Kruger National Park Tented Camps

From the Sublime to the Spartan

There is something other-worldly about driving in through the gates of the Kruger National Park. Pre-historic looking giraffe glide past in the bushveld and armour-plated rhinos graze, defensively protecting their baby rhinos. A furtive hyena pauses to sniff the air then slinks off and disappears into the scrub, leaving you wondering if you imagined seeing it.

One cannot help marvelling in wide-eyed wonder at the privilege of entering such a vast expanse of pristine natural land. Larger than some countries, it is an extraordinary space set aside for ordinary people like us to enjoy while the wild natural world continues its interaction unchanged by the decades.

And what better way to commune with this wild nature than in tented accommodation, set up alongside an ancient tree, safely raised on wooden platforms and overlooking river beds. This month Characterstays has the enviable task of reviewing 3 very different levels of tented accommodation in the Kruger National Park. We start with the sublime Hamilton’s Tented Camp in the Big 5 game-rich Satara area. Then we move North to the stylish, simpler Punda Maria Tented Camp, famed for its varied migrant bird life, Baobab Trees and wide, lazy great Limpopo River. Finally we wend our way back Southwards to the spartan and satisfying Tamboti Tented Camp near Orpen, territory of the rare finds like wild dog, jackal and smaller cats.

These eco-friendly tented stays are one of the best ways of appreciating the wonder of being in such an unspoilt, wild environment. On a quintessential safari experience, one can embrace the Kruger National Park slogan “Custodians of Nature”, engaging in the natural world as explorers have done for hundreds of years before. 

Kruger National Park Tented Camps to be reviewed in August:

• Hamilton's Tented Camp (near Satara)
• Punda Maria Tented Camp (at Punda Maria)
• Tamboti Tented Camp (near Orpen)

Other recommended Kruger National Park character stays:

•  Plains Tented Camp
•  Lion Sands Treehouses
•  Rhino Walking Safaris