r/krugerpark • u/Own-Excitement6394 • 5d ago
❓ Trip Planning General questions about upcoming visit!
Hi all!
Will be back in Kruger for the first time in over a decade and just have some general questions as it’s been a while! Will be staying in Satara and Lower Sabie for 3 nights each for 6 nights in total. Curious to know what everyone’s preferred routes to take when staying at these camps and was also looking at doing either a sunset drive or nighttime drive. Which is better and more rewarding?
There’s also a couple of animals I’m particularly looking out for as I’ve never seen these in the wild. I know a lot if not all are quite rare or practically impossible but wanted to know if anyone had seen them recently or which route would be possible to see them! These are the ones I’m hoping to see for the first time!
•Porcupine
•Pangolin (obviously aware you can’t share exact location but are they more known to be found down south, central or north?)
•Cape clawless otter
•Sable antelope( have seen they’ve been quite frequent near pretoriuskop but don’t think we’ll be heading around that area)
•Roan antelope and eland (are they strictly up north or have they ever been seen central or southern)
•Civet
•aardvark, aardwolf and bushpig (do these even exist in Kruger? Have never seen any indication of their existence in Kruger)
•caracal (this is the only cat I’ve yet to see in Kruger and the one I’m dying to see most!)
Unfortunately, I have a feeling some of these will be more northern than we’re planning on going to but can always hope! Definitely don’t except to see all if at all any but can always get lucky with one or two! Thank you in advance!
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u/GHOwl102 4d ago
Pangolin - if it happens it happens - cant plan for it.
Sable/Roan/Eland - someone reported them this week Around Mopani - I beleive there is a herd around PKop
Porcupine - H10
Satara - Most productive Routes are H7,H6, S100-S41-S90 loop and Timbawati loop
Lower Sabie - H4-1 and H4-2, S28, S36 - If you have 3 nights here, one day you can drive up to Skukuza/stop at Lake Panic. Down H3 to berg en dal and drive back to L Sabie thru S25 - Will be a long day, but productive day.
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u/Own-Excitement6394 4d ago
Yeah pangolin I have the least hope but my aunt and uncle saw one a couple of weeks ago so I’m hopeful! Definitely the luck of the draw!
Thank you for the routes!
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u/TheBadgerSlayer 4d ago
Hey check out krugercompanion.co.za and the app, should help you find out more about these animals and where to find them :)
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u/SoftEmu 4d ago
I know less about the Satara area but regularly head to Lower Sabie. As for the question about drives I personally prefer a nighttime drive as while the sunset drive gives you the best of both worlds, I find there is considerable overlap with what you might see during the day. Late night drives on the other hand for me have always felt better in terms of night time critters. Porcupines, civets, genets etc. are decently common in the south depending on the route the guide takes you but possible in at Satara as well.
Otters are seen fairly regularly along the Sabie river from the bridge right by camp all the way to Skukuza. I have personally only seen them twice in the park, once by the bridge and once just north of Lubyelubye. Early mornings on the bridge are probably your best bet. The other species are much harder to target however.
Both Sable and Roan antelope occur in the south but primarily around Pretoriouskop. I dont know if they are still there but the only herd of Roan in the Southern Kruger were in the area of the H2-2 heading south from pretoriouskop (otherwise best found around Shingwedzi in the north). Sable antelope can be found in pockets across the south. I have seen them around Pretoriouskop (S14) and along the first 2ish km of the western side of the s30 (half way between Lower Sabie and Skukuza). Allegedly they are seen along the s108 (east of Biyamiti but I have had no luck there).
Eland I believe only occur in the north (Mopani and up). I have only ever seen them around Mopani and Shingwedzi.
Porcupines are more common in the further south you go in the park but the rest of the species are almost purely a luck thing. Aardvark I have heard gets seen the most around Biyamiti but thats probably confirmation bias and they are as common (or uncommon) everywhere around the park.
Aardwolf and and bushpigs are in the park but very very uncommon. I havent personally seen either in the park in the 25 years I have been going. Caracal is much in the same position unfortunately. I believe that night drives from Satara are the most consistent for them but I cannot say for sure.
From Lower Sabie you could try and target both Sable and the otters by starting out on the bridge and driving north towards Mlondozi turning west onto the s128 and then s30 (Very scenic river road but was closed due to flooding earlier this year not sure if open). This would give you the best chance at both otter and sable for a nice morning loop. I would also suggest taking heading south and doing the S28 towards croc bridge and back up (my personal favourite road in the park with solid chances of all 3 big cats).
Around Satara unfortunately I have not done enough to have a must do route but I have had success with the eastern roads surrounding the camp (s100, H5, and s90 i think). Night drive from the camp are always a treat as well.
Most of the nighttime critters you want to see are possible at both camps though so try your luck. Enjoy the trip!
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u/Own-Excitement6394 4d ago
Greatly appreciate it! Thank you for the information and putting some routes in!!
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u/ExitCheap7745 4d ago
There is definitely a herd of Sable that hangs out around the Biyamiti river. A few years ago I saw a large heard in the riverbed from the H3.
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u/Automatic_Bar2918 4d ago
For what it’s worth, I saw a rooikat (caracal) on a sunset drive from Satara in June, but it’s complete luck. That drive was spectacular. Multiple lion sightings plus rooikat, serval, and African wild cat. I have been visiting the Kruger for almost 30 years and I have never had a drive like that before. Good luck!
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u/Own-Excitement6394 4d ago
Geez that is lucky! Did a sunset drive at Satara last time and managed to see serval and wild cat but no caracal:/
Hopefully will get lucky this time around! Thank you!
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u/ExitCheap7745 4d ago
Most of your sighting list is luck based, but here are some tips.
Cape clawless otter, as you’re staying at LS, hang out on the bridge early in the morning. Generally on the side closest to camp.
Roan and Eland are strictly up North. There have been vagrants in the South over the years but that’s a rarity. Contrary to popular belief there are no roan around Pretoriuskop.
Sable, their footprint is much bigger than the antelopes mentioned above. I’ll mention the areas that you’re going to be around. They are seen relatively often on the H1-2 between the H12 and Kruger Tablets. They are also seen on the S128 and S30(closed unfortunately). You can also see them around the Talamati area, so H7, S36, S146 area.
I’ve seen bush pig on a sunset drive from Satara at Nsemani dam.
Good luck. Don’t waste your time with sighting apps.
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u/Ruggiard 4d ago
My own preference is sunset drives. Mostly for the mood at sunset. Many of your fellow tourists will be all about seeing cats and feel almost a pressure to get to the next sighting, but the mood on the open vehicle at dusk and during sunset is incomparable.
What I dislike about night and after-dark driving (which you also get on sunset drives) is the intrusiveness: in daytime, observing the animals is mostly passive. At night, you shine high-powered torches and headlights into their faces inevitably disrupting their behaviour. I never liked that
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u/Forward_Specific_606 4d ago
Sunset drive is best of both worlds. Don't do a nighttime drive if raining or even windy as you won't see anything as animals hunker down. And a Bush Braai is medium sunset drive+meal in bush+short night drive!