info - Sand River Guest House

Private side of
Kruger
Kruger National Park has traditionally been a selfdrive
destination, where your camping gear gets
its annual outing, or you stay in a no-frills Park’s
Board chalet. But in recent years the opportunity
to stay in a private safari lodge inside the National
Park has become a reality. With annual visitors
totalling around 1.3 million, you might wonder if
there is enough space for luxury lodges to have
their own exclusive-use concessions, but Kruger
is the size of a small country and the concessions
bring in much needed income and don’t impact
on visitors using the huge network of public
roads. Read what Derryn Lendrum and Carrie
Hampton have to say about eight of the private
lodges inside Kruger. Luxury comes at a price,
of course, but you will find out how each one is
special and unique and offers you the chance of
going upmarket in SA’s favourite National Park.
Three Cities Exceptional Kruger Safaris
Reviewed by Derryn Lendrum
One of the nine private concessions granted in Kruger National
park is under the custodianship of the Three Cities group.
They have camps on the concession each offering a unique
experience.
Hoyo Hoya Tsonga Lodge
There is no mistaking that you are in Africa when you arrive at
Hoyo Hoyo. This luxurious lodge has accommodation in six
‘bee-hive’ huts - the design is based on the traditional Tsonga
Huts. Cyndrical in shape with cooling thatched roofs and walls,
they are exceptionally comfortable and the outdoor showers are
essential in the heat of summer. The rooms overlook a river and
the savannah, and here and in the other two camps you really
feel as if you are in the wild. All fabrics, decor, and objets d’art
were sourced from the local Tsonga community, and this lodge
has an alluring African feel – I just loved it. Not much can beat
floating in a plunge-pool, sipping champagne and watching the
local wildlife wander by! You have a choice of joining guided
game drives or self-driving in the park. The guides add such
value to your wildlife experience, pointing out birds, trees, and
animals that otherwise would escape your attention. The cuisine
is world-class and is presented with African flair. Although
there is no cellphone reception (what a relief), phone calls can
be made by landline. Accommodating a maximum of only 12
guests, your Hoyo Hoyo is wonderful place to retreat from the
hustle-and-bustle of city life.
W: www.hoyohoyo.com
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Selati
Game Reserve
Blyde Hoedspruit
ZIMBABWE
Acornhoek
Blyde
River
Canyon
Nature
Reserve
Graskop
Letaba White River
Luvuvhu
Busizi
581
Hazyview
Nelspruit
Limpopo Punda
Maria
Mphongolo Phugwane Bateleur
Letaba
Ranch
Phalaborwa
457
Thulamela
600
Sirheni
Shimuwini
Balule Klaserie
Game
Reserve
Game Reserve
Eastgate
Airport
Kapama
Sand
Bushbuckridge
Tsende
Babalala
Masorini
509
Timbavati
Game Reserve
Rhino Post
Plains Camp
Kruger
Mpumalanga
International
Airport
N4
Pretoriuskop
Afsaal
525
Tamboti
Orpen
Ship Mt
662
839
Pafuri
Shingwedzi
Shingwedzi Berg-en-dal
Kaapmuiden
Gona-re-Zhou
National Park
Pafuri
Border
Post
Kanniedood
Dam
Mopani
Tsende
Olifants Mooiplaas
Letaba
Timbavati Talamati
Manyeleti
Game Reserve
Sabie Sand
Game Reserve
Pafuri Camp
Ripape
Biyamiti
482
Skukuza
Rio Singuedxi Makhadzi
Engelhard
Dam
Letaba
Tshokwane
Nwatimhiri
Olifants
Nkuhlu
Sabie
Balule
Satara
Sweni Lower Sabie
Nwanetsi
Orpen
Dam
Mlondozi
Dam
Crocodile
Bridge
Rio Limpopo Mapai
Limpopo National Park
Komatipoort
N4
Crocodile Mwenezi
Great Limpopo
Transfrontier Park
Giriyondo
Border Post
Kruger
National Park
Jock’s
Border Post
Chicualacuala
MOZAMBIQUE
Massingire
Dam
W
R o d
i
N
S
0 20 40 60
Massintonto St Jorge
de Limpopo
Gaxe
Massingire
Mapulanguene
R o
i S abie
Macavene
Kilometres
Mazimechopes
Hoyo Hoyo Tsonga
Imbali Lodge
Hamilton’s
Game Lodge Reviews
o
i
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I
