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Resting on the Wild Side of South Africa
Bush lodges are a change of pace to standard resorts or hotels that one might visit in South Africa. They are as potent an option as beach-side getaways, expansive treks into the Kalahari or glamping along the garden route. Below you’ll find explanations for people who have never done it before and some fresh options for those who have.
4 Amazing Bush Lodges Just Outside the City
If you need references to lodges just a few minutes drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria look no further than here.
Contrary to expectations you do not have to travel far if you live in and around the hubbub of South Africa's business capital. Of course most of the top tier lodges in South Africa are located in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces or in the Eastern Cape. These areas surround Kruger National Park, our largest protected game reserve, and the Khalahari but bigger doesn’t mean more authentic.
At your fingertips are a series of smaller reserves who’s management maintains a pristine environment and offers ease of access to a bush experience without being overwhelmed by wilderness. A perfect place for short weekend getaways.
Investigate into or better yet enquire below about the following reserves that reside in the Gauteng area:
A massive game reserve covering thousands of hectares that hosts the Big 5. It’s only roughly an hour north of Pretoria. This reserve is definitely the largest wild expanse closest to the cityscape.
Only a few hundred hectares large, this reserve speaks of private, intimate and relaxed experiences. It hosts a large number of mammals and few predators giving it an extra layer of serenity and tranquillity. Located approximately half an hour east of Pretoria East.
This reserve is nestled between Hartebeespoort and the Magaliesburg Mountains making this major large bird, including the Cape Vulture, and leopard territory. Claiming just over six thousand hectares it can be found just over an hour west of Centurion.
By far the most quaint and the closest at six hundred hectares just a dozen kilometres south of Johannesburg this reserve is a gem for hikers. Its purpose is to give guests a quick outing on foot in a wild environment with plenty of plains game without the danger of walking into a lion or leopard.
These reserves are all examples of how nearby the wilderness is to the hustle and bustle of civilization. South Africa boasts an extraordinary expanse of wild territory that people from all around the world come to experience and there’s no reason why locals should miss out.
What's Wild About the Bush Lodges of Limpopo
Game reserves in Limpopo are put together to provide an ecosystem for extraordinary game sightings. This is because most game farms have no fences between them and separation occurs through traverse rights. The animals are free to move over huge tracts of land whilst residing at a bush lodge will focus on an area normally along a water path or areas where animals particularly enjoy the territory.
The advantage of such lodges is that guides will know the behaviours of animals that reside there. One lodge might have elephants that are almost friendly towards the game vehicles whilst another will have to maintain a safe distance at all times. Experienced guides will know when the last time a pride of lions ate and when they’ll next be hungry or if the koppies nearby, large piles of rocks that look like a giant’s sandcastle, host rare birds or patrolling leopards or even if the wild dogs have come to raise a litter.
Bush lodges in Limpopo normally exist in large wild reserves and so self-driving is not permitted as a safety requirement but do not be dismayed because as mentioned above guides are your best friend in the bush, tip them well for their hard work and their sharing of years of bush lore. Below you can find a few lodges that don’t follow this pattern and although reside on game farms, whether Big 5 or not, simply have a different ethos to the more commercial tourism side of things.
What Makes Bush Lodges in Mpumalanga Different
Bush lodges in Mpumalanga differ from Limpopo not in their ethos, as they provide just as extraordinary an experience and as wild an environment, but because of the difference in terrain.
The drive is not as far as you’d imagine and less international tourism means more freedom for the locals. Try the Barberton, Songimvelo and Nkomanzi Game Reserves that rest against Eswatini (Swaziland) and its unique mountainous landscape. Find a bed and breakfast to spend your nights in Malelane or Komatipoort and do day drives into Mthethomusha Game Reserve or book a private tour around Mjejane Private Game Reserve.
Mpumalanga sits between the Klein Drakensburg Mountains and the Indian Ocean. This means its rainfall is higher, rivers will be fuller and run for more of the year than in the north. Because of the thicker flora elephants may be more elusive, leopards more plentiful, cheetahs are scarce as there aren’t large enough open expanses for them to propel across thus making use of their greatest natural advantage.
Lodges in Mpumalanga generally allow more freedom of movement, as animal focus will be upon creatures such as hippos and crocodiles, a huge amount of birdlife that is completely different to the species of the north, these factors mean you’re less likely to have a dangerous encounter with a large mammal should you be driving around yourself. Not that you should ever let your guard down, at the end of the day you are in their home they are not in yours.
Your Choice of the Best Bush Lodges in Hoedspruit
Deciding whether one lodge surpasses the rest is a very difficult decision to make. Some people prefer a quaint cottage with the freedom of driving themselves around at their own pace whilst others want a spa treatment with a view. Below you will find a few examples of an assortment of bush lodges, getting more expensive as you go down the list, that share the same title of bush lodge but each are as different from the next as wine and whiskey.
