There was no way we could visit South Africa without going on Safari. As we wanted to be able to fly in and out without having too far to travel, we chose a Reserve close to Eastgate airport. Which is why we decided on Karongwe Game Reserve as our accomodation for a two night stay. Within the Karongwe Reserve there are 5 Camps to choose from, each which offers a unique experience.
Details about Karongwe Game Reserve
Location:
Karongwe Game Reserve is located overlooking the Drakensberg Mountain Range about 40 minutes from Eastgate Gate Airport in Hoedspruit. Eastgate Airport services daily flights to and from Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Which ever Camp you choose, Karongwe Game Reserve will organise collection to and from the airport on a complimentary basis.
About:
To begin with, Karongwe Game Reserve covers an area of 9,000 hectares with three rivers flowing through the Reserve. There are over 60 species of mammals including the Big 5 – Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and Rhinoceros. On the Reserve there are five luxury lodges, these are:
- Beck’s Safari Lodge
- Kuname Lodge
- Chisomo Safari Camp
- Shiduli Private Game Lodge
- Karongwe River Lodge
Weather:
South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere which means the warmer months are from October to March where temperatures can reach a high of 42 degrees and a low of 20 degrees. During these months, most of the rain falls with 550mm annually.
In comparison, the months of May, June and July are when cooler temperatures are experienced with a high of 26 degrees and a low of 8 degrees. During those months the weather is much dryer.
Regardless of the weather, game viewing is great year round! Animal movements change according to the weather and vegetation also varies.
Review of Karongwe Game Reserve
We can only properly review the two lodges that we stayed at which were Beck’s Safari Lodge and Karongwe River Lodge. Both had a completely different feel / style to them so it is almost impossible to choose a favourite!
Beck’s Safari Lodge
Beck’s Safari Lodge is set on the River Bed of the The Makutsi River and offers a boutique experience with only 10 Safari Suites.
The Rooms:
Each of the 10 Safari Suites are similar in style, that is open living with neutral toned interiors. Each room features a large king size bed, a living area which opens to a private deck. Like our room, majority of the rooms overlook the river however if you are on the opposite side your room will overlook the dam.
The bathroom features a separate toilet, bath as well as an indoor and outdoor shower. Coffee and tea facilities are also available in each of the tents.
The Facilities:
The lodge feels spacious considering there are only 10 rooms. In the main section of the Camp is the dining / lounge and bar area where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served. Both breakfast and dinner are a la carte whereas lunch is typically a buffet.
The dining area overlooks the outside dining area and fire pit which is used during the winter months. Attached to this outside area as well is a generous sized lap pool which overlooks The Makutsi River. It really is the perfect area to relax during the day in between Game Drives, watching as animals graze in the distance.
On site there is also a day spa which offers a range of services including massages.
Karongwe River Lodge
After a one night stay at Beck’s Safari Lodge we moved to Karongwe River Lodge which was about a 30 minute drive away. Karongwe River Lodge is set in the most picturesque location, set up high overlooking The Makutsi River.
The Rooms:
Again, Karongwe River Lodge is another boutique Camp with 5 Luxury Suites, 2 Family Suites, 2 Executive Suites and 2 Presidential Suites. Each room is slightly different however all feature a queen or king size bed with a small living area. The highlight of each of the rooms however is the private decks which have the most incredible view. We could have just sat outdoors for hours watching animals pass by while listening to birds chirping in the background.
The rooms also feature an ensuite bathroom with a separate toilet and the choice of an indoor and outdoor shower.
The Facilities:
We were very impressed with the facilities at Karongwe River Lodge. And it wasn’t just the magnificent bush setting, everything from the dining area to the outdoor seating area just oozed elegance. At night we dined in the Boma which had all guests sitting around the central fire.
The Camp also features a generous sized pool which is the perfect place to hang out in between Safari game drives.
Karongwe Game Reserve – Safaris
All Camps within Karongwe Game Reserve operate the same way, that is the Game Drives occur at the same time every day. Depending on the season, the time of the Game Drives will vary slightly. However, when we were there we left on our morning game drive at 5am and left for the afternoon game drive at 4pm. The reason for not having a game drive in the middle of the day is because of the warm weather and many of the animals are actually sleeping.
There are a number of 4 x 4 vehicles which cater to the guests depending on how many are at the Camp at the time. We were lucky enough at Karongwe River Lodge to have a vehicle to ourselves, however at Beck’s Safari Lodge we were joined by two other guests. If it is raining, there is a weather proof protection that can be added to the otherwise open vehicle.
Our Sightings
We had some incredible sightings while on Safari at Karongwe Game Reserve. Our favourite moment was our Cheetah sightings, we actually saw them twice. We were even allowed out of the vehicle so that we could take a closer look. It was amazing to be up close and personal with such majestic animals!
Some other highlights include our Lion sighting at sunrise, the lighting was perfect! The Male Lion looked us right in the eyes, it was an incredible moment. We also saw many Giraffes, Rhinoceros, Elephants, Wart Hogs! Just to name a few.
Review of Karongwe Game Reserve
Karongwe Game Reserve offered everything we were looking for on our South African Safari. From the moment we were picked up, to the moment we were dropped off we were well looked after. The staff at both lodges as well as the Safari Guides were knowledgeable and happy to help with any request we had!
Each of the Camps offer different experiences so it is important to find the one that best suits you!
If you are looking to explore other areas in South Africa, have a look below at our other blogs:
- South Africa Itinerary 10 Days with South Africa Tourism and G Adventures
- Camping on the Garden Route in South Africa
- Inkwenkwezi Safari: Must do in South Africa
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