Kapama River Lodge

The lodge:

The northern Drakensberg mountain range provides a majestic backdrop to the largest private game lodge in the Greater Kruger National Park region. Kapama River Lodge is situated within Kapama Game Reserve, and presents the perfect blend between luxurious safari accommodation and a generous bed capacity of 42 bedrooms. Although large, it is so stylish and roomy and beautifully positioned along a dry riverbed, that guests fall in love with it.

Lodge

Each spacious room at Kapama River Lodge features a full en-suite bathroom and terrace with uninterrupted views into the leafy-green Big 5 game reserve. The central guest entertainment areas include a large rim-flow swimming pool with sun umbrellas and recliners for lazy afternoons. The long L-shaped relaxation lounge and bar under a double-volume thatch, curves around the pool and on either side is a huge double-sided fireplace creating a wondrous open-plan yet cosy atmosphere. The Rhino Boma dining area with tables arranged under a low thatch in a horseshoe curve, has a central open space where a roaring outdoor fire gives a glow to evening meals. Buffet-style meals introduce African flavours with Pan African dishes using fresh local ingredients and specialist dishes featuring venison like kudu and impala.

Accommodation

Suites

Kapama River Lodge features 40 spacious air-conditioned suites, with modern yet distinctly African furnishings and log-beam ceilings under a golden thatch. Step onto your private balcony with an iced drink from your mini bar, and while away free time looking lazily into the bush for animals that may pass by. There’s tea and coffee at your disposal too. Bathrooms are all en-suite with his and hers basins, bath and shower, complimentary toiletries and lotions and fluffy white towels.

Dinning

Kapama River Lodge extends itself with three different dining venues:

Rhino Boma is the most popular buffet dinner venue where a delicious variety of dishes is eaten under an open-sided thatch around a crackling fire.
The Riverbed is a romantic place to dine, with a star-studded African night sky above you and the sand of the dry riverbed beneath you.

Lounge

African pots, stools and artefacts grace the illuminated recessed alcoves in the L-shaped lounges and bar of Kapama River lodge. Chairs are softly upholstered in reds and golds and the high yellow thatch reflects a warm light back into the beamed lounges. A wide chimney divides each lounge area, and the dual-facing fireplaces throws light and warmth into all areas.

Wooden-framed glass concertina doors can be pulled closed to keep it cosy or opened up completely for views beyond the rim-flow pool into the sandy riverbed. A special feature of Kapama River Lodge is the straw-clad plaster walls, helping to seamlessly merge the inside with the outside.

African pots, stools and artefacts grace the illuminated recessed alcoves in the L-shaped lounges and bar of Kapama River lodge. Chairs are softly upholstered in reds and golds and the high yellow thatch reflects a warm light back into the beamed lounges. A wide chimney divides each lounge area, and the dual-facing fireplaces throws light and warmth into all areas.

Wooden-framed glass concertina doors can be pulled closed to keep it cosy or opened up completely for views beyond the rim-flow pool into the sandy riverbed. A special feature of Kapama River Lodge is the straw-clad plaster walls, helping to seamlessly merge the inside with the outside.

Wine Cellar

Kapama River lodge has a wine cellar worth boasting about. Three big plate glass windows allow you to look into the perfectly humidified environment storing more than 600 bottles of fine wine. Apart from some French Champagne, all the wines and Cape Classique sparkling are from South Africa’s finest Cape vineyards; Meerlust Rubicon, Veenwouden and Boschkloof Merlot, Graham Beck Shiraz, Nitida pinotage and fine vintage Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

Media Room

For those occasions when you really want to catch up on world news on cable TV, watch a sports game or entertain the children with a wildlife DVD, pop down to the Kapama River Lodge Media Room. This area is also adapted for small conferences of 20 delegates or less, with breakaway rooms seating 8-10 people.

Activities

Kapama Game Reserve is so well positioned, not too far from habitation but still deep in the bush, enabling us to offer a truly superior range of activities. Two game drives per day and an optional bush walk is included in the all-inclusive Kapama safari package. All other activities are not included and will charged as extras.

