Camps in the Kruger Archives - Nature Travel Kruger

Satara Rest Camp

November 27, 2019November 26, 2019Nature Travel Team

Satara rest camp in central Kruger is rightly known as “cat camp”. No fewer than 50 Lion prides occupy home ranges in this area, with an average pride size of 12 Lions. Lions are inevitably followed by scavengers, and this area also contains large numbers of Spotted Hyaena, Black-backed Jackal and vultures. It is also one of the best areas in the entire Kruger to see Cheetah.

Satara, although fairly large, has a rustic charm, with the bulk of the accommodation set out in a series of circles. The nightly barbeque fires burning in front of the bungalows are a special sight. The ambience of the camp, Kruger’s third-biggest, recalls the mood of colonial Africa with red-roofed public buildings, thatched chalets and neatly raked paths.

One of the most famous roads in the entire park, the S100, runs east-west from Satara towards the Lebombo mountains and Mozambique. Many long-time visitors to Kruger swear by this road for spectacular sightings of the Big Five, many species of raptors and other rare creatures. The nearby Nsemani and Sweni dams are also always worth a “stop-and-scan”, and there are three bird hides in the vicinity too.

The sweet grasses that grow on the fertile soils formed on shale and volcanic basalt, and an abundance of excellent browsing trees, sustain the largest Impala, African Buffalo, Giraffe, Greater Kudu, Common Wildebeest, Plains Zebra, Waterbuck and Sable Antelope populations in the Park. This area of Kruger is one of the flattest, and this leads to some spectacular sunset photo opportunities.

Satara, like most of Kruger’s camps, has been artificially well wooded, and it is always worth exploring on foot. A walk inside the fence perimeter might produce Honey Badger, African Scops Owl and Red-billed Buffalo Weaver. An optional night drive from Satara might yield Cape Porcupine, Leopard and even the elusive Aardvark. And don’t forget to scan the trees in front of the main building for the resident African Scops Owl!

The camp has a beautiful reception, shop and restaurant area, as well as a large swimming pool and a petrol station. Accommodation at Satara caters to a variety of guest requirements. Choose anything from luxury (10 guest cottages and 3 guest houses), self-catering (150 chalets/bungalows), and caravanning or camping (100 camp sites) accommodation for your stay in the wilderness. Satara is also the only main camp in Kruger with a live, 24 hour webcam at the watering trough just outside the camp fence.

Join us on one of our expert-guided Kruger safaris that include sensational Satara. For more information browse to our website and read more about our Central Kruger Safari or enquire directly at info@naturetravelkruger.com.

Punda Maria Rest Camp

November 18, 2019November 17, 2019Nature Travel Team

Punda Maria Camp is the northernmost main camp in the Kruger National Park, and undoubtedly offers visitors a more remote and wild experience than the rest of the park. The camp was developed from what was originally game ranger quarters built on the Dimbo hill. The name of the rest camp was given in 1919 by the first ranger to be posted to the area, Captain JJ Coetser. He mistakenly named his post Punda Maria in the belief that this was the Swahili name for Plains Zebra, the first big game he saw on arrival. The correct Swahili name is actually ‘punda milia’ (meaning Striped Donkey). When the error was pointed out to him, he chose to retain the name, in honour of his wife, Maria.

The camp is situated in the Sandveld region that is often described as the botanical garden of the Kruger park. There are numerous plant species which occur that are unique to the area, along with many area-specific animals, birds and insects. The area is home to some huge trees, including the mythical Baobab. Game species most likely to be sighted include Impala, Nyala, Plains Zebra, African Buffalo, African Elephant, Sable Antelope, Common Eland and Greater Kudu. However, this is also the best area in the park to see some species that occur nowhere else in the park; these include Sharpe’s Grysbok, Suni and Bushpig. It is also without a doubt the best place for birdwatching in the entire Kruger (maybe even the country!), with many rare species occurring only in this area.

