Kapama Southern Camp
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Kapama Karula
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Kapama River Lodge
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Kapama Buffalo Camp
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Kapama Private Game Reserve, with its portfolio of luxury game lodges, occupies a vast area between South Africa’s northern Drakensberg mountains and the Greater Kruger National Park. Adjacent to Kapama, Hoedspruit’s Eastgate Airport is ideally located to receive guests flying to Kapama on scheduled flights from both Johannesburg and Cape Town, and on private charters. Kapama offers courtesy transfers in open game viewing vehicles from Eastgate Airport to our four luxurious safari lodges: River Lodge, Buffalo Camp, Kapama Karula and Southern Camp.
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Situated in South Africa’s northernmost province of Limpopo, renowned for its prolific and diverse wildlife, Kapama Private Game Reserve is home to over 40 different mammal species, including the most dangerous Big Five of elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhinoceros. Approximately 350 bird species and a myriad smaller species can also be seen here in their natural environment. Twice-daily game drives through the reserve, accompanied by expert guides and trackers, ensure unforgettable wildlife encounters in the African bush.
Kapama Private Game Reserve comprises 13 000 hectares of sweeping wilderness. Extending from the R40 road in the west to the boundary with Thornybush Reserve in the east, and from the Eastgate Airport road in the north to Klaserie Dam in the south, the reserve hosts teeming wildlife and an enormous variety of African wildlife species that roam the area. Along with the Kapama River, the languid Klaserie River also flows through the reserve. These serve as natural water sources for the resident wildlife, which are regularly seen on guided game drives.
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♥ KAPAMA SOUTHERN CAMP ♥
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It offers luxury game lodge accommodation, warm hospitality and friendly service in a tranquil setting that will be savoured by even the most discerning nature lover.
Suites
All 15 suites at Southern Camp have full en-suite bathrooms with picture windows to enjoy the surrounding scenery and birdlife. Air conditioning, minibars and tea and coffee stations are standard in all suites of this five-star safari accommodation. Private patios offer the opportunity to enjoy relaxing sundowners, while game watching at the same time.
Luxury Suites
Kapama Southern Camp has 7 luxury suites. These 95 m² luxury suites have their own private lap pool, inside and outside showers, large minibar, espresso machine and a romantic fireplace open to the bath and bedroom.
Lounge and pool
An ideal place to relax with a good book or soak up the surrounding scenery, the lounge and pool deck are excellent vantage spots from which to game view too. Alternatively, go for a swim in the pool to cool off. The friendly barman is on duty all day to entice you with tantalising cocktails.
Dining
Breakfast and lunch are served in the elegant, open-sided dining room, which offers an enchanting dining experience. Décor is contemporary, understated and inspired by surrounding nature. The wine cellar is a focal point in the room, with the fine South Africa estate collection showcased behind frameless glass.
The traditional outdoor boma is the favoured setting for dinner, weather permitting. Illuminated by firelight and starry skies, diners will enjoy diverse and tasteful cuisine conjured by chefs right before them. Open fires are often used for cooking too, in true African style.
Family Room
To accommodate families Southern Camp offers 3 Family Suites which includes a Luxury Suite with a lap pool complete with a separate connected bedroom for children with its own bath, shower, double vanity and outside patio.
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♥ KAPAMA KARULA (Place of Peace) ♥
Set on the banks of the perennial Klaserie River is the reserve’s most secluded and prestigious lodge: Kapama Karula. Meaning ‘place of peace’ in the local language, Kapama Karula exudes calmness and depicts the pinnacle of luxury five-star safari accommodation. The meandering river running through the camp enhances the sense of tranquility at this elegant and luxurious safari lodge.
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Superior Suites
Kapama Karula has twelve superior suites, each exquisitely decorated and with generous private space. These suites measure at least 90m² each, with an opulent en-suite bathroom featuring indoor and outdoor showers, his and hers basins, and a bath. Standard in each superior suite is a minibar stocked with a selection of fine wines and champagne, a Nespresso coffee machine, a lock-up safe, an international adaptor, a Wi-Fi connection and an iPod docking station. For guest comfort and convenience, each suite has a telephone, overhead fan and air conditioning, as well as a gas-heated fireplace for cool winter nights. The superior suites are wrapped by glass sliding doors, which enable seamless views over the Klaserie River. Each suite also has its own outside deck area, with a full-size heated swimming pool and sun loungers for relaxation.
Family suites
Two of the superior suites, each measuring 170 m², are purpose-built for families. These family suites have an open-plan living room, replete with fireplace, which flows into the master bedroom with its en-suite bathroom. The second bedroom also leads off the living room and can be accessed through an interleading door or its own entrance. This children’s bedroom is also en suite and is equipped with a flat-screen TV, selection of movies and a Wii game console. All other amenities standard to the superior suites are included – from well-stocked minibars including a selection of wines and champagne, to Nespresso coffee machines, air conditioning, overhead fans, telephones, Wi-Fi and an iPod docking station. Each family suite also has a private outside deck and a large swimming pool, which is heated in the chillier months for year-round swimming.
