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Dont worry BB... I am sure we will LOVE Tambotie!
We will make do without the pool and shop ect.
I just need to spend time in Kruger!

I will try my hand at a TR again for the first time after the AAA challenge at Croc Bridge .... So I will keep you posted!

Thanx Philip, your post might just make me pack and leave for Tam sooner!

Nearly forgot... Thanx cheetah2111 for the advice on the roads. I will make a mental note!

Depending on 3g coverage, I will try my best to keep you posted on all our sightings!

Dear All,

I am staying in Tamboti for 3 nights this August and am wondering how best to plan the drives. The H7, S36, S39, and S106 will be driven for sure, but further afield, I was wondering what the roads on the east side of Satara are like? The S100 is always tempting.. What about the H6, S41 and S37? There don't seem to be any water sources nearby so perhaps I am looking in the wrong areas for August?

Your help as always is massively appreciated... Thanks

Graham

The S100/H6 are on opposite sides of a river that always seems to have a bit of water in it.
The S41 joins them and crosses the stream.

Thanks BB. Good to know there is water in those streams even in the dry season. Can one access the N'wanetsi picnic site from the Sweni road (S37)? There appears to be a break in the map so it is unclear.

Is the Gudzani Dam likely to have water in it in August?

Yes Graham, there is a short bit on the H6 that joins them.

I have never seen Gudzani dry.

Thanks so much BB.. As I have 3 days at the camp I think I can explore a pretty large area - especially as I enjoy making breakfast and lunch and taking both for a 6am-3pm drive! I might come up with a figure of 8 route that includes H6, S100, S41, a bit of S90 and the H1-4. That way I can do the S100 twice at different times! I saw a nice pride of lions on the S90 last year at dawn.

Maybe also take in Timbavati picnic site. It is leopard country along (I think the S39) the Tim river road. I led a group there in the 2000s and we introduced some Kruger newbies to Tim. They liked the setting so much they went back there for lunch the next day. While they were packing the car, they heard "LEOPARD!" as it flashed across the picnic area and took down one of the 'tame' bushbuck. Howzat for spoiling your lunch!

Wow what a story!

I will want to spend a day exploring S36, S39, S40 etc for sure I think. That Timbavati River road is spectacular and although we didn't see leopards last August, I'd be surprised if there weren't any around there We saw a crocodile attacking impala (unsuccessfully). What stressful lives those cute little antelope lead!!

Yeah, we of course, had taken a different route.

Graham_5000, if traveling towards Satara on the the H7 it is always a good plan to take a short detour to Girivana water hole on the S12 or S40 (badly corrogated) to see what suprise is waiting for you. Make sure you don`t miss Nsemani dam.

Thanks Bushbuck. The loop you mention looks small enough to drive every time we pass it (which will be quite a few times on the way to and from camp on the H7). The Giravana waterhole is the perfect distance from Tamboti for a breakfast stop too!

Hi everyone.

I am going to be spending a night in Tambots on the 21st, and therefore would like to know where exactly is the camp situated, and how far is it from Orpen.

I am planning to enter from Phalaborwa, hence I would also like to know, what happens if I reach Orpen at 17:30 which is gate closing time in June, because in order to sleep in Tambots, we have to check in at Orpen, so will we be allowed to go to Tambots after checking in at Orpen at 17:30 or will we just have to reach Orpen around 16:00 which means check in is completed, and instead of having a slow Drive from Satara, we could possibly drive at 50, and than drive the routes around Orpen slowly after check in.

Any advice will be Awesome.

Another question, What are the kind of sightings that people have encountered in the Timbavati river bed over the past during their stay at Tambots. It is all about right place at right time, but it will be awesome to know, what we can expect to see from camp.

Heading towards Satara, the turn off to Tam is withing sight of Orpen camp, about 500 metres down the H7, to the left. After about a km the road splits. To the left is Maroela and to the right is Tamboti about 1 km further.

Check in at Orpen at least 20 minutes before gate closing. THere are no routes around Orpen, only the Tam access road.

Hyenas patrol the fence at night, and lion & leopard have been seen ithe river bed, plus eles in the area.