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On time when we did it, we had just finished the trail and met a man saying he had seen a lion heading along the river bed towards the end of the trail ... so we went back and drove a fair bit of the trail again. I understand it that one pays to be on the trail roads for the entire day, so if you double back, it is fine.

The camp manager at satara was saying this past weekend that there is a leopard with two cubs at the windmill, which is seen quite regularly at the moment.
You do pay for the whole day, so can do the trail as many times as you like on that day.

When we were at Satara last month we were lucky enough to go on the Mananga 4x4 trail and it was a wonderful experience. It's not a difficult trail (certainly not when it's dry and you're not allowed to do it if it has been raining) so it probably wouldn't suit the macho-man types who would like to have to rebuild the road before they can drive along it! But it gives you a chance to get away from the madding crowd and enjoy Kruger as it must have been 30 or 40 years ago - just you, the animals and the bush and maybe one or two other cars, certainly not a whole bunch of them as is usual near Satara, that Big Five Heaven. If you want something different and are prepared to take it slow to get your money's worth, give it a try. For more info on our experience, as well as price and booking details, see http://bit.ly/nRvdN9

It is on my to do list. Spoke to a forumite who got 'lost' on it.

I don't have to 'challenge' the vehicle. Just like to go where you cannot with a sedan.

Hi annie,

although we have visited Kruger many times, 2 weeks back we did the same 4x4track for the first time. And you're right, it is very pleasant almost to be alone in the bush. We were lucky to have a lioness all for 'ourselves' . We also saw on the second part of the track a dead ellie with many many vultures. Only..... too far away, but we could smell him
When it 's up to me, there should be more of these tracks only 460R is not cheap...

Ruud

No ruud, R460 isn't cheap but it's probably your best chance of getting a lion to yourselves in Kruger nowadays!! Glad you enjoyed the drive.

Hi Annie.

In November we are going to the Kruger Park again (finally!!) and we rented a bakkie just to be able to do the trail. Should we make the reservation the evening before or is it just fine to go to the Satara office in the morning? The night before we sleep in Olifants Restcamp so it would be possible to drive to Satara and make the booking.

Warm regards,
Remco.

Remco, if I were you I'd phone them from Olifants (tel 013 735-6306/7, duty manager cell 082 802 1209) the day before, to tell them you want to do it - just in case more than 6 cars are wanting to do it on the day you choose (limit is 6 cars at any one time, no more). Then at least you have your name on the list first. Then it's fine to go to Satara the morning of the day you want to do it. In fact, you can't make a firm booking before the day because if it rains you can't do the trail. Apparently they have had to go and rescue too many people who got bogged down in the mud when it rains, so they close it if it has rained.

I hope you enjoy it. It's not a challenging drive, but it's so wonderful to get away from the crowds and onto "the back roads" for a while. If you take your time and stop often, it makes a wonderful day. Just sitting at the waterhole is also lovely (you pass it on your way out and then again on your way back) and look carefully for leopard there. If you're really keen there's nothing to stop you from doing the whole circuit a second time! Have fun...

Hi everyone - we do have a topic on the Mananga Trail, with much info of interest ... see here. I am going to merge this topic there soon.

Remco, we have tried to put our name on a list the night before, and they would not accept it. They will not commit to allowing one to do the trail until the morning of day you wish to do the trail. Aim to get to Satara when the office opens at 7am to book the trail. I would call the day before, as Annie suggests anyway tho, especially if it has rained to see if the trail is open. Again they will not commit as it could rain overnight, but if it has been closed for days, as least you will know. There is a report on the forums in the travel tales by a member that did get bogged down in the mud and had to spend the night out on the trail.

Hi Annie and DinkyBird.

Thanks a lot for the advise. We will get up early so we can be at Satara office first thing in the morning and we will phone them the night before.

Remco.

We could not wait to do this trail during our March trip to the KNP. We really enjoyed it. We were in our Suzuki Jimny and another couple from Satara were in their Landrover. We met each other when we booked for the trip. The animals are still very wild and definately not used to vehicles. We had to be quick to take a photo because the one minute they were there and the other minute they were gone. The windmill ..... hmmm within a few minutes you can be on the wrong track. You really need to think and look at the map to be sure you are on the right track. I will definately do it again. It is wonderful to know it is only your car and onother one in the field - no green vehicles ( ) and you are so very close to mother nature. We took some beautiful photos. (I tried to put some photos on, but I could not - do not know how)

Erica, thanks for your feedback.

Have a look at How to.. Host photos for use with Trip Reports. to see if that will help you.

If not please PM me or any of the mods/assistant mods and we will try to help.

Hi, we did the Mananga trail on Sunday. It was closed for more than a week due to the heavy rain that fell 2 weeks before, and we had to beg to go on it. After inspecting our truck, the ranger allowed us to go and to see whether we will be able to do the trail due to all the mud. To say the least, it was amazing. Being the first people on that road in more than a week was wonderful... the impala were quite surprised to see us...

We saw elephant, a beautiful unmentionable buffalo and part of the mega pride All we missed was a leopard. All the other general game was also present.

What happened with the lions, was, Scipio was already outside the vehicle preparing the tables so we could make breakfast for our overseas guests that we had with us, while I was standing in the door of the truck. While I waited for him to pass him the gas bottle, I looked up and saw something in a clearing about 2m in diameter. I took the binos and to my surprise saw some cubs lying there under a tree looking very curiously at us.

I calmly told him in Afrikaans to stop what he was doing and get back in the truck. He realised by my tone and the fact that I was suddenly speaking Afrikaans something was going on and did as he was told. To see the shock on his face was priceless... If we stopped a meter to the front or to the back we wouldn't have seen them.... He then got to the roof of the truck and started counting. As he could see better now he counted 28 lions lying all around us....

Needless to say, we continued the breakfast preparations inside the truck and watched the lion through the windows. The guests had a thrill and their photos are already posted on facebook

The road was still extremely muddy and we sank very deep at some places. On returning to the camp, we then advised the ranger to keep it closed for a few more days, as a normal 4x4 will not be able to get through at some places.

Oh wow PetraJ, what a wonderful sighting.

Wow, 28 lions. A sighting to remember in the years to come!