FIVE OF THE BEST: KRUGER NATIONAL PARK'S LUXURY SAFARI LODGES
Five of the Best: Kruger National Park's Luxury Safari Lodges - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Five of the Best: Kruger National Park's Luxury Safari Lodges | |||||
| By: Vanessa Williams, Issue 44 – Spring 2010 | |||||
| (South Africa) | |||||
| ELEPHANTS MAY ROAM RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR BEDROOM, BUT INSIDE YOU’LL HAVE INTERNET ACCESS, SATELLITE TV, A HEALTH SPA, HEATED POOLS AND AIR-CONDITIONING. VANESSA WILLIAMS PICKS FIVE OF KRUGER NATIONAL PARK’S BEST LUXURY SAFARI LODGES. | |||||
| Lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffalo and antelope… The list of flora and fauna that call Kruger National Park home goes on and on, and includes 336 trees, 49 species of fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Since the tourism industry began developing in South Africa, Kruger National Park has emerged as the natural home of the majority of safari excursions on the continent. First established in 1898 as a protected area for wildlife by South African President Paul Kruger, the 20,000 square kilometre park opened to the public in 1927. In 1955 tourism figures exceeded 10,000 a year; these days well over a million people visit the park. Yet because the park is so big, the lodges can provide a sense of seclusion, and it is this feeling of being out in the open combined with the colonial feel of many of the lodges that can have guests thinking back to the days of Livingstone and Stanley. The park is also scrupulously maintained. There are nine entrance gates that access a network of roads that cover the park; some paved and some gravel. The park has been laid out thoughtfully for tourists to easily to get around, and is well signposted with maps to help find the way. There is a speed limit (50 km/h on tarred roads and 40km/h on gravel), and speed traps to make sure the limit is maintained. There are designated viewing points and picnic sites show where safari-goers can get out and stretch their legs, as drivers and their passengers are forbidden from leaving the roads or exiting their vehicles in other areas. The main camp is home to a post office and a bank. Kruger National Park also offers activities such as elephant rides, helicopter tours and even golf in the midst of the bushveld. The private game reserves offer the most opulent of lodges and are located to the west of the park, with which they share an unfenced boundary. Technically outside the park’s boundaries, but part of the Greater Kruger National Park, they form the heart of South Africa’s big game country, and the best wildlife viewing occurs here. The reserves are usually owned by a collection of people who manage the safari operations, such as at the Sabi Sand Reserve and the Timbavati Game Reserve. Unbound by the park’s rules, the popularity of the private game reserves means vehicles can leave the road, and see parts of the park they otherwise wouldn’t. The accommodation is usually more luxurious in the reserves, and the services include trained guides, bush walks and various other activities, whereas in the park itself, it’s mostly self-drive, although there are a few lavish lodges scattered about within the park’s boundaries. Elephants may roam right outside your doorstep, but inside you’ll find modern amenities such as Internet access, satellite TV, health spas, heated pools and air-conditioning. With this in mind, we’ve picked our top five private game reserve luxury lodges that offer the best of the African wilderness with no compromise on luxury. | |||||
| 1. ROYAL MALEWANE | |||||
| A quick look at Tripadvisor confirms that the majority of the guest comments describe the first-rate service here, so prepare to be treated like royalty at the Royal Malewane. Located in the Thornybush Game Reserve to the far west of the central region of the Greater Kruger National Park, this colonial lodge is set in the midst of the bush, and the main lodge offers the chance to curl up in armchairs and gaze out on the surrounding trees and wildlife. An award-winning chef prepares food that is served in the dining area overlooking the waterhole. The staff will also cater to dining requests such as setting up a Bedouin tent for a romantic dinner for two. The Royal Malewane prides itself on the high quality of its rangers and trackers. Boasting the only Master Tracker in Africa in their midst, the game rangers here are highly qualified and exceptional and provide safaris by car or by foot. Safaris are conducted in the early hours of the morning and the late afternoon, yet you can catch sight of elephants wandering up to the lodge to drink. If the safaris exhaust you, then head to The Waters of Malewane Bush Spa, where guests can indulge in the many treatments on offer. ACCOMMODATION Royal Malewane has six suites and two royal suites and can accommodate up to twenty guests at a time. The suites come with wooden decks, infinity pools, and thatched gazebos. The bedrooms feature fireplaces, and the ensuites offer Victorian baths next to the window to immerse in your own private world. There are indoor and outdoor showers and walkways that connect the suites to the main camp. The Royal and Malewane Suites have two en-suite bedrooms, private lounges and dining rooms, infinity pools and decks as well as gazebos. | |||||
| Rates: Luxury Suites start at A$1,620 per person per night sharing (inclusive of accommodation, all meals, local beverages, game drives and laundry) | |||||
| Royal and Malewane Suites: A$8,704 per suite per night (inclusive of accommodation, all meals, local beverages, private butler, private chef, private game drives, four complimentary massages per suite per day and laundry). | |||||