Punda Maria is another of Kruger’s camps with a walking trail, and the Flycatcher trail is a must-do for guests. It offers fantastic views of the surrounding landscape, as well as a chance to see fauna like Brown-necked Parrot, Crested Guineafowl or even a Samango. The camp has what many visitors consider to be one of the best swimming pools in the entire park, as well as a hide overlooking a small pond that is often used by elephants, buffaloes and different antelope species. There is also a bird bath in the camp grounds, easily the most famous one in the country, that has had visitors like Orange-winged Pytilia, Eastern Nicator and Yellow-bellied Greenbul.

Punda Maria has a small restaurant, a well-stocked shop and a petrol station. From an accommodation point of view, it offers camping, a unique setup of small bungalows with shared barbeque facilities, as well as luxury tents, two family cottages and the newly-renovated Russell Guest Cottage.

The 25 kilometre Mahonie Loop around Punda Maria camp is a favourite dirt road for many seasoned Kruger visitors, and a good road from which to spot African Wild Dog, Leopard and the sough after Pennant-winged Nightjar. Situated further to the north is the famous Pafuri picnic spot, with the impressive Luvhuvhu river bridge closeby, as well as the Fever Tree forest on the way to Crook’s Corner, a well-known spot where three countries (South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe) meet. This area is home to various spectacular bird species, including Pel’s Fishing Owl, Tropical Boubou, Meves’s Starling, Gorgeous Bushshrike, Lemon-breasted Canary and even Dickinson’s Kestrel.

Two nights in Punda Maria camp is included in your stay during our Norther Kruger safari, along with Mopani and Shingwedzi camps. Get away from the rush of the south of the park, come and relax in the north and see some truly rare and unique fauna and flora. For more information , enquire at info@naturetravelkruger.com or browse to our site and read more about the Northern Kruger Safari.

Pretoriuskop Rest Camp

October 29, 2019October 28, 2019Nature Travel Team

Pretoriuskop rest camp in the southwestern area of the world renowned Kruger National Park is most famous for its spectacular swimming pool, built in and around a massive granite rock plate. But the camp offers much more than just a place to cool down in…

Pretoriuskop has huge sentimental value for those that know the history of the Park and takes its name from the nearby “kopje” (hill) where Voortrekker Willem Pretorius, a member of Carl Trichardt’s 1848 expedition to Delagoa Bay, is buried. It is the park’s oldest rest camp, situated in the region of the park that receives the highest rainfall and the area is dominated by a veld type known as Pretoriuskop sourveld. The tall, coarse grasses growing here are not too palatable, so the area does not hold large numbers of grazers, though it is particularly good for the rare and beautiful Sable Antelope.

Some 3,500 million years ago, molten rock forced its way through the earth’s crust and solidified to form the spectacular granite outcrops where Pretoriuskop camp is now nestled. The most impressive of these, the granite dome known as Shabeni Hill, is not far from the camp, and this is a great area in which to search for Leopard and even Long-crested Eagle.

It is immediately apparent to any visitor that Pretoriuskop is unique as brilliantly colourful bougainvilleas adorn the camp, pre-dating the decision to make exclusive use of indigenous plants in laying out rest camp gardens. Nostalgia prompted an exception to the rule for Pretoriuskop, and exotic flowering plants were allowed to stay, enhancing the strong sense of the past that is so pervasive.

It is one of the more convenient rest camps for local South Africans as it is less than 10 kilometres from Numbi Gate (closest gate to the town of White River). The famous Afsaal picnic spot can easily be reached via the game-rich Voortrekker road, and the beautiful Phabeni area north of the camp is a spot renowned for fantastic game viewing encounters. Top mammals in the area include Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest, Common Eland and African Wild Dog. The area around Pretoriuskop is also very good for many interesting bird species and a number of species are found here that are not seen anywhere else in Kruger. These include Red-throated Wryneck, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird and Amethyst Sunbird.

The camp itself, with its huge Sausage Trees, is also a good spot for all sorts of interesting fauna and flora species, especially on the Sable walking trail. These include Brown-headed Parrot (they love the brilliantly red Common Coral-trees dotted all over the camp), Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Cape Golden Mole and Smith’s Bush Squirrel.

