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I absolutely agree - it is a fantastic hide where one could spent hours. We were lucky to see a crocodile there as well as many birds like pied, malachite and woodland kingfishers.

It will be on our itinerary for 2012 again.

This is the list of what we saw in Gardenia Hide when we had been there January 4th 2011. I think it was worthwhile. A place to rest for a while with a nice site to see. As it was the summer, no big animals drinking, but all in all I would come back there.

I give a more detailed description of our experience there in our travel blog, where we are entering now our trip to Kruger: http://viagenscharbelana.blogspot.com/

Impalas (Aepyceros melampus)
1 Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
2 Blacksmith Lapwings (Plovers) (Vanellus armatus)
1 Crested Francolin (Peliperdix sephaena)
3 Marsh or Helmeted Terrapins (Pelomedusa subrufa)
2 Water Thick-Knees (Dikkops) (Burhinus vermiculatus)
1 Cape Dwarf Gecko (Lygodactylus capensis)

Cheers
Charbel

Hi, anyone been to the Gardenia hide lately? Suppose there would be water there now....how about August? Is the chance of it being dry 100% or hass anyone found water there in August?

I stopped at Gardenia a few times in December. (2012)
Didn't see much, but it had been raining quite a bit, so there must have been puddles all over the veld.

The S119 itself was a very productive road.

Thanks Yoda. Appreciate the reply!

I don't think it will have much water in August unless there have been some significant rain, which is not that likely.

We have also never really seen anything out of the ordinary there, either there is lots of water and the animals will have plenty all over or its bone dry!
But we do often stop there just to have a stretch of the legs and a cup of coffee.

No problem.

As Elsa says though, the veld conditions in August are likely to be very different.

I once saw a cattle egret and a terrapin at the hide.