SANParks.org Forums

On the Metsi trail a couple of years back I had an interesting (and mentally scarring) final morning.
The night before, with it being the final night of the trail, saw a couple of members of the party 'let their hair down'. This included one of our friends helping himself to a bottle of whiskey over the course of the evening ouch? Indeed!

Being one for rising well before first light, I fumbled for my bino's & my way out of the hut in the dark to get my rocky's on. I then noticed I had a fellow early riser...our whiskey man, naked as the day he was born, thinking it must be the middle of the night & no doubt needing to relieve himself. The light overnight rain had made the wooden decking slippery and it was the cursing accompanying the splat as he landed ar e-first in the mud that caught my attention (my poor eyes.. )

Luckily, the beautiful male lion that strode across the opening infront of the hide but metres from me & barely minutes after I had taken my seat for the morning chorus went someway to erasing the scarring images of a naked middle-aged man in the mud.
The interesting thing...with metsi being so close to the Moz border, we'd seen 3 men in the bush infront of the camp the previous day...right where the Lion was walking to.

Oh, and the response from the whiskey man on the news of the lion's fleeting visit...'well why didn't you come and get me'

Um, well.

Hi all,

I'm beginning to plan a possible trip to Kruger in 2008. My first trip was in late August, and this time I'm thinking of going in March or April in an attempt to see Kruger during a greener season.

My wife and I did the Napi Trail during our last visit; this was the highlight of our trip to southern Africa. We HAVE to do another trail. I would like to do the Sweni trail, but it's always full. I've searched the forums for more information about Metsi-metsi, but there isn't much there.

I'm curious to hear about people's experiences with the Metsi-metsi Trail. I'm wondering how "similar" it is to Sweni. Do you spend a bit of time hiking in the flat savannah near Metsi-metsi, or stay more in the mountains?

The other alternative is to do the Oliphants Backpacking Trail, which I've been dying to do since I've heard about it. While I think it would be cool to do some type of forum trail, at this time I'm not sure exactly when our next trip will be. Stay tuned.

Similar to Sweni in ways , been there for 9 or 10 trails .
At the end of our winter ( Sept / Oct ) there is usually much game around the semi permanent water courses to the east and south east of the camp .
Have seen a lot of plains game at the beginning of our summer towards the northern (lindanda) wilderness area , amazing amounts in many smallish herds . (Viewed in this area a black rhino for about 15 min about 200 metres away without it being aware of us . )
Thus chances of seeing predators ( and most other game ) are good at the right time , but as we know game presence is unpredictable .
At times have seen relatively little , but this probably only means that we werent in the right area .
Generally very good game viewing area .
You may spend time in river courses which run north / south adjacent to camp area , not very many high points , so walking not difficult , lots of level areas .

Thanks for the info andrew, but could I ask you to please say a little more... some advice etc.?

andrew--you've done 52 wilderness trails?!?!?! There doesn't seem to be a smiley-face for "extremely jealous." I guess the closest one is the green guy.

(BTW, for the powers-that-be: a jealous smiley-face would be used a lot on these forums, after hearing about everyone's trips.)

Thanks for your input, andrew. It sounds like a great area!

Yes , I have walked 52 trails over a timespan of 22 years , if it was not for a break between 2002 & 2007 my total could have been around 65 .
Have done a few back to back trails , where I could stay in the camp on my own on the Wednesday changeover .
I enjoyed Metsi Metsi the most of all with its hide overlooking the waterhole , but the whole area interests me a lot .
Have come accross a lioness with cubs in a cave along one of the water courses , lion kills , observed a elephant from such close quarters that we could hear the water running from its trunk into its throat , been mock charged from the water by a hippo cow , been observed by lions as we passed within 5 metres of them , seen leopard on 3 occasions in one day , watched hundreds of antelope drinking , while we were hidden behind foliage alongside a river pool 20 metres away ....
Too many fond memories to be able to repeat all .....

That sounds... incredible. I'm very very jealous

Has anyone been on Metsi in the last week or 2 who can report on the veld conditions & game sightings ?

South eastern Metsi Metsi trails area - last week .

Metsi Metsi trails area near N'wamuriwa .

Time to revive this one from page 12 before it dissappears - or mods ... is this a duplicate of another Metsi thread ?


Along the Nwatwitsontso towards the eastern boundary .

Pretty colours along the Metsi Metsi spruit .

Hello forumites,

SO and I are planning our next trip for september 2011. We very much like to try the Metsi Metsi Trail on. On the map the area looks a bit hilly and we are a little concerned about steep climbing. Is the trail convenient for people like us, with average fysical condition?
Any advise is welcome.

Peter

11/11 - 24/11 Kruger
24/11 - 27/11 Mapungubwe

Hi Daffy

Check out this Travel tale and it might answer a few of your questions!!

did the Metsi Metsi Trail last January, no hilly walking, no steep climbing at all!

Thanks for the quick reply.
CC for your story and pics and Ice for his reassurance. Think we will have a go!

We did the Metsi-Metsi September 2009, there are a few hills but if you are in a reasonable condition you will enjoy it. Prepare for about 13 km early morning and about 4 km in the afternoon.

IMO the best of the KRUGER trails.