Pretoriuskop has ample accommodation options, including basic huts, bungalows, camping/caravan sites and top-of-the-range guesthouses. Most bungalows are grouped into 3 circles with lush green lawns in the middle. The camp has a restaurant, petrol station and cafeteria, and is also disabled friendly. And don’t forget that fantastic swimming pool!

Olifants Rest Camp

October 18, 2019October 17, 2019Nature Travel Team

Olifants Rest Camp is undoubtedly one of the Kruger National Park’s most beautiful camps. It is perched high above the impressive Olifants river with views that are breathtakingly “out of Africa”. The modern lookout platforms allow visitors to observe the river many hundred feet below. The camp has a reputation for being the best place to go in Kruger when you don’t want to do a lot of driving but still want to see the park’s wildlife. All you need is a good pair of binoculars and a zoom camera!

Because Olifants (the Afrikaans word for “elephant”) is situated in a transitional zone in central-northern Kruger, 2 distinct types of vegetation can be found, offering a wide range of game. To the north, the low lying Mopane shrub provide cover for Plains Zebra, Impala, Greater Kudu and African Elephant. To the south, rolling plains are dotted with big trees in the surrounding savannah, good habitat for African Buffalo and Giraffe. Along the Olifants river itself, wildlife such as Lion, Nile Crocodiles and Hippopotamus can be viewed, as well as an abundance of birdlife such as Martial Eagle, owls, storks and many others.

The camp grounds are well foliaged and there are some lofty trees, and is therefore a great place to spot the Grey-rumped Swallow, Brown-throated Martin and Common Dwarf Mongoose. The camp also has a swimming pool reserved for overnight guests, and in the heat of the day this is a welcome spot indeed! Olifants is also a good camp from which to do a night drive, and on one of these exciting excursions visitors could see Cape Porcupine, Serval, South African Large-spotted Genet or even a Pel’s Fishing Owl.

There are two luxury guesthouses in the Oliphant’s Rest Camp, as well as two, three and four-roomed bungalows complete with en suite facilities. There are also two huts available that are wheel-chair friendly, and a 20-delegate conference room.

The camp is one of the few in Kruger that offers guided tours down to the river, walking trails in the wilderness region (the Oliphant’s River Backpacking Trail) and mountain biking trails with armed guards. Everything you need in one camp – that is Olifants!

For more about our Kruger Safaris visit www.naturetravelkruger.com or get in touch with us on info@naturetravelkruger.com.

Camp Berg en Dal

August 27, 2019Nature Travel Team

Berg en Dal, meaning ‘mountain and dale’, is aptly named for its superb location on the bank of the Matjulu spruit in the far south of the Kruger National Park.

The scenery in the area is characterised by beautiful rocky outcrops and small hills, so it’s a hotspot for Leopard! It also makes for some fantastic photographic opportunities.
It is one of the new generation of camps and was opened in 1984. Great care has been taken to preserve the natural vegetation in the camp area, which comprises Malelane mountain bushveld (woodland), attracting a variety of grazers.

The area hosts high numbers of White Rhinoceros, Greater Kudu, Impala, Giraffe, some African Elephant, Southern Reedbuck, Klipspringer, Grey Rhebok and Common Warthog. Large packs of African Wild Dog are also regularly seen in the region.

Berg en Dal camp itself is especially suited to extra exploration. There is a very popular Rhino Perimeter Trail walk that skirts the camp fence all the way around. Not only is it a beautiful, relaxing and informative exercise, but you might also get to see something interesting! Recently on this walk there have been sightings of the rare White-backed Night Heron, the ferocious Honey Badger and the sought-after Thick-billed Cuckoo, to name just a few.

The camp has a beautiful swimming pool to cool off in, as well as good restaurant facilities and a nightly video show with some interesting local nature programmes. The main restaurant area overlooks a beautiful water feature that is the perfect setting for just sitting down and relaxing with an ice cream and a pair of binoculars. Berg en Dal is a great spot if you own a caravan or prefer to camp, and has all the usual facilities. It has two guesthouses, a selection of bungalows and a number of six-bed family cottages.