A bird hide is a shelter from which to watch birds and there are many of them in Kruger National Park.
The shelter is built in such a way to let you see out while camouflaging you so as not to disturb the wildlife.
Hides are fantastic places to watch birds, but not only that, they can also be great for observing other animals.
Some hides in Kruger National Park are positioned overlooking lakes, dams and rivers (and in fact, these are the most interesting ones). Hides in these kinds of locations are especially good for watching hippos and crocodiles.
There are a number of hides scattered around Kruger Park. Some of them are signposted from the road, while others are in rest camps. Depending on the type of rest camp, the hide may only be accessed by camp residents and not open to day visitors.
If you want to spend some exclusive time in a Kruger Park bird watching hide, there are two in the game reserve which convert to basic accommodation at night. These hides are known as overnight hides and the two which you can sleep in are called Sable and Shipandani.
If you’re near Skukuza Rest Camp, we definitely recommend spending a little time at the Lake Panic hide. We think it’s the best hide of all the ones in Kruger Park!
There’s always a good variety of birds there, it has a great atmosphere, especially near dawn or dusk, and there are other animals there too which you can’t fail to miss!
Here’s an extra piece of information for those that wanted to know – there are no bathrooms or toilets at bird watching hides, so make sure you plan ahead!
The exception to this is at the sleepover hides, where there are toilets for use by those staying overnight.
When you’re in a bird watching hide, quiet is the order of the day. This is so any birds nearby don’t get scared away and other birds are not put off from coming close.