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Been there only once. Now I can tap into everybody else's experiences. We plan on entering the park at Pafuri Gate on the 14 July - leaving for Shingwedzi on 16 July.

What should we not miss?
Any suggestions welcome!

The Mahonie loop, S99, is a must, the scenery is beautiful. Nyala Drive and through all the fever trees to Crookes Corner, Pafuri picnic site, you can't go wrong in that area, it's all so peaceful, very few other cars and lots of nyala.
You will have a wonderful time

The camp is wonderful. At the communal braai area look out for Genet and Giant Rat that i have regulally seen there. Birding in the camp is awesome. Listen for the melodious beautiful call of the Yellow Spotted Nicator. In December I saw 3 different Sharp's Grysbok on Mohonie loop within an hour....
Enjoy.....

The Mahonie loop is a must for the resident leopard. It is seen there almost daily. I saw it taking down something small last year. The grass was too long to identify the prey.

Pafuri is the place to be without must doubt. The flycatcher trail isjust behind the admin and restaurant buildings. It is a short walk and is very good for birding. There is a place to sit down right next to the fence. Sit there for 30mins or so and just be quiet and listen to the sounds of birds.

Also visit the the dam (What's the name again?) on your way to Pafuri just before u hit the H1-8. It is excellent for African Jacanas and lions also frequently visit. The Mahonie loop is also a good place to spot buffalo and trumpeter hornbill - listen out for their baby crying like call.

GP I know u want to manage the picnic spot at pafuri but sorry, rather just go and enjoy it as a tourist. Look out for the pel's fishing owl there and ask the picnic spot attendent for where it was lat seen. Also remember to ask him for the crested guinefowl (also to be found in Punda self).

Also visit crooks corner and the Pafuri border police station.

Take a dirve on the Nyala road. Just enjoy the nyalas and the sounds of birds! It is unforgetable. There is also a toilet there in the foilage so you can have a couple of drinks.

ps: don't forget to take a pic of the baobab on baobab hill. I wish I was you guys. It is my favoutrite place in the Park!

I can't WAIT to return to Punda Maria! This time for the birding. We actually found crested guinea-fowl at Pafuri Picnic Spot. As birding is a rather new interest of mine, I've got some catching up to do. I see the Narina Trogon has also been spotted on the Mahonie Loop and on the trail in the camp - any of you seen it? My mission this time - finding all the elusive birds found in the area mentioned on the site! Geez, we missed out on a whole lot last time!
The Samango monkeys - are they still around the Pafuri area? If so, will we be able to spot the difference between them and vervets IF we are so lucky to find them!
Wild dogs - are there any in the area still?
Last - on our last visit lots of the tourist gravel roads in the area were closed for renovation. We basically had only the Mahonie Loop to work with. Are they all open again?

All were open last year! No narina for me as yet. I have heard it calling several times though but it is extremely diffucult to c.

also there is a new bird hide in Punda and the new swimming pool rocks!!

Samanagos r quite diff from normal vervets. Have not seen wild dogs there yet.

Man am I jealous now!

Nyala Road also a must


As said Mahonie loop is very productive, we met some less friendly elephant bulls on this road last year.

With the magic of the Nyala Road and Pafuri area you might be surprised at the amount of time you are going to spend here, especially when birding.

Have not yet seen Narina Trogon or the Samango monkeys.
Narina tend to sit with their back to you and the green of the back and the green of the leaves blend in such a way that it is difficult to see the bird when not in flight.

AAHHH... GP, Punda/Pafuri what a place!!!

The flycatcher trail is really something...esp now that u are a birder.... the atmosphere is amazing in there and becuz its not that busy a camp u are more then likely going to be the only people doing the trail...

You just have to have breakfast at Pafuri...that is an absolute must!!!

The Fever Tree Forest.... Crookes Corner...... Mahonie Loop..... all are a must!!

Certain areas mentioned above sometimes make u feel like u arnt even in the Kruger...its just so different from the rest of the park!!
ENJOY!!!

