Lower Sabie enjoys a well-deserved reputation of being an outstanding area from which to view game, and as a result, the camp has a very high occupancy rate. In fact, it is wise to book in advance, especially if you intend to visit during the popular winter period. The camp itself is lushly green and pleasant, and has a wonderful variety of 'resident' bird species.
Anyone of the three main viewing routes that radiate from the camp will offer varied and productive viewing, so it can be a tough decision knowing which one to explore first! One of my favourites is the main H4-2 heading south towards Crocodile Bridge. Lion, leopard and elephant are common along this entire road. Some fine herds of buffalo are also present, and are usually encountered in the first eight or so kilometres, where the H4-2 runs quite close to the Sabie River. White rhino too occasionally occur along this road, as do sizeable herds of giraffe and kudu. The best reward I have had over the last few years while travelling along the H4-2 has been the regular sighting of wild dog. Overall, this must be one of the top roads in the Park for both numbers and diversity of game.
Both the S28 and the S137, leading to Duke water hole, offer a fair opportunity to see cheetah and wild dog. If you head west on the S137 past Duke and turn right onto the S130, a small natural pan lies on the left-hand side, a short distance along this road. On every occasion that I have travelled this route towards evening, I have come across white rhino drinking at the pan.
The H4-1 main route through to Skukuza is both productive and very popular. Sunset Dam lies to the left, barely a kilometre from Lower Sabie. This is a favourite venue for photographers, and is particularly notable for the variety of water birds within easy camera range. It is tempting to spend an entire morning at Sunset Dam, but with so much to see along the length of the H4-1, I generally move on after an hour or so.
Closely following the Sabie River, the H4-1 is a prime route for elephant, buffalo and giraffe, as well as all of the common antelope species that occur in the park. Of course, these regular game movements are a magnet for lion, and it is by no means unusual to spot several prides in a morning's drive. A short detour along the S79 gravel road is also very productive for buffalo and lion.
During the dry winter months, the region to the north of Lower Sabie provides one of the grand spectacles of the Kruger Park. At times, huge herds of zebra and wildebeest gather for winter grazing, and good numbers of elephant are often present as well.
The most productive area lies towards Muntshe, between 10 and 25 kilometres north of Lower Sabie on the H10. The big cats take advantage of such a high concentration of prey species, and on one memorable drive I saw cheetah, leopard and lion within the space of a few kilometres along this route. It is also worth driving down the back roads on either side of the H10, and there is a stunning view of Mlondozi Dam from the parking area off the S29.