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♥ KAPAMA RIVER LODGE ♥
Within the expansive Kapama Private Game Reserve, River Lodge epitomises five-star safari accommodation. The majestic northern Drakensberg mountains form the backdrop to the 64-suite River Lodge, which is positioned along a bend of the seasonal Kapama River. It’s the largest luxury game lodge in the Greater Kruger National Park area, and is stylishly furnished to ensure an unforgettable African safari experience.
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Suites
River Lodge’s 40 spacious air-conditioned suites have uninterrupted views over the Big Five game reserve from private patios, and all feature full, en-suite bathrooms with lavish amenities replenished daily. The suites are decorated to reflect old Africa in a luxury game lodge setting. Beverage stations for early morning coffee in suite and minibars for sundowners on your private patio are standard in all rooms.
Spa suites
The 20 spa suites are positioned a little way from the lodge to ensure additional privacy and proximity to the spa for unique African spa treatments. Expansive glass doors and frameless windows allow unobstructed bush views, including from the bathroom. Each suite is equipped with a minibar, coffee and tea-making facilities, as well as a safe, hairdryer and international plugs.
Family rooms
Located with the spa suites, the family rooms have triple balconies, along with spacious bedrooms that can accommodate an additional two beds for children sharing with their parents. The rooms – measuring over 70 square meters with the balconies – are also ideal for couples wanting the additional comfort of an oversized bedroom.
Royal suites
Taking luxury game lodge accommodation a step further, River Lodge has two royal suites that offer substantial space and include a separate lounge and extended balcony, furnished with recliner couches. The en-suite bathroom has a bath and a dual shower overlooking the surrounding bush and resident wildlife, while the bedroom is spacious and opulently appointed.
Dining
In true African luxury safari style, Kapama offers guests three different dining venues. As in classic old Africa, evening meals are often enjoyed seated around a roaring fire in the Rhino Boma. Here, buffet meals are served under open-sided thatch and showcase pan-African dishes prepared from fresh local ingredients. Traditional venison dishes also feature on this authentic African menu.
Romantic dining is epitomised by dinner set in the dry riverbed in front of the lodge, under a star-studded African night sky. The experience adds enchantment to any African luxury safari experience.
The Siyatla Lounge is purpose-built as an enclosed dining area, where breakfasts and lunches are served. It has its own bar and lounge with two large fireplaces, while glass stack doors open up the lounge to the surrounding bushveld.
All cuisine at Kapama is prepared using fresh seasonal ingredients and herbs grown in the lodge gardens. Traditional South African dishes and accompaniments, such as mealie pap (African-style polenta) and chakalaka (a hot, spicy relish) further enhance the luxury game lodge experience by giving a taste of real Africa. Menus include warthog stew, kudu casserole, impala sausages and oxtail curry. Vegetarians, vegans and various other dietary requirements are easily catered for.
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♥ KAPAMA BUFFALO CAMP ♥
Reminiscent of a traditional African safari camp from a bygone era, Buffalo Camp offers the ultimate luxurious tented accommodation experience. Built from natural stone and wood, the luxury game lodge has an olde world atmosphere while being completely contemporary. All comforts are catered for in the plush tented suites and throughout this carefully appointed luxury safari lodge, with décor accent colors of burnt red and gold.
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Tents
The 10 spacious suites that comprise Buffalo Camp are set on stilted wooden decks built on an elevated riverbank. Wooden walkways connect the suites to each other and the main lodge area. Buffalo Camp is set among tall shady trees, with a seasonal river below. In the dry season, antelope use the river course as a natural pathway to search for grazing.
Buffalo Camp’s suites are ultra-luxurious tents that evoke the feeling of old Africa. Each en-suite tent can accommodate two people, in either a double or twin beds dressed in white cotton linen and African design throws. There’s air conditioning for summer and heated underblankets to keep the cold at bay on winter nights. Everything and more than you’d expect in a luxury safari lodge is here – including a well-stocked minibar, Nespresso coffee machine and lock-up safe. Wooden floors, leather and dark wood finishes give the tents a nostalgic air.
At night, oil lanterns illuminate the walkways to create subtle light and ambience. Just 20 guests can be accommodated at Buffalo Camp, and the focus is on personal attention, superb service and complete comfort.
Lounge
The communal areas of Buffalo Camp are also built on the riverbank, and are surrounded by wild gardens of aloe and euphorbia. An intimate lounge nestles under a vaulted thatched roof with ceiling fans, which create a welcome breeze in summer. It’s the perfect place to sink into a comfortable sofa and bird watch, while enjoying refreshments from the Buffalo Bar.
Dining
The olde worlde-Africa atmosphere is carried through to meals, which are à la carte. Breakfast and lunch are served under a canopy of thatch, while dinner is usually enjoyed in the rustic outdoor boma, around a roaring open fire (depending on the weather, dinner may also be served indoors). This is true African-style dining in a luxury safari lodge setting, with the roar of lions and the calls of jackals and hyenas as natural background music.
Swimming pool
To cool off at Buffalo Camp, slip into the sleek, elevated rim-flow pool with views directly into the forest canopy. Then sun-dry on the loungers before taking a lazy nap in the shade under a wide canvas umbrella.
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Images credited to Kapama Private Game Reserve
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