GP you lucky fish, don't forget the Dzundzwini Loop and lookout - my favourite road. The dam WTM was talking about is the Klopperfontein dam. We saw suni on our trip in March. Look out for the different types of parrots you can hear them calling on the Mahonie loop.

Have fun

Another agreement. We saw so many ellies up there I was in seventh heaven, lone males, family groups, bachelor groups. Plus nyala, tsessebe, kudu, ground hornbills and I swear I saw a Lichtensteins' Hartebeest although my SO has his doubts. Shingwedzi is a great place to hang out for an hour or so - the restaurant/cafe overlooks the river and we saw so many things wandering along in the shade on the opposite bank. One special sighting for us was a great kingfisher banging a crab on the side of the causeway.

Very possible. I got to see my first Hartebeest on the Mahonie loop at Punda Maria last year.

Hi Spook:

I have some KNP maps that are about 20 years old and they do have at least some of these names, tho some are in Afrikaans.

Mahonie Loop (Af: Mahonie-ompad) is also called the S99 and is the loop road that goes around Punda Maria camp.
It is so labeled on my old map as well as my newer one.

Crooks' Corner is at the NE corner of the Parfuri Loop (S63).
It is not indicated on my older maps as that part of Pafuri was closed at the time.

Someone else will have to elucidate Nyala Drive and Njala Loop as neither is on any of my maps.

Hi Spook!

First open this map. Right click on the Punda Area and enlarge as many times as is necessary.



In the top right hand corner in the area marked N - there are routes marked 2 and 5 - that's Nyala Drive. You usually find these antelope there, that's where the name comes from.



In the top right hand corner in the area marked M - the road gollowing the Limpopo river at the top makes a curve downwards - Crook's corner is on the extreme top right of the corner. It's the meeting place for 3 countries - you are in South Africa, looking towards Zimbabwe on the opposite bank of the Limpopo River and Mozambique on your right.



The same road - S99 Official, Mahonie = Afrikaans word for Mahogany wood.

Zoom out again and find Punda Maria camp. Zoom in again until close enough. We're talking about the road running in a circle around the camp.



Same road as Nyala Drive mentioned first.

Have a fantastic trip!

Mahonie loop (S99) is the 18km gravel road that loops around Punda Maria camp.
Here we found elephant, kudu, Nyala, Bushbuck, buffalo, Impala and Hartebeest.

Nyala Road (S64) :
Instead of turning right onto the gravel road to Pafuri picnic spot turn left.
In my opinion the most beautiful road in the Park.
This road leads to the Thulamela Archeologically site.
Good place to spot Crested Guinea fowl.

Crooks Corner:
If you carry on past Pafuri picnic spot the road will eventually end up at Crook's Corner.
You will be looking at the Limpopo River that at that spot forms the border between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
I have however still to see running water in the river there.
At most we have seen a few crocodile filled pools.
We never have much luck with animals on the Pafuri section but the birdlife makes up for it.

Just back from a 3 nights stay and Punda Maria
Mahonieloop is a must.
One of my fav in the park
Lots of Nyala and kudu and the odd ellie and dagga boy
Klopperfontein dam is a must
Saw a lot of common duiker

I have been in the new tents.
Very nice and clever placed.
You wont notice that y have neighbours.
A real shower with glass panels

This is now one of my fav camps. Equels LS and Olifants
While being there for a few days you feel like family and start
to know everybody.

The food is very good and the chef cook a delightfull guy.
The guide, Leonard, goes out of his way to try to find
(in our case the regulair seen Leopard, which we did not find)
what the customers want to see. Knows his stuff.
After the nightdrive y can still eat at the restaurant if y gave
notice to do so.

And outside there are a few tables and if y want you can have a candlelight dinner.

And each night/early morning y hear the roar of lion(s).
Birding is very good.

(Only problem is that y can buy little food. Basic stuff. I would
advice to buy it at a bigger camp or outside Kruger.)

I want to go back