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as Elefantes
Rio Uanetza o
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Singita Lebombo
Maalamba
Map by Michael Brett

Game Lodge Reviews
Imbali Safari Lodge
Imbali Safari Lodge has been carefully designed to have minimal
impact on the natural environment. Twenty-four guests can look
forward to five-star luxury suites, each with their own private
Jacuzzi! Design is contemporary and this lodge has both kingsized
bed and twin beds. Activities include guided walks – which
are a thrilling experience, especially if you have not walked in
the African bush before. The sense of being ‘in the wild’ here is
strong – I made sure to have a guide accompany me back to my
room after the superb dinners! For the romantics, private dining
or picnics can be arranged. For me, spending time in at the lodge
is as important as going on a game drive. As everyone cruises off
on their game viewing vehicles, it is fantastically satisfying to gaze
out of your bedroom window and watch the wildlife wandering
over the savannah. However, if you go on enough game drives
(and stay a while) the knowledgeable rangers will introduce you to
the 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and
147 mammals that are Kruger.
W: www.imbali.com
Hamiltons Tented Camp
On arrival you could be mistaken for thinking that you had walked onto the set of Out of
Africa. This is colonial style ‘camping’ at its best. Six magnificent canvas tents, complete with
teak floorboards, king-sized beds and outdoor showers, are linked to the main lodge by raised
timber walkways. Once installed in a comfy chair, drink in hand (it is almost compulsory to
have at least one G&T), in the lounge or on the veranda overlooking the Nwatsitsonto River,
you can be forgiven for finding it difficult to get yourself up again! This is a romantics’ heaven
with the added benefit of game-viewing from your private verandas. The silver-service dinner
is served on the deck overlooking the river. One night during dinner we heard lions roaring
(it felt as though they were right at the entrance), so off we dashed with the ever-enthusiastic
rangers to see if we could find them. Listening and ‘feeling’ the roaring lions is an unforgettable
experience. Activities include game drives and Nomadic African Spa treatments. Personal
butlers, fine rangers and trackers will ensure your experience here is memorable.
W: www.hamiltonstentedcamp.com
Singita Lebombo Lodge
Reviewed by Derryn Lendrum
Modern, contemporary design meets the bush! Set high
up on a hill, the lodge commands sweeping views over the
N’wanetsi River and grasslands - this is one of the premier
safari destinations. The rooms are spectacular, and if you
enjoy contemporary design you are likely to love them.
They feature lots of glass as well as steel and wood. It is
as though you are floating above the bush – it is a magical
feeling. The beds are dressed with Egyptian cotton and
mosquito nets. After an early morning game drive and
sumptuous breakfast you can work off some of the food
in the lap pool that lines the dining area. The open-plan
lounge has a library and Internet facilities, and I loved the
‘help-yourself’ fridges, sweet and cookie jars. Perched on
what feels like the top of the world, you can simply relax
or indulge in a spa therapy. This lodge is on the upper
end of the scale and is more of a boutique hotel than a
traditional lodge. Service and quality is impeccable and it
is impossible to be disappointed.
W: www.singita.com
TAU
Advertorial
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Game Lodge Reviews
Jock Safari Lodge
by Carrie Hampton
There is something inspiring about Jock - the little Staffie - whose loyalty and
courage epitomises the pioneering spirit of the 1880s. I haven’t read Percy
Fitzpatrick’s famous book Jock of the Bushveld, nor seen the film, but Jock
Safari Lodge has more than enough memorabilia to illustrate the story.
