Types of Accommodation (pictures are for indicative purpose only)
Camping
Campsites are located in most wildlife parks and reserves. Facilities are shared and very basic. Running water is usually available but hot water may not be available. Meals are prepared by a cook who travels with you. A common meal is prepared and shared by all campers. If you are camping on your own, you need to carry your own food and water, sleeping mat and pillow; you can hire a tent and sleeping bag depending on availability. Game drives are done in a camping truck. Budget USD 100-150 pppd.
Bush Tents
These are basic tents with beds and open cupboards with non-ensuite facilities. Toilets and showers are shared with other guests. Food is included. Budget USD 100-200 pppd.
Glamping
If you are looking for a mix of luxury and camping this is the perfect option. An experienced guide leads your safari while a small and efficient team puts up your en-suite tents and serves your meals, does all the chores and takes care of your safety. All in a private and exclusive environment, giving the feeling of being pampered in the bush. Budget 300-400 pppd"
Tented Camps
For those who would prefer to have a quieter safari, away from the crowds, nothing beats staying in a tented camp. These large canvas tents may be short of luxurious fittings but provide the closest resemblance to how the great hunters lived when hunting was allowed by law. They have comfortable beds, ensuite bath and toilet with zip-up ‘windows’ and ‘doors’ and an outside balcony. Furniture is minimal but more than adequate for storage and writing. Meals are cooked to taste and the quality is of a high standard. Tented camps are usually run by the owners themselves and that adds a personal touch to everything. Canvas ‘bucket showers’ are the norm – and the water is always hot and refreshing after the evening game drive! Budget USD 150-400 pppd.
Hotels and Lodges
Ideal for families with kids, large groups, and people who would like to have many of the material comforts of their homes while on safari. Buffet meals offer a variety of cuisines for all tastes. Rooms and tents are tastefully decorated with modern amenities. Lodges are landscaped well to blend in with the surroundings, and usually include a swimming pool, a shop, a large dining area, a bar and various facilities to make guests feel comfortable. Budget 150-400 pppd.
Luxury Tented Camps
These are meant for those who want nothing but luxury and privacy and are willing to pay the moon for it! These camps usually cater to a small number of tents spread across a large area so that each family has complete privacy. There is a personalized touch to everything. Made to order meals, and drinks are included in the offer as are also bush flights, game drives, and sometimes a holiday to an exotic destination thrown in for good measure. These camps are usually located near rivers and lakes and areas where animals congregate, and have some of the best locations in the reserves. Budget 400-1000 pppd.
High End Luxury Lodges/Camps - Privacy and Exclusivity Guaranteed
A private army of helpers makes your experience in the bush your very own. The camp is usually in a remote wilderness area with great wildlife viewing from the camp itself. The camp is usually fitted with antique furniture which blends well with the environment and yet retains an expensive feel about it. The budget starts from USD 1000 pppd and can go up to USD 3,500 pppd and it includes flights, transfers, drives, park fees, private butler, concierge, guide, laundry, drinks, and any other comfort that is possible in the remoteness of the bush. You can expect animals and birds to make unscheduled visits anytime of the day or night. And your living / eating / bathing / resting comforts would match the best hotels in the world. If you want to feel like a monarch, this option is tailormade for you!
Accommodations in Kruger National Park
As in East Africa, Kruger offers many choices of accommodation to suit different budgets and thresholds for a true wildlife experience;
1. Rest Camps: There are 12 rest camps (pictured above) which offer various types of accommodation - camping, huts, bungalows and cottages. They have shops, restaurants, swimming pools and other facilities in the vicinity, but these are not hotels or lodges and mainly self catered. Most provide beds, mattresses, towels, electricity, clean toilets, fridges and aircon or fans. Food, drinks and utensils may have to be brought with you if there is no kitchen in the accommodation. Toilets are always shared during camping.
2. Bushveld Camps: There are 5 bushveld camps. These are self catering units (cottages) with ensuite toilets in more remote areas of the park.
3. Bush Lodges: There are 2 bush lodges offering a remote safari experience to a larger group. These are also self catering with only the basic infrastructure provided. You have to carry food and drinks with you. These lodges run on solar energy ad therefore only the usual lights and fans work.
4. Private Concessions: Accommodation is in luxury tents and lodges, similar to those in East Africa.
5. Private Wildlife Reserves: This is the highest price option consisting of luxury and super luxury camps and lodges near the western border of Kruger.