Two/three-bed
bungalows (20). Two of these bungalows are equipped
for persons with physical disabilities.
Facilities
in these bungalows include:
• Beds
with bedding and towels
• Private
shower and toilet facilities
• Hand
basin
• Air
conditioner
• Clothes
Cupboard
• Table
and chairs
• Kitchenette
on the veranda:
• Two-plate
hotplate
• Fridge
• Electric
kettle
• Crockery & cutlery
(set of four: plates, side
plates, pudding bowls, glasses,
cups & saucers, knives & forks,
spoons and teaspoons)
• Pots
and frying pan
• Salad
bowl
• Bread
knife
• Egg
lifter
• Tin
opener
• Water
jug
Safari
Tents: There
are also eight two-bed safari tents in the camp. These tents
are built on wooden stilts and situated in the shade of big
trees. One of the tents has been adapted for handicapped
persons with a ramp to the wooden deck and an easily accessible
braai area.
Facilities
for these tents include:
• Beds
with bedding and towels
• Communal
shower and toilet facilities,
(1 adapted for handicapped
persons)
• Clothes
Cupboard
• Fridge
• Electric
fan
• Table
and chairs
• Cutlery
boxes are available at a fee
per night on request and includes
the following equipment:
• Crockery & cutlery
(set of four: plates, glasses,
cups & saucers, knives & forks,
spoons and teaspoons)
• Pot
and frying pan
• Teapot
• Frying
pan
• Egg
lifter
• Tin
opener
• Water
jug
Camping
Site: The campsite consists of twenty electrified
stands with movable braai grids. A sparkling camp kitchen
with 24-hour boiling water, electric hotplates and washing
up facilities forms part of the amenities provided. Two ablution
blocks (one part adapted to the needs of the handicapped)
are available to the campers.
Services
/ Facilities:
No
restaurant or cafeteria facilities exist in the camp, but
the camp shop does stock the basic food and drink requirements
together with a small compliment of books and curios. The
retail hours are the same as for the entrance gates. Laundromat
facilities are available - coin-operated washing machines
and tumble dryers can be used at any time during your stay.
Ecozones
near this camp:
• Knob
Thorn/Maroela Savannah
• Delagoa
Thorn Thickets
• Sabie/Crocodile
Thorn Thickets
General
Information:
• Climate
Crocodile
Bridge is in a summer rainfall area. Such precipitation is usually
convectional and can result in heavy downpours. The summer months
(October to April) are hot and often balmy. Winters are warm
and mild, although visitors going on night-drives will require
warm clothing.
• Day
Visitors
Crocodile Bridge has a designated picnic area which as the camp is
also an entrance gate to the park, is an ideal spot for breakfasts
for arriving visitors, and farewell meals for departing visitors
• Emergencies
Camp:
+27 13 735 6012
What
to do and see nearby:
• Gezantfombi
Dam
• Nhlanganzwani
Dam
• Hippo
Pool with Bushman Rock Art
Routes:
Only a couple
of kilometres north of Crocodile Bridge on the H4-2, the Gesanftombi
Dam attracts large numbers of game. By mid-morning there are
usually herds of zebra, wildebeest and impala milling around,
along with plenty of giraffe. Many rate the H4-2 tar road through
to Lower Sabie as one of the most productive in the entire
Park. Elephant, white rhino and lion are frequently seen and
wild dog are reported regularly. The H4-2 is a busy route for
through traffic travelling north, so it is a good idea to travel
this road early and pick one of the gravel roads for the return
trip. The S28 is a good route back to camp with a fair chance
of seeing cheetah and white rhino plus plenty of general game.
The S25 Crocodile
River Road is another prime route. Leopard are likely to be
seen early and late in the day, and lion are very plentiful
along the entire route. A few kilometres from camp on the S25
a short track branches to the left leading to Hippo Pool. Here
an armed Field Ranger is on duty daily to escort visitors on
the short walk to view the hippos. If you are travelling the
S25 mid afternoon a short detour to Gaisenga Waterhole on the
S26 is a good bet for elephant. This waterhole attracts plenty
of game and is in fact a pool on the Mpondo Spruit which is
generally dry throughout much of its course.
Although
the immediate area around Crocodile Bridge often teems with
game, the camp makes a good base for longer trips to other
excellent areas. The route through and beyond Lower Sabie is
very productive, as is the Mpondo Dam area on the S102.
Biyamiti
Bush Camp is situated about 25 kilometres west of Crocodile
Bridge. In recent years Biyamiti has become very popular
with visitors, and rightly so as the area offers outstanding
game viewing. The 22 kilometre S139 is accessible only to
visitors staying at Biyamiti. This is one of the most productive
roads in the Park for leopard and there is a very good chance
of seeing the rest of the Big Five as well. Even in the wet
summer months, when viewing is patchy in many areas, the
S139 remains consistently productive. Word seems to have
got around regarding the excellent game viewing at Biyamiti
and it is advisable to book several months in advance to
be sure of getting accommodation here.
Places
of special interest / History:
• It
started out as one of the first four ranger posts, around the
turn of the century (19th- 20th), with the camp coming into
existence in the 1930's. In 1987 the whole camp and gate setup
was revamped to include the present twenty rondavels, reception/shop
and a campsite.
• In
1996 the campsite was enlarged and during 1998 eight safari tents
and a new ablution block were added to the facilities in the
camp.
• The
railway bridge across the Crocodile River was severely damaged
during the floods of February 2000. One pillar was pushed over
and two iron spans collapsed and were washed some distance down
river. This bridge once formed part of the Selati Railway line
that wound its way through the park to Skukuza . Construction
on the bridge started in 1894 and was completed just before the
1900's.
• The
Selati Line was probably the start of mass tourism in the Kruger
Park with passenger trains following the route to Skukuza. Seeing
the historical importance of the bridge in that light, management
at Crocodile Bridge is investigating the possible repair of the
Railway Bridge and welcome any person or institution that has
an interest in this project to please contact us. For your convenience
we include an e-mail form which you may complete and "submit".
Wildlife:
• Mammals: Crocodile
Bridge is in great game viewing country and is an ideal venue
to pursue the big 5. Both rhino species are regularly seen.
Giraffe, zebra and several antelope species are usually seen
within a few hundred metres of the camp gate. Lion, leopard
and cheetah are all regularly recorded, while hyena patrol
the camp fence every night.
See mammal checklist
• Birding: A
special to be looked for in this area is the Pinkthroated Twinspot.
Blackbellied Starlings have also been recorded in this region.
The rest camp itself has a busy stream of bird activity. Look
for Orange-breasted Bush Shrike, Brown-headed Parrot and a
host of small ground feeding seedeaters such as waxbills, manikins,
firefinches, widowfinches and canaries.
• Vegetation: The
camp is situated in knob thorn/marula savannah on basalt soils.
Other prominent trees include the round-leafed teak. The grass
is sweet thus attracting many grazing species. Immediately
west is a zone of delagoa thorn thicket on ecca shale soil.
Here prevalent trees include the delagoa thorn and the magic
guarri. The grass is still sweet, but shorter. To the east
of camp is the Lebombo Mountain Range. Here the vegetation
differs again. However there are no public access roads into
this area.