The lodge sets the scene of a gold prospector’s life in those days, with a
pristine ox wagon and beaten metal fire braziers throwing shadows through
the boughs of the enormous Jackalberry trees. Atmospheric lanterns light the
pathways and reed-enclosed dining boma. In such a rustic environment, in
the oldest private concession in the deep south of Kruger, the accommodation
is contrastingly sophisticated and stylish. There are plump, sink-into sofas
and a huge bed in a luxurious room, where the tones of the decor reflect the
hues of the bush.
I was tempted to stay put in my enclave - not only did my suite have its
own outdoor shower and dip pool, but I enjoyed playing hide and seek
with the vervet monkeys on the walkway leading to my sala. The wooden
path led to my very own private hideaway, perched over the dry riverbed,
giving me a bird’s-eye view of elephant feeding in the wetland. But game
drives and walks are always too enticing to pass up, and the rangers look
disappointed if you say you might forego their company for one morning.
Most are Shangaan and they live and breathe the bush – their knowledge of
African nature is their heritage.
Jock Safari Lodge also has ‘Little Jock’ - a three-suite lodge that can be
booked as a private safari camp for a small group or large family.
W: www.jocksafarilodge.com
Pafuri Camp
by Carrie Hampton
I go on safari a lot (if you’re wondering who carries my
bags, there’s quite a queue), and sometimes I can’t face
another bumpy game drive. This is why Pafuri Camp,
in the extreme north of Kruger, is such a joy. You
don’t even have to move from the viewing deck to see
buffalo and elephant, nyala and eland grazing on the
banks of Luvuvhu River. Even better, you can be in the
swimming pool, dining area or lounge and still remain
a silent observer to the ever-changing wildlife show.
This is a very special part of Kruger, not just for the
diversity of terrain, fascinating palaeoanthropological
history with rock paintings and artefacts, a
preponderance of rare birds and paucity of visitors,
but because this land belongs to the Makuleke. In a
groundbreaking land restitution, this ancestral territory
was returned to the Makuleke and they decreed it
should remain within Kruger Park, yet benefit the
community through conservation and tourism. Thus,
Pafuri Camp was born.
Managed by Wilderness Safaris – masters at the art
of running remote bush camps – there are twenty
walk-in luxury tents that bear no resemblance to the
dome tents of my youth. All are connected by elevated
wooden walkways leading to the main hub. And this
is where you’ll find me, parked off with a cold drink,
binoculars in hand. I won’t be jealous if you return
from a game drive with stories of outstanding views
and leopard sightings, for I will have seen hippo and
crocs and elusive sable, and ticked off Pel’s fishing owl
and wattle-eyed flycatcher.
Pafuri Camp is very family-friendly taking children
from age six.
W: www.wilderness-safaris.com
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Game Lodge Reviews
Rhino Post Safari Lodge
By Carrie Hampton
The private concession that Rhino Post Camp inhabits is very close to Skukuza, yet it feels a
million miles away. The track has a severe NO ENTRY sign, and since few self-drivers venture
where they shouldn’t, it means that guests of Rhino Post have a very desirable patch of Kruger all to
themselves.
It’s quiet and peaceful in these riverine woods beside the Mutlumuvi River, and Rhino Post is intent
on keeping it that way. There are no air-conditioners drowning out the noises of the bush, and when
it gets hot there’s always a cooling outdoor shower or restorative dip in the swimming pool that
overlooks a waterhole in the dry, sandy riverbed.
I saw a leopard creep up and take a drink one night, and all the other animals who visited while I
slumbered left their spoor clearly imprinted in the sand for us to see the next morning. Following in
these animal’s footprints is a very pleasant way to spend the morning and is actively encouraged at
Rhino Walking Safaris (with a guide of course).
Rhino Post cannot be labelled as a tented camp or a solid lodge. It has facets of both, with strong
canvas walls and wooden-framed sliding doors giving a more solid feel. But what’s ecologically special
is that the lodge is built with no concrete, uses battery power for lighting and an indigenous reedbed
system for processing bathroom waste. That’s more than just doing lip service to being eco-friendly,
and according to a UK survey, it’s this kind of ethos that modern day tourists are seeking.
