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Matthew wrote under the thread "S36":
I have mentioned it before in the forum, but I find the S102, which links the S26 with the H5 through Mpondo dam, to be a richly rewarding road. On this 9 km stretch, I have in the past couple of years (since 2003) seen:
1. Wild dog (2x)
2. Lions (4x)
3. Leopard (3x)
4. Cheetah (1x)
5. Jackels and hyeana
6. Rhino, eles, buff and the rest
It really does seem to be a bit of an "oasis"!

My own experience of this road is surely not as good as Matthew's. I have driven this road three times and saw the following:

8 x Vervet monkeys
3 x Zebra
1 x Squirrel
77 x Impala
1 x Hippo (in the Mpondo Dam)
44 x Waterbuck (of which we saw 40 around the Mpondo Dam on our first drive on this road).

We once followed a cheetah for several kilometres along the H5 (coming from Crocodile Bridge's direction) up to the S102-junction. At the junction it went to lie in the middle of the road for quite a long time. But I recorded this as a sighting on the H5.

On all three occasions we found lots of "evidence" of white rhino on the S102, but never saw any. But according to Matthew's report, some people are more lucky by seeing more than the "evidence".[/quote]

I am not at all convinced about good and bad roads. As WTM says, its being in the right place at the right time. As reported elsewhere, I have recently seen 7 cheetah on a road I would have previously called "the worst in the Park"! Now I will drive down it every trip, probably see nothing, then call it awful again in a few years time!

Luck plays a part, experience and skill do as well. You drive past a rhino midden, see it as evidence. 10 minutes later someone else turns up and there are 3 rhino there. Thats the 'joy' of the Kruger.

Being too lucky can also have its bad side. We visited with some friends a few years ago, and with 20 kms from the Malelane Gate we had seen 3 leopard, several lion, buffalo, elephant and several other species. Our friends then spent 10 days vaguely dissapointed with the rest of the trip - despite our telling them how lucky they had been!

Richard

Indeed! Last year Kanniedood Dam for example was like a "zoo" - it was richly rewarding. This year June - very very quiet. Right place, right time.

I have seen a lot of great sightings at the dam including Leopard hunting some Waterbuck but not successful.

Has anyone had some great sightings here aswell?

It would be interesting to know what other people have seen recently on this Mpondo dam road and at the dam. In our experience so far it is not so very busy (traffic) which is great but we have not been lucky here sightings wise. Do not know whether less traffic equals fewer animals or not . Not sure if we should do it again this November or rather take some of the other routes but then Liam wrote he saw a leopard on the hunt here.

My first trip to Kruger in 2009, we drove the H5 towards Mpondodam and had the road all to ourselves. As we came around a bent, we were surprised by this cheetah with 6 cubs walking towards us. I switched off the car and the walked past us while the cubs playing with each other. Last year we also had some good sightings of other game, but this road will remain a special one which I will always try when in the area.


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Dec'11 - central and northern Kruger

I LOVE this little 'link' road!! : gflower: Such a quiet road in the south, and in summer the riverine area is exceptionally beautiful, with the shattered rock formations and huge trees Sigh. I MISS Kruger so much....

Kaapsedraai- 6 cubs That's a sighting of the century!
Very rewarding road this, as is Mpondo Dam. Have seen Lion with a buffalo kill at Mpondo, buffalo, Rhino, and of course several birds, the two which stand out was a pair of Tawny eagles right at the waters edge, and Pearl Spotted owl. Seen several reptiles too, including snakes on 2 occasions. Have watched elephants, buffalo and warthogs enjoy a mud bath here. It's on my must-visit places in the park.
Great place to sit and watch the game and the birds. And hope elephants do not come to the dam from behind you. There's no escape route.

for the sighting and
for the six cubs

what a chance

right is a good route... for me too, nearby I found Wild Dogs