| www.royalmalewane.com GETTING THERE | |||||
| From Johannesburg SA Express Airways (www.flysaa.com) flies daily to Hoedspruit Airport for A$183. Flight time is one hour and 15 minutes. Road transfers can be arranged by Royal Malewane for A$75 per person each way and take approximately 35 minutes.Guests can also choose to take a Federal Air shuttle flight (www.fedair.com) from Johannesburg to Royal Malewane for A$500 per person one way. Flight time is 1hr40min and the flight can be booked through Royal Malewane. | |||||
| 2. &BEYOND EXETER RIVER LODGE | |||||
| The &Beyond Exeter River Lodge is in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. The elusive leopard can often be found here, as well as the rest of the Big Five – lion, buffalo, elephant and rhino. Lunch is served on the open-air decks and dinner can be taken either by the fire in the boma, under the stars, or in the privacy of your own room. There is a personal butler on hand as well as your own ranger and tracker and the open vehicle safaris offer the chance to see a host of creatures. Enjoy a massage in the luxury of your own room or take a walk with one of the rangers to explore the scenery around the lodge. After the safaris of the day, take a dip in the suite’s plunge pool and enjoy the sounds of the rush of the nearby Sands River or the wildlife chattering away. ACCOMMODATION Eight air-conditioned luxury suites make up Exeter River Lodge and there is a maximum of sixteen guests at the lodge. Each suite overlooks the river, with a view of the ebony trees surrounding the hotel. The suites feature spacious bedrooms, indoor and outdoor showers and private verandas with plunge pools. The living and dining areas are filled with comfortable seating so guests can spend relaxing days staring out onto the river through the enormous glass windows. | |||||
| Rates: Luxury Suite: A$633 off-peak, A$954 peak per night per person sharing (inclusive of accommodation, three daily meals, local drinks, laundry, scheduled safari activities and nature walks). www.andbeyondafrica.com GETTING THERE | |||||
| From Johannesburg &Beyond Exeter River Lodge is a five-hour drive so some guests may prefer to fly to the closer airstrips. SA Airlink (www.flysaa.com) offers daily flights from Johannesburg International Airport to Nelspruit, which take 50 minutes and costs A$190 one way per person. From there, guests can get a road transfer to the lodge, which is included in the price and takes one hour and 45 minutes. Federal Air (www.fedair.com) operates daily flights from Johannesburg to Ulusaba, which can be booked through the hotel and take one hour and 20 minutes and cost A$413 one way per person. From there, guests can get a road transfer to the lodge which is included in the price and takes an hour. | |||||
| 3. ULUSABA | |||||
| Sir Richard Branson knows luxury and he offers to share it with the rest of us. Ulusaba is his creation, and provides you with a choice of two lodges; up on the kopjie at the Rock Lodge with a breathtaking view of the land, or in the heart of the bush at the Safari Lodge. The choice of where to dine is up to you; whether on the deck in the boma or under the stars, the world-renowned chefs will prepare a feast of African dishes. If you’re thirsty, help yourself to the lodge wine cellar that overlooks the waterhole and if you’re tired, there’s the Aroma Boma Spa. Ulusaba also provides activities to ensure you won’t be bored. They include tennis, daily Safari walks and drives, elephant encounters, helicopter flights along the gorges and waterfalls and community tours of the local Shangaan villages. If you’re bringing children along, the Ulusaba Cub’s Club provides goodies and activities to keep them entertained. ACCOMMODATION | |||||
| Safari Lodge: Nestled under the trees and next to the riverbed, the eleven rooms of the Safari Lodge are styled as treehouses, with some rooms accessible by rope bridges adding to the adventures of your trip. Each room has its own private deck to view the animals up close and each room is secluded.The Treehouse Suite is the ultimate in luxury; a 15-minute walk from the main lodge, it overlooks the Xikwenga Dam and is a private spacious paradise. | |||||
| Rates: You’ll pay A$713 for a Safari Room up to A$1,442 for the Treehouse Suite per person per night sharing (year round excluding Christmas and New Year). Christmas rates are A$1,534 for a Safari Room up to A$3,128 for the Treehouse Suite per person per night sharing. | |||||
| Rock Lodge: The ten rooms and suites at Rock Lodge have views of the Drakensberg Mountains in the distance. There are four Rock Cliff rooms, one Master Suite, two Makwela Suites with private infinity pools, and a two-bedroom Rock Suite. But if you’re looking for the ultimate in decadence, look no further than the two Cliff Lodge suites. Each includes the use of a private chef and vehicle, and has either a pool or a Jacuzzi with a second bedroom. | |||||
| Rates: You’ll pay A$1,036 for a Rock Cliff Room up to A$2,208 for a Cliff Lodge per person per night sharing (year round excluding Christmas and New Year). Christmas rates are A$2,208 for a Rock Cliff Room up to A$4,386 for a Cliff Lodge per person per night. | |||||
| www.ulusaba.virgin.com | |||||
| GETTING THERE | |||||
| From Johannesburg Ulusaba is approximately a one hour and 20 minute flight. Ulusaba has its own private airstrip and there are daily Federal Air flights (www.fedair.com) that can be booked through the hotel and cost A$413 one way per person. | |||||
| 4. SINGITA EBONY LODGE | |||||
