Best hotels in Karongwe

Becks Safari Lodge could not be in a prettier setting – it perches on the banks of the Makhutsi River, with views across the landscape to the distant Drakensberg escarpment. It's the flagship lodge of Karongwe Private Game Reserve, a 9,000-hectare property whose many natural gifts include three rivers that feed it, ecosystems that range from savanna and woodland to rocky outcrops, and undulating hills that make for dynamic game drives. This is Big Five country, and the viewing is easy. We were struck by the luxurious hospitality of this small lodge; it's the perfect setting for a romantic break.

The wild and rugged Limpopo Province is renowned for some of the best game viewing areas in South Africa, with a stunning landscape of mountains, open plains studded with magnificent baobab trees, and beautiful waterways lined by strands of riverine forest. Karongwe Private Game Reserve spans some 9,000 hectares of this scenic terrain, and this is where you’ll find Karongwe River Lodge – an elegant bush retreat alongside the Makhutsi River, in an exclusive private concession. The game viewing is excellent throughout the year, and each season brings its own special feel - and wildlife.

If you're in need of an exclusive and perfectly private wilderness break, you'll be entranced by Kuname Lodge. Unashamedly luxurious, this small safari lodge is set in some 9000 hectares of pristine African bush in the Karongwe Private Game Reserve, east of the Drakensberg escarpment and just 45 minutes by road from the Kruger National Park. Its surroundings are lush with riverine vegetation, the views are varied and truly lovely, the game is healthy and plentiful (this is a Big Five reserve) and the silence is broken only by birdsong and the snuffles and grunts of wildlife.

Kuname Manor House is an exclusive-use villa in the Karongwe Game Reserve, a private Big Five reserve an hour's drive from Kruger National Park. Weeping boer-bean and jackalberry trees surround this charming, three-bedroomed home, which offers incredible views from the banks of the Kuvenyami River. It's spacious and comfortable, with staff who are willing to make this the sort of break you'd like, be it relaxed or adventurous, or a bit of both. An ideal spot for a family gathering, or a special occasion, or just because.

If combining your love of wildlife with your passion for horseriding appeals, look what's on offer at Wait a Little! Rides from this lodge traverse an area of 30,000-plus hectares across the Karongwe and the Greater Makalali private game reserves (located an hour from Kruger National Park's Phalaborwa gate). You'll need to be a seasoned horserider though – this is Big Five territory with wild and dangerous animals, and you'll be in the saddle between four and seven hours a day. The terrain is exceptional, with the Drakensberg mountains as a backdrop, broad plains, indigenous woodlands and life-sustaining rivers.