Here’s a quick guide to what’s on offer, then read on for all the exciting details of each option:

  • Game Drives and Bush Walks (included on the tariff) – two game drives per day and an optional bush walk are included in the safari package price
  • Romantic Sleepout – nothing can top the experience of sleeping with your loved one on a high platform deep in the African bush, on a bed of white linen surrounded by lanterns and billowing mosquito netting. A luxurious bathroom with flush toilet is below you.
  • Hot Air Ballooning – let the wind drift you towards the Drakensberg Mountains or across the game reserve to spot game from the air
  • Elephant Back Safari – get up close and personal with an African elephant and see Kapama Game Reserve from his back 
  • Kapama Thulumahashe Children’s Home – let Africa touch your very soul with a visit to this rural children’s home where abandoned children are looked after with some help from Kapama
  • Hoedspruit Centre for Endangered Species – see rescued cheetah and other animals to be rehabilitated at close range and learn all about them at this unique conservation establishment
  • Private Dining – celebrate a special occasion with a private bush dinner. 
  • Golf at Hans Merenski Championship Course – where wildlife roam about the fairways

Game drives

Two daily game drives are part of the fully inclusive tariff and your skilled ranger and tracker do their best to find the animals of Africa for you to admire.

Expect a wake up call at between 5am and 5.30am and gather for tea or coffee and rusks before heading out at first light. If you are lucky, the big cats will still be around after their night of hunting. This is Big 5 country (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo) all of which are possible to see during a two-day safari in Kapama Game Reserve.

There are also many other species to be seen, large and small, as well as fascinating plants and colourful birds. Stop halfway through the morning game drive for hot drinks and rusks from the Landrover snack box and return at around 9am for breakfast. During the rest of the day, you are likely to see wildlife like nyala antelope and vervet monkeys around the lodges.

At about 3.30pm everybody convenes for high tea, before departing with the same ranger/tracker team for the day’s second African bush safari. Enjoy a sundowner drink along the way (not included in the tariff), and get out of the vehicle to stretch your legs and watch the sun go down over the distant Drakensberg Mountains.
 
As darkness descends it’s time to return to the safety of the Landrover and let the tracker scan the landscape with a spotlight picking out the glinting eyes of nocturnal animals. Return to the lodge at around 7pm, where there is time to freshen up before dinner.

Wellness Center

There is much anticipation about the opening of Kapama Wellness Centre at River Lodge in 2008. You will be able to exercise in a 17-meter long, heated swimming pool, an air conditioned gym, heat up in the steam room and lie back and relax in four treatment rooms offering a range of tantalising treatments. There is still a full range of body and skin treatments from the current facility at River Lodge.

Rates and packages: 01 December 2010 – 30 November 2011

Package Includes: – All meals, Tea & Coffees, Accommodation, 2 daily activities,return road transfer and Entrance Fees; self drive includes: All meals, Tea & Coffees, Accommodation, 2 daily activities and Entrance Fees
Excludes: – All drinks, curio purchases, Laundry and items of a personal nature.
Tourism Levy: – No Tourism levies are charged at present.

PLEASE NOTE: Children are considered to be under the age of 12, and child rate applies when sharing with two adults.

Package Price PP Sharing Single Supplements Single person Child  
Self drive: per night R2 150pp R1 075 R3 225 R1 075 per night Book Now
1 Night Package R5 340pp R1 075 R9 525 R1 075per night Book Now
2 Nights Package R7 960pp R2 150 R14 040 R1 075 per night Book Now
3 Nights Package R10 565pp R3 225 R18 710 R1 075 per night Book Now

 Road Transfer Only: Click on the rate to book

Road transfer 1 – 3 pax 4 -7 pax 8 – 13pax
One way transfer, per vehicle (including entrance fees) R4100pv R5000pv R6200pv
One way transfer, per vehicle (including entrance fees and Panorama Route) R4500pv R5400pv R6500pv