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• Mopani/Tsendze

Mopani/Tsendze game viewing

Mopani and Tsendze are located in dense mopaneveld in the north of the Kruger National Park. The dense vegetation makes it difficult to find game, but it becomes easier in the open area east of the camps. This is one of the best places in the whole park to find tsessebe, especially on the S143 and southern S50. The S143 is also good for eland and roan, while the S50 may produce sightings of reedbuck. Elephants are also very common around Mopani, and some of them have massive tusks!

Scroll over the map…

Explore the game-viewing area around Mopani and Tsendze by scrolling over the dynamic map below. Photographs will appear as you move over points of interest, such as camps, roads and waterholes. For more information on a specific point of interest, just click!

What do you want to see in the vicinity of Mopani and Tsendze?

This is just a short overview of roads in the Mopani/Tsendze area:

	Predators The dense mopaneveld in this region is not ideal for lions and cheetahs, although I have seen both species on the S49 before. I have also found lions moving along the S50 between the Nshawu Waterholes. Your best bet for leopards would have to be a slow, early-morning drive along the Tsendze River on the H1-6 south. Don't forget to explore the little loop roads close to the river. Spotted hyaenas are relatively common around Mopani.
	Elephants and buffaloes You can expect to see elephants on all the roads around Mopani and Tsendze. For the best elephant sightings, I would drive the S143 because it is very open in the central section, where elephant bulls often gather in great numbers. Buffaloes are also common around Mopani and Tsendze. Look for them on the H1-6 south and H1-6 north near Bowkerkop Waterhole and Olifantsbad pan.
	Hippos The best place to look for hippos in the vicinity of Mopani and Tsendze is undoubtedly Shipandani Hide! A lot of water gathers here in the Tsendze River, making it possible for hippos to use the pool for most of the year. They gather in families of 10 or more, and the hide allows you to see and hear them from very close up! Pioneer Dam in front of Mopani camp is also good for hippos. Pioneer Hide can be reached from the S142.
	Rare antelope Mopani is great for rare antelopes, especially tsessebe and eland. For the best chance of seeing tsessebe, I would recommend driving the southern stretch of the S50 (past the Nshawu Waterholes) and the S143 Tropic of Capricorn Loop. On the latter, they may be seen in the tall grass mopaneveld or the open plains around Tihongonyeni Waterhole. This is also a great place to look for eland and roan. Look for reedbuck around the Nshawu Waterholes on the S50.
	Scenery The S143 Tropic of Capricorn Loop is definitely my favourite in the Mopani region. The vegetation opens up completely around Tihongonyeni Waterhole, resembling the Serengeti plains. Great numbers of game gather here. The area just behind Shipandani Hide is rocky and very beautiful. The open areas that run along the Nshawu River on the S50 are also worth exploring. This section is especially scenic on a misty summer's morning.
	Birds Look out for ostriches at Tihongonyeni Waterhole on the S143. At the small cement bridge at Shipandani Hide, you may see blacksmith lapwing, green-backed heron, three-banded plover and black crake, among others. Also look for white-backed night-heron at the hide itself! Check for yellow-billed oxpeckers on any buffalo herd you may come across and be on the lookout for black coucals and Montagu's and pallid harriers in the vicinity of Nshawu Dam.

Remember, any road has the potential to produce incredible sightings. Luck certainly plays a role, but by driving specific roads at suitable times of the day, you can drastically improve your chances of seeing specific species. Visit our Handy tips page for more game-viewing tips.