SANParks.org Forums

Depends
Graskop to the gates will take you 1-2 hours

If you want the short route through Paul Kruger Gate near Skukuza you will take 3-4 hours . Depends if you have a stop at Skukuza

THe long way through Kruger is through Pabeni Gate near Hazyview.
On route by Skukuza
4-5 hours with a stopover at Skukuza

If you only stop for the big five you can shorten both routes by a hour

I was there last week and service has improved a lot. Plates and food were cleaned very quickly and even the litter that was blown over the railing was cleaned up.

With regards to LS and camping here are a few point to bear in mind. LS has demarkated camp sites and you are actually given a specific camp site. Unfortunatley either due to people doing their own thing or the fact that some of the camp site numbers are missing you might have to simply pick any site. There are a few with nice big trees, numbers 25 upwards to me looked the best although you are a distance from the loos. Numbers 1 to 24 are close to the loos and some have shade but no real big tree.
A note to LS is to plant some big trees in the camp site. I like how they have tried to screen the sites with Sickle Thorn as these do create thick screening but I had a close look and there are no trees planted that will eventually grow into nice big shade trees. All in all I had a very good camping experience there.
The renovations happening in camp look to be going well and are not creating any unplesant noises.
The hyena still roams around at night and is a bit of a problem. They said he digs under the fence to get in and it is tricky keeping him out.
All in all the camp is a gem and well worth staying there.

Hi Big Tusker. We've also been on a walk from Lower-Sabie in September 2006. I can just confirm what Gwen en Bert mentioned. You've probably already read it a thousand times on this forum, but the walks are about being out in the bush, on foot, in the company of very knowledgable rangers who will make the walk unforgetable with their informative talks.

So do not expect to see any one of the big five on foot, and you will not be disappointed. To illustrate this point even further, at another walk we went on (from Satara), one of the rangers made the following comment just as we were getting ready to walk again after our snack break: "Right people, lets walk again - I promise you, you will see something on the second part of this walk". I was quick to remark that we'll hold him to his promise (conjuring up images of lions and leopards on foot in my head). His response was spot in, he merely reminded us that the trees are always there, the droppings are always there, the landscape is always there - so he has no problem with guaranteeing that we are bound to see "something" on the walk.

That being said, I think your chances of spotting rhino while walking from Lower-Sabie is quite good. Our guides were literally tracking the rhinos and we saw rhino close-up on two separate occassions during our walk. (They're not called the "rhino rangers" for nothing ).

Spent two nights at end of last month the tents at LS. We were told by a manager at Oliphants tent 16 was the best as it is right at the corner of the fence and is not overlooked.When we got there we were given number 16 without even asking. She was right it was amazing as Hyena just strolled past while you sat on the deck in the late afternoon on their way to the river, about 1o feet from where we set. The hippo were comical and lions roaring in the night amazing. I had one scary encounter early one morning when I was seiged by a troop of baboons for 40 mins as they used the tent roof/deck as a play area - all part of the fun and memories!

I am booked to camp at Lower Sabie in June. I have been there many a time before, but not since the refurbishments have been going on.

Can anyone advise which Power Plugs are installed in the new camping site? The normal 3 point SA plugs, or the caravan style blue round plugs?

Any other remarks on the "New" Lower Sabie is also welcome.

Gary

You will need the blue plug and an extention cord just for incase. Also take a awning or umbrella for extra shade as the sites can be a little exposed.

the northern perimeter bungalows face the river. Fantastic view. I looked at the perimeter bungalows and a number of new bungalows have or are almost finished. They have a large window area so you can enjoy the view even while in the bungalow. As far as I am concerned these new bungalows are the best in the park. I am a camper so I will not be staying in them, unfortunately. The views from campsites in the park are not as good as certain bungalow locations and quiete honestly LS view is non-existant for campers unless you take a short walk and there is nothing wrong with that. Nevertheless I still enjoy camping and I am out most of the day anyway spotting animals. Lower Sabie is my 2ND favourite camp after Satara.
Enjoy your stay.

I'm not sure that adw's info is accurate on this. I think the bungalows that face the river at LS are called "riverview" bungalows and that the "perimeter" bungalows face the perimeter fence. Perhaps, if no one else jumps in here, you can PM diannet and she can ask someone at the camp for a definitive answer.

The riverview bungalows must be BD3, since those appear to be the only bungalows with untensils, and they do have 3 beds, 2 singles in the bedroom and a "daybed" in the kitchen. I stayed in #4 last year, one of the first rennovations, and they are very nice indeed. I think the perimeter bungalows are those along the camp's south fence.

