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• Game viewing |
• in this area |
• Skukuza |
• Lake Panic Hide

Lake Panic Hide

(On the S42 near Skukuza golf course)

Lake Panic Hide is approximately 7km from Skukuza and overlooks a very scenic and productive birding spot of the lake. The best time to visit is in the late afternoon when the sun is behind you.

The view from the hide is spectacular in the late afternoon!

The hide is ideal for photography, and it is not only birds who make great subjects: hippos and monitor lizards are often seen, as well as crocodiles, terrapins and a variety of insects. Look for the dragonflies on the water lilies in front of the hide.

Don't be surprised to see –  and hear –  hippos from the hide.	Search in the thickets next to the hide for monitor lizards.
The hide is ideal for bird photography and provides ample opportunity to capture birds in flight.	A goliath heron hunts on the edge of Lake Panic.

A number of bird species can be seen from the hide, so remember to bring binoculars, a bird book, something to drink and snacks, because you might end up spending longer than you'd anticipated! Larger birds include the goliath heron, grey heron, African darter, reed and white-breasted cormorants and Egyptian goose. White-faced ducks are sometimes seen flying over  the hide. Also search for green-backed and squacco herons, along with black-crowned night-heron; they are often seen on the fringes or in the reeds.

On the lily pads, look for African jacana, lesser gallinule and black crake. Pied kingfishers, pigmy and malachite kingfishers are generally present. Also search for wire-tailed swallows, thick-billed weavers and black-winged stilts.

Make sure you give yourself at least 30 minutes to get back to Skukuza. You can do it in less time, but the H11 tar road has speed traps and is known for wild dog sightings in the late afternoon. In the late afternoon the gravel road from the hide is also good for leopards, so you might want to stop to enjoy the sightings…

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