OK, here's what I would do:

Day 1.

It depends a bit on when you start and the weather, but I would probably take the direct route to Lower Sabie (H11 - H4-1), check in, and have breakfast/lunch at the restaurant. If it is a hot day I would then wait until 3h30 or 4 p.m. before heading south on the H4-2, S28 and then back to camp along the H4-2 again. If time allows, you could loop back along the S25, S108 and H5 to the H4-2

Day 2

- Leave Lower Sabie as soon as the gate opens in the morning (yep, that's at 4.30 a.m.!)

- Turn left/east onto the H4-1 towards Crocodile Bridge.

- Turn left again, crossing the Sabie River north onto the H10.

- Follow the H10 for almost its entire length towards Tshokwane.

- 2 km before Tshokwane, turn right/north onto the Orpen Dam Loop.

- Bypass the dam, continue north along the S35 Lindanda Road for its entire length.

- At the T-junction turn left/west onto the S37 Trichardt Road.

- Follow the Trichardt for 12 km to the H1-3 tar road.

- Cross the H1-3 west onto the S33 Vutomi Road.

- At the T-junction at the end turn right/north onto the S36 Nhlanguleni Road.

- Stop at the Nhlanguleni picnic site for a leg-stretch, toilet break and drinks (these are for sale, but bring your own snacks). This picnic spot is much nicer than the human zoo that goes by the name Tshokwane.

- Continue north along the S36, then turn right/east onto the S125 N'waswitsontso Road.

- At the end turn right/south onto the H1-3 tar road, all the way to Skukuza. You pass the Tshokwane zoo en route, where you will find public toilets, a curio shop and café.

I would do this in about nine hours, but YMMV.

This suggestion is based on the assumption that the rainy season has actually started on time, so that there is water in the veld and the game spread out. If it is bone dry, that changes things.

I've also planned the route to minimize the amount of traffic which you are likely to encounter. Overcrowding is the bane of southern Kruger. I've driven this very route and only met the first oncoming vehicle after 3h50, but that's probably a world record. Once again, YMMV.

Scenically, you will find this route is very varied. Wide open areas along the H10, Nkumbe Mountain lookout, the cliffs at N'wamuriva, the mixed bushveld along the Lindanda and Trichardt, Delagoa Thorn thickets along the Vutomi and N'waswitsontso and mixed broad-leaved bushveld on granite along the S36. The tar down to Skukuza passes through a variety of habitats and runs along the Sand River for some distance.

An alternative route would be H4-1, S82, H4-2, H5, S108, S25, S119, S118, H3, S112, S114, H1-1 (southwest), S65, S1 (west), S4, S4, H11. Very different!

If it going to be a hot and sunny day, I urge you to leave as early as possible. It makes a tremendous difference. Should it be rainy, I still recommend an early start, if only because you will need to drive at a lower speed to not miss anything. It is a misconception that one does not see game when it rains. You can see anything and everything, even in torrential rain. Take it from me.

One caveat: although I'm in the habit of planning my game drives meticulously, it is imperative to play it by ear. You should change your route at the drop of a hat, if circumstances so dictate.

Huh? Really? Of course they will pick up at Skukuza, or anywhere else in the entire KNP for that matter. I speak from experience.

Johan