As for being "stuck out by the dumpsters" , you'll be sure of hyena sightings there Have a great trip!!

Hi everyone,
Does anyone know what the Family Bungalows (FU5) are like at LS? I read the description on the website, and it said that they were in the 'budget accommodation area' of the camp. I'm not sure what that means. I'm looking for a unit that will hold 4 adults, so this seemed to be a logical choice. Any suggestions?
Thanks

The detail below is given elsewhere on this website:

1 bedroom with 2 single beds
- 1 bedroom with 3 single beds
- Aircon
- Kitchen
- No interleading doors, overlooks second unit
- Wc and shower

It is clean and comfortable, but don't expect luxury.

I think they are very nice and luxurious as they were upgraded a few years ago . Good kitchen and verandah with lots of windows in a rondavel shape with the bedrooms in a longdavel with doors off the patio .

The "budget accomodation area" refers to their position in the camp - they are in the area next to the family huts (without private bathrooms) . So all the plebs can envy your superior hut . Actualy your bungalow is a converted (upgrade refered to earlier) group of family huts .

Your walk to the river front is about a minute so the view is secondary importance.

I'll draw a picture!

I love these units. Look up the camp map on this site, and find units 49 through 66. (Towards the left side, close to the pool.)

49 - 54 and 55 - 60 are long, almost dormitory shaped buildings, with a 5-bed hut on the ends, and four 2-bed huts in between. These are the budget units. Last time we were in LS, we stayed in the 5 bed, and it was cheap, like camping cheap. Yes, you have to use communal ablutions and kitchen, but these are very close by. The old unpowered camp sites used to be where the pool is now, and their old ablution block is thus very close.

What the park did was to combine units 61, 62, 63 and 64, 65, 66 into a single accommodation unit, consisting of a large kitchen / living area, and two bedrooms. With one double bed, and three singles respectively. The existing 5-bed budget huts don't have toilet and shower, just a basin, so they've built the WC into the living area, where the basin would be in the 5-bed budget hut (if I remember correctly, the memory is hazy on the exact layout).

There's no passage between the living area and rooms, so you have to walk outside, on a verandah.

But they're really nice, done up with nice print fabrics, redone the doors and windows in a cottagey fashion, and of course added all the mod cons you'll need in the kitchen.

In the large courtyard area, are everyone's braais, under beautiful trees, with chairs and tables. If the block is full, it can become a bit of a bunfight for chairs and tables, so take your own. Obviously not an issue for the family bungalow people, as they have breakfast counter inside.

I generally find that the people who could 'stoop so low' as to use the budget huts, are very down to earth, not fussed by having to walk to the bogs or the washup. Like us, very often they're ex-campers, enjoying a bit of luxury!!!

The family bungalows themselves, at R905 / 4 people, work out at R225-odd per head, which favours comparably with base rates at 2 or 3 bed units throughout the park, PLUS you've got the benefit of the living area. Usual add on rate of R108 / adult, or R54 / child applies, for the fifth bed.



Hope that helps!!!

PS: Coming from Nelspruit, BnD is so close, you could use it for a quick dirty weekend, be more adventurous, and head into the Park!

PPS: My understanding is that the park is phasing out budget huts (e.g. Orpen), and the existing 2- and 5-bed huts will be remodelled similar to 61 and 66, so hurry if you want to experience olde worlde Kruger!

Edit: Dusting off the cobwebs in my memory bank, it seems we did the last LS trip in 2003 (my son was a year old), so my recollections and info are four years old. I crave your indulgence! Specifically, I couldn't recall whether the verandah was enclosed, or just a polished stoep.

Well spoken Perks .

The luxury bungaloes now have pole enclosures in front of the verandahs "for privacy" and their braai's are therefore separate and you won't have to bunfight for equipment.

Oh , and the verandahs are open under thatch and tiled .

Actualy they are arguably the best family units in the park especialy because the kitchen (and fridge) is indoors not on the patio so more safe against baboons etc . (compared to Orpen say for eg. ) .

Not sure what you're referring to here, Frederick, but the riverview bungalow that I had at LS was #4, one of the newly rennovated ones, and it has 2 single beds, a "daybed" in the kitchen/dinning room (which is inside) and the kitchen has all utensils. There is another table with 4 chairs outside on the veranda, adjacent to the braai, so you have the choice to cook and/or eat either outside or in.

These are lovely bungalows, with some especially nicely thought out details, such as the reading lights for the beds and the sliding glass door between the bedroom and kitchen (as well as the one between the kitchen and veranda) so that you can see the view down to the river from your bedroom