Page 345 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

KRUGER NA TIONAL P ARK  343

Lower Sabie Tshokwane Picnic Site, which artificial waterholes attract
Favoured by many old Kruger lies along an old wagon trail cut plenty of predators. The open
hands, Lower Sabie, like Skukuza in the 1880s, and is named after terrain is particularly suited to
43 km (27 miles) upstream, a Shangaan chief who lived cheetahs, which are often
stands at the junction of three there until his death in 1915. seen crossing the roads around
excellent game-viewing roads, Tshokwane is shaded by a giant Satara, and it also makes it
but the camp is far smaller and Kigelia africana (known as the relatively easy to see lion kills.
more intimate. The chalets sausage tree due to its large About 50 km (31 miles) west
survey an expanse of the Sabie elongated fruit) and the kiosk of Satara, near Orpen Gate, the
River regularly visited by underneath is a pleasant place self-catering Tamboti Camp
elephants and buffaloes, while to stop for breakfast or lunch. offers a fabulous budget bush
Sunset Dam, 2 km (1 mile) out- experience in standing tents
side the camp, is exceptional for Satara and the Central Plains carved into the riparian forest
hippos, storks, kingfishers and North of Tshokwane, the along the seasonal Timbavati
other aquatic birds. The roads countryside transforms into River. At the other end of the
running south towards Croco- price range, the ultra-exclusive
dile Bridge are as reliable for Singita Lebombo and Sweni
rhinos as anywhere in the park. Lodges combine safari chic
with superb game-viewing
The H4-1 and Nkuhlu in a ruggedly mountainous
Picnic Site 150 km sq (58 sq mile)
Dubbed Piccadilly Circus, concession on the Mozam-
the surfaced H4-1 between bique border, 25 km (15 miles)
Skukuza and Lower Sabie is east of Satara.
probably the park’s most
reliably rewarding game- Olifants Camp
viewing road, but – as its The most northerly camp on
nickname suggests – it also the main tourist circuit situated
carries a high volume of tourist 55 km (34 miles) past Satara,
traffic. Following the south Olifants has a stunning location
bank of the Sabie River for on a tall cliff overlooking the
43 km (27 miles), you might broad flood-plain of the river
spot lion, elephant, rhino, A group of Giraffes gathered in a clearing after which it is named. Look-
buffalo, giraffe and greater in Kruger National Park out platforms allow one
kudu, and it’s the best place to see the river below as an
in Kruger to look for leopards. an open savannah of grassland eagle would survey it. It offers
Be sure to stop at Nkuhlu Picnic and scattered trees. Situated arguably the best in-house
Site, set on the shady riverbanks in the thick of these central game-viewing of any public
of the Sabie River, where plains 90 km (56 miles) from rest camp, thanks to the large
crocodiles float past, monkeys Skukuza, Kruger’s second- numbers of elephant that come
play in the canopy, and African largest rest camp, Satara is to drink at the river below.
fish-eagle and half-collared rather characterless but well Game-viewing roads around
kingfisher hawk above the positioned for game drives. Olifants are often crossed by
water. To complete a round trip Although no major rivers flow large thousand-strong herds of
between Skukuza to Lower across this flat part of the buffalo, and the area is also a
Sabie, return via the dirt Salitje Kruger, large herds of zebra, stronghold for two antelope
Road north of the Sabie River. wildebeest and other grazers species: the handsome greater
forage on the open grassland kudu and the smaller cliff-
The H10 from Lower Sabie here and its scattering of loving klipspringer.
to Tshokwane
This quiet road running north
from Lower Sabie offers access
to several superb vantage
points overlooking reservoirs.
Mlondozi Dam has picnic
facilities and a shady terrace
overlooking the valley. Nkumbe
Lookout offers unparalleled
views over the plains below.
Orpen Dam, at the foot of the
N’wamuriwa hills, often attracts
greater kudu, elephant and
giraffe. The H10 connects with
the main H1-2 to Satara at The Olifants rest camp bungalows in Kruger National Park

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