SANParks.org Forums

Hi
I have to do Satara to Lower sabie and Lower sabie to Satara the very next day (lack of available accomodation!) and I wondered if there are alternative routes so I don't have to redo exactly the same road.
Thanks
Tim

There most definitely are Tim You can go along the tarred road from LS up to Tshowwnae ( picnic Site) and then directly on the tar to satara. You can also go via Skuks and take the dirt roads on the way up too Have a look at the maps They are on the webpage and you will see alternate routes . Keep an eye open on availabilty as people might still cancel and you will get all the nights in one place .. you just have to be quick

Hi Tim

Click here for an online Kruger Map Right click, then zoom in to see an area. To navigate around, left click, then drag up or down

Going Southwards from Satara, I would recommend the H1-3 tar road to Tsokwane! Just South of the Sweni river is a cheetah hotspot, it is a good road to see leopard, and the Mazithi pride of lions tend to hang out near Mazithi dam or near Tsokwane.

The S36 on the West that goes Southwards is a hit or miss road. One of the best roads to see Sable on, but generally quiet, and the road surface is horrid South of Muzandzeni picnic site

The S137 Trichard road starting from the Sweni hide to the East and going Tsokwane is also generally a quiet road. There are sometimes lions just South of the bird hide, and there is always a chance of cheetah on the open flats. However as I previously mentioned, the H1-3 tar road is more productive.

Going Northwards from Lower Sabi ...

All the roads going North of Lower Sabi can dish up cat sightings

The S29 Mlondozi Loop, and S122 Muntshe Loop that lie to the East going North of LS are open grasslands where plenty of Ostriches, blue wildebeest and zebra can be seen Secretary birds, Kori Bustards and black bellied korhaan are birds commonly found in the region These are very good roads for seeing cheetah, and fairly good for lion

The S128 to the West going Northwards of LS is a road where tall grass stands next to the road. The section near the S30 have been producing leopard sightings this summer, and the Northern stretch often produces cheetah and lion. The middle stretch is often quiet, but I have seen black backed jackal, buffalo and plenty of elephant there

The H10 going North of Lower Sabi is probably the most productive of all the options A good road for all the big 5 plus cheetah

A detour past Orpen dam is well worth it! A great spot to bring snacks and enjoy the dam from up high Forumites have also had plenty of special sightings on the S35 to Orpen dam

Thanks Hugh and Cheetah, your info has been duly recorded!
About the map - the roads have numbers: is there any way to look up road numbers and see typical sightings from these roads, also driving times when you go off the main route. (By the way, can I buy a good detailed road map of the park?) What is the quietest time of day? I'm worried about spending so much time stopping to look around that I'll suddenly find I'm miles from Satara and it's late! So I thought maybe if there is a very quiet time this could be spent eating up some miles towards the destination.
Thanks again
Tim

Tim there are excellent road maps of the park available in the park shops and at the entrance gates, these maps will give you a world of info including distances between camps and roads and also the time it should take you to drive from one camp to another .

I hope you have a lovely time with plenty of wonderful sightings.

Tim missed a question , the quiet times are in the heat of the day between 11.30and 3.30 animals are usually resting in the shade and are not that active,but it is not a rule, I have had some wonderfully sightings in the middle of the day, depends if you are at the right spot at the right time

Good luck

I just checked the rules about posting a link to another website and I think I am safe because this is not a commercial website ........

Aside from the San Parks website I also use one called Go! Complete Kruger http://www.gomag.co.za/kruger/index.html

They have a list of all the roads and also their own rating of each road and the most common animals to be seen. See the "Link to a road" on the left hand side.

In my opinion, a very informative website for research before trips. I also always print out the individual "Specific Game Viewing Areas" in the Maps section so that on any given day I have a map of exactly where I am and then mark the route I have done on every day to go with my journal and my photographs.

Have an incredible trip ......I know I will ..........flying over on Saturday ......can't wait!

Tim,
Sometimes it is worth doing a road more than once.
On the trip to LS, you may have a quiet drive, and see little, and the same drive the next day might be very productive.

Couldn't agree more. In January this year we travelled from Skukuza to Lower Sabie via the H4-1. After checking in at Lower Sabie I decided on the H10 instead of travelling the H4-1 again for the afternoon drive. Only to find out from the neighbours on our return that we missed out on lions lying plumb in the middle of the road about 5km out of LS on the H4-1.