Best hotels in Kruger

Sabi Sand Game Reserve is the oldest private reserve in South Africa, sharing a 50-kilometre, fenceless border with Kruger National Park. It offers, almost indisputably, the best Big Five game viewing in the country and there are an abundance of predators. Here, tucked tastefully in the mature bush, is newly renovated Cheetah Plains, a collection of superbly stylish stand-alone homes. Expect a contemporary design, clean lines, carefully chosen natural materials and modern fixtures. This is a place that promises a luxury experience of the highest order.

Lying within a 765-hectare private bush estate near White River, Ndula Luxury Tented Lodge has it all – wide vistas, dynamic wilderness, wildlife, supremely comfortable contemporary accommodation, and breakfasts and dinners to linger over. Here, you're in the Lowveld, a region that incorporates the much-loved Kruger National Park, and overflows with sightseeing options, from rich wildlife to dramatic canyons and compelling history. Explore the estate to see giraffe, zebra, warthog, nyala, wildebeest, kudu, and a birder's wishlist of species. Need more? Kruger is a mere 45-minute drive away.

Ulusaba Safari Lodge will be closed for an exciting refurbishment from 26 January 2026 and reopening on 1 December 2026.

The hill on which Ulusaba Private Game Reserve's lodge sits provided the ancient Shangaan warriors with the perfect lookout point. 'The place of little fear' was therefore the perfect name for this famed stretch of bushveld. Today, the Safari Lodge offers a different kind of adventure. Located on the edge of a dry river and under a canopy of ancient trees, you'll take rope swing bridges between rooms and watch thirsty animals skirt by your deck on their way to the nearby waterhole. Alternatively, retreat to the treehouse to get lost in birdsong.

Imbali is sheltered in a riverine forest overlooking a river in a 10,000 hectare private concession in Kruger National Park. It is one of only three lodges in the area and is built on the site of a 400-year-old African settlement where evidence of an ancient culture has been found. The lodge continues the safari tradition of a bygone era, incorporating comfort and luxury in the serene African bush. A waterhole next to the camp provides wonderful wildlife and bird watching from the decks. The romantic suites are furnished in understated luxury and boast jacuzzis or plunge pools.

*Closed for extensive refurbishment from 18 March to 20 September 2024* This well-appointed and intimate tented camp is located in Ngala Private Reserve within Timbavati, the first private nature reserve to remove the fences that separated it from its neighbour, Kruger National Park. This satellite camp to Ngala Game Lodge is set beneath giant shady trees on the banks of the seasonal Timbavati River, and is known for its Big Five and wild dog sightings. Game, walking and photographic safaris are led by expert guides and trackers, who make sure that no rock is left unturned in pursuit of the animals.

Luxurious and perfectly intimate, Lion Sands Ivory Lodge might be small, but it certainly packs a punch. Positioned right on the banks of the Sabie River (it’s one of the few in the area with direct river access) in the private Lion Sands Reserve, the views stretch all the way to the Kruger, and its inhabitants can often be seen trotting past the glass-walled suites and ambling alongside the pool. Interiors are modern, contemporary and elegant (think soothing colour palettes and the highest-spec finishing touches), but most importantly, the lodge is in an area with particularly high numbers of game and birds, including the Big Five – the animals that top everyone’s safari bucket list.

Rhino Plains Camp is a small, pioneer-style bush camp in a 12,000-hectare private concession within the central Kruger National Park. Nestled in an acacia thicket overlooking the broad Timbitene plain and a waterhole that attracts numerous wild animals such as rhino, buffalo, giraffe, elephant and lion. This is the camp to visit if you're interested in exploring the bush on foot. It has a charming atmosphere of a early naturalist’s rest base, with elegant furnishings consisting of family heirlooms, polished brass and silver. For the environmentally conscious you'll be pleased to know that it's also eco-friendly.

The Farmstead at Royal Malewane is an exceptional new addition to the eclectic collection of lodges and hotels that fly the Royal Portfolio Collection banner. It occupies an elevated perch in the Thornybush Private Game Reserve, a wildlife sanctuary that shares an unfenced border with Kruger National Park, across which animals spill in great numbers. Just 12 kilometres away is Royal Malewane, one of the most prestigious lodges in the country. The Farmstead offers the very best in accommodation – perfect for honeymooners and visitors who can afford its exclusivity. Once you're there, expect five-star accommodation, cuisine, guiding and wildlife.

Kambaku Safari Lodge lies within the Timbavati Game Reserve on the western, unfenced border of South Africa's much-loved Kruger National Park. The 540-square-mile amalgamation of private reserves offers an exclusive game-viewing experience that is far less-crowded than the adjacent National Park. It is also home to the infamous white lion population, thanks to a naturally-occuring recessive gene which gives the lions their pale, pearly coat. Besides the spectacular, undulating terrain, ranging from savanna bushveld to various kinds of woodland, the region offers potential sightings of the Big Five, as well as wild dog, cheetah, and plenty of other animals.

Tucked away under a canopy of trees and overlooking the Sand River below, Londolozi Varty Camp offers visitors something unique: an authentic, luxury safari experience for the whole family. Its prime location in the heart of the Sabi Sands Game Reserve and its unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park make for some of the best game viewing in Southern Africa. Considered one of the prime spots to view the elusive leopard, here guests will have the opportunity to explore the best the area has to offer, in five-star luxury.

Running through the very heart of the famous Sabi Sand Game Reserve, is the Sand River, a mightily beautiful seasonal river that attracts herds of elephants and buffalo, prides of lions and the endangered white rhino. And on the banks of the river sits Londolozi's Pioneer Camp, undoubtedly the most exclusive camp in the region. If Ralph Lauren designed safari lodges, this is how he would do it, and the three gleaming mahogany suites are impeccable in every way. Book one of the suites and enjoy a romantic hideaway in the shade of the ebony trees, or book all three and bring the family for an exceptional safari that everyone will enjoy.

After a complete refurbishment and new ownership, Tulela is both a world away from modern life and thoroughly steeped in luxury – not excessive, but discreet and respectful of its natural surroundings. Discretely tucked in the trees on a bend in the seasonal Ntsiri River on the western edge of the Greater Kruger region, Tulela sits in the Klaserie Private Game Reserve (one of the largest privately owned sanctuaries in South Africa), at the heart of the country's most iconic wildlife area. See the Big Five along with the other major players – wild dog, cheetah, giraffe, and a host of birds.