SANParks.org Forums

Hi folks, a friend and I are coming back to Kruger in august staying most likely outside the park at Needles lodge in the south. Just wondering whether people can point me in the direction of some good info on what we might see in the region around croc bridge, Lower sabie, skukuza. We will not get as far north as Satara, which is where I spent a lot of time in 2011. But it's been a while since I spent time in the south of the park.

Thanks!

I have only been to Kruger once, but I can highly recommend you drive the S28 from Crocodile Bridge to Lower Sabie (where you could have breakfast by the river). On the S28 we saw a pride of lions hunting, as well as the usual suspects. After breakfast you could drive the H10 up to Orpen dam. We loved this road, and saw a cheetah on one of the loops off it, lots of hyenas and elephants. After Orpen dam, you could go to Tshokwane picnic site for a bite to eat, after which you will probably need to head back south... How about the H1-2, H4-1, then H4-2 back to Croc Bridge? You pass through leopard territory along the Sabie river and then onto the productive tar road down to Croc Bridge. We loved all these roads on our last trip, and will probably do this route from Biyamiti if we set off early enough.

Have an amazing trip. You will be able to drive many diverse, beautiful and game rich routes from Crocodile Bridge. I look forward to reading your trip report!!

The region around Croc Bridge to LS can be tough going.

It can be very difficult to get from one to the other quickly, because I have found it to be a 'rich' area. Lots of predators and the big & hairy, and sometimes the doggies. Raptors too.

All the roads from Croc Bridge can take a while, and the H10 from LS to Tshok goes through grassland where one is often delayed by serval, lion, cheetah and the horny one.

Thanks for the reassurance folks. We were lucky to see dogs on the orpen road last time are there many in the southern area ATM?

Me too. It is a good doggie road.

They pop up on the roads within 15 km of Croc Bridge from time to time, but which one is anybody's guess.

Kittykat23uk - I'll have to agree here with old man Baptist. This is generally a great area. You can choose any road from Croc Bridge and you would've chosen well! Hope you enjoy it!

Such reluctance to acknowledge experience. Youth is wasted on the young.

Oh BB, I acutually implied that being an old man - you have a lot of experience! What would these forums be without your wisdom!

August is usually a good month in southern Kruger.

The bush is 'see through' and there is not much surface water, so visiting rivers & permanent waterholes and their vicinity could be productive.

Hi kittykat23uk

I would suggest you visit the Ntandanyati hide on the S28 between Croc-Bridge & Lower Sabie. In winter time the water in front of the hide is very low, but there is always wildlife at the hide. It is a nice place to stop for your morning coffee and rusks (Ouma Biskuit) and it is not far from Lower Sabie should you want to visit the bathrooms.

The second hide is Lake Panic which is close to Skukuza. This hide should be visited in the late afternoon, as the sun is setting behind the hide, and a beautiful golden colour sets on the lake in front of the hide. There are a lot of birds and wildlife at the lake and is a must for every traveler to Skukuza.

Hope you enjoy your trip to Kruger.