SANParks.org Forums

S140, S145 (Talamati road), S36 (to Muzandzeni), S126 (Sweni road) and the S50 (Nhlawu Vlei - Dipeni road)..these roads are so corrugated that it seems that the only way to deal with them and try to get through them with your car in one piece, is to go at 60 or even faster!

(Low flying over those corrugations! )

I don`t really have any bad roads. We only get to go to the Park once a year for 14 days and to be off the national roads and in the bush is absolute bliss

I do like the H14 more than the other roads in the area, but the H9 is not a goody for me So once at Letaba, getting up is a drag

I have to give the s50 a shot! Of coarse Kannidood dam to Shing is just amazing! So keen to see the whole road

The s145 goes to Talamati from the s36 ... nice scenic road! Have seen the sable sightings there!
the s140 goes from the Rabaleis road to Talamati. Terrible road. monotonous scenery and no animals!

you know why?
coz the Letaba area sucks!!

I would say never try the first 3 again

The s37 ... of coarse people have seen cheetah and lion here. Nice open grassland. But it makes a poor alternative to the H1-3, thats for sure!

The H1-5 ... not as bad as some other roads around Letaba Has nice views of the river

Don't like the long grass around P'Kop in different directions........always relieved when it peeters out.

The S41 between the H6 and the S100, the rocks on that road are seriously scary

The second half of the S126 (Sweni road) towards Muzandzeni side is a real rattler.

The H2-2 must be the worst road ever. Each time I travelled that road I had to watch the road constantly and never got a chance to even look in the bush as I was avoiding my dashboard from jumping into my lap

With regards to the Letaba area one needs to assess what you are assessing the roads on.

Letaba area up to Shingwedzi (Including Mopani) has the best elephant sightings. The elephants in this area are big tuskers and are not sporadically spread out. You will finish a memory card on your cameras just taking pics of big tuskers in that area.

The S47, S62 and S46 are more than rewarding to travel along.

Sure if you see lion in Letaba you are lucky, however you don't fight it out with 40 other vehicles to get a decent sighting as what you find in the Satara area.

The Drive from Letaba to Olifants on the gravel roads and even the Tar road should be done.

The gravel roads leading to Phalaborwa gates have become mandatory for my trips to the park. reason being you get to see other animals that are a bit more shy. Serval, brown hyaena, side striped jackal. These roads are not travelled as extensively as others and present a "wilder" feel to them.


SO DONT NOT GO TO LETABA BECAUSE OF WHAT PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM SAY ABOUT THE AREA

I guess this thread is regarding general sightings, so there are worse roads than others in that respect!

But experiences and desires differ!

The only road that's really a joke these days is the Kruger Gate-Skukuza Tar road, in my experience...not pleasant!

Those of you who are not Letaba fans have obviously not been to the Mantanbeni hide, the best hide in the park - yes I have been (a number of times) to Lake Panic.

I was with my Dad when he saw his first Kruger leopard - after 50 years - near Mantanbeni.
We have also seen lions from the restaurant area, and the birding in camp is great.

@ Robbie -
Yes Letaba Northwards delivers the greatest tuskers!
But I would rather could across these tuskers on the kannidood road, or Mphongolo Loop or the Tropic of Capricorn loop! All roads where it is not just Mopane forest which becomes boring and also accounts for the low level of general game
The tar from Letaba to Shing is dreadfully boring to drive

Also Robbie - what are your bottom five?

Im amazed that people have such poor experiences of Letaba and surrounding roads....its in my top 5 camps without a doubt.
I agree that viewing there in terms of the cats isnt as productive in the last few years but thats because Ive been there in summer of late.

In about 7-8 trips to Letaba highlights include:
Leopard chasing Warthog infront of Restaurant
Cheetah on the same day just outside camp
Eland on road to Phalaborwa on 2 occasions
2 Sable at Sable Dam
There is an active (2005-2008) Side Striped Jackal Den with 6 jackals near Letaba..secret spot
...jokes not secret but on the open area couple of KM north of the bridge
Always seem to be Tsessebe in the same open area
Had good lion sightings in the area but mostly sleepy individuals
Road to Mingerhout Dam always looks to have potential - seen lion there a couple of time but not doing much.
Sharpe's Grysbok near Mantanbeni Hide on the hill section (almost always there)

What we just missed: Pack of 33 wild dogs in the riverbed just S of Letaba

Birding is excellent at Mantanbeni Hide:
Regular specials include: Black Egret, Squacco Heron, RW Pratincole
Special Birds that can be seen in camp...Barred Owl, Wood Owl, Narina Trogon, many nesting species in summer.

Thanks O-dog
Fascinating info there

what are your bottom 5?

I also loved the letaba area - had one of the best lon sightings on the tsendze loop and all the tuskers around the camp are amazing - and the matambeni hide is the best one in the park for me, too. Saw fighting hippos and heard lions roaring there
But also the most boring road for me is in the area - here are my top 5:

1) S131 - the first 30 km from phalaborwa gate towards letaba
2) S37
3) S35
4) H9
5) ??

S142 a.k.a. Shongalolo Loop around Mopani Camp? Wasted a morning driving along this interminable track and saw a couple of giraffes and millions of termite mounds.

Actually, with the exception of the S50 (which can be fantastic at times and at other times devoid of all animals), pretty much all roads in the Mopani and Letaba areas are bad, all you can see are elephants and just the top part of those so no chance at IDing any big tuskers.

Hate the long grass next to the road in the Pretoruskop area too.