Luxury Safari Experience Accessible to South Africans
When it comes to luxury safari experiences in the Kruger National Park, international tourists are spoiled for choice. It’s the local South African market, paying ZAR to stay at properties priced in USD, who typically don’t get to enjoy the same experience. And that’s exactly where Nyati Safari Lodge in the Kruger National Park comes in. This private 10,000 ha Big 5 wildlife reserve is part of South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park and offers South African resident rates that make the dream safari experience accessible to South Africans. We slipped away for a safari mini-moon just after our wedding at this incredible property and spent our time watching elephants cooling in the river while we cooled off in the swimming pool, enjoying sundowners with a free lightning show and cuddled up in our lush safari tent while the summer rains bucketed down around us. This is one experience South Africans with an appetite for travel should experience on home soil, before heading overseas again!
Staying in the Nyati Rhino Tent
We stayed in one of Nyati’s Rhino Tents, overlooking the Olifants River. The tents are fully equipped with electricity, air conditioning, en suite bathrooms and outdoor showers. They are huge, with ample room to relax in-between activities, excellent meals and game drives. We were woken up every morning by a float of hippos grunting and growling as they wallowed in the river just below our tent and fell asleep every night to the cracking thunder of the Kruger’s electric summer storms. The deck outside the tent is the perfect place to spend an afternoon reading in the shade, looking for thirsty animals coming to the river for refreshment.
Nyati Lodge Accommodation Options
The accommodation options at Nyati range from family-style rooms to a completely private exclusive-use camp.
- The en-suite River Bungalow sleeps 2 people and features big sliding doors that lead to a private terrace with a view of the Olifants River which you can enjoy from your personal hammock.
- The family-style Olifant Villa Suite is a short distance from the restaurant, but just far ensure to allow you to feel secluded and private. There are 2, 3 and 4 bedroom villas, complete with a large living room, private pool and boma and a covered, furnished terrace.
- The 2 bedroom Family Bungalow offers individual rooms attached to a River Bungalow and is perfect for families with kids.
- For bigger groups, the exclusive-use 500 m2 private Cheetah Camp accommodates up to 14 people and comes complete with a private pool, bbq area and a private chef.
Nyati safaris are fully-inclusive, which means your breakfast, lunch, dinner, poolside cocktails, afternoon tea, game drive sundowners and two game drives are all part of the experience. The Nyati experience is very generous, and we loved finding a different bottle of wine already on our dinner table every every evening. The food is great, and we loved the simplicity of the set menu – it takes the pressure off deciding what to order! Personally, there’s nothing I enjoy more than a fully-inclusive trip. The knowledge that your trip is fully settled and you won’t be spending another rand while you’re on holiday really helps you to relax into the holiday.
Activities at Nyati Safari Lodge
We started early every morning with a sunrise safari and coffee in the bush, and every evening with a sunset drive and sundowners with a view. We were treated to incredible encounters on every drive. We also enjoyed a walking safari along the banks of the river and a real highlight of the trip was a quad biking safari through the bush! There’s also a fully equipped gym on the property, and a pool overlooking the river.
Nyati also offers morning bush walks and bush breakfasts, balloon safaris, a full-day trip to the Drakensberg and lots more. These aren’t all included in the all-inclusive package, but I can highly recommend booking the quad bike safari! We’re pretty 50/50 when it comes to holidays, and like to spend as much time relaxing as we do adventuring. But if you’re more of the adventure-seeking type, you won’t be bored.
Local Rates at Nyati Safari Lodge
Until the end of December 2021, South African residents can enjoy fully-inclusive stays for just R1750,00 per person per night sharing. This rate is probably the best I have ever seen at any safari property in South Africa. From January 2022, locals can book the same fully-inclusive experience for just R2500,00 per person per night sharing. To book, you can contact Nyati directly on [email protected].
The food is amazing, the guides are incredibly knowledgable and the experience overall feels incredibly personal. We saw so much in just 4 nights, and we made the absolute most of the views, the outdoor shower and the opportunity to wear all the cute safari clothes in our wardrobes.
How to Get There
We flew from Cape Town to Hoedspruit, but you can also drive from Johannesburg to the property. The drive takes about 5 hours. Once you’re on the property, you’ll be seeing the bush from a game vehicle, so you’re free to relax and enjoy the sundowners.
We enjoyed our stay at Nyati so much that my parents ended booking their own 5-day trip after we couldn’t stop talking about it. I really think they’re doing amazing by offering these South African rates, something we don’t typically see at South African properties.
To find or more or to book your trip, visit www.nyati.com
