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We have caught the Kruger bug (don't worry nothing to do with Malaria!), and we want to return again in August next year!! We are bound by my wife's school holidays, and seeing as she only has two weeks at Christmas, two at Easter but 6 in July-August we thought we might visit for a little longer in the winter!

Here is our trip report from the visit just concluded: http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=65236

Seeing as you were all so instrumental in helping us have a lovely but too brief 4-night stay last time I thought I might ask for some more advice!!!

Where should we stay in the north of the park for two nights next August that is accessible from Phalaborwa gate? After two nights in the north we want to go to Olifants again in the central region, but where should we go in the south that is not Lower Sabie after that? If we stuck to tar roads, would Berg en Dal be driveable? What about Biyamiti availability permitting? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Seeing as we are likely to drive game famous roads again in the south and centre, game-viewing is not as essential to us in the north, so we wouldn't mind staying in an area that is quiet in exchange for birding/scenery/setting!

We still have to find our first elusive leopard!

Thanks for all your advice!

No, no, no...... That isn what you should do!

The North doesn like to be treated like that! It needs to be treasured, fondled, kissed, and not with a fleeting little kiss of two nights!

So how is this:

Enter at Phalaborwa gate, and spend your night(s) at Olifants.
Then, anticipation rising, make your way to Shingwedzi, but not over the tarroad. Well, not entirely.
Early morning, head a little south, to the low water bridge at Balule. From there take the S91 to the tar, that will give you a chance of leopard.
Then move along all the way, over tar, the North is waiting for you!, to the Tropic of Capricorn. That is where the heavenly North starts.
Now that the Tropic of Capricorn loop, so you can watch Eland, Roan, tons of birds, etc, and head up the S50. Nearing Shingwedzi you will hit Kanniedood. The first part of the road there can be less interesting, but is is nice and quiet, beautifull, and getting better the further north you go.

Spend a night at Shingwedzi, 2 really, and enjoy Kanniedood and Red Rocks loop.

And then hit the road for Punda. I am not sure about your budget, but if you can afford it there is no real option really, the tents! That is where the leopard walks (you can see her from the hide too), the genets and the bushbabies visit you on the terrace, and where you will find total rest and relaxation. Just watch the braai, you will have to walk a bit to retrieve your meat if you drop it.

And then get up really early, and head off to Pafuri picnic spot. Say hello to Frank from me, and do some birding with him.

The rest is up to you, but Punda? 3 nights.
On the way back you may want to sleep at Mopani.

Oh.... I did not leave you time for the south?

Did you know that Punda has its own trail? The Flycatcher trail, which is entirely within the camp. Only a tiny little thing, but fun to do.
The start is at the guesthouses, and you end up at the petrol station.

Last time we were there the trail did not give us a ton of birds, but I did get some insects and butterflies. And I did photograph Dinky's broom, parked high up in a tree... She still hasn't explained that one.
Also had a very good encounter with a little snake in the hide. It was rather shy, but after quite a wait I did manage to get some photos of it. And, don't let the wife read this, there are some baboon spiders around if you are lucky.
I have never been there in August, so not sure about flowers...

Will look out for the baboon spiders in the hide if we visit!! Might steal 2 days from elsewhere in the proposed holiday to allow for an extra camp within Kruger. You are tempting me more and more and after looking at TRs from northern stays think extra days/years/a life time is/are needed!

I wonder whether an 8 day itinerary including the north, centre and south would work entering at Phalaborwa gate so I can see friends nearby in Hoedspruit and exiting along one of the southern borders?! The reason I am looking so far ahead is that we were delighted with our units last time and that was partly down to booking way ahead of time to get perimeter ones.

When do the August booking become available - is it early October?

11 months before, so now. You can already book.

We usually enter at either Phalaborwa or Orpen, and don't go further south than Talamati.
Eight days would stretch our imagination as you can see by my posts. We have done south to north and back in 15 days though.
Make a plan, discard it, make another, discard it, and then grab the skeletons and plan it.
Just have "a theme", a plan of what you want to do/see, and use that as a starting point. If you want to be sure to see many animals? South.
Quiet, great landscapes and still good sightings? Middle and North.

Wow south to north and back again sounds amazing - guess I am looking for about one leg of that! Don't need to see huge numbers - loved even the quiet drives we had! Need to end up down south eventually to save some of the driving pain to Drakensberg, but happy to mix it up a bit.

Online bookings is only letting me book up till July 31st at the moment - perhaps it will be released soon though as today was the first working day of the month.

Golden Gate does look amazing - so much so that we want to treat it as more than a stopover and spend some days there!

I see that I can actually book now - thanks for the link. Might provisionally book stuff so we have some days to decide and adjust it!

Might provisionally book PM, Shingwedzi, Olifants and Biyamiti. I know there are some big drives there but last time we were out driving from 6am anyway!

Graham, I've done Shingwetzi in September and loved it. The Mphongolo loop is one of my favourite drives. It is particularly productive in the dry season when animals are searching for water.

So much to do, too little time

We have spent 2 months last year in Kruger starting in the south up north and back again. I can only recommend the north. It is so quiet and just beautiful. In October we are entering Phalaborwa, driving up north and staying at Letaba, Shingwedzi, Punda, Mopani and Shimuwini for always 3 nights. At the end of October Lower Sabie. We also have the "bug" - since 1980 beeing more than 60 x in Kruger! Greetings from a warm Switzerland

I would like to contradict everyone

This August/September (at the moment) is EXTREMELY dry up North. The Kannidood dam for instance is non existent. I doubt any animals would be attracted to the Mpgongolo as well. A dust bowl. As you might know, the North is the most arid region of the Park. And I would be hesitant to book the North in the most dry months.

I would recommend you do the North in another month if that is logistically possible for you?

You won't be sorry..............the far north is quite simply magical!!!

8 days will give you plenty of scope, and you just have to decide if you want longer at specific camps and a long drive from one to another, or nightly stops at different camps and less driving in between. The choice is yours!!!

Happy planning.

Just saw cheetah's post................you must make an informed choice Graham.

You can regard this as steamingly fresh & reliable info "from the horses mouth" ...
There are occasional natural water springs in the Shingwedzi river bed , and sightings may in fact be just as good as in any area in KNP .

I agree with Ndloti Lots of water under the sand in the river-bed , and ellies dig holes in it , whereafter the water syphens up into the holes . After the ellies leave , other animals also use these " wells ".

It's a long drive, but if you can, do a day trip to Pafuri picnic spot and Crook's Corner, from Shing.

The baobob and fever trees are amazing, and you will really feel "one with nature" You can stop at Babalala picnic there and back to break your journey. We saw a herd of Roan and just missed Eland when we went.

Frank at Pafuri is very knowledgeable with birds and will give you a tour if he has time...............I saw 10 new species when we were there!!

The area is so different from the rest of the park............well worth a visit.