| Staying at Singita Ebony Lodge is like being transported back to colonial times; the lodge is furnished with exquisite antiques and African art but there’s also an ultra modern gym. Take part in the twice-daily game drives and you won’t be disappointed; the Singita Ebony is situated in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve to the west of the central region. The grassland is well suited for viewing zebras, antelope and wildebeest and you won’t miss out on seeing any big cats here. Mountain biking and archery are two of the activities available at the lodge, but it also has a spa and bar. The main lodge’s lounge and timber deck dining area overlooks the Sand River, so after a busy day, enjoy a quiet meal gazing out into the beauty of Africa. ACCOMMODATION Singita Ebony consists of twelve secluded thatched suites, two of them double family suites. Each have spacious living rooms (with double-sided fireplaces), indoor and outdoor showers, luxurious bathrooms, and private decks with heated plunge pools overlooking the Sand River. | |||||
| Rates: Luxury Suites start from A$1,650 year-round per person per night sharing (inclusive of meals, most drinks, two Land Rover safaris, walking safaris, laundry service and return road transfers from the airstrip). | |||||
| www.singita.com | |||||
| GETTING THERE | |||||
| From Johannesburg International Airport Federal Air (www.fedair.com) operates daily flights to Singita Sabi Sand that can be booked through the lodge and take one hour and 20 minutes and cost A$413 one-way per person. From there, guests can take a road transfer to the lodge, which is included in the price and takes ten minutes. | |||||
| 5. SABI SABI EARTH LODGE | |||||
| Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge is on the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve in the southwestern part of Kruger National Park near the Sabie River. The name comes from the word “tsave,” meaning “danger” in Tsonga, the local dialect, and has to do with the large amount of crocodile and hippos in the area. Morning and evening safaris, as well as bushwalks led by the rangers will give guests the opportunity to see lions hunting, leopards in the trees, and elephants trekking through the bush. Over 350 species of bird can be found here, and Sabi Sabi offers photography tuition from two of South Africa’s top bird photographers, Albert Froneman and Chris van Rooyen. Children can head over to the EleFun Centre where they can participate in interactive activities to learn more about the African bush while adults can indulge in the Amani Spa. Sabi Sabi offers themed dinners, two of the options being “Under African Skies,” where guests can feast on the best of African food in a traditional African setting, and “Elegant Indulgence,” a candlelit romantic dinner with local Shangaan singers. Also featured at the lodge are a secluded library, art gallery, meditation garden and an underground wine cellar. ACCOMMODATION The best of the best of Sabi Sabi’s lodges has to be the Earth Lodge, an opulent abode carved into the earth. There are thirteen suites including the Amber Presidential Suite, and each features unique furniture, a private plunge pool, indoor and outdoor showers, and a glass-encased bathroom. A private butler is also on hand for the guests of Earth Lodge. The Amber Suite also comes with its own steam room, study, kitchen and use of a private Land Rover. | |||||
| Earth Lodge Suites: $1,303 year round (per person per night sharing) | |||||
| Amber Presidential Suite: $2,607 year round (per person per night sharing). All rates include open Land Rover safaris by day and at night, walking safaris, meals, selected beverages, South African house wines, and transfers from the airstrip to the lodge. | |||||
| www.sabisabi.com | |||||
| GETTING THERE | |||||
| From Johannesburg Federal Air (www.fedair.com) operates daily flights from Johannesburg to Sabi Sabi airstrip, which can be booked through the hotel and take one hour and ten minutes and cost $406 one-way per person. From there, guests can get a road transfer to the lodge, which is included in the price and takes ten minutes. | |||||
| KRUGER NATIONAL PARK can be divided into four regions. Most of the luxury lodges are found in the west of the central region, in the private game reserves that sit alongside the park and form the Greater Kruger National Park, but here’s a rundown of the entire park. The Central Region is home to nearly half of the park’s lion population, as well as leopards, hyenas, and cheetahs. The sweet grasses and browsing trees feed antelope, giraffe, buffalo, zebras, and wildebeest. The Far Northern Region is the most unique of the habitats. Sandstone formations, baobab trees and rare birdlife attract visitors to this extreme region of Kruger, and due to high rainfall in some areas, there are dense Mopane groves along the Luvuvhu River. The Northern Region is semi-arid, but has five rivers that wind their way across this region. The rivers are the best place to see elephants, hippos, buffalo, kudu and bushbuck, as well as trees such as the nyala, sycamore fig, tamboti and apple leaf. The Southern Region draws crowds due to rare white rhinos, but one can also find cheetahs, giraffes, zebras and elephants. The vegetation here differs to the rest of the park, with coral trees, lavender fever-berry and cape chestnut trees. | |||||
| GETTING TO JOHANNESBURG | |||||
| V Australia now flies twice weekly to Johannesburg from Melbourne with connections to other major Australian cities including Sydney and Brisbane as well as to New Zealand. Qantas operates six services per week between Sydney and Johannesburg and daily code share services via Perth with South African Airways. | |||||
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