Accommodation
The World's Finest Safari Lodges
The Greater Kruger Park is blessed with the world's leading safari lodges,
where your every whim is fulfilled. You can enjoy stunning cuisine and
spa treatments whilst Big Five sightings are orchestrated on
your behalf by trackers out beating the bush from before dawn until after
dusk (when you relax and look at a breathtakingly bejewelled sky).
Ulusaba nestles into a Sabi Sand koppie with stunning views
ulusaba >
Exclusivity is guaranteed with lodges consisting of the most stylish
and luxurious thatched, individual units built after the traditional style, but offering all modern amenities including outdoor showers with stunning views and, in some cases, plunge pools. They ensure privacy and solitude by limiting their capacity to five or six rooms per camp.
Private Reserves
Most of these luxury destinations are adjacent to the national Kruger Park boundary, with no fences between them and the Park, where the animals roam freely (the "Greater Kruger"). Certain other developments are self-contained reserves, often on huge tracts of land which also carry the major "must-see" Kruger species.
The major advantage of the luxury lodge experience is that the privately-owned land offers greater flexibility than a budget, self-drive tour. You will generally benefit from a rich interpretative experience courtesy of keen and knowledgeable Guides. The standard of guiding is extremely high in Kruger's luxury venues.
By choosing one of these venues, you can justifiably expect to see some of the vaunted 'Big Five'. It is possible to drive yourself around the Kruger for a day enjoying a stunning wilderness experience without seeing as much as an elephant (if you are very unlucky). Here, Guides will not give up until you have been rewarded and, given that the roads are more accessible and Guides drive off them anyway, chances are much better.
Open vehicles go off-road to pursue sightings in the Private Reserves
Cat sightings are a particular speciality in some areas like the Sabi Sand. Here, Leopards are frequently seen, given that you would need to spend weeks on the tourist drags of the Kruger to be rewarded with a chance of seeing one.
As well as pursuing more elusive sightings by going off-road (a matter of course rather than exception), Guides also stay in radio contact for a few tens of kilometres around. You may find that your relaxed sundowner drive suddenly turns into a "Ferrari Safari" when some wild dogs on the rampage get reported on the radio from the far side of the concession.
Night drives are also possible at many of these venues, and subsequent entertainment is provided in the form of long tales around the camp fire (indeed, you may be woken to go and witness a kill in the middle of the night, if you so choose). Within the State facilities of the Kruger, you will largely be left to your own devices of an evening (but benefit from a clearer head for those dawn starts as a consequence). Note that the private reserves do NOT generally permit you to drive yourself.
Open vehicles go off-road to pursue sightings in the Private Reserves
lion sands >
Most of the top-end properties (for this they are in price) are found on
land in water-rich areas contiguous with the Park; these Private Reserves
are unfenced with the Kruger and share in its game.
A number also operate concession areas within the boundaries of the State
Park. These have exclusive rights to visitor activities over vast swathes
of land in their vicinity; guests should expect not to have their
tranquility spoilt as a consequence.
An upmarket example is Jock Safari Lodge, named for Jock of the Bushveld, a much-loved story written by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick about his loyal companion dog, Jock, at the time of the first gold rush. Jock Safari Lodge is located in prime Big Five territory between the Skuzuza and Malelane gates offering 6,000 exclusive hectares to explore.
We have created some excellent itineraries combining the best of these Kruger concessions and Private Reserves- follow the link to our Connoisseur's Collection Safaris.
A good place to start any description of South African safaris would be
the far south of the Kruger region, to which you could drive from Johannesburg
in four hours or fly in less than one (into Kruger Mpumalanga Airport by scheduled flight, or directly to any of these Lodges by charter).
A favoured destination, particularly for international tourists with dollars
to spend, is the Sabi Sand Wildtuin. This is the heart of the South African
bush and is the place of fairytale experiences.
This well-known Reserve derives its name from its two perennial rivers
that ensure it offers a particularly game-rich experience. Londolozi,
a name forever associated with leopards after haunting National Geographic
films were made here, blazed a trail in turning African eco-tourism into
a luxury pursuit for the super-rich in the 1970s. It remains an extremely
high class establishment and charges accordingly.
Recent Sabi Sand recipients of international acclaim have been Sir
Richard Branson's Ulusaba property with its stunning position atop a
koppie, and the newer Leopard Hills Private Reserve
on its perch next to a busy waterhole close to the epic Sand River.
Further north within Sabi Sand, and slightly more affordable, is the outstanding Vuyatela, with its stunning
contemporary design. It is home to the impressive online game drive which you can see here.
A well kept secret here worth bearing in mind if you
are travelling in a large group, is that you can take over the entirety
of the remote and rustic Galago Camp at a price that represents remarkable value. Whilst this destination is usually self-catering, a chef can be arranged, and it does benefit from the same excellent rangers and trackers offering morning and evening game drives and walks. You also get a vehicle to yourselves.
Nkorho is also in the northern part of the Sabi Sand Wildtuin and, like the two Djuma properties, occupies a prime location close to where the fence to the Kruger used to be. It also has a reputation for offering good value for money.
Sabi Sand features in our own Kruger Explorer and "Of Kings and Beasts" safaris.
MANYELETI
Adjacent to the Sabi Sand, and unfenced with it and the Kruger, is the Manyeleti Reserve. There are excellent lodges here too, including two gloriously located luxury tented safari camps at Honeyguide.
An unusual up-market destination here is Tintswalo Lodge, which is built in the style of the ancient city of Zimbabwe. Also here, we use Tintswalo Manor House as the climax to our own guided Blue Swallow Birding Safari. This is well suited to slightly larger groups. Tintswalo has fared well in the last couple of years' annual Bush Banquet cuisine competition held in Hoedspruit.
Further North
Further north lovely Big Five reserves include Thornybush and Timbavati. These are a five hour drive from Johannesburg, or conveniently accessed by flying into Hoedspruit Eastgate or Phalaborwa airports on domestic flights.
Thornybush offers the stunning new Shumbalala
property with its Presidential Suite, as well several longer-established (and more
modestly priced) choices. Thornybush features in the Kruger2Canyons.com "Royal Indulgence" Safari.
View of elephants drinking from Shumbalala's underground wine cellar
We use the Timbavati area in our "Of Kings and Beasts" Safari and private camps here and the adjacent Klaserie in our Wilderness Journey. These and the neighbouring Balule Private Reserves share their territory (unfenced) with
the Kruger, but are not open to National Park or day visitors of the human variety. The walking is outstanding in these wilderness big five areas.
OTHER GOOD PRIVATE RESERVES
Other reserves at a further remove from the Kruger (a fence or
two typically separates them from the Park itself) also offer safari experiences
that follow the same format as the most expensive destinations. Some, such
as Makalali operate
exclusively within such large regions as to be able to deliver some very
high quality game viewing opportunities but at lower prices. Garonga is an excellent, slightly cheaper option. We choose to use its spectacular luxury tented accommodation in our Highlands and Savannah Botany Safari (itinerary by special arrangement only due to limited Guide availability).
The other major Reserve in the Hoedspruit area is Kapama, This is exceptionally convenient for the jetset with an entrance opposite the gate to Hoedspruit airport, and is differentiated by its own elephant-back safari operation. Also on this block of land is the Endangered Species Breeding Project, which is open to the public.
Kruger2Canyons offers a section dedicated to some more affordable, mid-range
Lowveld lodges. Look at our special offers for the latest deals.
