Safari - Kruger National Park

It's not often we get the chance to do a self drive Safari into Kruger National Park but when we do get the chance we grab it with both hands - time is always limited for us so we need to plan a 4 to 5 hour trip maximum and here's what we do:

At 6 am Enter Phabeni Gate, 10 kms away from Blue Jay
Stay on the S1 tar road, also known as the Doispane Raod, heading towards Skukuza.

First stop off is at the Nyamundwa Dam about 20 kms in from Phabeni Gate for coffee and to take in the early sunrise view:

Continue along the Doispane Road, direction Skukuza and 4 kilometers from Skukuza there will be a turning for Lake Panic to your left, it's a gravel road and signposted.

Lake panic is one of those spots in Kruger that is very special - it's not a rest camp so having stopped in the veld, you can get out of your car - but then you don't hang around as you are in the bush and animals are about - you then make a dash for a gate and fenced walkway (offering protection) that leads you down to a Hide overlooking an amazing expanse of water called Lake Panic.

Not sure why it is called Lake Panic - our theory is that perhaps it describes the necessary mad dash from your vehicle to the gate and fenced walkway.

The best times are early morning to visit Lake Panic - hippos, crocodiles and the most stunning bird life can be seen. The serious photographers with very good cameras and huge lenses will always be seen at lake Panic as it is a photographer's paradise.  Our camera does not have one of those huge lenses (needing 2 people to carry them), so do appreciate that when you see the photos we took yesterday morning.

So this little Safari continues from Lake Panic, joining up with H1-1 going South and then continuing West on the same road and exiting at Numbi Gate - an excellent Self Drive Safari.