We traveled to South Africa in the summer of 2018. We enjoyed its beautiful nature and splendid wildlife. And stayed in amazing places. In this blog our # top 3 accommodation.

#1 Africamps Klein Karoo

Undisputably on number 1: Africamps Klein Karoo in Oudtshoorn, a special glamping spot on one of the largest working ostrich farms in the city, in the middle of the pristine Karoo landscape. A memorable holiday experience.

12 luxury tents are located around a small water dam. Self-catering, with everything you need: a fully equipped kitchen with a small sitting area, wonderful beds – with individually adjustable electric heating – and an en-suite bathroom. You can get food and drinks in the local supermarket or order a breakfast basket or a ‘braai’ package, all for a reasonable price. And yes, there is also a swimming pool, but in the South African winter, even with the beautiful weather we had, it is a bit too cold to take a dip. In the evenings you can relax on the large wooden terrace, with an magnificent view on the majestic Swartberg Mountains while you enjoy a ‘braai’. The sunsets are stunning.

On top of this magnificent view you can enjoy South African wildlife for free. During a walk on the domain, we saw a variety of free-roaming indigenous game like zebra, springbok, blue wildebeest, kudu, impala, eland, waterbuck, nyala and an enormous turtle next. And not to forget the ostriches – about 20.000 – impressive.

#2 Storms River Mouth Rest Camp

On number 2, about 100 kilometers south on the garden route, our stay in the Storms River Mouth Rest Camp, a special place in Tsitsikamma National Park.  

We spent the night in one of the two Family Cottages, a comfortable house with 3 bedrooms, a large kitchen and a spacious living room, with a dining table on the terrace in the garden. Yes, the house was dated, but the location made up for it: a stunning coastline with majestic rock formations, booming breakers relentlessly pounding rocky shores and temperate high forest and fynbos rolling down to the sea in an unspoilt verdant carpet Add to this the impressive suspension bridges over the mouth of the Storms river itself, the special local fauna and flora and the easy walking routes. The beautiful weather made the views even more spectacular.

#3 Addo Elephant National Park

On number 3, our stay in Addo Elephant National Park, one of the most famous national parks in South Africa where you can meet the ‘big 5’.

Yes, we stayed in the park itself. Many travel organizations arrange an overnight stay outside the park, but we really recommend staying in the park. Although the bungalows are basic and just big enough (bathroom, living room, kitchen) the view is spectacular. While you are enjoying breakfast on your terrace, you can admire the elephants just in front of you … But the main advantage: you can immediately drive into the park with your own car when the park opens in the morning and stay there until closing. So no need for driving around outside the park at night. A sunset with elephants in the background … highly recommended! We had a great time!

Some tips:

• You can book your stay in a national park directly via the park website
• Each park has a variety of accommodations so just choose what suits you best.
• Spending the night in a national park is pretty costly. You do not only pay for the accomodation but also the stay in the park, which can add up quickly. Keep this in mind when you make a booking.
• Each park has a small restaurant. The prices are in line with those outside the park and the food is OK, with special children’s menus (read: they serve chips and chicken nuggets).
• Some bungalows in the park have a small kitchen. Do you want to cook yourself? Make sure to stock up before entering the park. The supermarket/souvenir shops in the park often only offer a basic assortment (the travel guides sometimes mention the opposite) and in Tsitsikamma there is no real supermarket in the wider area. So don’t forget to shop in a larger city (Knysna, …).
• If you like jam: in the shop in Addo you can buy superb local orange jam -:)

Some more information on our itinerary, tips and costs, just read my related blogs.