Enjoy the last days of safari season at these local stays
|Published
For safari-lovers, the end of winter is a sad time as it signals the close of safari season. Safari season in South Africa is from May to September, sometimes October, and during these winter months, the east of the country where the majority of parks and reserves are located experiences its dry season.
The reason behind safari season is that wildlife is easier to spot because vegetation thins, and animals gather around waterholes and rivers during this period.
The best places for an authentic safari experience in the country include the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West Province and Limpopo.
The beauty in this is that the experience is affordable and accessible if you visit South African national parks.
As we mark the end of safari season and look forward to other experiences around the country, here are local safari stays to enjoy before the season ends.
Syeta Bush Lodge in the Kruger(Mpumalanga)
There’s no place like the Kruger. The Greater Kruger and Kruger National Park is known all around the world for its exceptional wild life game viewing.
Don’t let the expensive luxury lodges let you think the region id off limits because of budget. There are affordable stays and experiences like Syeta Bush Lodge in Mbombela near White River and the Kruger National Park.
The lodge Emamba Emnyama Chalet offers comfortable self-catering accommodation and serene camping sites, ideal for couples, families, and groups of friends.
The chalet accommodates four guests and comprises one bedroom and one bathroom.
It also features a fully equipped kitchenette with a fridge-freezer, gas stove, and microwave, as well as tea- and coffee-making facilities. A stay at the chalet starts from R1 600 a night.
Chumbi House safari experience Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (KwaZulu-Natal)
Though the beach may be calling your name, why not consider doing things differently and take a little bush break in KwaZulu-Natal.
Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park is the oldest game reserve in South Africa, so why not enjoy the years of heritage that this park has to offer. The park is a Big Five game park and is easily accessible for travellers.
Chumbi House is a self-catering, fabulously comfortable, spacious home. You get the entire house and garden to yourself. The home is within Kuleni Game Park, Hluhluwe. View wildlife from the veranda, or from your own private plunge pool.
Enjoy the most gorgeous sun-sets. The house can sleep six adults and two children in three large spacious rooms. All rooms have ceiling fans, the two larger rooms have Air-conditioners.
A stay at Chumbi House starts from R3 600 a night.
Nyala Bush Lodge in the Waterberg Biosphere (Limpopo Province)
The Waterberg Biosphere is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been described by some as South Africa’s best keep secret.
Its rugged beauty, together with its diverse plant and animal life, has led to the development of the Waterberg Nature Conservancy, an amalgamation of conservation areas covering more than 150 000 hectares.
It’s an ideal destination for those in and around Johannesburg as it is just a within a comfortable three-four hour drive from Johannesburg.
Nyala Bush Lodge is a luxurious six sleeper private unit on a 1200 hectare game farm situated within the Dinkweng Safari Lodge reserve It has a beautiful deck overlooking the breath-taking Waterberg Mountains and Valleys.
The lodge is perfect for entertaining and keeping the conversation flowing with 3 en-suite bedrooms, open plan living space as well as a beautiful outside entertainment area with a romantic fire pit, refreshing swimming pool and sunbeds to put your feet up, head back and relax.
Ndlovu Addo River Lodge Safari Tent near Addo Elephant National (Eastern Cape)
There are few destinations like the Eastern Cape when it comes to choosing a combination bush and beach holiday in South Africa, and Addo is simply perfect. Addo Elephant National Park is the only Big Seven national park in the world.
The only place you’ll be able to view the original African Big Five: leopard, lion, Cape buffalo, rhino and elephant, in addition to the great white shark and southern right whale, which round off the Big Seven.
Consider a stay at Ndlovu Addo River Lodge - Safari Tent set on the Sundays River, which is 35 minutes away from the Addo Elephant National Park.
Ndlovu Addo River Lodge is made for nature lover’s and monkeys, birds and fish will be your companions during your stay.
The comfortable safari tent has an en-suite bathroom and amazing river view from balcony.
You can also enjoy the outdoor braai and gas stove or canoe and paddle on the Sunday’s River. A stay starts from R1 600 a night.
Aloe Rock Cabin stay near Pilanesberg National Park (North West)
One of the most accessible safari destinations in the country, Pilanesberg National Park in the ecologically rich transition zone between the Kalahari and the Lowveld in the North West, promises thrilling big game viewing.
The park is a Big Five game reserve and some of the most beautiful scenery within the entire park can be viewed in the Mankwe Dam region. The dam is the largest body of water in the game reserve.
This makes it the perfect place to spot a wide variety of animals like water-buck, wildebeest, zebra and impala that make a stopover on the grassland bordering the dam.
For those looking to visit the area, consider a farm stay in Moedwil at the Aloe Rock Cabin. The cabin for two is built from natural stone and balanced on an 80m high cliff overlooking a valley covered in trees and a mountain in the distance.
The cabin has luxuries including air conditioning, a fireplace both in and outside, rock pool and jacuzzi on the edge of the cliff, open air shower and a bath overlooking the valley.
A stay at the cabin starts from R2 500 a night.
∎ This list was sourced from Airbnb.