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Mahonie loop where it crosses the stream that eventually runs into Matukwale dam (thus after the dam the crossing closer to Witsand).

A favourite road for us and sat at that specific spot in January looking at 5 Grey-headed parrots in the tree in the right front of your photo and a couple of Blake Crakes running around in the stream across the road.

A favourite road for me, too tho I didn't see any parrots — are they seasonal? I'm planning on a different time of year next trip, so I can catch some of the summer visitors, as it's been a long time since I've seen any of those.

They are not seasonal but also not always seen. First trip we saw them and we got a number of them in the Punda area. A friend told me that when he still stayed in Louis Triechaardt and regularly visited Kruger that he usually found them drinking at Coetzer dam late afternoon. We were there end of January for the birding weekend and it is VERY hot then.

This loop came as suprise to me But a good suprise

I gave my parents the good advice of trying the loop, whilst they stayed over at Punda last week. They were fortunate enough to see a Leopard with 2 cubs, YES 2 CUBS!! Dad told me that if he had opened his window, he would be able to pat the mom on the head!

2 Days later SO and me decided to go have brunch a Punda, and tried the loop. Unfortunatly no leopard, BUT: in less than a 5Km strech we saw
- Sharpe's greysbok ( 4 of the critters)
- Grey headed parrot (lots)
- 4 oooooold dagga boys
- heard of Ellies with the cutest babies
- Lioness walking casually in the road.

Now it just comes to show how productive this loop is: in less than 1 hour we saw 3 of the big 5, with 2 sightings of rare species. If you include my parent's leopard luck, it means 4 of the big 5 on 1 road.

I am going to awaken the topic of the road since its last post in 2007
What are your experiences of this road?

If you drive the Mahonie Loop extremely slowly and look extremely carefully, you might spot a blue kid's size 5 flip-flop of my brother's that I flung from the car during a tantrum as a 3 year old.

The last time I drove this road (late afternoon - 18 May 2012) we saw lots of impala, 25 kudu, 6 nyala, 3 duiker,more than 120 buffalo, squirrels, dwarf mongoose, 3 Sharpe's Grysbok, few zebra, warthog, giraffe and 1 ellie.

It is a very scenic route.

You're right. One the best loops in the park.

Ruud

Travelled this road in December 2011.

Dagga boys 4 of them in a mud pool, lots of impies, zebra, kudu, warthog, and lioness with cub. Lots of birdlife.

Very nice drive, unfortunately we had to turn around, it was almost gate closing time and would never have been able to complete the loop and make it back to camp.

Very worth it, scenery is stunning also

The Mahonie Loop is my 2nd best loop after Mphongolo Loop because everytime I entered Punda at gate opening time, this loop has shown me Lions.

We saw a Suni on the Mahonie Loop March 2009.
Travelled there again Nov 2011........very quiet drive, seemed to be the only car for miles!! magic!!

That is a very special sighting Crested Val The Mahonie Loop is also a firm favourite with us. We regularly see Grysbok, apart from other game that we have seen on this loop, but have never seen a Suni. Would love to see one .