One of the best places in the world to go on safari is the Kruger National Park in South Africa. Kenya use to be “the” place to go but in many areas of the country it has become too commercialized. A lot of the safari guides in South Africa also suggest trying Botswana if you’re looking for an authentic safari experience without all the crowds. If you’re planning a trip to Kruger there are dozens of options on where to stay so here’s a look at some of the top safari camp choices.It’s probably going to come down to what your budget is when you’re deciding on a camp but then I always say if you’ve traveled half way around the world to go on safari now is not the time to penny pinch. You can always have a few less Starbuck coffees when you get home.
For my TRAVEL THERAPY safari experience I decided to stay at three completely different camps to I would have a real feel of what this area has to offer. In Kruger you have camps inside the park that are fenced to stop the animals from getting in, you have private reserves that are unfenced where you really get the feel of safari and could wake up and have a rhino on your patio ( seriously) and there are few private concessions, camps set up inside the park but still run by the owner, not the park service.
To help figure out my stay I had the expert help of one of the top safari tour operators in the country, Siyabona Africa, and after I told them exactly what I was looking for they tailor made my trip and were spot on! I would recommend them for anyone going to South Africa who wants to find a great safari experience and they don’t charge a fee, they are paid by the different safari lodges etc, so it doesn’t cost you a cent to get the help you need unless you want to hire them to give you a private tour of the area.
So here’s an insider look at some of the best safari options in South Africa.
Getting to Safari Camps in South Africa
The easiest and quickest way to get to Kruger National Park is to fly into one of the three airports nearby using South African Airlines. Nelspruit airport, where I flew into is probably the most popular and then depending on where you’re staying in the park you’ll still have a drive that’s a couple of hours. If you fly to Johannesburg it can take as long as 8 hours to drive to the park so if you’re time is limited flying is the way to go. Check with the safari camp you choose to find out the best options.
Affordable Safari Option-Rest Camp
For my first night in the Park I decided to check out the budget safari options and I stayed at Skuza, a large rest camp with more than 200 units and you have the option of pitching your own tent if you really want to go budget. Don’t worry this camp is fenced so no animals get inside. While Skuza is very affordable, you can get a place with a roof over your head for about $50 dollars you’ll also find a lot of people here. There are two restaurants, a store and even a post office on the property so you don’t really have the feeling of being out the in wilderness but again this is a great option if you’re looking to do your own driving safari in South Africa and you’re trying to keep costs down.
Best South Africa Private Game Reserves
I think without a doubt the best place to stay when you’re on safari in the Kruger National Park is at a private game reserve. There’s a lot of reason for this besides that fact that this is where you’ll find the ultra luxurious safari camps. When you stay at a rest area run by the park there are all kinds of rules you must follow. You’re not allowed to leave the park gates and go on safari until after 6am and you must be back by 6p.m. You’re not allowed to get out of your vehicle ever, while on safari, etc, etc. When you’re on a private game reserve the owners decided the rules and since this is safari county the focus is on finding the best animals so if you have to start your safari before the sun comes up or stay out after the sun goes down—where you search for animals using a spotlight then that’s what’s done.
The camps at the private game reserves are usually also much smaller and more intimate and because they’re not fenced you truly are out in the middle of the bushveld. That said there are safety precautions you have to take. Most camps don’t allow you to walk around after dark unless you have an armed guide with you.Remember not fenced means a lion or a leopard could be just around the corner.
DJUMA LODGE VUYATELA-PRIVATE RESERVE
For my second night of safari I stayed at the charming Djuma Lodge where you have several choices of where you sleep and I picked the Vuyatela area where you have only 8 exclusive chalets. Each chalet has a private deck, sitting room, a beautiful bathroom with an outdoor rain shower and a plunge pool. Like at most safari camps the prices are per person because everything is included, all your meals and your game rides, etc. The cost here is around $650 a night, per person but it’s worth every cent because you get the true feeling of South Africa. You might have to fight a naughty monkey for your breakfast but isn’t that half the fun?
RHINO WALKING SAFARIS – PRIVATE CONCESSION
For my third safari stay I wanted something off the beaten path so this time I tried out a luxury safari camp where you sleep in a tent and trust me this tent was beautiful. One of the unique things about staying at the Rhino Post is they are one of the few to offer “walking” safaris where you actually get to go with two armed guides and walk through the bush looking for your animals. After several days of scouting out animals in a jeep being on the ground and at their level was an amazing experience. The Rhino post is right in the middle of a renovation of the main lodge at the moment but where I stayed in a grand tent at the Plains Camp it was great because there are only four tents in the area so you feel like you have the entire bushveld to yourself and it’s the true camping in Africa experience, except you have running water and cocktails at night! If you pick this camp don’t miss signing up for one of the early morning Rhino Walks, and yes we did see a rhino!
When it comes to Safari Camps the high end camps continue to impress but you’re going to pay for the luxury of staying there. Some of the top new safari camps even have spas now! If price is no object, as some can run more than a thousand dollars a person, per night, here’s a list of some of my favorites to check out.
Luxury Private Safari Camps
· Sabi Sabi
· Mala Mala
· Singita
Coming up…South Africa safari guides, going after the Big Five
