renosterkoppies, Mpondo dam, Balule low level bridge, Orpen Dam, Nwanetsi, Gezantfombi dam, Look outs along Biyamiti road (+ S118/ Gardenia road)... the list goes on and on...

To me it has to be the Redrocks loop at Shingwedzi when it is in flood and the water is flowing over the rocks is magical...

Yes, you still can and its something very few of us can resist, Bush Andy, a wonderful view point and always something interesting to see from there.

Hi camelman

You are quite right about Redrocks when the Shingwedzi is flowing. But in 20 years coming to the Kruger I haven't seen it very often!

And of course when its really flowing, as in February 2000, you have to be lucky (as we were) to see it before the roads have to be closed!

Richard