Unembeza Boutique Lodge & Spa is located in Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate, a game reserve that serves as a kind of complex but the public can book accommodation in. Here you can enjoy some of the finest wines available over the most divine springbok steak you’ve ever had all whilst surrounded by wild nightlife that hoots and chirps while lions and hyenas compete for attention far away. It’s a residence-like accommodation with private rooms and shared dining and pool areas. You’ll have freedom to explore the small estate, as there are only plains game (note there are always leopards in bushveld because they cannot be controlled), or leave the estate and explore the town. They’ll even help you arrange game drives on other estates or organise additional activities elsewhere in town.
Kingfisher Creek
can be found just outside of town to the south where it’s a short drive from the Orpen entrance to Kruger National Park. It’s a mixture of luxurious tents and self-catering cottages supported by a main lodge that hosts a laundry service, pool and restaurant. Self driving around the estate is permitted and they boast an amazing assortment of birdlife due to its location between the mountain, farmland and open bushveld. They host live music events and do tours and classes on local culture in the area. As it is not Big 5 walking tours and hiking through the reserve can be organised with the on site staff and should you choose to engage in other out-of-the-reserve activities they’re only a short drive away.
Jabulani Safari has a unique herd of elephants on it that the lodge rescued over 20 years ago and still has the pleasure of caring for to this day. If you want an immersive and rather life changing experience you’ll have the experience of interacting with wild elephants at this exclusive lodge. A rough drive into Thornybush Game Reserve this lodge will organise airport transfers from the small local airstrip and can further organise adventures that include learning about the local conservations and aerial experiences.
Last but not least is the
Malewane Lodge at
Royal Malewane. This lodge has hosted some of the biggest names in the world (princesses, queens, sheiks, billionaires and movie stars) and charges rates from R45K to R500K for a single night. This lodge is the height of luxury as far as bush lodges go and as the price tag determines they will take care of your every whim. They boast some of the most experienced guides available, a fully equipped gym, butlers and private chefs and even packages that go from Cape Town to Hoedspruit to give you some of the best experiences money can buy in the South African Tourism Industry.
How to Choose a Bush Lodge In Eastern South Africa
The two most important factors about where to go are terrain and rainfall. Here's why...
South Africa has such an exquisite range of ecosystems, there are officially 9 biomes and 10 protected biosphere reserves, and so a discussion including all of them is best left to the scientists. Bush lodges as this article is referring to reside in the east of South Africa congregating around Kruger National Park which is our nation's largest game reserve.
Terrain varies from the north to the south. In the north of Limpopo you will find less rainfall and flatter landscape that makes it ideal for game like springbok and cheetahs. A mountain range separates Limpopo and Mpumalanga, not exactly but for these purposes it does, here you’ll find the famous Panorama Route, Pilgrims Rest and much more. The Klein Drakensburg hold some of the most extraordinary history of this country in them and are worthy of discovery. To the south in Mpumalanga the land proceeds from mountainous to rolling hills. The flora and fauna are all more suited to water as the rainfall is much higher. The south tends to remain thick and green longer year round.
On the note of rainfall and terrain these factors will affect everything regarding your experience at a bush lodge. Different game means different kinds of experiences. Some people are infatuated with the rich and migratory bird life the highveld and lowveld offer. Staring out across vast open plains that’s hot and dry means more freedom for guides to traverse the land without disturbing the flora. Quite different from sitting dead quiet in a mopani thicket as an elephant herd feeds all around you.
Consider the experiences the land has to offer before deciding on a bush lodge. At the end of the day every bush lodge is simply taking advantage of the gifts mother nature has to offer us and that’s the reason we seek these places out at all, to reattune with nature.
What the Best Bush Lodges in South Africa Are Like
If you’re asking about the best and most prestigious bush lodges in South Africa then you’re asking a question where the price tag no longer matters. Below you can find a description of three unique and awe inspiring lodges across South Africa.
An excerpt from their website describes it beautifully. “Tswalu has become well known for its privately guided safaris that provide exclusive access to South Africa’s biggest privately protected space and sustainably run conservation projects. Tswalu reserve lies in a unique transition zone between the true Kalahari ecotype and arid savannah. Rolling red dunes are divided by the landmark Korannaberg mountains, contributing to greater habitat diversity than anywhere else in the Kalahari. Diverse habitats give rise to varied game viewing – over 80 species of mammals alone. The typical arid savannah further differentiates game viewing at Tswalu from elsewhere in the Kalahari. Many of the unusual or rare animal species are well adapted to the Kalahari’s ‘feast or famine’ conditions, extreme temperature variations and unreliable access to water.”
The organisation has since expanded outside the bounds of South Africa but their original location still sands. Founded in the Sabi Sands Nature Reserve the concept of Singita started through family, the land was bought and handed down through the generations, until the great grandson of the original owner revealed the first tourism property in 1993. Their long story is a crucial part of who they are and is the ethos with which they provide their experiences. The reserve rests side by side to Kruger National Park and with 30 thousand acres of traversing lands the possibilities of exploration are endless.
