SKUKUZA Rest Camp is one we tend to avoid. It is the biggest and busiest of all the camps in Kruger and Bill and I tend to keep away from madding crowds when we visit wild places. All the same, it has its charms. When we planned our whistle-stop Kombi tour of Kruger we had hoped to spend a night at Lower Sabie but there had been no camping sites available there.
Even Croc Bridge had been full so Skukuza was our only option if we wanted to spend a little more time in the deep south.
As it turned, Skukuza proved a good choice. We always forget just how pretty the area is around this busy camp and the camping area was much quieter than we remembered it being on previous visits. Also, getting there involved driving one of the most beautiful roads in Kruger. It was only five o’clock in the morning when the dawn chorus of birds and bush sounds woke us after our first night in Kruger, at Malelane Camp.
As we had chosen a long, roundabout route to Skukusa we headed out of the gates as soon as they opened.
Kruger was still very much in the grip of a fierce, almost nationwide drought and the area around Malelane looked absolutely desiccated in places. August is a dry month and this part of the park is dry and rocky at the best of times, but we’d never seen it quite so harsh and arid, the trees still lacking any spring greenery and the grey dusty soil almost completely devoid of any sort of ground cover. We were relieved to find ourselves driving through a much more green and pleasant area, along the R25, alongside the mighty Crocodile River.
Drought is always distressing and it is much more pleasant to visit wild places during times of plenty. However, more and more, as our Kruger holiday progressed, we were made to realise that the dry times are all part and parcel of Mother Nature’s cycles. We were also amazed at Mother Nature’s resilience.
While the hippos appeared to be battling, most of the other animals appeared reasonably healthy and happy.
And the lack of rain hadn’t reined in Nature’s spring exuberance. Many of the trees, particularly those in river valleys and alongside waterways, were sprouting bright new leaves. It was quite wonderful how we’d be driving through a grey and tan landscape only to turn a corner to find ourselves in a world infused with green.
The first part of that day’s route was made brighter by the presence of quite a few raptors, including whitebacked vultures, a couple of tawny eagles and the first of the many bateleurs we were to see on the trip. We were able to watch these amazing aerobats at least once or twice every day while we were in the park.
There were also plenty of interesting water birds and waders in the river.
And we were fortunate to see the first the many saddlebilled and marabou storks we would spot patrolling Kruger’s river beds. We eventually moved away from the river and used the S108 as a short cut to the H4-2 and Lower Sabie, where we stopped for breakfast at this rest camp’ delightful, bird-filled day visitor area.
After our well-earned break we headed off along the S79, a beautiful route that followed the magnificent Sabie River. It was even more scenic than we’d remembered. The sandy river bed was alive with game and wherever we looked there were family groups of elephant, waterbuck and large herds of impala. We saw our first buffaloes, a small group of them, and were pleased to see they looked reasonably chubby in spite of the drought.
A little further on I saw one of the biggest crocs I had ever seen.
By the time we reached Nkuhlu picnic site we were ready for a cup of coffee and a rest in this shady riverside spot before tackling the final and loveliest section of the H4-1 to Skukuza. One of the park’s oldest camps, Skukuza really is so part of Kruger’s history and, with its magnificent trees, it is very attractive, too.
As we were travelling in the Kombi and didn’t have to put up a big tent, we only needed a little space and it was easy to find a quiet little spot in the camping area to claim as our own. We put out our chairs and tables to book it then drove off to one of our favourite Kruger spots, the renowned Lake Panic hide not far from the entrance to Skukuza.
We have spent many happy hours there and although birding and game viewing wasn’t too productive this time round it was just wonderful revisiting this much-loved place.
There is also a great indigenous plant nursery nearby and I have been known to indulge in a bit of retail therapy there on previous Kruger visits, but I am running out of space in my garden so resisted the temptation this time around.
After a peaceful afternoon at Lake Panic we treated ourselves to a leisurely sundowner on the terrace alongside the river before retreating to the campsite we’d claimed. It had been a really wonderful first day in this huge slab of preserved Africa we call Kruger National Park. Now we were more than ready to retire for the night and to go to sleep to the sound of the nighttime bush symphony. Even in busy Skukuza, it was pretty impressive.
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