Wild Shingwedzi Camp, Kruger Park

'We won’t stop for lions or leopards, as I’m sure you’ve seen enough of those,' remarked our ranger Matthew Burnett about the large concentration of game around Shingwedzi Camp. Vlakteplaas, just to the north, has the highest number of sightings a day in the park.

Shingwedzi, in the central region of Kruger, is derived from the Tsongan word ngwetse which means both ‘place of ironstone’ and the ‘k-r-r-r’ shriek of metal rubbing against metal. No such noise disturbs visitors; compared to Satara and Skukuza, the camp remains tranquil, even when it’s fully booked.

Shingwedzi’s attraction is greater than that; we visited in mid-July, but north of the Tropic of Capricorn, it was T-shirt weather. And the landscape! It changes from an autumnal bronze, to a lovely, fiery orange and brilliant green. Here buffalo and elephant roam and this section of Kruger is home to more than half of the elephants in the park. Ellies are visible daily in the riverine area close to camp and they’re regularly spotted crossing the road. A troop of baboons has made the river’s sand flats its home and the members are often seen playing a few hundred metres from the camp entrance, much to the delight of leopards waiting in the dense, leafy surrounds.

On arrival

We entered the park from the Phalaborwa Gate via the R71 from the N1, as we wanted to get into Kruger as soon as we could, but not necessarily to our camp. From the gate it’s 131 kilometres to Shingwedzi, following the H14 and H1-6. Another option is Punda Maria Gate 70 kilometres to the north, but I’d suggest this as a better option for exiting the park.

The leisurely drive from Phalaborwa rewarded us with a mamba, puff adder, hyena and plenty of birds and elephants. The large number of buffaloes we saw explains the number of lions and Shingwedzi’s reputation for its record Big Five sightings.

With the sun having just set, six kilometres from Shingwedzi and just five minutes to ‘gateline’ (Kruger jargon), we found the road barred by a wall of grey skin. About two kilometres further, we were delayed by a pair of spotted eagle owls (also common to this area), silhouetted against an ochre sky. While they were telescoping towards rustles in the grass and we had long lenses focused on them, three vehicles passed us in quick succession. We set off with the vehicle’s clock showing 17h31, a minute after the gates close in winter. This is the common dilemma visitors face: trying to make distant camps before ‘gateline’.

Lion around

With about one kilometre to go, we found the three vehicles which had passed us with their lights shining on a lion pair, standing in the middle of the H1-6. Matthew later informed us that this breeding pair, one of three in the area, is often seen around Shingwedzi. The female looked relaxed, enjoying the male’s attention and lounging on the warm tar while he walked around her, pawed her tail, sat and then made another pass. Finally, one of the vehicles inched forward on the gravel of the right-hand verge and we slid into his slot. The male bristled at this encroachment, the vehicle in front inched forward and then the male advanced with ‘the look’. The Toyota’s reverse lights came on and we were back where we started.

After hesitating for a moment, we tried to pass on the left verge, with the Toyota driver admonishing us with a ‘not a hell’. We went as far left as we could, then waited and watched. Big mistake. At about three metres away the male jumped up and we hit reverse, him ready to advance (you shouldn’t run away from a lion; does the same apply to driving?). He abruptly turned around and returned to his mate.

It was an enlightening encounter; all four cars’ passengers sitting high off the tar protected by metal and glass and yet kept honest by two lions.

Eventually we were able to pass and 10 minutes later were through the gate. Our encounter with the lions was a thrilling end to a day of game viewing.

The camp

Shingwedzi is nestled beside the Shingwedzi River in mopane country, close – but not too close – to the river’s flood level. Unlike Olifants Camp, perched high above that magnificent river, with awesome scenery but somehow detached from the surroundings, Shingwedzi embraces the surrounding bushveld. The limited use of paving, the tall palms elbowing the thatch cottages and the abundance of squirrel-filled trees lend the camp a relaxed atmosphere.

The next morning I walked between the fever trees and palms to the reception area to take note of the recent sightings. Everything from leopards to wild dogs, and mostly on a dirt road – the S50 – that starts on the east side of the camp and skirts the river. This is one of the best drives in the park. It has dozens of mini loops to get you closer to the river, and elephants love this area for its massive trees towering over the water. It was here we spotted our first crocs.

Further down we saw a bloated carcass of a hippo floating in the middle of the river, with a croc nearby readying itself for a spot of lunch. We also found bigger tusks in this area, which wasn’t surprising as one of Kruger’s largest male elephants, Machichule, claims this section as his stomping ground.

The area around Shingwedzi teems with life. It’s 200 metres closer to sea level than Punda Maria, which means it’s warmer and greener.

Red Rocks Loop

Another great day trip is the Red Rocks Loop, across rivers and through forest and woodlands along the S52. This route takes you to a number of viewpoints, and Red Rocks is one of a few we’d recommend. Look out for dwarf mongoose, vervet monkeys and elephants.

On our night drive, the highlight was two martial eagles sleeping in a tree and a bushbaby that most of us didn’t see. We saw a lot more on the early-morning and late-afternoon drives, mostly because the vegetation is dense, making night-time spotting difficult.

Matthew mentioned regular sightings of a pride of 14 lions. We also visited Shingwedzi Bridge close to the camp, where you are allowed to leave your vehicle to snap some photos. It’s a very popular spot for sundowners.

While braaiing local meat under a sky shot through with stars, we discussed what we saw that day.

‘Did you notice how everything turned green as we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn? It started with that rainbow when the sun came out.’ I said. Instead of gold at the end of the rainbow, we found the Big Five and other animals – and in great numbers. That’s the appeal of Shingwedzi – nature comes to you.

Want the whole guidebook? Buy the Getaway Guide to Kruger National Park here.