Best Rest Camps in Kruger National Park

By Ariadne van Zandbergen

Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s premier wildlife-viewing destinations. The park extends over 19,485km²/7,523mi² of woodland savannah and is home to a great variety of animals, including the sought-after Big Five. The excellent road network and well-priced rest camps make Kruger a popular choice for guided tours, as well as self-drive holidays.

Aside from the smaller satellite camps, Kruger’s rest camps all have a variety of accommodation, such as self-catering chalets, huts, safari tents and cottages. Facilities include well-stocked shops and restaurants. Some camps also have a pool and filling station. All camps are fenced and family-friendly.

Wondering where to stay? Here are 10 of the best camps in Kruger National Park.

Lower Sabie Rest Camp

Lower Sabie Camp flickr.com/photos/berniedup/13981889501

Located on the banks of the Sabie River, one of Kruger’s most reliable water sources, is Lower Sabie Rest Camp. This is arguably the best base to explore the wildlife-rich southern part of the park. The camp has a viewing deck over the river, flanked by fabulous giant trees such as sycamore figs, marulas and Natal mahoganies. A large variety of accommodation options includes bungalows, luxury safari tents and basic camping.

Lower Sabie Rest Camp Tours

Olifants Rest Camp

Olifants Camp flickr.com/photos/mister-e/2373297137

With its prime location high on a ridge overlooking the Olifants River, Olifants Rest Camp offers one of the most dramatic views in Kruger National Park. Hippos and crocodiles are a permanent presence on the sandy riverbanks, and invariably you’ll spot some elephants drinking. The area makes an excellent base for game drives. If you’re up for a little adventure, guided mountain-bike trails are available too.

Olifants Rest Camp Tours

Punda Maria Rest Camp

Punda Maria Camp stock.adobe.com/contributor/207124195/Sheldrickfalls

Located in the remote north of Kruger National Park, away from the more touristy south, Punda Maria Rest Camp has the ambience of a small village. Established as a game ranger post in 1919, it was later converted to a tourist camp, and some of the original buildings have been kept to maintain the spirit of the old-style Kruger safari camps. The surrounding area, with its diverse vegetation, is known as the botanical garden of Kruger, and the birding is superb.

Punda Maria Rest Camp Tours

Satara Rest Camp

Satara Camp flickr.com/photos/anasilva/7556367280

Satara Rest Camp is one of the largest rest camps in Kruger National Park and it has great facilities, including restaurants, a well-stocked shop, a swimming pool and a filling station. The accommodation is laid out in a series of circles, and the well-wooded gardens are prolific with birdlife. The Satara area is excellent lion country, and the flat open plains are good for spotting cheetah too.

Satara Rest Camp Tours

Orpen Rest Camp

Orpen swimming Pool flickr.com/photos/berniedup/51802256042

This small rest camp at the Orpen Gate is the main entrance to the central region of Kruger National Park. The open grassland of this area offers superb wildlife viewing and cheetahs are particularly prolific here. A small waterhole just outside the camp is a lovely spot to watch animals come and go throughout the day.

Tamboti Tented Camp

Tamboti Tented Camp flickr.com/photos/berniedup/17234529658

Tamboti Tented Camp is a small satellite to Orpen Rest Camp. As there is no restaurant or shop at the camp, the place has a rustic atmosphere perfect for visitors looking for a true bush experience. The boma (rounded enclosure set around a fire) is an ideal spot to recount the day’s sightings with fellow travelers, and a bird hide offers great photographic opportunities.

Skukuza Rest Camp

Skukuza is Kruger’s largest rest camp, and it has the atmosphere of a village. The camp, with its outstanding facilities, is perfect for family holidays. It can sleep up to 1,000 visitors a night in a variety of accommodation, ranging from bungalows, cottages and safari tents to basic rondavels (traditional round buildings resembling African huts) spread out in park-like gardens on the banks of the Sabie River. Skukuza has three swimming pools, a filling station, a laundromat, shops, restaurants and a post office. The unfenced nine-hole golf course is an attraction in its own right.

Skukuza Rest Camp Tours

Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp

Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp flickr.com/photos/berniedup/16255637230

Aptly named Berg-en-Dal, meaning Mountain and Valley, is set in a spectacular, rugged mountain environment. It is one of Kruger’s newest camps offering modern face-brick bungalows that are ideal for families. The vegetation in camp is kept deliberately natural to enhance your bush experience. Don’t miss out on a guided walk to see ancient San paintings in the surrounding hills.

Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp Tours

Pretoriuskop Rest Camp

Pretoriuskop Rest Camp flickr.com/photos/mister-e/196151197

Pretoriuskop is one of the oldest camps in Kruger. It is also the highest and coolest. It is situated between granite outcrops, most notably the impressive dome known as Shabeni Hill. The natural granite pool is a great place to cool off in the middle of the day.

Pretoriuskop Rest Camp Tours

Shingwedzi Rest Camp

Shingwedzi Rest Camp flickr.com/photos/berniedup/51149367272

This rustic rest camp is the perfect base for wildlife viewing in northern Kruger. Accommodation is in two separate circles next to the seasonal Shingwedzi River. Wildlife viewing is at its best here when the river is reduced to small pools that attract animals from far and wide, especially large herds of elephant and buffalo.

Shingwedzi Rest Camp Tours