W: www.isibindiafrica.co.za
Plains Camp And Platform Sleepout
by Carrie Hampton
Walking in big game country sounds more fearsome than it is. You forget that you
could bump into elephant or lion, until your guide signals to keep quiet and stay
put. This is when you remember that this is not just any old walk in the park - this is
Kruger National Park.
Plains Camp only offers walking and is perfect for safari traditionalists. It is the
embodiment of an East African colonial base camp straight from a scene in Out of
Africa, right down to white linen, leather sofas, pith helmet, ancient gramophone and
canvas chairs overlooking a broad savannah. It is intimate and personal with guests all
dining together at the mess tent.
Their intention is to get you treading the African earth, so I decided to do the guided
walk to their multi-level tree platform, stay overnight and hike the mere two and a
half hours back the next day. Platforms is a giant tree house with wooden walkways
leading to individual sleeping ledges about eight metres above the ground and yes,
there are toilets. This is an interactive experience, so while the ranger prepared a
traditional South African braai (borewors of course), I delved into a large chest to
find my bedding; thick fold-up mattress, sleeping bag, sheets and pillows. There is
also a beam over which you throw a tent-shaped flyscreen to keep bugs out of your
bed. It’s ingenious. You don’t really need to be that intrepid to do this, but it certainly
brings out the 19 th century explorer in you, making you feel right at home when you
get back to Plains Camp.
Plains Camp is the sister lodge to Rhino Post on the same concession, and between
them they offer a good value luxury safari with game drives, guided walks and a
sleepout option.
W: www.isibindiafrica.co.za
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Pristine
Wilderness
According to the Pro-Poor Tourism Partnership,
some 40 percent of global travel now takes place
in developing countries. Tourism into sub-Saharan
Africa is a massively valuable and rapidly growing
industry. Namibia, for example, saw its highestever
tourism numbers in 2007 - around 600,000
international guests traveling from all corners of
the globe , including Europe, China and India,
to experience a continent that fully deserves its
reputation for being steeped in mystery and filled
with a richness and diversity that leaves even the
most cynical and experienced traveler awed.
However, as travelers do become more experienced, visiting Africa repeatedly
and traveling through a circuit of lodges within an area that could potentially
offer something very similar on a functional level, the focus of the savvy
contenders within the hospitality industry is shifting away from offering
guests a chance to tick off the big five on a sightings list, to offering the
opportunity for guests to have experience that encompasses small and
surprising details that allow them to connect with Africa on a level that goes
far beyond the superficial.
Islands in Africa, a group of owner run lodges located in north eastern
Namibia, have made facilitating this connection a central part of their ethos.
Energy, attention to detail and an unwavering passion for Africa and all of its
inhabitants are the core values of these lodges and those that staff them, and
this passion ripples outwards to resonate with the people who visit Impalila
Island Lodge, Susuwe Island Lodge, Ntwala Island Lodge and Epupa Falls
Lodge.
An integral part of creating a powerful guest experience, where Islands in
Africa is concerned, is allowing guests the opportunity to interact with local
communities, and being able to see firsthand, the effect that Island’s various
community development programs are having. Often, guests will then get
involved on a much larger scale, donating money and various items, and
remaining in contact with lodge management in order to be kept up to date
on developments within the community. Impalila Island Lodge recently had
the pleasure of receiving a donation of soccer boots from a generous guest
which allowed the lodge management to create a soccer tournament for the
locals, commencing with a touching handover ceremony where the boots
were given to the players in the various teams. Photographs were sent to the
benefactor, and no doubt she will be returning soon in order to see for herself
the impact she had made.
This is an effective example of what Islands in Africa is trying to achieve
– Guests who leave their lodges, not only well fed, rested and titillated by
sightings of elephants, crocodiles or hippos, but who have also had their eyes
opened to the wonders of these destinations that no guide book could ever
adequately describe.
Restaurants