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• H1-1

H1-1

(Tar road between Pretoriuskop and Skukuza)

The H1-1 tar road is the main road between Pretoriuskop and Skukuza and can be extremely productive on a good day. On a poor day, however, it can produce very few sightings… but that is just the way of the bush. Unpredictability leads to anticipation and anticipation leads to excitement…

Where the H1-1 splits away from the road that runs between Numbi Gate and Pretoriuskop camp, the vegetation is typical sourveld – tall grass with many silver cluster-leaf and marula trees. Kudus and vervet monkeys are common here and buffalo may also be seen.

A kudu in tall grass near Pretoriuskop on the H1-1.	A herd of buffaloes cross the road near Pretoriuskop.

As you drive east on the H1-1 the vegetation opens up completely around Shitlave Dam. This little detour to the dam is definitely worth making, for you have a good chance of seeing hippos, waterbucks, baboons and even elephants. Kudus are still common in this area, and scan the open plains for eland – an antelope that can be very difficult to find in the Kruger National Park.

The western section of the H1-1 is very open in the vicinity of Shitlave Dam.	Shitlave Dam is a great place to watch hippos.

The central stretch of the H1-1 is my least favourite part of the road. It runs through broad-leaved vegetation and is generally quiet in terms of game viewing, although I have had some amazing sightings along here, including wild dogs. The short S11 gravel loop takes you past the Napi Boulders, and may produce good buffalo sightings.

It might be worth your while to take the short S11 gravel loop in the central section of the H1-1. It passes the Napi Boulders.

Further east you will find the turnoff to Transport Dam. This can be a very productive area and I recommend you visit the dam on a number of occasions during your stay, especially early in the morning. Lions are often found in the vicinity of the dam, and so are white rhinos, buffaloes and elephants. If you are fortunate, you may see four of the Big Five on this little stretch from the tar road to the dam (with the exception of leopard, which is hard to find at the best of times).

The famous Battle at Kruger documentary of lions and a crocodile playing tug-of-war with a buffalo calf was filmed here.

The central section of the H1-1 runs through broad-leaved veld.	Transport Dam is great for birdwatching.
Look for comb ducks at Transport Dam in summertime.	Wattled starlings are also common in summer.

Birds at Transport Dam include blacksmith lapwing, African fish-eagle, water thick-knee, red-billed buffalo-weaver, among many others!

Finally, as you near Skukuza, the vegetation along the H1-1 changes again. Where the H3 road from Malelane joins from the south, the H1-1 runs through a few very scenic koppies with large boulders. Here you have a great change of seeing predators, including lion, spotted hyaena and leopard. As always, early mornings and late afternoons are best. I have seen a lioness use one of these koppies as a den site for her cubs. The vegetation from here to Skukuza is relatively dense and consists of fine-leaved acacia veld which is very scenic. Early mornings and late afternoons often produce lion, leopard and wild dog sightings on this last 12km of the H1-1 in the east.

The view from Mathekenyane Koppie.	The H1-1 close to Skukuza.

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