An excerpt from their website conveys their attitude well. “Panzi Lodge is a Swiss owner managed lodge where we guarantee a high standard of comfort. At the same time our South African managers are showing you what South African hospitality at its best means. We care about our guests and create a personalised wildlife experience during your stay. Nestled in the typical bush of the lowveld, Panzi Lodge caters for a maximum of 20 guests in 10 spacious and tastefully decorated Chalets. Each provides a private bathroom including flush toilets and an outdoor- as well as an indoor shower with hot water. All our Chalets are equipped with air conditioning, small fridges and hair dryers. You find your way to the main Lapa and the pool through a connected wooden pathway system.”
Trying to describe any one of these amazing lodges and others that hold the same calibre is near impossible. The amenities, atmosphere and pride that these establishments hold all for the entertainment of their guests is immeasurable. They wouldn’t be the best at what they do without a few tricks up their sleeves. So before you decide on the best from afar, remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and each of these lodges have as much character as we do personality.
A Little About the Bush Lodges in Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park
is one of South Africa’s most iconic environments. It’s one of the oldest reserves and is full of remarkable history including a tantalising tale of a fortunes worth of hidden gold coins buried in the hills somewhere by the founder Paul Kruger. Today locals and internationals can explore the park in a number of ways, just don’t go digging.
One of the most common fashions of exploring Kruger Park is exactly that, explore! Grab a tent or even book one of the hundreds of chalets across the entire park that spans over 2 million hectares. Go for a weekend or a month and settle into the rhythm of the park. The park hosts the Big 5, wide rivers, towering views, and hundreds of kilometres of roads, both on and off the tar. Be brave, be patient and don’t give up. It could be within the first five minutes or the last that you see something you never have before.
If you want to jazz it up Kruger offers a handful of exclusive lodges. Hamiltons Tented Camp, Hoyo Hoyo Tsonga Lodge, Imbali Safari Lodge and Rhino Post Safari Lodge all offer one of the more luxurious experiences Kruger has to offer. Between these lodges you’ll have access to private game drives off the beaten path, spa facilities and even a golf course. Although it’s something different from the rugged exploration that was in the founders heart, each of these establishments would make Paul proud.
There’s no right way to visit Kruger Park and there’s certainly too much to experience in a single visit. Kruger Park is a relationship that lasts a lifetime and asking around the locals you’ll find we always keep coming back to rediscover some corner that you’ve never seen before.
What Makes Hoedspruit's Bush Lodges Iconic
Extra ordinary wildlife, beautiful accommodation, all the food you can eat, the freshest air you can breath but most importantly: Khaki Fever.
Hoedspruit is what we like to call ‘a drinking town with a tourism problem’ but then again what else could you possibly imagine of us when all we do is live in such pristine bushveld and entertain guests all day, all week, all year long. Hoedspruit lives and breathes the nature that gives it life and protects it fiercely. Everyone is involved, from the building contractors and solar specialists, to the restaurateurs, guides, anti-poachers and volunteers.
What you need to know:
Khaki Fever
The first and most important thing you need to know about Hoedspruit is Khaki Fever. It’s everywhere. The buildings, the vehicles, the guides, everything and everyone is khaki and you better believe it will get to you too. Don’t fight it, just give in, Khaki Fever will catch you and make you part of the tribe.
The Wildlife
Whether it be the hornbills, squirrels and warthogs you have to watch out for driving down the road or the lions calling from over the hill there’s life everywhere. Termite mounds pepper the underground water lines, the air is clean with the life the trees give, and even when it’s quiet there’s at least a cricket. Soak it up because you’ll not find the likes of it anywhere else.
The Accommodation
Of course accommodation has to be mentioned as one of the things Hoedspruit does best. Every lodge, camp, house for that matter is built in a sophisticated fashion, making use of every bit of space available and is always furnished with either plants and gardens or local art. Hoedspruit aims to please from the moment to arrive.
Food, Food and More Food
Hoedspruit boasts a multitude of restaurants. There’s at least 6 right in town and more everywhere you go each with their own cuisine and atmosphere. Most lodges will have on site chefs to create culinary delights and will go out of their way to accommodate your tastes. Hoedspruit is the green gem of foodies, a rather impressive feat for a little town out in the middle of the bushveld.
The Fresh Air
Hoedspruit is a wildlife haven for hundreds of kilometres in every direction and you’ll be breathing its fresh air long before you arrive. Come and come again because once is never enough but at the very least start with a visit whether you’re a single traveller, a couple looking for a getaway, or even a family looking for good healthy fun Hoedspruit has something to offer.
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Africana represents the ideal of personal touch that goes beyond expectations. Transforming every stay into a warm and welcoming experience.
Guests that book accommodation in Hoedspruit become part of the family and their comfort and satisfaction throughout their stay is of priority. From our beautifully curated properties to our handcrafted amenities, we believe in the power of uniqueness and the joy of discovery.
Updated August 2023